Chapter 24 – Magic Kingdom – New Fantasyland – Storybook Circus                     post 1/2/19


Storybook Circus

Storybook Circus was part of the New Fantasyland expansion. Fantasyland doubling in size of Fantasyland from the original 10 acres to 21 acres with the expansion in 2012.  Storybook Circus in located in the area that once was Mickey’s Toontown Fair (See Chapter 22 Fantasyland That Once Was)
 
Storybook Circus was a large part of this expansion and was inspired by the classic Disney animated film, Dumbo. 
 
The Storybook Circus part of Fantasyland can trace its roots back to Walt Disney himself. Walt loved circuses, and there were initially plans for a circus in Disneyland that dated all the way back to the 1950s.
Picture
Storybook Circus outlined
For current Magic Kingdom Map:   https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/magic-kingdom/maps/
The main attractions here are:
 
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant
  • Big Top Souvenirs
  • Storybook Circus Banners
  • Pete’s Silly Sideshow
  • Storybook Circus Plaza
  • Casey Jr. Splash N’ Soak Station
  • The Barnstormer

  • Walt Disney World Railroad - Fantasyland Station

  • Pixie Hollow
So let’s take a stroll through the world of Dumbo’s Circus, and we’ll have a most amusing and entertaining experience.

The Music and Entertainment of Fantasyland

Before we get too far into Storybook Circus let’s get into the mood with a little of the background music from the area.
Understandably, the music will carnival music and has a jazzy style. The “Circus Theme Song” can be heard here, as well as a few other songs like “When I See An Elephant Fly” from Dumbo. 
As guests get closer to the train station, the music changes slightly, to reflect the railroad instead of the circus.
HP Commission
Storybook Circus Street Entertainment
Storybook Circus Giggle Gang
The Storybook Circus Giggle Gang debuted in early December 2012, to coincide with the grand opening of the New Fantasyland area in Magic Kingdom.
The Storybook Circus Giggle Gang is a troupe of circus clowns inspired by the traveling circus acts and sideshows of the late 19th century, as well as classic films like Walt Disney's Dumbo. The Storybook Circus Giggle Gang performed several times each day in and around the Storybook Circus section of Fantasyland. Boss clown is Chuckles Buffoon McMonkeyshine III and he appears with his protégés, Whinny Horselaugh and Snort. Together, they engage in all sorts of circus shenanigans.
Silly Saxtet
There was also the Silly Saxtet that paraded around the circus grounds with their own unique twist on circus music standards, and featured clown Wowzer, a specialty performer who takes center ring with amazing feats of thrills, chills and hilarity. The Silly Saxtet (4 saxophone players & a percussionist) performed with the Giggle Gang.
However, the Storybook Circus Giggle Gang and Silly Saxtet’s final day of operation was in October 2014.

Fun Fact: Several members of the ensemble were graduates of the famed Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College.
Main Street Philharmonic at Storybook Circus
The Main Street Philharmonic, the Magic Kingdom's resident marching band, performs in Storybook Circus at select times a day.
They performing old-school marches, big band hits and Disney classics, they rock out a mix.
“Take Me Out to the Ball Game”, “76 Trombones” and “Alexander’s Rag Time Band” are a few of the tunes this 12 piece brass and percussion ensemble play. And they take requests.
For times check the Magic Kingdom Times Guide or the link below:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/entertainment/magic-kingdom/main-street-philharmonic-storybook-circus/
 
 As guest approach Storybook Circus they’ll notice the large, beautifully designed “Welcome” signs at the entrance to Storybook Circus. 
As you enter this area, the atmosphere become like an old-fashioned Circus. Follow the lively calliope music to the colorful Big Tops of Storybook Circus. Guests will be absorbed into the classic backdrop of an American circus, with the delicious smell of cotton candy and fresh popcorn gliding through the air, bright circus posters, and whimsical attractions that will appeal to guests of all ages.

The details put into every shop and every attraction in Storybook Circus will connect guests to the story of Dumbo and his life in the circus.  This is a really fun area and hopefully will bring back memories of the guests own Circus experiences and adventures.
As guest walk through the area, check out the great details that is the essence of a Circus, from the trapeze poles inside of Big Top Souvenirs and the bright primary colors of a circus.
The Disney Imagineers always theme details from top to bottom, so in Storybook Circus looking down.
See the imprints left by the lions, elephants, and other circus animals in the pavement. Near the enduring Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction peanut shells can be seen in the cement!
 



