Dumbo the Flying Elephant
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It would seem that all of us have experienced the magical dream of being able to soar through the air, touch the clouds, and fly to any destination that our little hearts desire. And yet, when we wake up, we soon discover-- much to our disappointment-- that no matter how hard we flap our arms, or how much we hope that the Superman cape tied firmly around our necks will lift our feet, we remain firmly grounded.
And yet in 1939, through the magic of animation, Walt Disney showed us that, miracle of all miracles, a very special elephant named Dumbo could actually fly (with the aid of a magic feather, of course.) It would seem that if only we could somehow climb aboard our lovable pachyderm friend, perhaps we could share in his magnificent flying adventures.
Luckily for us, when Walt Disney built “the happiest place on earth,” Disneyland, he saw fit to include flying elephants with whom we could all hitch a ride and travel skyward. Located in the area known as Fantasyland, Dumbo the Flying Elephant debuted shortly after opening day, in 1955 to the delight of children everywhere. It has remained an extremely popular attraction ever since.
Eager aviators enter one of sixteen Dumbo vehicles-- each with their own uniquely colored hat and blanket-- and strap themselves tightly in as they prepare for their flight. Within each of the vehicles is a lever that adjusts its altitude and allows you to soar as high as your heart desires (or at least as high as the ride allows). Your circular journey lasts just under two minutes, during which you are afforded an aerial view of all the splendors of Fantasyland; from the twirling carousel, to the jaws of Monstro the Whale, to the Casey Jr. Railroad, trudging along through Storybook Land. You travel to the music of a whimsical calliope, while Timothy the Mouse stands guard in the center of the ride, magical feather in hand (which the keen observer may note, was once a whip, until the ride was redesigned, along with the rest of Fantasyland, in 1983).
The delighted smiles of flying children are irrefutable testimony to the magic of one of the most beloved attractions within the park. It is an experience that is beloved especially by the youngest visitors, who learn that maybe a flying elephant isn’t quite as impossible as pesky reality would have them believe. For it would seem, at least to those of us with any bit of imagination, that just about anything is possible in Disneyland.
