Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Ride Closure: Winnie the Pooh is scheduled to close Monday October 25, 2010 for refurbishment. It should reopen Monday November 15, 2010.
Opened: June 4, 1999
Location: Fantasyland
Extra Magic Hours: Morning, Evening
FASTPASS: Yes
Type: Dark ride
Similar To: Peter Pan’s Flight, Snow White’s Scary Adventures
Requirements: None
Scary Factor: Zero
What to Expect: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is similar to other Fantasyland dark rides like Snow White’s Scary Adventures and Peter Pan’s Flight, only the theme is obviously based on Winnie the Pooh. Riders board slow moving four-person “hunny pot” vehicles that move slowly through several scenes featuring Winnie, Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger, Owl and other characters from the series. This is a lighthearted ride with some neat special effects, especially the scene with Tigger.
When To Go: This is a tough one because Winnie the Pooh is a slow loading ride with long lines throughout the day. If you aren’t planning to ride the roller coasters or thrill rides then you’ll want to head here first in the morning along with Peter Pan’s Flight, Dumbo, and Cinderella’s Carousel. If you do plan to ride Splash and Space Mountain then you’ll want to do those first in the morning and return here for a FASTPASS in the afternoon or ride in the last hour the Park is open or during evening Extra Magic Hours.
Expect to Wait: Expect waits slightly shorter than Peter Pan’s Flight, but still in the 45 minute range by lunch and 60+ minutes in the afternoon, unless the Magic Kingdom is less crowded than usual.
Length: 3 minutes
Rating: 6/10
Pooh’s Hunny Hunt: Pooh’s Hunny Hunt opened at Tokyo Disneyland on September 4, 2000. It is the only ride in the world to use a “trackless” local positioning system to move ride vehicles. With a rumored budget of over 130 million dollars, Pooh’s Hunny Hunt is one of Disney’s most expensive rides and is only found in Japan. Hopefully a similar ride will be built in the United States soon. Read all about it here.
Commentary: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is superior to Snow White’s Scary Adventures in almost every way, but it is still not particularly exciting or engaging for most adults. The ride is definitely cute, but it isn’t worth waiting a long time for unless you have kids that will particularly enjoy it. There’s nothing scary about the ride and most youngsters thoroughly enjoy it. Adult riders who have an affinity for Winnie the Pooh will enjoy it as well. Expect long lines in the afternoon, so use a FASTPASS or return late into the evening. Most families with young children usually leave the Park in the evening or are waiting for the fireworks show by 8pm. This presents an excellent opportunity to hit the Fantasyland rides aimed at youngsters.