Numerous signs throughout Storybook Circus identify the area as “Carolwood Park.” Other signage in New Fantasyland advertises the “Carolwood Fire Dept.” These references pay homage to Walt Disney’s Carolwood Pacific Railroad, a miniature railroad that Walt built in his backyard in California.
Some of the best storytelling details in the Magic Kingdom can be found near a building labeled “RECEIVING” that is located close to the Fantasyland Railroad Station. In this area, a stack of suitcases, trunks and boxes pay homage to numerous classic Disney characters:
One piece of luggage references the Big Bad Wolf, the villain of the 1933 Silly Symphony carton The Three Little Pigs. That luggage is marked:
THE BIG BAD WOLF
BALOONOLOGIST EXTRAORDINAIRE
He’ll Huff & He’ll Puff
& Create the Animal of Your Choice!
A distinctive red trunk with golden fixtures provides a subtle nod to a juggler who rides a unicycle in the 1987 Pixar short film, Red’s Dream. The trunk is labeled with the following:
CIRCUS GRADE & PERFORMANCE READY
RED’S
AMAZING JUGGLING
UNICYCLES
MANUFACTURED BY EBEN’S BIKES
(Eben’s Bikes is astribute to Pixar animator Eben Ostby.)
Two leather hatboxes pay homage to the 1951 Disney animated film Alice in Wonderland:
TEN SHILLINGS
AND
SIXPENCE LTD.
Hats for all occasions…birthdays, unbirthdays, and
all days in between
(Ten shillings and six pence is the price of the Mad Hatter’s hat in Alice in Wonderland. As fans of that film know, an “unbirthday” party is a special occasion.)
A large trunk provides another Storybook Circus tribute to Fantasia’s Hyacinth Hippo:
Property of
HYACINTH HIPPO
The Most Exquisite
Ariel Sensation of the Big Top
A vintage blue trunk provides another tribute to the 1948 Disney package film, Melody Time:
Melody Time
Brand
BRASS HORNS
“Always in Toon”
Goofy’s Barnstormer
Every good circus needs a daredevil, and Storybook Circus is no exception. The Storybook Circus version comes in the form of Goofy’s Barnstormer, an outdoor “kiddie” coaster. Disney provided the following backstory for the attraction:
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 it’s 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!
—Jennifer Fickley-Baker, The Adventurous Tale of the Great Goofini at Magic Kingdom Park, March 27, 2012, https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/03/the-adventurous-tale-of-the-great-goofini-at-magic-kingdom-park-2
As guests approach the attraction’s queue, they will see numerous colorful posters that advertise the attraction:
Goofy juggles three tigers while riding a unicycle on a tightrope in a poster that reads:
TIGER JUGGLING
ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY!
RAZOR EDGED Thrills!
(This poster references a 1945 Disney short film called Tiger Trouble in which Goofy goes big game hunting.)
Goofy partakes in some haphazard skiing in another poster with a octopus wrapped around his head. The poster reads:
AQUAMANIA
SOAKED!
ALL the TRICKS in the BOOK
(This poster pays tribute to the 1961 Disney cartoon Aquamania, in which Goofy takes his son on a haphazard boating trip.)
Another poster shows Goofy as the pilot of a plane. He gives a thumbs up as a frightened chicken holds on to the plane’s wing. The poster reads:
BARNSTORMER
GAWRSH!
SOARIN to REDICULOUS HEIGHTS
A poster near a cannon in the attraction’s queue shows Goofy sitting in a cannon with a fuse already lit. The poster reads:
CANINE CANNONBALL
KA-BOOM!
SHOOTIN’ for the STARS
Goofy is in a very precarious situation in a poster that shows a large bear wearing a belt labeled “CHAMP.” The bear stands on poor Goofy, and the poster reads:
BEAR WRASSLIN’
HEART STOPPPING!
The WORLD’S GREATEST GRR-RAPPLER!
Goofy rides the back of a rocket on a poster that reads:
RECKLESS ROCKETEER
OUT OF THIS WORLD
3…2…1…Blast Off!
Goofy is strapped on a large bull’s-eye in between several swords in another poster reading:
WHEEL OF PERIL
POINTED FUN!
NEVER A Dull MOMENT!
At the entrance to the Barnstormer queue, guests will find a vacant ticket booth with a note that reads “out flying!” The entrance sign for the Barnstormer appears to have been constructed from scraps of metal and wood. The marquee reads “The Barnstormer Featuring Goofy As the Great Goofini.” A “G” at the top of the sign has an airplane propeller attached to it. The back of this sign pays homage to the previous iteration of the attraction, the Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wiseacre Farms (the jumbled letters on the back of the sign read Wiseacre Farms). Guests will also see that Goofy’s long johns and socks hang above the attraction’s sign. These funny garments serve as windsocks so that the Great Goofini can judge the weather conditions prior to his flight.
A large wooden bull’s-eye labeled “Wheel of Peril” sits to the side of the queue walkway. The bull’s-eye includes metal restraints that once held Goofy in place and several daggers that are stuck therein.