Which leads us to Dumbo, the Flying Elephant attraction.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Dumbo the Flying Elephant is one of 14 attractions remaining in some form from the Magic Kingdom’s opening day, October 1, 1971. The others are Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel (now Prince Charming Regal Carrousel), Country Bear Jamboree, Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade, Hall of Presidents, Haunted Mansion, It’s a Small World, Jungle Cruise, Mad Tea Party,  Peter Pan’s Flight, Swiss Family Treehouse, Tropical Serenade (now Enchanted Tiki Room), Grand Prix Raceway (now Tomorrowland Speedway), and Walt Disney World Railroad. (You can read about these in previous Chapters)
Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction is named after and inspired by Disney’s 1941 film Dumbo.


History
Picture
©Disney
Movies about the circus have always been popular, and Disney made several starting in the 1940s. The most famous is the 1941 animation classic, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, one of the most successful Disney productions of that era. Walt Disney adapted the movie from a 1939 book written by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl, and illustrated by Helen Durney.
Note: The story is about a young circus elephant mocked because of his enormous ears and thus called Dumbo. Dumbo is assisted by a mouse, Timothy Q. Mouse, to achieve his full potential.
From Magic Kingdom’s opening day in 1971 until 2012, Dumbo the Flying Elephant was situated adjacent to Prince Charming Regal Carrousel. As part of the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland expansion, the attraction was relocated to the land’s new Storybook Circus section, where Mickey’s Toontown Fair was formerly located.
Background
The original 1971 attraction was modified from the Disneyland version, which had 10 elephants, to include 16 vehicles. On opening day, there was no Timothy Q. Mouse (Dumbo’s pal) and the elephants did not have hats. The hats were eventually added after a couple of months, but the Timothy Q. Mouse figure wasn’t added for about two years.
 
The ride was originally designed to represent the pink elephants based on the movie’s hallucinatory “Pink Elephants on Parade” segment where Dumbo and Timothy hallucinated about after accidentally drinking champagne in the film. The vehicles at Disneyland were all painted pink until Walt Disney himself objected and ordered them to be repainted gray to look like Dumbo.
The attraction now has doubled the number of elephants by the addition of a second spinning carousel. There are now 32 elephants that can fly.
Guests will also notice the water features that was added to the attraction.  The water wasn’t on the original Magic Kingdom version. When the attraction was situated behind Cinderella Castle, water pipes could not be installed below the ride because of the Utilidors (underground tunnels for cast members only). In the new location, Imagineers were able to add the water feature below the cars that is part of the attraction. In addition to the fountains, a gorgeous, multicolored light show had been added to the ride.
At night Guests the Dumbo flight is definitely more spectacular. Illuminated fountains resembling firehouses spray water into a trough below the elephant vehicles, giving the attraction a fanciful glow. Guests soar above the twinkling lights of Storybook Circus, catching glimpses of Fantasyland in a magical light.
For those who have not seen it, here is a short Video of the Dumbo Water & Light Show:
Timothy Q. Mouse was Dumbo’s friend and mentor in the animated film. He provides Dumbo with the magic feather that allowed Dumbo to think he can fly. Guests can find Timothy at the entrance to the Dumbo attraction. The back of the entrance sign is the message “Believe and Soar”.
 
In the center of the ride are artworks story panels that tell the story of Dumbo, starting with the train Casey, Jr. arriving in town, move around the ride and watch the story develop. 
 
There are letter D’s for Dumbo and peanut images on the spinner, as well as on the mechanisms that lift the arms holding the elephant vehicles. Further up are smiling elephants that represent Dumbo’s mother, and at the very top of the spinner are storks carrying bundles, carrying baby Dumbo’s.
In Tokyo Disneyland you will find an exact replica of the original Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction as it looked and functioned in 1971 in Magic Kingdom.

Queue
As we mentioned in Chapter 23, with the New Fantasyland Expansion the Imagineers also included new interactive queues to many of the attractions in Fantasyland, this includes Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride.

