Dumbo vs. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin

[Music City Mama]

So, they're basically the same kind of ride, right? I don't remember seeing the Aladdin ride last time I was there (10 years ago), or if I did, I had no desire to ride it (pre-kids).

I remember riding Dumbo when I was around ages 2-5, but every year after that, we always skipped it. Wasn't important.

This June will be the kids' (ages 7 and 3) first trip. Neither of my kids really know the Dumbo story.

However, they both have seen Aladdin 100 times and love it.

Is Dumbo a must-do (particularly for the 3 yearl old) or can I skip it since it holds no sentimental value for my kids or me and just ride Aladdin instead for "that kind of ride"?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Dumbo will be changed and moved sometime between now and 2012, so you might want to go on the "traditional Dumbo behind Cinderella's Castle" while you have the chance. As far as I'm concerned, it's an iconic part of the park.

But if your kinds like Aladdin and not (or haven't seen) Dumbo, then it's completely up to you which you do. I probably wouldn't do both, though.

 

[blu3d3vil]

My kids (6 and 2) have never been on Dumbo and have no desire to wait in long lines. They were happy to ride Aladdin, it's basically the same.

 

[kmk1180]

My kids are the same.
Saw Dumbo once maybe twice.
Watch Alladin all the time...

To answer your question...yes Dumbo is a must do.
You'll be suprised at your kids reaction once they see it.
and once they ride it.

They'll really like Alladdin but they'll love Dumbo.

 

[mickey'sbff]

There is really like 5 other rides at disney that are like Dumbo. I think Dumbo is better because really its not the ride that's great, it's the feel of riding on of the most classic rides in Disney is priceless.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think everyone needs to ride Dubo at least once, well, because it is Dumbo!

However, now when we are in the Magic Kingdom we always seem to ride Aladdin. It is more fun riding as a group of 4, plus we like that everyone gets some control over the ride's motion. And don't forget to watch out for the spitting camel!

 

[stitch09]

personally, i like the aladdin ride more. the vehicle is more fun to "drive," and the ride lasts a little bit longer i believe. plus dumbo's line is always extremely long unless you hit it early on.

that being said, dumbo is a classic disney ride. it is a must-do for first-time visitors, especially kids.

 

[g-dad66]

For your situation, I would definitely do Aladdin and skip Dumbo.

The waits for Dumbo are notoriously long (except right at Rope Drop). We've never experienced a long wait for Aladdin.

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

They are basically the same ride, as with the triceratops spin in AK.

If your kids like to watch disney movies, you could always rent Dumbo from the library & watch it, then when you get there they may find it neat to ride.

Back in the days when DS rode Dumbo, we'd pick a morning to "Dumbo or die" as the unofficial guide called it. You do RD & immediately go to ride dumbo while everyone else doing something fun goes towards the MK mountains. If you get there early enough, you may be able to ride once, get back in line & ride again. Once that line fills up it's going to be a long wait the rest of the day.

I've found the Alladin magic carpets to never be as full as dumbo for some strange reason, perhaps it is all the parents being nostalgic since as you said, your kids would be more inclined to ride alladin over dumbo.

IMO Dumbo is like IASW, you don't want to do it but you feel like you have to

 

[wmharley]

Dumbo is right..

No way I'm standing in line for 40 minutes when they ahve the same ride, different theme in Aladdin and a 10 minute wait.

Dumbo isn't that great for the time you wait in the heat.

 

[lbklyn]

We went I believe in 2006 and my nephew was 5. He went on a good amount of rides and the thing he remembers the most was me taking him on Aladdin!

 

[djp0630]

DD4 liked the magic carpets better. We still rode it since it has a great view of the castle and since it's a classic, but only once and first thing so no wait. Both my kids could take it or leave it. I like the camel spitting at you on the Magic Carpets and DD asked to ride it. I'd still ride it, but right at 9AM...no way would I wait hours for it!

 

[ktlm]

Personally, I think you just have to ride Dumbo at least once. It's a classic!! HOWEVER, on DD's 1st trip, she looked at Dumbo and said "I don't want to ride him". (Well, there went my excitement about her riding Dumbo for the 1st time!). She never changed her mind and we didn't ride him that trip. She rode Aladdin at least 5 times. She loves Aladdin and she loves that ride! She has been twice since and on those trips she agreed to ride Dumbo once each trip and she likes it (doesn't ever ask to ride again), but she begs to ride Aladdin multiple times. She loves being on a flying carpet!