A large cannon labeled “Goofy is the Great Goofini” sits near the entrance to the attraction’s FastPass queue. The cannon includes a number of funny settings for its “Launch-O-Matic” Lever. The lever has been pushed past the “High” setting to a new, homemade setting, “To the Moon.” If guests look closely, they will see that one of the nearby cannonballs is actually Goofy’s bowling ball! The cannon’s fuse will occasionally light and flicker, which is no surprise considering the large wooden matches that sit behind the cannon. A round target near the Fantasyland Train Station includes a torn-out silhouette of Goofy, showing where the Great Goofini landed after being launched from this cannon. Other “targets” hang above the queue walkway.
The attraction’s ride vehicles are themed to look like open-air crop duster planes. If guests look closely, they will see numbers that adorn the tails of each plane: 5, 19, and 32, respectively. These numbers are not random. When placed together, they form the date of May 19, 1932. This is notably the date that Goofy first appeared in a cartoon
The Barnstormer’s intricate theming continues even after the attraction is completed. As guests exit the attraction, they will see the skis worn by Goofy in Aquamania sitting to the left-hand side of the walkway in a barrel. A life preserver reading “Water Ski Championship” hangs behind that barrel The life preserver is identified as “Yah-Hah-Buoy” brand. This is of course a nod to Goofy’s signature disaster call, “yah-hah-hooey.”
On the right-hand side of the Barnstormer’s exit path, guests will see numerous bo
xes and other props that support the backstory of Goofy’s disastrous flight:
One box reads “First Aid.”
Another is labeled “Second Aid.”
A vintage can of “Rocket X-1 Jet Fuel” sits nearby, as does a box of “High Flyer Altitude Discomfort Remedy,” which includes the promise that it “Gets Your Head Out of the Clouds.”
A green glass bottle holds “How to Fly” brand sickness pills.
Going Where the Wind Takes You in Fantasyland
In Volume 1 of this series, I discussed the weather vanes found throughout Liberty Square as some of my favorite Imagineering details. Fantasyland is another area in the Magic Kingdom where highly themed weather vanes help to contribute to the theming of the land. As a whole, the weather vanes found throughout Fantasyland tend to be more ornate and fanciful than their Liberty Square counterparts.
The award for the attraction with the most weather vanes in the Magic Kingdom goes to Peter Pan’s Flight, which is home to three separate weather vanes. First up is a replica of Captain James Hook’s Jolly Roger pirate ship. The ship is massive by weather vane standards and sits atop a traditional four point directional weather vane. It is amazingly detailed, featuring multiple sails, numerous cutouts for cannons, three lanterns, and three masts, the center of which is topped with an actual pirate flag.
The second weather vane featured on Peter Pan’s Flight is also perhaps the most comical, a silhouette of Captain Hook’s nemesis from the 1953 Disney classic film, the Tick-Tock-Croc. This weather vane is also intricately detailed, showcasing the Croc’s sly eyes and sneaky smile.
The third weather vane atop Peter Pan’s Flight is smaller and less detailed than the other two and consists of a small flag with a crown cutout in the center. This small detail ties in well with the both the overall “royal courtyard” theme of Fantasyland and with the London setting of the Peter Pan film.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage opened in the Magic Kingdom on October 14, 1971. Based on the classic 1954 Disney live-action film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea starring Kirk Douglas and James Mason, the 20,000 Leagues attraction offered guests the opportunity to board actual submarines and go on a captivating underwater adventure. Despite its immense popularity, 20,000 Leagues closed in September of 1994. Imagineers incorporated a couple of different hidden tributes to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in New Fantasyland, including a weather vane. Perched high atop a cartographer’s shop adjacent to Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid there is a weather vane in the shape of a giant squid! Anyone who has watched 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea knows that a monstrous giant squid played a key part in that film. In this case, the squid sits atop a four point directional weather vane, with its tentacles both wrapped around a central post and eerily floating in the background. This is one of the best examples of Disney Imagineers including small details that not only help tell the story of a particular land, but also pay tribute to films and attractions long since forgotten by many guests.
The newest addition to the Magic Kingdom’s weather vane collection is located in the Storybook Circus section of New Fantasyland. On the roof of the Fantasyland Railroad Station, directly above the “Carolwood” clock, is a weather vane in the shape of a locomotive. It even includes smoke billowing from the engine, railroad tracks, and a railroad crossing sign. The entire locomotive design sits atop a directional four-point weather vane. It is the perfect thematic finishing touch for the Fantasyland Railroad Station.
Tangled Restroom Area
Disney’s emphasis on storytelling goes well beyond lands, attractions, restaurants, and shops. In fact, one of the most well themed areas in the Magic Kingdom is a restroom. Specifically, the Tangled restroom area that borders Liberty Square and Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom is filled with numerous storytelling details and props that pay homage to the 2010 Disney animated film Tangled.
The restrooms opened in March of 2013, replacing the old Fantasyland Skyway station. The most distinctive portion of this restroom area is Rapunzel’s tower, which beautifully rises above the area and includes turrets, decorative wood, and even ivy growing up the side.
A series of posters hanging throughout the area provide numerous laughs:
One poster includes a picture of the “Hookhand” villain playing the piano and reads:
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
HOOKHAND
At the Piano
Tearing Up the Keyboard Nightly.
