Seven Dwarves Mine train - is it really really worth it?

[nicksinger8]

Apologies if this is a stale topic - I have searched but haven't found the exact thread.

Seems that the Seven Dwarves Mine Train is one of the hardest to get on in the Magic Kingdom. Haven't been for 20 years. Going with my family (mid August - 4 of us) and probably not back for a long while (we are from the UK). Looks a wonderful ride. However, every permutation of every touring plan (from the unofficial guide) suggests it will wreck all my plans to see loads. I am also told it is very very hard to even get a Lightning Lane reservation.

So, as disappointing as it may be, it seems for the greater good, I should skip it? Am I wrong? Is it unmissable?

 

[Lori Duck]

Good morning from snowy New England! It is not unmissable. My teen DS says same. He calls it overrated.

 

[tguz]

I'd say yes if you haven't been on it before. The last trip, we skipped it as we have ridden it quite a few times and the line was too long. I'd probably jump in line at park closing instead of waiting during the day when you can be doing other things. Not a fan of paying extra (LL) for rides.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

I agree. It's over-rated and not worth the long wait. Routinely, DS12 and I will hop on line about 5 minutes before closing if we do want to ride it. We tend to try to do Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain and Space Mountain along with Mine Train in the last hour or two before closing.

 

[DisneyFive]

Considering that it was never in the Magic Kingdom for decades, yes, it is not necessary
. I also think it is overhyped. It is a fun ride but I prefer Big thunder mountain railroad or Space mountain, Splash, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion even more.

it’s main draw is that it is a relatively tame roller coaster so all ages can ride. Similar to the reason why Peter Pan is so popular.

Dan

 

[David G Farr]

Personally I enjoy Big Thunder Mountain more.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

On our last trip (pre-covid) I had terrible food poisoning the night before our 7DMT fastpass. I was still feeling pretty awful that day, but I felt like i couldn't miss it, so I forced myself to buck up and get there. It was a really cute ride, but over really fast. Afterward I felt like forcing myself to get to that was really unnecessary.

 

[Beer Me]

It’s really cute but super short. With a couple more scenes it could have been an all time classic.

I’ve only done it with FP. It’s not worth a long standby wait. If I had never done it before and had little kids who were into it I’d bite the bullet and buy LL

 

[danceintherain]

Its good. But, I would not be upset if I missed it. That said, I've ridden it a few times, and my oldest (last trip when he was 8) doesn't actually like it, because the swinging cars make him feel insecure. If its a matter of choosing between the Mine Train, and Peter Pan, then Peter Pan would win for me. If I was choosing between the Mine Train and Space Mountain, then the Mine Train would win, because Space Mountain is so jerky....

 

[jo-jo]

On our last trip (pre-covid) I had terrible food poisoning the night before our 7DMT fastpass. I was still feeling pretty awful that day, but I felt like i couldn't miss it, so I forced myself to buck up and get there. It was a really cute ride, but over really fast. Afterward I felt like forcing myself to get to that was really unnecessary.

This. 6 year old would love it. 12 year old would probably say I waited an hour for that????? no way would I pay extra money for it. The jump in at the end of the night would be my plan if you really wanted to try it.

 

[gatorlisa]

It is fairly easy to get on with a short wait during fireworks (assuming you are willing to not be in front of the castle for fireworks one evening). It's not necessarily unmissable, but if you have never been on it, it's a fun ride, even if it is on the short side.

 

[Dis Dragon]

It's a fun ride to be sure, but it's not worth the line investment of time you have to put into it. I think the complete ride is about 2 1/2 minutes - for a 45+ minute wait. We try to ride it once a trip and get in the front of the rope drop crowd... again you're putting in 45+ waiting for rope drop as well - I always reason that it isn't the same because there's nothing else to be doing with pre-park time.

Also the swinging cars are probably the only redeeming thing for us now, when you go into the cave and at the end of the ride, we try and swing the car for as long as possible. It's kinda fun.

 

[Brian Noble]

I am also told it is very very hard to even get a Lightning Lane reservation.

I'm not sure this is true. Thrill-data suggests that even during the week between Christmas and NYE, there was some evening availability even to offsite guests most days.

Is it unmissable?

Nothing at WDW is ever a must-do. Not one thing. If it works out for you, great! If not, there are tons and tons of fun things to do while you are there. Plus, given that you've not been there for 20 years there will be plenty of fresh things for you to do.

