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Walt Disney World >> Magic Kingdom >> Fantasyland

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

One of the most popular attractions for the preschool set, Dumbo is one of Fantasyland's original attractions. The attraction is modeled on the 1941 animated feature with the titular elephant as the ride vehicle and sidekick Timothy Mouse in the center of the hub directing the action with a “magic” feather in his hand. In imagineering circles, Dumbo is known as a “hub and spoke” attraction because the ride vehicles rotate in a circle around a central hub. You can control the vertical motion of your elephant with the lever inside the vehicle. The attraction underwent a complete refurbishment in 1993 to update the vertical-motion technology and add four new vehicles to increase guest capacity. Though the ride cycle is only 90 seconds long, lines can become extremely long during busy days.

At the D23 exposition in September 2009, a major change to Dumbo was announced. As part of an expansion of Fantasyland, Dumbo's physical location is to be moved and it will be doubled in size by adding a second spinner. No official dates are yet known but the new version is expected to open in 2012.

General Information - Hide Section
  • Location: Behind Cinderella's Golden Castle in the area behind Cinderella Castle.
  • Date Opened: 10/1/1971
  • # of Ride Units: 16 elephants
  • Ride Capacity: 2 adults can fit into each Dumbo ride vehicle, though it isn't particularly comfortable. One adult and one child is more comfortable and adults without children generally prefer to ride alone.
  • Restraint Method: Seatbelt
  • Ticket Rating: C Ticket
  • Ride Photo: No
 
Time Commitment Information - Hide Section
  • Open/Close: Opens with the park. This attraction is open during both morning and evening Extra Magic Hours.
  • Wait Times: Though the actual ride time is short, it has a rarely achieved maximum hourly capacity of only 600 riders per hour. Unless you ride first thing in the morning, waiting 30-45 minutes should be expected and even longer on crowded days.
  • Length of Ride: 2 minutes
  • FastPass: No
  • Single Rider: No
  • Queue Description: The queue wraps around the attraction and has no particular theming.
Access Information - Hide Section
  • Health Restriction: None
  • Ride Access: The queue is wheelchair accessible though the ride itself is not.
  • Wheelchair Transfer: It is required that you transfer from a wheelchair or ECV to ride this attraction. The Dumbo ride vehicles are near ground level so it is not much of a climb to get into one.
  • Service Animals: Yes
  • Audio: None
  • Weight and Size Issues: Very large or tall people may find it a bit too cramped to ride with a child, though when alone the ride units should accommodate anybody. If you have a waist well over 50", the seatbelt may feel tight. If you are unable to fasten the seatbelt, make sure you let a cast member know.
Parenting Information - Hide Section
  • Height Restriction: None
  • Child Swap: No
  • Other Issues:
History and Trivia - Hide Section
  • At this location: Dumbo the Flying Elephant has been in this location since the park opened in 1971.
  • The Attraction's History: Though Dumbo the Flying Elephant has been part of the Magic Kingdom since 1971, what is there today is a completely new attraction. In 1993 the ride was closed and removed. An entirely new version of the attraction was installed, using modern equipment and controls, and upgrading capacity from 10 Dumbo ride vehicles to 16.


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