Another poster is for a sword-carrying Viking named Vladamir. While Vladamir’s appearance may seem menacing, the unicorns that decorate the viking’s sword hint at something more:
VLADAMIR
THE SCOURGE OF THE SEVEN CONTINENTS
A PRESTIGIOUS COLLECTION OF TINY CERAMIC UNICORNS ON DISPLAY IN THE DAFFODIL GALLERY AT THE LAVENDER TEA ROOM
A wanted poster for “Ulf” identifies this character as a criminal master “mime”:
WANTED
BY THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD
AND AUDIENCES ALL OVER THE WORLD!
ULF
THE CRIMINAL MASTER MIME
“You’ll be speechless!”—The Royal Gazette
“Silent but deadly!”—The Daily Serf Report
The Snuggling Duckling Newsletter also gave Ulf a great rating of five ducks.
Guests will also find three more wanted posters just inside the walkway to the men’s restroom:
A wanted poster for the menacing “Stabbington Brothers” includes a note that the criminals are wanted “DEAD OR ALIVE.”
Flynn Ryder’s wanted poster has been stamped as “PARDONED.”
The third and final wanted poster is for “Shorty” who is wanted for “Intemperance and Cupidity.” While Shorty is still “At Large,” the poster clarifies that he is “not very.”
The courtyard for the Tangled restroom area is adorned with many banners and flags that include the sun symbol made famous by the 2010 animated film. Numerous frying pans are also displayed.
Rapunzel’s comb sits atop the sign for the ladies room, and her long golden hair wraps around that sign. Inside the ladies room, guests will see Rapunzel’s paint and brushes on a shelf. It appears as though Rapunzel has been busy using those items, as the entire area is decorated with beautiful paintings of flowers, trees and birds.
Flynn Ryder’s satchel hangs on the exterior of the building’s 2nd floor above the men’s restroom area.
A cast-member only area is identified by a wooden sign with a picture of Maximus, the strong white horse of the Captain of the Guard from the Tangled film. The sign reads “KINGDOM STAFF ONLY.” A bag of apples sits on a nearby box. One of those apples includes a large bite mark…no doubt the work of Maximus. Another tribute to Maximus can be found in the concrete walkways, as horseshoe prints stamped with “MAXIMUS” are imprinted in the pavement.
A small garden sits across from the Tangled restrooms. If guests look closely, they might see Pascal, Rapunzel’s feisty chameleon, and some of his friends along the stream and surrounding buildings.
More Magical Secrets of Fantasyland
Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak Station
The numbers on the train cars in Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak Station represent years that Disney parks opened:The Elephant Car: “71” references the Magic Kingdom’s opening year, 1971.
The Clown Car: “82” references Epcot’s opening year, 1982.
The Giraffe Car: “89” references the opening year for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, 1989.
The Camel Car: “98” references the opening year for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, 1998.
Guests should pay attention to the Elephant car in particular, as they will see Dumbo’s mom, Mrs. Jumbo, peaking out from a window.
A nearby snack stand is themed as a wagon cart and includes the number “55” stamped thereon. This is a tribute to the year that Disneyland first opened, 1955.
Princess Fairytale Hall
The exterior marquee for Princess Fairytale Hall forms a la
rge tiara.
If guests look closely, they will notice that shields adorning the exterior of Princess Fairytale Hall include symbols that pay homage to different Disney princesses:Cinderella: Slipper
Aurora: Spinning Wheel
Snow White: Apple
Belle: Book
Merida: Bow and Arrow
Rapunzel: Sun Symbol
Tiana: Lily Pad
Mulan: Dragon
Pocahontas: Leaves
Jasmine: Magical Lamp
Ariel: Seashell
Enchanted Tales with Belle /
Belle’s Village
If guests look closely at the sign for Enchanted Tales with Belle, they will see that a windmill moves the arms of Lumiere.
Inside Maurice’s cottage, marks on the wall show Belle’s height through the years as she grew up.
Two nods to other classic Disney stories can be found in Maurice’s cottage. First, a painting on the wall shows Belle reading a book labeled “La Belle au Bois Dormant,” otherwise known as the tale of Sleeping Beauty. Another French book lying on a table is the tale of Cinderella.
The water fountains in Belle’s Village area are themed as water pumps.
Just outside of Gaston’s Tavern is a large statute of Gaston, the arrogant villain from the 1991 Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast. The statute features a noble looking Gaston holding two barrels while standing atop the shoulders of his sidekick Lefou. Be sure to read the hilarious plaque in front of the statute:
Tribute to
Gaston
An Extravagantly Generous Gift
to the humble People of My Village
From Me, Gaston.
In Bonjour! Village Gifts, guests will see a large painting of what looks like a French writer from the 18th century. In reality, this portrait is a tribute to Phil Holmes, a Disney executive who played a role in the construction of New Fantasyland. Holmes had notably worked for Disney since the Magic Kingdom first opened in 1971. The painting includes numerous tributes to the Magic Kingdom:A magical lamp pays tribute to the Magic Carpets of Aladdin attraction in Adventureland.
Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland Page 22
