The Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom (A Resorts Gal Guide)
The Barnstormer, starring the Great Goofini, is a mild thrill ride at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. This attraction is an excellent first roller coaster ride for young children.
The Barnstormer’s entrance sits near the back of Storybook Circus. It’s between Dumbo, the Flying Elephant, and Fantasyland Station. Goofy as the Great Goofini is a stunt pilot for the circus performing his world-famous aerial stunt show. He invites you to climb aboard his wacky stunt plane to complete a staggering series of stupendous stunts.
Below, we’ll go over the specifics for experiencing The Barnstormer on your vacation. Note that this attraction is a junior roller coaster. While it’s a fun ride for pilots of all ages, it’s not necessarily a must-do attraction for everyone.
Here’s a quick reference guide with details for the Barnstormer.
| The Barnstormer | Magic Kingdom |
|---|---|
Location: | Storybook Circus |
Height Requirement: | 35 inches |
Lightning Lane: | Yes, Multi Pass (Tier 2 Category) |
Ride Type: | Kiddie Roller-Coaster |
Seats Per Vehicle: | Two |
Rider Switch: | Yes |
Early Theme Park Entry: | Yes |
Extended Evening Hours: | Yes |
Good For: | Children |
Scare Factor: | Mild |
Must-Do List: | Low Priority |
Perfect For: | Introducing children to roller coasters. |
Special Mention: | It’s over before you know it! |
Additional Info: To experience this attraction, guests must transfer from a wheelchair or ECV. Service animals are not permitted.
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The Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom
The Barnstormer is a fairly easy attraction to experience. However, like many rides, it tends to have long lines during the busier parts of the day. However, waits tend to drop significantly in the evenings as guests tend to move away from this area of the park. For example, a five-minute wait was posted at nearly 8:00 p.m. when I took the photo below.
The Barnstormer has a regular standby entrance and an individual Lightning Lane entrance. So, if you purchase the Multi Pass upgrade, you might use a Lightning Lane here if needed during the busier portion of the day (i.e., late morning through mid-afternoon). Several fun elements make up a portion of the ride’s queue. A giant cannon with cannon balls sits right inside the entrance.
Across the walkway, you can see where Goofy (the canine cannonball) has been shooting himself out of the cannon.
Since the height requirement for The Barnstormer is minimal (35″), most children can experience the attraction. Therefore, the Barnstormer usually serves as the perfect introduction to thrill rides for children.
Eventually, you’ll make it up to the large open-air barn that serves as the boarding area.
A ride vehicle shaped like a plane will appear to take you on the next stunt show.
Two guests can sit in each row. However, it might be a tight squeeze if you’re two adults.
When the ride begins, you’ll slowly ascend to the top of a wooden observation tower. Before you know it, you’re whisked full speed away through the busy barnyard.
You can see the entire track before the plane takes off. While this is a mild attraction, you might be surprised at how fast it feels.
You’ll race through the sign and then smoothly land in a grand finale.
Then, you’ll come to a very abrupt end back outside the barn. All total, the Barnstormer has approximately a one-minute duration.
We’ve ridden this attraction many times, and most children seem to love it.
However, if you have concerns, you can stand outside the attraction and watch a few rides come through to let your children decide whether to ride it.
Tips: Most evenings (after dark), there’s little to no wait. Cast members often let guests stay on the Barnstormer for an extra ride when no one else is waiting in line.
Fun Facts about the Barnstormer
The Barnstormer was previously part of Mickey’s Toontown Fair. However, that area of the park permanently closed as part of the Fantasyland expansion over a decade ago.
At that time, the Barnstormer was called The Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wiseacre Farm, an airplane school taught by Goofy. When the new area of the park opened, it was the same attraction, only with circus theming.
On this visit, a cast member shared with me that the attraction’s sign had recently been repainted. She showed me that a fun detail had been added, paying respect to the former attraction. At first glance, it looks like the sign was repurposed. But if you look closely, you can almost make out the words “Wiseacre Farm.”
Before the Barnstormer was Goofy’s Wiseacre Farm, the area was called Grandma Duck’s Petting Farm. At the time, the area was a petting zoo with a cow named Minnie Moo. Minnie Moo was famous for having a hidden Mickey on the side of her body. When the petting zoo closed, she went to live at Fort Wilderness, where she eventually died from natural causes.
The Resorts Gal Spin on the Barnstormer
We’re giving Goofy’s Barnstormer the red light. This is an excellent attraction for children, but we would check the wait times before joining the line. The maximum we would wait to ride this attraction is 25 minutes, and that’s pushing it. However, if you visit later in the evening, you can usually ride with minimal to no wait.
Resorts Gal Traffic Signals
Green Light
We give an attraction the green light if we consider it a must-do, regardless of the posted wait. We also give the green light for attractions we deem suitable to experience anytime. For example, some attractions have high capacities. Therefore, the lines continuously move and you shouldn’t have a long wait unless the attraction experiences downtime.
Red Light
We recommend checking the posted wait times for red light attractions. Then, make a quick judgment call on whether to wait, skip it, or return later. We also red light some attractions that we feel might not be suitable based on our experience.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Goofy’s Barnstormer is a fun attraction and a goofy good time for everyone. If it’s your child’s first time riding this kind of attraction, remember that it’s a big deal to them!
For more Magic Kingdom rides and attractions in the vicinity, you might enjoy the following:
- Pete’s Silly Sideshow
- Dumbo, the Flying Elephant Ride
- Under the Sea Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Review
Resorts Gal specializes in the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, Characters, and Dining. Check out some of our resources, like our Disney World Hotel Reviews. You might enjoy these reviews of the resorts located on the monorail:
Or, if you’re thinking of staying elsewhere, you might enjoy reading about the best off-site hotels close to Disney World. Sometimes, an off-site resort is more affordable while still offering stellar amenities.
Are you planning to meet characters in the parks? We have an updated list of Disney World Characters. That list includes reviews of every meet available in each of the four parks.
In the Comments
What are your thoughts on Goofy’s Barnstormer? Do you think your child will love this attraction? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
