Dumbo the Flying Elephant is a carousel-style ride located in Fantasyland at five Disney parks around the world. The original attraction opened at Disneyland in October 1955, three months after the park opened. The four other versions of the attraction were opening day attractions at their respective parks.
One elephant from the ride is in the collection of the National Museum of American History, donated in 2005, on the occasion of Disneyland's 50th anniversary.[1]
[edit] Attraction
Based on the character from the 1941 animated feature, the sixteen ride vehicles are each shaped like Dumbo and are mounted on articulated armatures connected to a rotating hub. The passengers ride in the "Dumbos" and can maneuver them up and down with a joystick which operates a hydraulic ram. The ride itself rotates counterclockwise at a constant rate.
A figure of Timothy Q. Mouse rides atop the central hub. The figure originally held a training whip, later replaced with the "magic feather." It has since been returned to the whip.[citation needed] Timothy is voiced by Chris Edgerly on this ride.[2]
The Magic Kingdom's version of this attraction does not include a central water feature like its Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland counterparts. The utilidors, running directly below the attraction, prevented the installation of water pipes necessary for the water features to operate.[3]
[edit] History
[edit] Disneyland
The attraction was originally built with ten ride vehicles which were intended to represent not the "one and only" Dumbo, but the alcohol-induced "pink elephants" scene from the film. In fact, the working title of the attraction was "10 Pink Elephants On Parade" and the elephants were painted pink on installation. Walt Disney objected, not wishing Disneyland's guests to ride vehicles themed to a hallucination and thereby ordered them painted gray.
A circa 1915 band organ occasionally provides background music. This powerful instrument is capable of being heard more than a mile away. Naturally, it is operated at only a fraction of its potential.
During his 1957 visit to Disneyland, Former United States President Harry S. Truman politely declined a ride on Dumbo the Flying Elephant, due to the elephant being a Republican symbol.
In 1990, the attraction was updated with the sixteen vehicles originally intended for installation at Disneyland Paris after an incident during which a bracket support broke. During the 1992 Disneyana convention, one of the original ride vehicles sold for US$16,000. Like other remaining 1955 attractions, one of Disneyland's Dumbos was painted gold in honor of the park's fiftieth anniversary in 2005.
[edit] Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland is currently undergoing a large expansion and renovation. "The New Fantasyland will be constructed in phases with most new experiences open by 2013."[4] Mickey's Toontown Fair closed permanently in February 2011 in order to make way for the expansion.[5] Some elements of Mickey's Toontown Fair will be demolished and others will be re-themed to a new Storybook Circus area. An expanded Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride will be built with an interactive queue. The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm will be re-themed, "featuring Goofy as The Great Goofini." [6]
[edit] References
- Trahan, Kendra D. (2004). Disneyland Detective: An INDEPENDENT Guide to Discovering Disney's Legend, Lore, and Magic! PermaGrin Publishing, Inc., Mission Viejo, California. ISBN 0-9717464-0-0
[edit] External links
