We’ve got some bittersweet news for longtime fans of Disney California Adventure… and if you love Disney history as much as you love churros and Mickey-shaped treats, this is one story you’ll want to read to the very end.
The End of the Line for the Red Car Trolley
The beloved Red Car Trolley attraction at Disney California Adventure made its final trip down Buena Vista Street on February 8, 2025. The closure is part of a larger transformation of the park — as Avengers Campus continues to expand, the trolley’s backstage barn was needed to make way for new Marvel-themed offerings.
While that meant saying goodbye to a charming piece of Disney storytelling, not all was lost!
One Trolley Stays… Sort Of
Following the attraction’s closure, one of the two operating Red Car Trolley vehicles — Vehicle 717 — was placed at the front of Disney California Adventure as a stationary photo op. Guests can still snap a pic with this iconic ride vehicle, even if it’s no longer rolling along the tracks.
But what about the second trolley?
Where Did the Other Trolley Go?
The second Red Car Trolley, Vehicle 623, has officially found a new home — and it’s one filled with creativity, innovation, and even a touch of Disney magic.
Disney has donated the trolley to the Garner Holt Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on inspiring future careers in STEM and STEAM through immersive educational programs.
“Straight from the tracks of Buena Vista Street and into the future of inspiring innovation—the iconic Red Car Trolley has found a new home at the Garner Holt Foundation!
Thanks to this generous donation from our friends at the Disneyland Resort, this piece of theme park history can continue to inspire the next generation of dreamers and doers to discover potential careers in STEM and STEAM.” — The Garner Holt Foundation
What Is the Garner Holt Foundation?
If that name sounds familiar, it should! The Garner Holt Foundation is named for Garner Holt, founder of Garner Holt Productions — a company that’s been creating jaw-dropping animatronics and show elements for theme parks (including Disney!) for decades.
You’ve probably seen their work without even realizing it. Garner Holt Productions has:
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Designed Jack Skellington for Haunted Mansion Holiday (the first time Disney ever outsourced an animatronic for a classic attraction!)
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Created the Maleficent dragon for Fantasmic! at Disneyland in 2009
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Built numerous animatronics for Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land
And now, the Foundation itself is using Disney’s donation to help inspire the next generation of engineers, designers, artists, and more.
The Trolley’s Next Chapter
With its new home at the Garner Holt Foundation, Vehicle 623 isn’t just a museum piece. It’s going to be a hands-on, real-world example used to educate and inspire young minds during workshops, events, and career camps.
The goal? To keep the wheels of imagination turning — quite literally!
“Let’s keep moving forward down the tracks to the future for aspiring designers, engineers, and other visionaries who participate in Garner Holt Foundation events and keep the wheels of imagination turning!”
Why This Matters
At How to Disney, we love celebrating the details that make Disney parks so special — and this story is one of those wonderful reminders that even when attractions close, the magic lives on in surprising and meaningful ways.
The Red Car Trolley might no longer be cruising through Disney California Adventure, but its story isn’t over. It’s continuing to spread joy, curiosity, and inspiration in a whole new setting — one where future Disney Imagineers might just be finding their spark.
And hey — if you’re ever lucky enough to visit the Garner Holt Foundation, give Vehicle 623 a little wave for us.
Want more behind-the-scenes Disney stories like this? Stay tuned — we’re always tracking the magic in every corner of the parks!
