Dumbo, The Flying Elephant at Walt Disney World (Ride Guide)
Dumbo, The Flying Elephant, is a spinner-style attraction in Storybook Circus, which makes up part of Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland. It was an original opening day attraction in 1971.
Since the park’s opening, Dumbo has undergone multiple refurbishments and was relocated to this area of the park during the Fantasyland expansion some time ago now. During its last renovation, an identical Dumbo was added. They now sit next to each other but fly in opposite directions.
This article details everything you’ll need to know to experience this classic attraction on your next vacation. We’ll discuss info, including who is best suited for this ride, the best time to ride, and whether or not you’ll need a Lightning Lane.
Dumbo is often called a spinner. But in all actuality, it’s a hub and spoke ride because the ride vehicle circles or spins around a central hub element. Children will want to ride Dumbo and similar attractions during your vacation. Often, this style of simple ride is the thing that children end up enjoying the most.
Here are the quick reference details for Dumbo.
| Dumbo, The Flying Elephant | Magic Kingdom |
|---|---|
Location: | Inside the circus tent, there is a play-while-you-wait area. It is an excellent spot for small children to take a break. |
Height Requirement: | None |
Lightning Lane: | Yes, with Multi Pass (Tier 2 Category) |
Ride Type: | Spinner |
Seats Per Vehicle: | Two guests or one adult with two small children. |
Rider Switch: | None |
Early Theme Park Hours: | Yes |
Extended Evening Hours: | Yes |
Good For: | Children |
Scare Factor: | Low |
Must-Do List: | Medium |
Perfect For: | All Ages |
Special Mention: | There is a play while you wait area inside the circus tent. It makes an excellent spot for small children to take a break. |
Additional Info: Guests in wheelchairs or ECVS must transfer to the ride vehicles. Details for those with mobility issues (e.g., wheelchairs and ECVs) can be found on Disney’s site.
Make sure to check our Disney World Lightning Lane Guide to plan your attractions.
Dumbo, The Flying Elephant
Dumbo, The Flying Elephant, sits on the right past the entrance of Storybook Circus. It sits directly across the walkway from Big Top Souvenirs.
Timothy Mouse is perched over the entrance sign. If you look closely, you’ll realize he is spinning. The back of the signage reads, “Believe and Soar!” He’s also holding a magic feather.
Two spinners sit side by side. One queue is dedicated to Lightning Lane, and the other is a standby line. In most cases, you won’t need to use an individual Lightning Lane at this attraction. However, it’s not uncommon for this attraction to have waits of up to 30 minutes during the busier portions of the day (i.e., mid-morning to early evening).
Dumbo doesn’t have any height requirements. However, guests in a wheelchair or ECV must transfer to ride this attraction.
After entering the queue, you’ll head inside a giant circus tent. A cast member will ask if you want to play or ride. This area is called a “play-while-you-wait” area.
If you decide to play, the cast member will provide a pager that looks like a circus ticket. When the pager goes off, it’s your turn to ride. The area is set up like an indoor playground with bleacher-style seating. Many parents bring their children back here to let them play. So, if you’re in the area and need a break, this is an excellent spot with air conditioning. You don’t have to ride Dumbo to take advantage of the play area.
Of course, if you don’t want to play, inform the cast member, and they’ll let you continue through to the regular line. You’ll then head back outside and wait your turn.
When it’s your turn, you can pick any Dumbo ride vehicle that’s available. Kids under the age of seven must sit on the interior side of the ride. A cast member will check that you’re buckled with the lap seatbelt restraint. When the ride starts, a joystick lever allows you to move the Dumbo up and down. Riders can soar high or stay low if they want.
Toward the end, all of the Dumbo’s will float to the top and circle a few laps before descending back to the ground.
When Dumbo re-opened in this location, the ride was extremely busy most of the day. So, the idea of the play area was to allow guests to have a little fun instead of standing in line. These days the wait time for Dumbo, the Flying Elephant, is rarely over 20 minutes. Of course, there are always a few exceptions. But thankfully, the attraction has a decent capacity with two spinners.
If your child loves Dumbo, you’ll also like the Magic Carpets of Aladdin at Magic Kingdom in Adventureland. Lastly, there is a fun photo opportunity outside the attraction. A solo Dumbo sits between the two spinners. However, it is not part of the line.
Children can sit inside the elephant and test it out. It also gives you plenty of time to take a few photos instead of trying to take them when boarding the ride.
The Resorts Gal Spin on Dumbo, the Flying Elephant
We would take a spin on Dumbo any day so it gets the green light! Most days, waits are less than 30 minutes. Overall, Dumbo is a timeless attraction that’s fun for children and adults alike. For the best time to ride, visit the area after sunset. Wait times will be almost non-existent. If you ride during the park’s last hour or so of opening, you can usually stay on the ride a couple of times if no other guests are waiting. The same goes for the nearby Barnstormer. (Goofy’s Barnstormer Kiddie Coaster)
Resorts Gal Traffic Signals
Green Light
We give an attraction the green light if we consider it a must-do, regardless of the posted wait. We also give the green light for attractions we deem suitable to experience anytime. For example, some attractions have high capacities. Therefore, the lines continuously move and you shouldn’t have a long wait unless the attraction experiences downtime.
Red Light
We recommend checking the posted wait times for red light attractions. Then, make a quick judgment call on whether to wait, skip it, or return later. We also red light some attractions that we feel might not be suitable based on our experience.
For more rides, try our Magic Kingdom Attractions Guide, or you might enjoy these nearby attractions:
- Under the Sea Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Mad Tea Party at Magic Kingdom
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Review
- Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station
- Pete’s Silly Sideshow
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Or see our complete guide to Magic Kingdom.
Resorts Gal specializes in Disney World Resorts, Characters, and Dining. Check out some of our resources, like our Disney World Resorts Guide. It provides an overview of everything you need to know about the Disney Resort Hotels. For dining, our Disney World Dining Guide is an excellent place to start. Our Disney World Transportation Guide is an excellent resource for planning your routes. It’s one of our most popular resources. If you plan to meet characters in the parks, we have an updated list of Disney World Characters. It includes every available character meet-and-greet in the parks and where to find rare characters throughout the year. Lastly, our Disney Parks Guide provides a complete overview of all four theme parks and water parks.
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