We Took Our Tots to Visit Magic Kingdom’s Indoor Playground
Nestled within the queue line of one of the most iconic rides in Magic Kingdom, lies a hidden gem that both parents and little ones alike will love - an indoor playground! Why, you may ask, is this cause for excitement? I’ll answer that question with two of the most wonderful words you’ll ever hear visiting Florida when it’s hot: Air Conditioning.
Parents, at this point, I feel fairly confident no further explanation is necessary, other than to clarify this is a free-to-play place. Admittedly though, I can see how the little ones might require some additional convincing. So, in this post, we’ll share where this Indoor Playground is located, and why my tots request we visit every time we’re in Magic Kingdom.
The Location
In 2012, Disney completed the area of Fantasyland known as Storybook Circus. This highly themed area boasts rides, snack stands, and a splash pad, just to name a few. Most importantly, it’s home to Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride. There are two carousels of flying elephants, located on either side of a big top circus tent. Navigate through the standby queue (carousel on the right-hand side), and you’ll soon find yourself inside the big top circus tent and indoor playground. There is no charge to enter, and children of all ages are welcome. Strollers are not permitted in the queue or the play place, you must park them in designated stroller parking prior to entering the line.
The Playground
As you enter the play area, you’ll notice two distinctive areas: a center ring and a large climbing structure with obstacles, platforms and slides. The center ring is an area designed for the littlest visitors (ages 2-3). There are a few climbing structures, a small slide and a couple sliding puzzles. The entire circle has bench seating for parents, which is very convenient.
The climbing structure in the back is geared towards older kids. My toddler who is 4, and pretty tall for his age, is able to enjoy all the different interactive elements on his own. Disney does such a great job with theming and the Dumbo Circus is so well done. The different level platforms kids climb on are made to look like trampolines and as they step onto them you can hear a “bouncing” sound which the kids enjoy. Inside the netted climbing structure there are obstacles that light up and play sounds when the kids climb on them. There are stairs and slides and really great lighting effects. My toddler will run non-stop for the better part of an hour when we visit.
On the outer edge of the play area, there are multi-level benches available. We’ve never had an issue finding a place to sit, even when the park is quite busy. The benches provide a great place to sit down and rest, cool off in the air conditioning and let the kids run off some extra energy that they somehow possess. The lighting is slightly darker inside, so it could offer a place to nurse while your older kids play.
Once the kids have finished playing, you have the option of rejoining the queue line in order to ride Dumbo, or you can exit through one of the side doors inside the playground area back out into Storybook Circus.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this lesser known indoor playground quickly became my tots favorite stop in Magic Kingdom. It’s an absolutely fantastic place to take a break from the heat, nurse, and rest without the little ones feeling like they’re missing out on doing something fun. The Dumbo circus theme is super cute, with bright colors, lights, music and so many fun interactive elements. I highly recommend taking the time to come check it out. My 1 year old was too small for the climbing structure but loved the center ring area and honestly just walking around the play area itself. There are so many things for him to look at, that he was having the time of his life. 5 out of 5 stars in our book!