Guests in the queue line are given pagers, designed to look like a circus ticket, that hold their places in line as they enter the tent, which is a circus-themed play area designed for children of all ages.
Slides and climbing nets are the basis of this fun area that looks just like the circus inspired by the Dumbo movie, complete with a pretend burning building and Dumbo flying overhead. There’s even a toddler play area in the center ring. Be sure to notice the spinning vertical puzzle, a nod to the smaller versions that graced the old Dumbo queue. In the circus tent, kids can look for a special rope as they climb up to the nets. Pulling this rope will allow them to start a light show overhead that mimics fireworks.
 
There are plenty of bleachers along the walls for parents to take a break while their kids are playing. When their pager lights up and Timothy Q. Mouse speaks, it’s time to ride.

Ride
Since it can be difficult to take a good pictures of guests while riding Dumbo, there is a stationary Dumbo car between the carousels so guests their pictures.

Reference:
The sixteen ride vehicles each resemble Dumbo and are mounted on articulated arms connected to a rotating hub. The passengers ride in the “Dumbo’s” and can maneuver them up and down with a joystick that operates a hydraulic arm. The ride itself rotates at a constant rate.
 
The Dumbo vehicles are not all the same. Each Dumbo’s hat, saddle, and collar are painted different colors.
 
The two Dumbo attractions rotate in opposite directions. The one on the left rotates clockwise, while the one the right rotates counter-clockwise. 

Fun Fact: All of the Disney attractions in the entire world travel counter-clockwise. The one Dumbo ride is the only Disney attraction of its kind that spins clockwise.

Big Top Souvenirs

Just across from Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction is the Big Top Souvenirs. The Storybook Circus Big Top Souvenirs tent is decorated to look like a real circus tent.
The Big Top Souvenirs shop opened in 2012 as part of the New Fantasyland expansion. It is located where the former Toontown’s Hall of Fame and Minnie's Country House once stood (see Chapter 22).

Humphrey the Bear is the host of Big Top Treats! Humphrey is featured on the Big Top Treats sign and look for some bear paw prints outside the entrance.

Step inside where the colorful details are abundant from the Trapeze swings dangle from the top, circus train cars of all manner and variety ring around the tent walls to the flooring that are featured to look like grassy turf, wooden circus floorboards, and detailed canvas.
The centerpiece is the Big Top Treats. Guests can watch the on-stage show kitchen as several delicious goodies including cotton candy, caramel apples and much more are being made and, of course, can be purchased.
The shop also contain a wide variety of merchandise goods including apparel, toys, dolls, plush, and goods dealing with Dumbo, Goofy, and other characters from Storybook Circus, plus much more. There are two stations where you can get embroidered Mickey ear hats toward the back of the store.
 
What’s most impressive is the endless details. Several of the merchandise racks are set on top of water barrels for some of the performers at the circus. The water barrels belong to the following Disney characters: Big Bad Wolf (debuted in 1933's The Three Little Pigs), Horace (debuted in 1929's The Plow Boy), Clara (debuted in 1934's The Orphan's Benefit), Hyacinth (a hippo from Fantasia), Pluto (debuted in 1930's The Chain Gang), Salty (debuted in 1936's Mickey's Circus), and Dolores (debuted in 1945's Tiger Trouble). (More about these characters later)
©Disney

Storybook Circus Banners

Throughout Storybook Circus guest may notice that everywhere they look are Banners and Posters featuring many of the Disney animated characters both the popular one as well as many lesser known ones.
Pluto is definitely well known as Mickey’s Best Friend and companion.
Posters of some of the not so well known characters are:  
Hyacinth Hippo

Hyacinth Hippo is a character from Disney's 1940 movie Fantasia. She is a hippopotamus who appears in the segment Dance of the Hours. She represents the hours of noon day.
 
She also appeared in Feature films, like:
  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit (cameo)
  • Fantasia 2000 (appears in a flashback)
  • Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse
  • Mickey's House of Villains
  • Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
  • The Lion King 1½ (silhouette cameo)

And in Disney Parks, Hyacinth Hippo appears in various parades as a walk around character. This version of her is bright pink with red smooching lips and wears a silvery-blue tutu, a matching bow on her head, and light blue ballet slippers.

A topiary was also created for use during the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, while statues of her can be seen at the Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf course.

