What am I missing about Dumbo?

[taters]

We are planning our first trip to WDW with our 3 kids (8,5,<1) for May. The Dumbo ride seems pretty ordinary to me; it looks like a typical fair ride just with Dumbo theming. Why do most touring suggestions recommend rushing to this first? I think I could coach my kids regarding this and go straight to Pooh.

Am I naive or is Dumbo really something not to be missed???

Travel Nerd

 

[Tigger&Belle]

It's not that it can't be missed, but that if you don't go first thing the line gets very long since it's so slow to load.

T&B

 

[jgates]

It really isn't that exciting, although the younger ones might think so.

If you don't make it right away, I would recommend checking during a parade time or the evening parade if there is one. We watched the parade close to the castle (night) and walked right back there and hopped on.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I guess Dumbo is so popular because its sort of an icon in lots of WDW advertising. My kis sure do love it, and I don't mind riding it either. The theming makes it more than justa carnival ride. But as someone said, if its on your "to do" list, be sure you do it early because the lines can get ridiculous

Have a magical trip!

 

[tiberius]

It is just popular beause it is a symbol of Disney. It is probably one of those rides many adults remember from their childhood, and then waited until they could put their own children on.

 

[chamonix]

I think the reason it is so popular (along with the other reasons already mentioned here) is that it is the only ride for the littlest kids that is really a motion ride. All of the other Fantasy land rides are like boats--smooth car rides, not "thrill" rides. Yes, Peter Pan flies, and Pooh bounces, but the other rides are all about themeing, not thrill. Dumbo is a thrill ride for little kids--it goes kind of fast, it goes up and down and round and round, it goes really high!--and they can control it! It's like space mountain or BTMRR for older kids/adults. I think that's why kids love it. It's a thrill ride, and usually one of the first for the littlest kids.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by taters
Why do most touring suggestions recommend rushing to this first? I think I could coach my kids regarding this and go straight to Pooh.

1. As others have said, because it's a "slow loader", and lines can form quickly.

2. I'll answer your question with a question: Why is it that you can buy a child a $200 Birthday present and all he wants to play with is the box???

I'll also agree with the comment that it's an "icon". We have home video of our son (then 18 mos) talking about how he had ridden "Bumbo" eariler in the day. When we watch trip planning videos, it's still one of the first attractions he picks out.

So you have 3 children and you still think you can "coach" them?!?! More power to 'ya, but just hope you don't find yourself standing in the sun (there is no shaded queue) for 30+ minutes at mid-day when your children decide to alter your well-laid plans.

 

[tink98]

We rode Dumbo at regular park opening once and a few times at EMH. I love it first thing in the am because the park is not yet swarming with people and when you are up top, you get such a magical feeling with the castle and the sites of the park around you. I'll have to ask my DS7 and DD5 if they liked it as much as I(35 ) did!! Just a kid at heart I guess.

 

[ChairborneRangr]

Only 30 minutes???

A friend of mine didn't listen to advice and they ended up trading off in line for 4 hours because little James didn't want to ride any other ride at Disney. Dumbo was the one and only thing he wanted to do... and they didn't get to the park early, nor di dthey gop straight to Dumbo. Live and learn.

I think the throughtput rate is 100 people every 20 minutes. You can see how that would build up a line rapidly.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by tjkraz
1. So you have 3 children and you still think you can "coach" them?!?! More power to 'ya, but just hope you don't find yourself standing in the sun (there is no shaded queue) for 30+ minutes at mid-day when your children decide to alter your well-laid plans.

LOL about the coaching. I'm assuming that taters meant that she (or is it a he?) could bypass the ride with her 1yo since that's easy enough to do with a real little one and tell her older kids that they are not goin on it. That might work for the 8yo, but the 5yo would probably want to do it. I would just get there early and go on it once and get it over with. It's a good photo op, if nothing else.

I wonder how backed up the Aladdin (sp?) Carpet Ride gets.

T&B

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by Tigger&Belle
I wonder how backed up the Aladdin (sp?) Carpet Ride gets.

I don't think it's quite as bad. The Magic Carpets and Triceratop Spin at AK (which is the same ride again) probably don't fall into the same "beloved" category as Dumbo.

The first time we took our son, we rode all three.

The last time we went, Dumbo was the only must-do. I believe that DW took him on TS while I was on Primeval Whirl at AK, but the Magic Carpets were missed altogether.

 

[Simba's Mom]

As an adult whose kids are grown, I'll tell you why I love Dumbo-the view! There's something magical about either seeing MK first thing in the morning, or especially after the sun goes down and all lit up. I also never miss Alladin or Triceratop Spin for the same reason.

 

[mkandk]

When my kids were 3 and 4, it was their favorite ride.

I agree, it's because the rest of the rides in Fantasy land are themed, whereas Dumbo is a "thrill" ride

However, we've always had better luck riding it late before closing.

 

[campingcorgi]

I rode Dumbo for the first time ever last October during MNSSHP. I had never felt comfortable getting on due to weight but after a loss I was willing to give it a try. I got in line with the three-year old and we were the lucky ones--we were on the ride during the MNSSHP fireworks!! That was a WOW for a first Dumbo ride!!!

 

[frndofpooh]

I agree with others who have said that the charm of Dumbo is that is a "classic" Disney attraction, and the urgency to ride it comes from the fact that if you don't ride first thing in the morning you will have to wait on a very long line because it is so slow to load. I also agree with Simba's Mom, however, that one terrific benefit of Dumbo is the view - a 360 degree view of Fantasyland from above. We always ride Dumbo first thing in the morning (with our 2 year old DS), and it always puts us even more in the Disney spirit experiencing all of Fantasyland from above!

 

[snoopy5386]

pooh has fastpass, dumbo does not. get to the park, go to dumbo, have one parent get on line with kids. other parent takes tickets and runs to pooh, get fastpasses, meet back at the dumbo line, ride dumbo, by then pooh fastpasses should be up and you are all set for both rides!!