Main Street Vehicles

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Main Street Vehicles
Trolley2.png
The Main Street trolley making its way down Main Street USA. Photo by Michael Gray
Land Main Street USA
Theme Turn of the century transportation
Opening date October 1, 1971
Ride duration 7-10 (roundtrip) minutes
FastPass + No

The Main Street Vehicles are four turn of the century vehicles located on Main Street USA.

Attraction History and Plot

The Main Street Vehicles opened with the rest of the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971. The fleet originally consisted of a fire engine, a horse-drawn street car (trolley), a horseless carriage, and an omnibus. Walt Disney himself came up with the idea to use the vehicles in Disneyland, and that idea was carried over to Disney World in 1971. Although not authentic, the vehicles are perfect replications of the various turn of the century transportation methods [1]. The vehicles pick guests up at designated locations in both Town Square and Cinderella Castle, and take them on a one-way trip down Main Street. Although the fire engine, horse-drawn trolley, and the horseless carriage have all been operational since opening day, the omnibus has not (see below). It usually takes between 7 and 10 minutes for the vehicles to go up and down Main Street [2].

Current Vehicles

The Fire Engine

The Main Street fire engine picks guests up outside the Fire Station in Town Square. The vehicle is an old fashion red engine with the words Main Street Fire Department painted on it. The fire engine is #71 (an obvious reference to year the park opened) and it has a working siren. Like the rest of Main Street's motorized vehicles, the fire engine is equipped with an engine that replicates the "putting" sound that turn of the century motors made [3]. Also like the other Main Street Vehicles, the fire engine does not run during parades, the trolley shows, or after dark [4].

The Horseless Carriage

The horseless carriage (also known as the jitney) picks up guests in Town Square, and it is modeled after a turn of the century car. In fact, there are actually two different cars that are used on Main Street. The first is yellow and black, while the second has a red and auburn color scheme. Both vehicles allow guests to sit in the front seat or the back bench of the car. The horseless carriage is equipped with a motor that replicates the "putting" sound of an authentic turn of the century car. Like the other Main Street Vehicles, the horseless carriage does not run during parades, the trolley shows, or after dark.

The Horse-Drawn Carriage (Trolley)

The horse-drawn carriage usually picks guests up at the end of Town Square. The carriage is designed to look like a turn of the century trolley, and it is pulled by either Belgian or Percheron horses. The carriage features bench seats along both of its sides, and it is often used for entertainment. Early in the day, various cast members dressed up in turn of the century attire, board the trolley and perform a special show. For the remainder of the day, guests can ride the trolley up and down Main Street. The horses that pull the trolley are kept at the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds, and are often cooled inside the Car Barn. Like the other Main Street Vehicles, the Horse-Drawn Carriage does not run during parades or after dark.

The Omnibus

The omnibus is a double-decker bus modeled after a 1920's New York City Omnibus. The vehicle opened with the Magic Kingdom in 1971. The omnibus features two levels of seating, allowing guests to get a unique view of Main Street. The vehicle holds up to 45 guests, and it is also fitted with a motor that replicates the sound of a turn of the century motor.

In 1982, the Omnibus was moved to Epcot where it carried guests around World Showcase. In honor of Mickey's 60th birthday in 1988, the bus was decorated for a party and it carried various charters around the lagoon for a show (called the Character Caravan). In 2005, the omnibus was once again in use, this time driving various characters around Future World as part of a moving character meet and greet. Currently the Omnibus is back in use on Main Street USA [5]

Former Vehicles

1903 Horseless Carriages

While the Omnibus was not running at the Magic Kingdom, three horseless carriages were added to Main Street Vehicles. The carriages were modeled after 1903 carriages. The vehicles came in three different colors: red, yellow and blue. With the return of the Omnibus, the carriages are no longer in use [5].

Images

Fire engine.jpg Horseless Carriage.jpg
The Fire Engine The Horseless Carriage
Trolly.jpg Disney World Omnibus.png
The Horse-Drawn Carriage (Trolley) The Omnibus

Fun Facts and Trivia

  • Main Street's Horseless Carriages are based on various Franklin Automobiles manufactured from 1903-1907 [6]

References

  1. http://www.waltdisney.org/blog/history-disneyland-transportation
  2. http://allears.net/tp/mk/mk_mainstreet.htm
  3. http://www.dadsguidetowdw.com/main-street-vehicles.html
  4. http://www.mouseplanet.com/guide/82/Walt-Disney-World/Magic-Kingdom/Main-Street-USA/Main-Street-Vehicles
  5. 5.0 5.1 http://disneyshawn.blogspot.com/2010/05/going-places.html
  6. The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World: an Imagineer's-Eye Tour Alex Wright - Disney Editions - 2005