 
Lambert Lion 

Lambert Lion is the main character of the 1952 cartoon short Lambert the Sheepish Lion.

In the film, Lambert is the foster son of Mrs. Sheep, having been accidentally brought to a meadow as a cub alongside some lambs by a stork. He is initially very cowardly until his adoptive mother is put in danger, whereupon he displays amazing courage.
Horace Horsecollar

Horace Horsecollar is an animated character created by both Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. He is an anthropomorphic horse, a longtime friend of Mickey Mouse and the boyfriend of Clarabelle Cow. Horace first appeared as Mickey's plow horse in the 1929 cartoon The Plowboy, and frequently appeared as Mickey's faithful steed in subsequent shorts.
 
Horace can also be see in the animated short Get A Horse!, which is playing in Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival next to Journey into Imagination at Epcot. (Check the Epcot Times Guide)
 
Horace appears in the Walt Disney Parks as a Meet & Greet character and also appears in select parades.
Clara Cluck

Clara Cluck is a character who was created by The Walt Disney Company. She debuted in the 1934 Mickey Mouse cartoon Orphan's Benefit. She is an operatic chicken and an old friend of Mickey Mouse.
 
Other appearances:
  • Orphan's Benefit (1934)
  • Mickey's Grand Opera
  • Mickey's Amateurs
  • The Fox Hunt (1938 short) (cameo)
  • Orphan's Benefit (1941)
  • The Reluctant Dragon (heard by voice only)
  • Mickey's Birthday Party
  • Symphony Hour
  • Mickey's Christmas Carol (cameo)
  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit (cameo)

  • http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Clara_Cluck
Salty

Salty is a baby seal whose debut appearance came in Mickey's Circus (1936), in which he tormented Donald Duck. His later roles would often pair him up with Pluto in Pluto's Playmate (1941), Rescue Dog (1947), and the particularly famous Mickey and the Seal (1948) followed.
 
Humphrey

Humphrey the Bear is a cartoon character created by Walt Disney Animation Studios. He first appeared in the Goofy cartoon, Hold That Pose (1950), and later appeared as a recurring adversary of Donald Duck.
 
Classic shorts Humphrey was in:
  • Hold That Pose - debut, in a Goofy cartoon
  • Rugged Bear - First pairing with Donald Duck
  • Grin and Bear It
  • Bearly Asleep
  • Beezy Bear - Final pairing with Donald Duck'
  • Hooked Bear - First solo cartoon
  • In the Bag - Last solo cartoon
 
As mentioned above Humphrey the Bear is the host of Big Top Treats.
In Walt Disney World a Humphrey's likeness can be found in Disney's Wilderness Lodge, which holds Humphrey as their mascot. In the hotel lobby, he is featured on a totem pole with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Lodge legend has it that when one rubs the nose of the Humphrey on the totem pole, it will ensure a magical vacation.

Pete’s Sideshow

The back entrance of the Big Top Souvenir Shop leads guests directly to Pete’s Silly Sideshow.
 
“Pete’s Silly Sideshow,” which opened in 2012, is home to a circus-inspired character meet and greet experiences: one with Minnie and Daisy and another with Donald and Goofy.
 
Pete himself doesn’t appear among the characters inside, he certainly makes his presence known at its entrance. At the entrance to Pete’s Silly Sideshow features an oversized displays of Pete.
 
(Note: Mickey Mouse celebrated his 90th birthday, but he’s not the first Disney character to reach this milestone. His frequent nemesis Pete, debuted over three years earlier in one of Walt Disney’s silent “Alice Comedies” shorts: 1925’s “Alice Solves the Puzzle.”)
As we’ve seen throughout Storybook Circus there are quite a number of tributes to Disney’s animated past. The calliope in front of Pete’s Silly Sideshow is just one.
Picture©Disney
Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom comes from the 1953 self-titled short, Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom. In which Professor Owl is enlightening his class on the origins of musical sound, the four basic sounds that are the basis for all music, Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom.

(Note:Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom, won the Best Animated Short Academy Award that year.)
Picture©Disney
Melody Time Brass Horn Band Co. on the calliope, refers to the 1948 anthology feature, Melody Time. Melody Time was made up of seven animated shorts: Once Upon a Wintertime, Bumble Boogie, Johnny Appleseed, Little Toot, Trees, Blame it on the Samba, and Pecos Bill.
 
 
Pete acting as carnival barker stands outside the tent of the attraction while a built-in speaker plays an audio loop of Pete talking up the sideshow’s various acts to entice those passing by to step inside. Pete’s boasting makes it clear that he is a Greatest Showman. He is also leaning upon an old-fashioned classic calliope called Melody Time Brass Horn Band Co. The Calliope states that it features Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom.
At-A-Glance: Signature Collection
 There are two queues, one is reserved for Daisy and Minnie and the other is for Donald and Goofy.
 
Goofy is featured as "The Great Goofini" a daredevil stuntman, the backdrop suggests a wheel of death for a motorcycle, and a still-smoking motorcycle prop jutting out of the wall
 Minnie Mouse is featured as "Minnie Magnifique" a poodle-trainer from France and Daisy Duck is featured as "Madame Daisy Fortuna" a mysterious gypsy fortune-teller standing in front of a fortune-telling cart.
Entering the Sideshow, guests see an oversized opening of Pete’s mouth which we pass through into the next room of the Tent.
Inside the tent, we see themed sets for The Astounding Donaldo, The Great Goofini, Minnie Magnifique and Madame Daisy Fortuna.
Donald Duck is featured as "The Astounding Donaldo" a snake-charmer from the Far East, the most charming of snake charmers, which just doesn’t seem to fit Donald personality nor any of his animated films.
Creative props and settings enhance the theme and story behind each character. 
 
If guests take a quick look behind the front marquee, and they’ll see painted notes on the back such as “Pete wall number one”. And similar notes just inside the sideshow tent. The intent is to imply that this is a real circus, which might have to be torn down, packed up, transported across the state, and rebuilt quickly. Details like that adds a touch of “whimsical reality” that Disney does so well; certainly it gave depth to the theming of Pete’s Sideshow and Storybook Circus.
 

Storybook Circus Plaza

Just outside Pete’s Silly Sideshow is an open plaza with a couple of food carts. These carts are also themed like circus train cars, and just like the cars at the nearby splash zone, these have been labeled with numbers. One of the Food carts bears the number 55, which is a tribute to the 1955 opening of Disneyland.
The other cart is labeled 34. 1934 was a big year for Disney productions. In 1934 Walt Disney reveals his plan to make Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Picture
©Disney
Picture
©Disney
Disney also had the release of several famous animated shorts:
  • The China Shop
  • Shanghaied
  • The Grasshopper and the Ants
  • Camping Out
  • Playful Pluto
  • Funny Little Bunnies
  • The Big Bad Wolf
  • Gulliver Mickey
  • The Hot Chocolate Soldiers
  • The Wise Little Hen
  • Mickey's Steamroller
  • The Flying Mouse
  • Orphan's Benefit
  • Peculiar Penguins
  • Mickey Plays Papa
  • The Goddess of Spring
  • The Dognapper
  • Two-Gun Mickey

And a few Character debuts:
  • Donald Duck
  • Clara Cluck  
Picture
©Disney
Picture
©Disney


The third tent in the Plaza area, the yellow tent is also open. It has more tables for relaxing, and the FASTPASS+ machines there are even outlets for recharging devices.

Microsoft
The tables are scattered around the new plaza by Pete’s Silly Sideshow are painted in colors might be found in the circus. These round yellow tables are decorated with central red star and surrounded by a blue stripe.” Pixar fans may notice this design bears a striking resemblance to the “Luxo Ball.”
 
Pixar’s Animation Studios is well known for the inside jokes and “Easter eggs” hidden within its movies. Including a long-running hidden reference is the “Luxo Ball.” Also known as the “Pixar Ball,” this colorful toy was first seen being hopped on by the title lamp of the Pixar’s first short film, the 1986’s “Luxo Jr.” It has gone on to appear in some form during most of Pixar’s feature films.

Storybook Circus Snacks

Back in the Storybook Plaza, guests will also be able to get a few items at Food Carts.  There are two stands, one serving up hot dogs and the other serving pretzels.
 
One is labeled with the number 13. Disneyland’s address is 1313 Harbor Blvd., which Walt chose himself.
 
