The first phase of Storybook Circus opened yesterday at the Magic Kingdom, offering visitors a first chance to ride a new version of a classic Disney attraction as part of the New Fantasyland expansion.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant is an iconic ride, but Walt Disney World guests have not been able to experience it since it closed in January to prepare for its new version within the Mickey’s Toontown Fair replacement area. The new Dumbo ride will ultimately feature two carousels for the first time ever, flying side-by-side in opposite directions, but for now only the newer of the two has opened with surprising details and eye-pleasing features.
Despite the fact that the big top tent housing an interactive queue is not open yet, those who showed up to see the first look at Storybook Circus were not disappointed by the new Dumbo. The wait time to ride was consistently 40 minutes long throughout the day, a time that will surely drop once both carousels and the enhanced queue debut in the coming months. But even prior to all that, the new Dumbo impresses with its ornate details, story panels, new soundtrack, and multi-colored water fountains that decorate its base.
Many fans have already compared the rainbow of bright LED lights and water features to a small-scale version of Disneyland’s World of Color show, and as such, the new Dumbo is definitely a spectacular sight at night. Take a look at the wonderful world of color that surrounds the classic spinning ride in the video below and a closer look at its details in the photos that follow.
Video: New Dumbo ride featuring multi-colored water fountains at night in Storybook Circus
The new Dumbo is less than halfway complete. The new carousel spins clockwise, a first for the Magic Kingdom attraction, but the old is currently being rebuilt next to it and will spin counter-clockwise. And long waits in the hot sun will be replaced by time spent inside the big top tent, exploring interactive features while waiting to be called to ride.
It’s all part of the impressively themed Storybook Circus that even now only open in part has fans eager to see what the rest of the area, followed by the rest of the New Fantasyland expansion, will offer in the coming months and years, all scheduled to finally be open by 2014. In the meantime, the circus is in town with a better-than-ever version of Dumbo once again flying high over the Magic Kingdom.
More photos from Dumbo and Storybook Circus: