Storybook Circus at Magic Kingdom Guide: Rides, Characters & More
Explore Storybook Circus Magic Kingdom, including Dumbo, The Barnstormer, character meets, Smellephants on Parade, the splash pad, train station and more.
Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
Storybook Circus is tiny.
There. I said it. 😂
After tackling Fantasyland—which is basically half of Magic Kingdom pretending to be one land—Storybook Circus feels almost ridiculously manageable.
You’ve got two rides.
You’ve got characters.
There’s a splash pad.
There’s a really fun little search-and-sniff activity.
There’s a gift shop.
And, when the Walt Disney World Railroad is operating normally, there’s a train station.
That’s basically Storybook Circus.
But here’s the thing: if you’re visiting Magic Kingdom with preschoolers or younger elementary-age kids, don’t dismiss this area just because it’s small.
Storybook Circus has one of the best first roller coasters for little kids, one of Disney World’s most nostalgic attractions, quite possibly the greatest ride waiting area Disney has ever invented for parents of preschoolers, and several other things designed specifically for younger kids.
If you’re visiting with adults or teenagers?
You might spend 20 minutes here.
If you’re visiting with a four-year-old?
Good luck getting them out of the Dumbo playground. 😂
Where Is Storybook Circus at Magic Kingdom?
Storybook Circus sits at the back of Magic Kingdom, adjacent to Fantasyland.
Technically, it’s part of the larger Fantasyland area. But I treat Storybook Circus as its own little neighborhood because it has such a distinctive theme and enough things to do that it makes more sense to cover it separately.
The whole area is designed around an old-fashioned traveling circus.
It’s colorful.
It’s whimsical.
It’s unapologetically geared toward younger kids.
And unlike Fantasyland, which sprawls across an enormous portion of Magic Kingdom, Storybook Circus is compact enough that it’s incredibly easy to navigate.
You’re not going to need a detailed touring plan to figure this place out.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
If there is one attraction that defines Storybook Circus, it’s Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
Dumbo is one of those rides that just feels like Disney World.
It’s not technologically impressive.
It isn’t thrilling.
There isn’t some elaborate storyline you need to understand.
You climb into Dumbo, fly around in a circle and control how high or low your elephant goes.
That’s it.
And it’s adorable.
There’s also no height requirement, which makes Dumbo one of those attractions that the entire family can experience together—even the tiniest Disney visitors.
Dumbo Is Pure Disney Nostalgia
There’s something about seeing Dumbo flying around that immediately feels like classic Disney.
And Disney actually doubled down on that when Storybook Circus was created.
There are two Dumbo carousels operating side by side, which helps increase capacity and makes the entire attraction area visually fantastic.
Is Dumbo something I need to ride on every adult Disney trip?
No.
But if you’ve got little kids?
Absolutely.
This is exactly the kind of attraction they’ll remember as Disney World.
Dumbo Has One of the Best Queues at Disney World
But honestly, one of the best things about Dumbo isn’t even the ride.
It’s the queue.
Because whoever designed this waiting system clearly understood preschoolers.
Instead of expecting a three-year-old to stand nicely between metal railings for 45 minutes while slowly losing the will to live, Dumbo has an indoor, air-conditioned play area where kids can play while waiting for their turn to ride.
Let me repeat the important parts:
Indoor.
Air-conditioned.
Playground.
At Magic Kingdom.
Winner winner chicken dinner. 😂
When the waiting system is being used, your family can spend time in the play area until it’s time to continue to the attraction.
And the playground itself is substantial.
There are climbing structures, slides and circus-themed play areas, so this isn’t just Disney putting three toys in a corner and calling it interactive.
For families with little kids, this is brilliant.
The only potential problem?
Your child may decide the playground is better than Dumbo and refuse to leave.
That’s between you and your preschooler. 😂
The Barnstormer Featuring the Great Goofini
The other ride in Storybook Circus is The Barnstormer Featuring the Great Goofini.
And I think this ride has a very specific purpose.
This is an adorable first roller coaster.
The Barnstormer has a 35-inch height requirement, which means kids can potentially ride it well before they’re tall enough for most of Disney World’s bigger coasters.
It’s short.
Very short.
You’re not getting an epic coaster experience here.
But that’s not the point.
You climb aboard Goofy’s stunt plane and take a quick, swooping trip around his wonderfully chaotic circus setup.
For a little kid who has never ridden a roller coaster before, this can feel like a very big deal.
Is The Barnstormer Scary for Little Kids?
Obviously, every kid is different.
But if you’ve got a child who’s intrigued by roller coasters but isn’t ready for the bigger rides yet, The Barnstormer is a really nice introduction.
It’s fast enough to feel exciting.
There are drops and turns.
But it’s over quickly, and the entire attraction is wrapped in goofy—literally Goofy—circus theming.
This can also be a useful stepping stone before something like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Your kid rides Barnstormer.
They discover that roller coasters are awesome.
And suddenly you’ve created a tiny thrill-ride monster.
Congratulations. 😂
Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station
Storybook Circus is also home to Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station.
This is exactly what it sounds like.
It’s a water-play area themed around Casey Jr. and circus animals, and on a hot Florida afternoon, little kids can run around getting absolutely soaked.
And I mean soaked.
This isn’t necessarily a dainty little misting area.
So if you’re planning to let your kids play here, think about what they’re wearing, whether you have a change of clothes and whether you’re prepared to spend the next two hours with a wet child.
That may sound obvious.
You’d be surprised. 😂
For a preschooler on a hot day, though?
This could be the greatest attraction in Magic Kingdom.
And it costs you absolutely nothing beyond the park ticket you already bought.
Smellephants on Parade
One of the newer additions to Storybook Circus is Smellephants on Parade.
And yes.
That is really what it’s called.
😂
Smellephants on Parade is a free little search-and-sniff experience spread throughout Storybook Circus.
You can pick up a map and then search the area for colorful elephant statues representing different circus-inspired scents.
Think popcorn, candy and other smells that fit the old-fashioned circus theme.
There are multiple Smellephants scattered around the area, so it gives kids something else to hunt for while you’re exploring.
Is this a reason to buy a Magic Kingdom ticket?
Obviously not.
But this is exactly the kind of little extra activity I appreciate at Disney World.
Not everything has to be a major ride.
And if you’ve got a preschooler who loves scavenger hunts?
This can turn walking around Storybook Circus into its own little adventure.
Meet Characters at Pete’s Silly Sideshow
Storybook Circus also has one of the more fun character-meet settings in Magic Kingdom.
Inside Pete’s Silly Sideshow, classic Disney characters appear as circus performers.
The current lineup can change, so I always recommend checking the My Disney Experience app rather than assuming a particular character will be there during your trip.
But this location has traditionally been home to characters such as Minnie, Daisy, Donald and Goofy in wonderfully ridiculous circus costumes.
And honestly, that’s part of what makes this meet-and-greet fun.
These aren’t necessarily the outfits you’re going to see everywhere else at Disney World.
If you’re collecting character photos—or you’ve got a kid who loses their mind over Mickey and friends—don’t automatically walk past this one.
Big Top Souvenirs
And then there’s Big Top Souvenirs, the large circus-themed gift shop in the middle of the area.
This location recently reopened after being unavailable for quite a while, and I’m glad to see Storybook Circus getting its big central shop back.
I’m not going to pretend I build my Magic Kingdom touring strategy around gift shops.
I don’t. 😂
But the circus theming makes this one fun to browse, and it’s convenient if you’re already spending time in the area.
It’s also tied into the Smellephants on Parade experience, so families doing that activity will probably end up here anyway.
Take the Walt Disney World Railroad
Storybook Circus is also home to the Fantasyland station of the Walt Disney World Railroad.
When the railroad is operating normally, this gives you another way to travel around Magic Kingdom without walking all the way back across the park.
And I’m increasingly in favor of any transportation option that allows me to sit down.
😂
The train is also an attraction in its own right, of course.
So if you’ve got a train-loving kid, you don’t necessarily need to think of this purely as transportation.
Ride the train because your kid wants to ride the train.
Disney World does not have to be optimized within an inch of its life.
Storybook Circus Is Really Designed for Little Kids
And that’s ultimately what makes this tiny corner of Magic Kingdom work.
Storybook Circus isn’t trying to compete with Fantasyland for the largest attraction lineup.
It’s not trying to give you a Seven Dwarfs Mine Train-level headliner.
Instead, almost everything here makes sense for families with young kids.
You’ve got Dumbo with no height requirement.
You’ve got a junior coaster with a 35-inch height requirement.
You’ve got an indoor playground.
You’ve got a splash pad.
You’ve got characters.
You’ve got Smellephants.
You’ve got the train.
That’s a pretty fantastic little collection of things to do with a preschooler.
Is Storybook Circus Worth Visiting Without Little Kids?
Sure.
But I also wouldn’t pretend this is going to be the centerpiece of an adults-only Magic Kingdom day.
If you’re nostalgic for Dumbo, ride Dumbo.
If you want to meet the characters, absolutely do that.
If you want to ride the train, this is a convenient station.
And Storybook Circus itself is colorful, ridiculously cute and fun to walk through.
But if you’re visiting Magic Kingdom with teenagers who want TRON and Space Mountain?
You don’t need to budget two hours here because somebody on the internet told you Storybook Circus is a hidden gem you absolutely cannot miss.
It serves a particular audience really well.
And that’s enough.
Don’t Overlook Storybook Circus
Storybook Circus may be one of the smallest areas in Magic Kingdom, but I wouldn’t completely write it off—especially if you’re visiting with little kids.
Dumbo is pure Disney nostalgia.
The Barnstormer can be a child’s first roller coaster.
The Dumbo playground is genius.
Casey Jr. gives kids somewhere to cool off.
Smellephants gives them something silly to hunt for.
And the circus characters add another completely different kind of experience.
You don’t need an elaborate Storybook Circus strategy.
You don’t need to spend half your Magic Kingdom day here.
But if you’ve got a four-year-old?
You may discover that your four-year-old has an entirely different opinion about how long you’re staying.
And honestly?
Sometimes they’re right. 😂
More Magic Kingdom Guides
Storybook Circus may be tiny, but it’s connected to some of the busiest and most attraction-packed parts of Magic Kingdom. If you’re planning the rest of your day, these guides can help.
Start with my Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Guide, because Storybook Circus is technically part of the larger Fantasyland area. Fantasyland is absolutely enormous compared with Storybook Circus, with Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight, it’s a small world, Winnie the Pooh, princesses, character experiences, restaurants, snacks and a whole lot more.
If you’re visiting with younger kids, my Magic Kingdom for People Who Are Scared of Rides guide can help you figure out which attractions are gentle enough for cautious riders. Dumbo is about as unintimidating as Disney rides get, while The Barnstormer can be a great first step into roller coasters.
Heading toward the front of the park? My Main Street U.S.A. and Cinderella Castle Hub Guide covers characters, PhotoPass, shopping, restaurants, parades, fireworks and all those little things people tend to rush past on their way to the rides.
You can also keep working your way around Magic Kingdom with my Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Guide, Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Guide, and Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom Guide.
And if your little one survives The Barnstormer and suddenly decides they’re ready to conquer every roller coaster at Disney World?
Well.
Good luck with the monster you’ve created. 😂