There are quite a few seats for guests that are found in the circular area the carts are located in, with additional seating nearby.
click to enlarge

Casey Jr. Splash 'n' Soak Station

Across from the Dumbo the Elephant ride and next to the Storybook Circus Plaza is Casey Jr. Splash 'n' Soak Station. This attraction is a model of the Casey Jr. Train from the Dumbo, the flying elephant movie. 
 
The Casey Junior circus train has pulled into town with vehicles that include giraffes, elephants, monkeys, camels, and clowns.
Each of the colorful train cars has a number that references a specific event:
  • 71: Elephant (Tribute to the opening year of the Magic Kingdom)
  • 82: Clowns ((Tribute to the opening year of the EPCOT Center)
  • 89: Giraffes (Tribute to the opening year of the MGM Studios)
  • 98: Camels (Tribute to the opening year of the Animal Kingdom)
 
And the Locomotive:
  • 9: Casey Junior (Tribute to Casey Jones’ Cannonball Express #9. Casey Jones, the famed railroad engineer who died in 1900 in a train collision)
 
About every ten minutes Casey Jr. becomes active, and with sounds of whistles and a locomotive engine.  As the steam from the engine turns into a watery mist, the monkey, camels, and elephant begin spraying water in all directions.  It’s an interactive free-for-all, and if guest don’t want to get wet, move back. There are benches all around the area for guests to sit back and watch the fun.  In the hot summer months, it’s a quick cool down.

References:

Casey Jr. Railroad Mercantile

Nearby is a cart with supplies that could be useful for the water play area. It sells towels, water shoes, sunscreen, hats and more. The caboose fits with the theming of the Casey Jr. Splash 'n' Soak Station.
 
#7 on the Caboose and #9 on the Engine are tributes to the two trains of the same numbers that run on the Casey Jr Train ride in Disneyland.
 
Across from Casey Jr. Soak ‘n’ Splash Station is

The Barnstormer

As part of the New Fantasyland Expansion the Goofy's Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacres Farm was rethemed to integrate into the Storybook Circus and renamed the Barnstormer featuring Goofy as The Great Goofini.
(See Chapter 22 – Fantasyland That Once Was)
At the entrance to the attraction, look behind the sign, there are a grouping of letters, these are the letters that once read “Wiseacre Farm”.  The imagineers always add little details connecting and remembering the worthwhile history of past attractions.
When a Storybook Circus comes to Carolwood Park, Dumbo the Flying Elephant is the headline act with the Great Goofini as the bonus act. The Great Goofini is everywhere, he’s at Pete’s Sideshow as a Daredevil stuntman, he's a bear wrestler, and he's The Barnstormer.
Queue
 
The queue to the loading area has some very interesting posters and items from Goofy’s adventures.
The Great Goofini had a full and diverse Career. He definitely aimed for the stars.

The rocket’s named Dolores. That was also the name of the Elephant first seen in the Goofy short film “Tiger Trouble” (1945)  in again the 1948 Goofy’ short The Big Wash. Dolores’ last appearance was in the Donald short “Working for Peanuts,” which also featured Chip & Dale.

Note that the Monkey is Goofy’s sidekick on all the posters.


Goofy’s amassed an odd collection of first and second aid items, plus damaged helmets. Rough life as a pilot, stuntman, tiger juggler, rocketeer, bear wrestler, etc.

Resource:


Downpour.com Audio Books
Ride

After seeing these posters of Goofy’s mis-adventure, are you sure you still want to ride with the Goofini? The Great Goofini takes guests on a mad Barnstormer flight in his homemade stunt plane around the countryside, through a billboard and a lift tower until finally you land safely back at the circus.
 
The coaster ride is relatively short.  The full ride time is under a minute and a half. The ride looks fast, but the maximum speed is only 25 mph. But there are quick turns, ups and downs. This is a great little roller coaster for younger children, and tame enough for adults.
The official backstory of the Great Goofini from Disney Imagineering is...
 
“The greatest show in the kingdom, The Storybook Circus, has just come to town and set up in beautiful Carolwood Park. There’s fun and pageantry to be had for everyone. But if its thrills you’re after, The Barnstormer featuring Goofy as the Great Goofini is one attraction you won’t want to miss!
 