 

[Jennasis]

It's cute. Not worth wrecking plans over. We miss it all the time now that FP isn't a thing and waits are stupid. Pro tip, go during the fireworks of you must. The wait will thin a bit.

 

[DisneyFive]

Nothing at WDW is ever a must-do. Not one thing. If it works out for you, great! If not, there are tons and tons of fun things to do while you are there. Plus, given that you've not been there for 20 years there will be plenty of fresh things for you to do.

This. If you can wrap your head around what Brian states above, you can have a much more relaxing time at WDW. Our first trip back in 2010, we had a list of just 3 MUST DO attractions at each park. If we only did those three we would have been happy. Fortunately we were able to do those, plus a lot more.

There really is very little, to no, chance of doing it all in one trip. You will miss attractions, shows, etc...

No single ride should make or break a day, let alone an entire vacation. That's hard to internalize sometimes, but it's the truth.

Dan

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm a big "if I can go on it/handle it/want to do it I'll do it at least once" kind of person so I wouldn't skip it just because the waits are posted as long if it's a ride that interests you and you haven't been on it before. Sometimes you wait for something and you're disappointed that you did and sometimes you wait for something and you're so glad you did, that just goes with the territory but I'd rather at least have the "I did it once" thing. Our trips aren't very frequent so this impacts our decision. People who go often enough have the benefit of "meh" if the wait is too long. Unfortunately I've been burned by a ride or attraction being closed while I was there and I never got to enjoy it. Storms in 2011 and 2017 prevented us from seeing Fantasmic! and I still haven't seen it (if I did when I was younger I have no recollection of it) but we were fortunate to see DLR's version in 2019 but only because my husband was in CA for 9 months on a power plant site. Also never got to see Backlot Tour.

I personally wouldn't want to pay for it but I don't like paying on principle.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This. If you can wrap your head around what Brian states above, you can have a much more relaxing time at WDW. Our first trip back in 2010, we had a list of just 3 MUST DO attractions at each park. If we only did those three we would have been happy. Fortunately we were able to do those, plus a lot more.

There really is very little, to no, chance of doing it all in one trip. You will miss attractions, shows, etc...

No single ride should make or break a day, let alone an entire vacation. That's hard to internalize sometimes, but it's the truth.

Dan

I think they just said it would wreck their plans (based on their research) not break their vacation. A lot of people plan around hard to get rides (especially ones who know they won't likely be back for a long while) so it can cause a domino effect. Roll with the punches is sorta the motto you gotta go with but I don't think there was an implication that the world will end if they don't get on it. They specifically asked if they should just skip it so I think they are okay (internalized okay as well) with missing the attraction if it ends up happening.

 

[ZellyB]

I think it's a really cute ride and worth doing, especially if you've never ridden it before. I don't know your plans, so if it would truly wreck your plans for the day, then, no I wouldn't do so. But, if you can make some changes to your plan (get there extra early to be at the front of rope drop crowds or last minute before closing or even splurge for ILL) then I would definitely try to ride it. We really enjoy it and find it fits into a very classic type of Disney ride genre. We made it our last ride of the trip this last time. Late at night after the fireworks. The entire train was singing "Hi Ho" as we went through the cave and then rocking the cars as well. It was absolutely one of the best moments of the trip. Yes, it's short. Yes, it's a kiddie coaster, but a significant portion of the rides in MK at "kiddie". I like them regardless.

 

[Kingoglow]

It is worth it to ride once. Whether you value your time (buying a ILL$) or money (waiting in stand by) will be up to you.
The ride is really targeted at young kids (pre middle school). For anyone older than that, I would say that the ride is quaint, but not a must-do. It is the most advanced roller-coaster in MK, if that means anything to you. You can feel how much newer the ride is when compared to BTM or SM.

It is fine, but most trips we skip it.

 

[nicksinger8]

Thanks all! I think I may have exaggerated when I said wreck plans - but what I mean, is every version of the touring plan suggests it is a minimum of an hour wait. Obviously once you get stuck in a line for an hour, other lines build. Cutting it out means I will see a lot more. Given I have kids, we aren't going to be able stay too late in the park - going to try early to bed and early to rise. Seems the consensus is - very good ride, fun, but not worth a crazy crazy wait. I suspect we'll skip and maybe use Lightning Lane if available. Or maybe we'll find we are back at MK having done everything and then will just wait.