The Barnstormer
Magic Kingdom · Fantasyland
Overview
At 35 inches and a very short ride, The Barnstormer is built to be a kid's first-ever roller coaster, not a warm-up for Space Mountain — there's no dark tunnel, no big drop, just a string of quick dips through Storybook Circus that feel enormous from a car-seat's-eye view. Goofy's stunt-pilot backstory shows up mostly in the queue, a circus tent papered with his botched barnstorming posters, more than in the ride itself. It's over almost as soon as it starts, which for a nervous four-year-old is the entire point.
ParksLog verdict
The right test for whether your kid is ready for Big Thunder or Seven Dwarfs later in the trip. Adults riding without kids will find a short burst of very mild dipping and nothing else — there's no reason to wait more than five minutes for it. Pair it with the Storybook Circus play area next door so the morning isn't a wash if the wait's longer than that.
About this experience
Take flight above Storybook Circus with Goofy in a homemade stunt airplane for a thrilling junior roller coaster ride.
Best for
- Young children riding their first coaster
- Families with toddlers
- Fans of classic Disney characters
Tips
- Its accessible height requirement makes it approachable for most toddlers — ideal as a first coaster introduction
- Go early in the day as waits tend to build through mid-morning
- Pair with Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Storybook Circus play area for a full themed experience
Details
History
Originally opened in 1996 as The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm, the attraction was reimagined and rethemed as part of the broader Storybook Circus expansion completed in 2012.
Fun facts
- The attraction originally featured farm theming before being converted to its current circus aesthetic in 2012