“The circus’ fearless daredevil, the Great Goofini, has become the resident flying ace for his latest spectacular showcase of aerial acrobatics and bravery. It’s ‘plane’ crazy and sure to leave you breathless.
 
“And that’s just the beginning! The Great Goofini will stop at nothing to amuse and entertain his audience. The Canine Cannonball, the Reckless Rocketeer and Bear Wrasslin’ are just few of his notable feats of peril showcased in fully illustrated posters that line the circus walkways.
 
“So the next time you visit the Storybook Circus in search of some excitement, keep your eye out for the Great Goofini. You never know if he’ll be blasting, crashing, or soaring through the skies, but you know you’ll definitely have a good time watching!”
 

Carolwood Park

Walt Disney loved trains. In his backyard he had a miniature live-steam railroad. It was called the Carolwood Pacific Railroad. The Imagineers to pay tribute to Walt Disney and Carolwood Pacific and used it as the base for Storybook Circus in New Fantasyland.
 The backstory is that the Storybook Circus arrived at Carolwood via the Walt Disney Railroad to set up.

Walt Disney World Railroad – New Fantasyland Station

The Walt Disney World Railroad has a new station in the New Fantasyland. This station has seen several changes since it first opened in 1988.
From 1988 to 1990 the Fantasyland Station was named Mickey’s Birthdayland Station. Then in 1990 it was renamed Mickey’s Starland Station to match the new name of the area and again in 1996 to Mickey’s Toontown Station. Finally In 2011, the Mickey's Toontown Fair section closed to make way for the new Storybook Circus area, as well as, a new Fantasyland Train Station.
 
If you disembarking the train at the Walt Disney World Railroad’s New Fantasyland Station, guests will notice that a lot of unusual baggage and freight has been unloaded at the train station.
 
The Storybook Circus is in Town and it appears that a few circus performers have left their baggage at the train station.
If guest look carefully they may recognize some of the names on these trunks.

The trunk on top belongs to The Big Bad Wolf, the villain of the 1933 Silly Symphony short “The Three Little Pigs.” His trunk indicates that The Big Bad Wolf has taken on another career
“THE BIG BAD WOLF – BALLONOLOGIST EXTRAORDINAIRE – He’ll Huff & He’ll Puff”¦ And Create the Animal of Your Choice“, I guess making balloon animals for circus visitors.
 
 Another truck on the cart belongs to Hyacinth Hippo, “the most exquisite aerial sensation of the big top.” As we point out her poster earlier, Hyacinth is best known as the prima ballerina of Fantasia’s “Dance of the Hours” segment. Hyacinth is now an acrobat with the Storybook Circus where she will bring her own unique style of poise and grace to the high wire.
If you examine the freight closely, you’ll find some more familiar names. There is a watering barrels of Dumbo, Caddy, Prissy, and Giddy. If you remember, Caddy, Prissy, and Giddy are three of the matronly, and somewhat cruel, elephants that taunted Dumbo.
Another luggage crate belongs to the “Melody Time – Grand Brass Horns” Melody Time Brass Horn Band Co. was also on the calliope by Pete’s Sideshow, which referred to the 1948 anthology feature, Melody Time. Melody Time was made up of seven animated shorts: Once Upon a Wintertime, Bumble Boogie, Johnny Appleseed, Little Toot, Trees, Blame it on the Samba, and Pecos Bill.

Discount Car Rentals Around the World
A third pile of baggage divulges more interesting labels.

“CIRCUS GRADE AND PERFORMANCE READY – RED’S AMAZING JUGGLING UNICYCLES – MANUFACTURED BY EBEN’S BIKES”

Red’s Amazing Juggling Unicycles refers to the Pixar short “Red’s Dream” released in 1987. The film is about a red unicycle dreams of becoming a world class juggler.
 
