Get on Board with the Red Car Trolley Collection at Disney California Adventure Park

Michelle Harker

by , Manager, Event Programming

Can you believe how quickly the time has gone? We are just less than one month away from the opening of Buena Vista Street and Cars Land at Disney California Adventure park, and I’ll tell you I’m not sure what I’m more excited for. It seems like it was only yesterday that we made a trek out to see some of the old railway cars and trolleys at a local Southern California museum. But it was Disney Design Group Principal Character Artist Brian Blackmore and Graphic Designer Tyler Dumas that led these designs down the right track, alongside Product Developer Lisa Bergman. So of course, when I had the chance to spend a few minutes talking to them, I had to get all the details, so I could share them with all of you.
“Red

“Our goal was simple,” Lisa explained. “Provide authenticity to the trolleys and railways systems of yesteryear.”

“There is a passion and romanticism around the Red Car Line as it harkens back to a time in SoCal when we had a great public transportation system with beautifully designed trains – alternative travel at its best, kids,” Tyler jumped in, going on to explain that “It was the inspiration from the trolley engineering blueprints being used to create the Disney California Adventure park vehicles, along with color palettes, old time tickets and collateral from the 1920s and 1930s that really drove home the concept for the Red Car Trolley collection. We wanted this program to excite young train fans, appeal to adult retro character fans and really become an homage collection for vintage transportation enthusiasts.”

But it was Brian who broke it down for us even further. “For the kids we tried to give the trolley a personality, something that would encourage them to play, dream and use their imagination. Sitting beside that is a more hyper-stylized version that we knew would appeal to an older audience. But the big key for us in creating this program was to make it feel very nostalgic, complete with vintage era-appropriate graphic styles, features and characters, especially when it came to the technical trolley version, where we were able to use mechanical and rail aspects to produce the look.”
“Red

This new collection, which will make its debut in Los Feliz Five & Dime on Buena Vista Street, will include ladies’ and men’s tees, fleece sweatshirts, hats, figurines, souvenirs, tin signs and more. There is one more thing that I guess you could say I have to tip my hat to…the Red Car Trolley Conductor Mickey Cap. It’s sure to set you ears apart from the rest. What about pins? Well, I’m glad you asked. I’ll be covering those in a separate post, so keep watching.

So hop on board the Red Car Trolley and make Los Feliz Five & Dime one of your many stops when Buena Vista Street opens on June 15.

Check out these posts for more Disneyland Resort merchandise news:

Destinations: Get on Board with the Red Car Trolley Collection at Disney California Adventure Park

Comments

  • I love the Red Car! this is so great for awareness about SoCals history- we used to have Red cars going everywhere

  • Looks like I am gonna go broke this June with all this fantastic new merchandise!!!! Great job! Can’t wait to see it and get it!!

  • So much merchandise….so little time to shop for it!! I guess I would need to be the writer of ” Heat Wave” to afford it all. 🙂

    • Brian and Karen, you are to funny! I hope that you will be joining us for the opening of Buena Vista Street and Cars Land!

  • Will all this awesome stuff be available on DisneyStore?

    • Hey Keith!
      At this time, the merchandise will only be available to purchase at Disney California Adventure park. Some items will be available via Disney Merchandise Guest Services, so definitely inquire with them, after June 15.

  • OMG i cant wait i love and i am a big fan the 1920’s and the 1930’s . Do you kown if they will sell the artist movie on dvd and blu ray at the parks i kown the movie take pleace last 1920’s and into earily 1930’s

  • Love it. Can’t wait to get some of this new stuff!

  • Thank you so much for the update on all the wonderful new Red Car Trolley merchandise everything looks fantastic and I can’t wait to start collecting some of these fine pieces! I have trip planned for Disneyland this summer and I’m very excited to see the new California adventure! I do have one question regarding the Red Car Trolley, will Disney be making a playset for the trolley like the Disneyland Monorail set? Thank you so much for the sneek peek!

    • Anthony, there will actually be some great playsets available beginning June 15.

  • Such cool merchandise! Now, if only they’d go one further, and make an HO Scale model trolley like the HO scale electric train!

  • The conductor Mickey cap is soooo adorable!!! I can’t wait to try it on 🙂

  • Will there be a Red Car Trolley antenna topper? I’d love to have one to go with the Monorail topper.

    • Hi Pamela! We actually will have a Mickey Conductor Cap antenna topper, when Buena Vista Street opens on June 15. Be sure to keep an eye out for it.

  • Lovin’ the conductor had. Super cute.

  • I love the Red Car Trolley Conductor Mickey Cap and Messenger Bag!

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