 

[dobtia]

Add my son to the list of kids who would rather ride the Magic Carpets. He loves the control and the spitting camel.

We did ride Dumbo once, he enjoyed the ride, but he would rather not wait for it.

 

[Bunnyfeather]

Funny, my kids have no frame of reference for what is nostalgic or best loved. I never went to WDW as a child, so I have no particular attachment to Dumbo over other rides. I began telling them some of the fun rides at WDW in talking about our trip next year, and my kids got all excited about Dumbo.

They like lots of movies better than Dumbo and I didn't play Dumbo up. I told them about the triceratops and the magic carpets, too, among other things. But the idea of riding Dumbo the elephant in the sky has struck a note in my kids' hearts anyway. If they did nothing else but ride Dumbo, meet Mickey and go in the castle (and DS wants to meet Lightning McQueen) they would leave happy.

So I think it goes both ways. Kids want to ride it because it is an iconic ride, but it is also an iconic ride because kids want to ride it! If you don't want your kids to ride it, don't let them see it...because once they do they are probably going to want to try it.

 

[Music City Mama]

They are basically the same ride, as with the triceratops spin in AK.

If your kids like to watch disney movies, you could always rent Dumbo from the library & watch it, then when you get there they may find it neat to ride.

Back in the days when DS rode Dumbo, we'd pick a morning to "Dumbo or die" as the unofficial guide called it. You do RD & immediately go to ride dumbo while everyone else doing something fun goes towards the MK mountains. If you get there early enough, you may be able to ride once, get back in line & ride again. Once that line fills up it's going to be a long wait the rest of the day.

I've found the Alladin magic carpets to never be as full as dumbo for some strange reason, perhaps it is all the parents being nostalgic since as you said, your kids would be more inclined to ride alladin over dumbo.

IMO Dumbo is like IASW, you don't want to do it but you feel like you have to

This made me chuckle re: IASW -- yes, we will ride that because I do have nostalgia associated with it -- although, I fear my kids will be thinking WTH?

Personally, I think you just have to ride Dumbo at least once. It's a classic!! HOWEVER, on DD's 1st trip, she looked at Dumbo and said "I don't want to ride him". (Well, there went my excitement about her riding Dumbo for the 1st time!). She never changed her mind and we didn't ride him that trip. She rode Aladdin at least 5 times. She loves Aladdin and she loves that ride! She has been twice since and on those trips she agreed to ride Dumbo once each trip and she likes it (doesn't ever ask to ride again), but she begs to ride Aladdin multiple times. She loves being on a flying carpet!

See, that's exactly my point -- I don't have that same feeling about Dumbo.
I guess we'll just see how it plays out with time . . .

 

[lorraine31]

dunno why but I just love aladdin so much more. I guess it is because I love Aladdin so much more than dumbo. It does seem a bit stupid since they are technically the same ride, but if Aladdin had a massive queue and dumbo had a short one, I would still choose to wait in the Aladdin line.

 

[Hoopfamily]

I like the Aladdin ride myself, but Dumbo is the Classic version. It's the one you rode when you were young OP. So take the kids on both.

 

[ssawka]

Dumbo is a two person ride where the "vehicles" go up and down. Alladin is a four person ride where the "vehicles" go up and down and can be titled forward or back. Personally, I don't like the forward and backward tilting of Alladin, it makes me feel unstable.

 

[Scubee]

We were there May 1-8 of this year with DS7 and DS-turning-3. My youngest wanted to ride anything and everything. My DS7 said he wasn't willing to stand in line 30-60 minutes to ride Dumbo. They both enjoyed Aladdin and Triceratops Spin.

To be honest, I was a little sad not to ride Dumbo but I'm a Disney kid and remember it from 20+ years ago. Chances are, my kids aren't going to be nostalgic over the same rides as I am. DS7 hasn't stopped talking about Mission Space.

Bottom line for us, we weren't going to make the kids stand in line for something we wanted them to ride.