Eben’s Bikes is a reference to Pixar animator Eben Ostby. Eben Ostby served as Pixar’s Technical and Modeling Director on Cars, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Young Sherlock Holmes and many other motion pictures.
“TEN SCHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE, LTD. – HATS FOR ALL OCCASIONS”¦ BIRTHDAYS, UNBIRTHDAYS, AND ALL DAYS BETWEEN”

There are two references here. First, the Unbirthday from “Alice in Wonderland.” And second, Ten Schillings and Sixpence references the cost of the Mad Hatter’s hat.
 At the Fantasyland Train Station there is a great new background music loop. All of the songs have something to do with railroads.
Here’s the Fantasyland Station’s music loop.
At the Fantasyland Train Station is another Restroom makeover, it looks like a Train Roundhouse complete with three sets of tracks emerging and two other spurs. This continues on to the interior where the tile work in the restroom floors simulates train tracks.
Taking a further look at the details the Imagineers conceived for the Fantasyland Train Station with all of the clever references to several Disney history and films. Located on the roof over the train station’s entrance is a weather vane designed to resemble Casey Jr, the circus train engine that carried Dumbo’s circus from town to town.
While Storybook Circus’ Casey Jr. Weather vane is not, as we’ve noted in previous Chapters, the first character-inspired weather vane at the Magic Kingdom, but its inclusion here serves to connect the park’s iconic railroad to the story of this circus-themed area of the New Fantasyland.

Reference:
 
One last note about the New Fantasyland Expansion and how Storybook Circus came about.

Pixie Hollow

Over the years Tinker Bell has had many homes in the Magic Kingdom.
Tinker Bell Toy Shoppe opened at opening day in 1971, then in 1992 the name was changed to Tinker Bell’s Treasures. (See Chapter 20)
Tinker Bell moved briefly to Mickey's Toontown Fair, but it closed in 2011 as part of the ongoing Fantasyland expansion. A larger area was included for a Pixie Hollow in the original plans for the expansion, but was abandoned in favor of Storybook Circus.
 
In 2011, Tinker Bell and her fairy friends returned to the Magic Kingdom in "Tinker Bell's Magical Nook", located at the Adventureland Veranda. It closed in 2014, and she was moved to the Town Square Theater where she can greet guests without her fairy friends. (See Chapter 5)
When New Fantasyland Expansion was first announced, a variety of elaborate Disney Princess meet-and-greet opportunities were also part of the original project, each located within individual princess cottages, including Snow White and Aurora (Sleeping Beauty). Also included was a large Disney Fairies area dubbed Pixie Hollow to be completed as the expansion’s last phase. But Disney heavily modified their design and artwork.
The finalized concept for New Fantasyland Expansion was ready just in time for the 2011 D23 Expo and replaced the princess cottages with the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Storybook Circus became the new home for Dumbo, taking over the land previously earmarked for Pixie Hollow.
End of Chapter 24 – Magic Kingdom – New Fantasyland – Storybook Circus
We’ve completed our pictorial tour of Fantasyland. It contained many different aspects and themes, from Medieval to Enchanted to Circus life. We’ve explored the Fantasyland that was to the New Fantasyland that is. We hope you enjoyed these Chapters as much as we did in putting them together. As we were doing our research we found things that we had never known about and this is with going to Walt Disney World for over 25 years.
 
In the upcoming Chapters we are going onto touring Tomorrowland. Walt Disney always had his eyes on the future and Tomorrowland was his way to incorporate that into his dreams.

For our French readers here is a link you may be interested in:
https://disneytchat.wixsite.com/disneytchat
Afterword:
WDWMousing.com is designed to be a tour of Walt Disney World through photos. We have been to Walt Disney World countless times over the past 25 years and accumulated a magnitude of photos in that time. This website is an intention to combine two of our favorite pastimes, Walt Disney World and photography, and provide an insightful pictorial tour.
While doing so, we've done an extensive research of the internet and literary sources for background information on each area and atrraction. The information is available, but most bits and pieces are scattered all over. WDWMousing doesn't intend to rewrite the stories, legends or data, but to try and collect it into one location with reference and links to the original articles and authors. And giving rightful credit. We've stumbled through quite a bit of mis-information, most of which came to life by fans because the origins were lost, forgotten or no one seems to remember. Over the past 25 years we've also lost most of the great Imagineers that helped develop, design and build the original concepts of Walt Disney World. So we believe it's extremely important to make sure that their efforts, intentions, details and creativity in making this Happiest Place on Earth isn't lost.
So we ask for feedback, insights, and suggestions.

Thank you
WDWMousing

    We would definitely like to hear from you.
    Let us know what your thoughts, suggestions, ideas, and absolutely, if we've missed anything.