Dumbo the Flying Elephant is a carousel-style ride located in Fantasyland at all five Disney theme parks around the world. The original opened at Disneyland in October 1955, three months after the park opened. The four other versions were opening day attractions at their respective parks.
Ride synopsis
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.
History
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 actually painted pink on installation. Walt Disney objected, not wishing Disneyland's patrons to ride vehicles themed to a hallucination and thereby ordered them painted gray.
When Disneyland's Fantasyland was remodeled in 1983, the attraction retained its original configuration of ten ride vehicles. In 1990, the attraction was updated with the sixteen vehicles originally intended for installation at Disneyland Paris. Like other remaining 1955 attractions, one of Disneyland's Dumbos was painted gold in honor of that park's fiftieth anniversary in 2005. A circa 1915 band organ occasionally provides background music. This powerful instrument is capable of being heard more than a mile away; it is quite naturally operated at only a fraction of its potential.
Renovation
In September 2009, it was announced at the D23 Expo that Walt Disney World's Fantasyland would be expanded with a larger 3 ring circus-themed Dumbo area.[1]Dumbo the Flying Elephant will be doubled in size. Two separate Dumbo rides will be connected together by a tent, with circus themes. While waiting in line, guests can play games and interact in unspecified ways at this time.
A figure of Timothy Mouse rides atop the central hub. The figure originally held a training whip, later replaced with the "magic feather." It has since been changed back to the whip.[citation needed]
During his 1957 visit, Former US President Harry S Truman politely declined a ride on Dumbo the Flying Elephant, due to the elephant being a Republican symbol.
During the 1992 Disneyana convention, one of the original ride vehicles sold for US$16,000.
While each version of Dumbo the Flying Elephant is quite similar, the Walt Disney World version stands out. It does not include a central water feature likes its Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland counterparts. The utilidoors, running directly below the attraction, prevented the installation of water pipes necessary for the water features to operate. [2]
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
