Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Dumbo the Flying Elephant is an attraction located in Fantasyland
| Dumbo the Flying Elephant | |
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| Dumbo the Flying Elephant in it's former location in Fantasyland. | |
| Land | Fantasyland (Storybook Circus) |
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| Attraction type | Hub and Spoke |
| Opening date | October 1, 1971 |
| Closing date | January 9, 2012 |
| Vehicle capacity | 2-3 |
| Number of vehicles | 16 |
| Ride duration | 1:30 minutes |
| Will Reopen | March 12, 2012 (expected) |
| Based on | Disney's Dumbo |
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Contents
Attraction History
Dumbo the Flying Elephant began as an attraction for Disneyland, in the early 1950s. The attraction is a "hub and spoke" attraction based on the 1941 Disney movie, Dumbo. Original designs for the attraction showed guests riding in the "Pink Elephants" that Dumbo hallucinates in the movie, with the working title of the attraction being "10 Pink Elephants On Parade". This decision was made, because while their were going to be ten ride vehicles, there was only one Dumbo. Walt Disney however, did not want his guests riding in alcohol induced elephants, and he ordered the ride vehicles painted grey. The attraction was changed to Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and it opened in Disneyland in October of 1955.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant proved to be so popular in Disneyland, that it was an obvious choice for inclusion in Walt Disney World. A replica Dumbo was built, and the attraction was operational in time for opening day on October 1, 1971. The ride consisted of 10 Dumbo's flying around Timothy the Mouse, who was holding a whip and standing on a disco ball. There were no major changes to the attraction until 1993, when the ride was closed for refurbishment. During the refurbishment, the ride mechanism was changed to make the attraction more kinetic. In order to increase the capacity of the attraction, six more Dumbo vehicles were added. Timothy the Mouse's whip was also removed, and replaced with Dumbo's "magic feather". Timothy also now stands on a small hot air balloon, instead of a disco ball. The final change to the attraction involved moving the queue away from the carousel, to give it some cover from the sun.
In 2009, Disney announced that Dumbo the Flying Elephant would be moved to the Storybook Circus expansion of Fantasyland. The attraction closed January 9, 2012, and it is currently being moved to Storybook Circus. Dumbo the Flying Elephant is expected to reopen on March 12, 2012.
Attraction Plot
Dumbo the Flying Elephant allows guests to board a Dumbo ride vehicle, and fly counter clockwise above Fantasyland. The ride is hub and spoke attraction, with the Dumbo's extending from a center hot air balloon. Timothy the Mouse stands on top of the balloon, holding Dumbo's magic feather. A joystick in the middle of the ride vehicle allows guests to move their elephant up or down. The ride lasts for approximately 1 minute and 30 seconds, before the elephants descend back to the ground.
It is expected that when the attraction reopens in Storybook Circus, that there will be two Dumbo the Flying Elephants. The two attractions will run side by side, with one rotating clockwise and the other rotating counter clockwise. It is also expected that the attraction will be the first recipient of Disney's next generation interactive queue.
See the Attraction!
Fun Facts and Trivia
- President Gerald Ford refused to ride Dumbo the Flying Elephant in Disneyland, due to the fact that the elephant is the mascot for the Republican Party.
- Before the attraction closed in January 2012, a ride vehicle was placed just outside the attraction. This allowed guests to board the vehicle and take pictures, without having to wait in line.
- Unlike every other version of Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Walt Disney World's Dumbo does not include a central water feature. This is because the untilidoors underneath the Magic Kingdom made installing the necessary piping impossible.
- Chris Edgerly voices Timothy the Mouse on Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
References
http://allears.net/dlr/tp/dl/dumbo.htm
http://themeparks.about.com/od/disneyparks/a/MKFantasylandExp.htm
