Islands of Adventure’s Very Unusual Abandoned Dr. Seuss Ride

The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!

On June 22, 2006, the attraction originally designed as Sylvester McMonkey McBean’s Very Unusual Driving Machines opened as The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!

These two attractions have more in common than just long names. In many ways, the Seuss Trolley Train Ride is an updated version of what the old concept was going to be. Elements of the canceled attraction carried over as guests could finally take a ride on the formerly unused layout. The ride, being built atop the existing course, operates as a Möbius loop—meaning the two tracks connect as one continuous circuit, which begin and end on opposite sides of the station.

The biggest difference is the ride vehicles. Instead of individual bumper cars, the Seuss Trolley Train Ride has large, 20-passenger slow-moving trains. This allows for higher capacity but without the bumper car feature as originally planned.

Although different, a ride on the Seuss Trolley gives riders a glimpse of what the Very Unusual Driving Machines would have been like. Much of the scenic work that was designed and created for the unopened concept was installed for the ride’s 2006 opening.

The Queue

Visually, the ride follows the theme of The Sneetches and the story’s star machines. The queue has a lot of Sylvester McMonkey McBean theming, likely very similar to how the queue of the Very Unusual Driving Machines was meant to be.

The sign at the entrance has wacky gadgetry churning stars. Guests enter under a “Sneetches In” sign into a corrugated tunnel, as if stepping into one of Sylvester McMonkey McBean’s inventions. The ground floor of the queue is decorated with excerpts from The Sneetches displayed over beach-themed painted walls.

The queue continues up a ramp that circles around the “Fix-it-Up Chappie” tinkering on a contraption surrounded by stars and dollar signs. On the upper floor, guests arrive at the dual-loading station where they board the star-decorated trains. The names of the ride’s four trains—Blinkey, Sneepy, Hot-Shot, and Oliver Boliver (short for Oliver Boliver Butt)—are from Dr. Seuss’ story Too Many Daves, which was published in the same book as The Sneetches.

The Ride

Each side of the loop offers a different experience; the teal track passes through the Star-On machine, and the purple side passes through the Star-Off machine. Each loop has remnants of the Very Unusual Driving Machines concept, almost like taking a ride on the never-opened attraction.

The Star-On Side

Starting with the Star-On side, the train rolls out of the station, by signage referencing Star-Belly Sneetches, and into the big top of Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-Pendous. The teal track rounds the restaurant, back outside, and into a dedicated show scene. This covered passageway is crammed with Sylvester McMonkey McBean’s infamous Star-On machinery, which is pumping Sneetches through through tubes. Before the train leaves, an arm with a rubber stamp leans toward the ride vehicle.

The Star-Off Side

Right out of the station, the Star-Off side starts with a small show scene of a Star-Wash to scrub the stars off the Sneetch’s bellies. Cleaning devices reach out to the train as bubbles float in the air. Outside, this track winds around the Caro-Seuss-el.

The Rest of the Ride

After their show scenes, the two layouts thread above Seuss Landing, providing views of the lagoon and Sneetch Beach below. The dual tracks meet and ride alongside each other on a rooftop scene where Sylvester McMonkey McBean is seen fleeing town in a car stuffed with cash.

This scene also has clotheslines of too many shirts with the name Dave on them—a reference to Too Many Daves.

The trains roll into the final scene decorated with the closing words of the story, stars sprung from the ceiling, and sounds of seagulls like Sneetch Beach. At the end, Star-Belly and Plain-Belly Sneetches enjoy frankfurter roasts together.

Ride Story

Although the scenery of The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! follows the story of The Sneetches, the ride’s four onboard audio tracks feature other Dr. Seuss books—such as And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street and Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?