Casey Jnr - Le Petit Train du Cirque

Along with the Flying Elephant ride, Dumbo has also given rise to another attraction, the Casey Jnr Circus Train ride.  The Casey Jnr attraction, however, only features at two Disney parks: California and Paris.

Both attractions feature a colourful recreation of Casey Jnr travelling around a track which weaves around another attraction: the Storybook Canal Boats (or Le Pays des Contes de Fées as it is called in Paris).  The Casey Jnr song and sound effects play as you travel around a gentle track, over bridges and through tunnels (in the California version).  It also affords guests a different perspective on the miniature scenes on the Canal Boats ride.  In California they include Agrabah, Pinocchio's village and Arendelle (I'll cover these locations in more detail when covering the Canal Boats ride).  In Paris, scenes include the Emerald City, Ancient Greece and the Sword in the Stone.

In Paris, the attraction is also closer to being a rollercoaster, albeit a very gentle child-friendly rollercoaster with very controlled drops.  It also has a much shorter track than the California version.  The queue line is simple, running down and under the ride track and then up to beside it.  It is lined with bright blue railings.  There is some delightful circus-themed signage at the entrance to the ride and on the bridge as you pass under.  The queue line passes through a wooded area and is actually quite magical.  Being at the back of the park, right at the back of Fantasyland also affords an air of peace and seclusion to this part of the Disney park.  Cast members are dressed as old-fashioned train guards.  The train pulls out of the station and over a bridge taking the track over the Canal Boats attraction.  It then turns a corner and past a castle, although I'm not sure which story it is supposed to originate from.  Down a slope and guests are able to see the mouth to the Cave of Wonders with boats travelling through it as well as some other scenes such as a snowy village from Peter and the Wolf.  The track then doubles back on itself, past the castle again and then across another section of the Canal Boat ride.  Quickly travelling past Rapunzel's tower, the train returns to the station.  It is a short, yet satisfying ride and interwoven as it is with the Canal Boats, makes for an interesting dualogy of rides.

I have ridden the attraction at Disneyland Paris and it was definitely a favourite with my two young children.  The fun of the different carriages adds a little frisson to boarding the train as you aren't sure what style of carriage you will get to sit in and the train itself is beautiful.  I don't remember it being there when I visited Paris a long time ago with my wife so I think it is a more recent addition.

Disney World in Florida doesn't feature this attraction but Casey Jnr does have a presence in the new Storybook Circus area which features the new iteration of the Flying Elephant ride.  Here, Casey Jnr is central to a Splash 'n' Soak water play area.  Casey Jnr is much larger than the trains at California and Paris and also features various circus animals such as the giraffes, monkeys and camels and a protruding elephant's trunk.  Water is squirted from various animals' mouths, hosepipes and Casey's funnel to the delight of children.  Definitely something I look forward to seeing when we next visit Florida.

Casey Jnr also makes an appearance in the Disneyland Adventures Kinect game although only as background 'colour'.  Casey can be seen travelling around the back of the Storybook Canal Boats and guest can be seen standing in the queue line but it is not a ride which features as an interactive part of the game.