Magic Kingdom · what else to do there
The Barnstormer
The short answer
The Barnstormer is a junior coaster in Storybook Circus with a 35-inch height requirement — the lowest of any coaster at Walt Disney World — and a ride time under a minute. It is the right first roller coaster, and it is over before a nervous child can change their mind.
When to ride
Average wait by hour, from 5,846 of our own observations of this ride while it was open, over 17 days.
- 512am
- 57am
- 58am
- 59am
- 810am
- 1111am
- 1212pm
- 121pm
- 92pm
- 103pm
- 104pm
- 105pm
- 156pm
- 137pm
- 98pm
- 59pm
- 510pm
- 511pm
Any time. The queue is short and largely shaded.
How the queue has changed
Its average posted wait was 21 minutes in 2017 and 11 in 2025–26 — down 48%. That is the 21st-longest average queue of the 31 attractions Queue-Times tracks at Magic Kingdom.
| Year | Average | Daily peak |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 21 min | 41 min |
| 2018 | 23 min | 46 min |
| 2019 | 23 min | 52 min |
| 2022 | 12 min | 20 min |
| 2023 | 11 min | 21 min |
| 2024 | 11 min | 19 min |
| 2025 | 11 min | 19 min |
| 2026 to date | 10 min | 18 min |
Open for 94% of park operating hours over Queue-Times' whole record, against a median of 83% for rides at Magic Kingdom; refurbishment closures count as closed. From Queue-Times’ published statistics, read 12 September 2026.
Is it accessible?
- You must transfer from a wheelchair or ECV to the ride vehicle.
What boarding is like
Transfer required. The cars are small and a tall adult will be uncomfortable.
Disney prints: Must Transfer from Wheelchair/ECV · Service Animals Not Permitted
Checked Sep 10, 2026.
What it’s actually like
35 inches is the lowest coaster requirement on property, which makes this the ride that determines whether a small child can start on coasters at all. Measure before promising Seven Dwarfs at 38.
One small hill and a few gentle turns, taken at low speed. No drops worth the name, no darkness, no inversions. It exists to be a first coaster and it does that job precisely.
Common questions
- How tall do you have to be for The Barnstormer?
- 35 inches, the lowest of any coaster at Walt Disney World. It is the ride a child graduates to before Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 38, and for many it is the first roller coaster they ever go on.
- Is The Barnstormer scary?
- Barely. One small hill, a few gentle turns, and it is over — the whole thing lasts under a minute. If a child is nervous about coasters, this is the honest place to find out with the least at stake.
- Is The Barnstormer uncomfortable for adults?
- Often. The cars are small and the seats are shallow, so tall adults ride with their knees high and their shoulders squeezed. It is a short discomfort, but it surprises parents who expected to be fine.
- Is The Barnstormer worth the wait?
- Only for a child who wants it. Fifty seconds of ride is a poor return on a long queue, and the ride is the point only if the person riding is small enough for it to feel like something.
Sources
- Walt Disney World official — The Barnstormer: the height requirement, thrill and accessibility labels and service-animal policy, from Disney's own attraction listing. — Disney official · checked
- Walt Disney World official — Lightning Lane passes, listed by park: The Barnstormer is a Lightning Lane Multi Pass experience. — Disney official · checked
- WWYW wait record — posted waits for this attraction, logged every five minutes since 5 September 2026; the hourly pattern on this page is built from it. — our own measurement · checked
- Queue-Times — Magic Kingdom wait time statistics, by year from 2017 and all time, with availability: the table under “How the queue has changed”. Posted waits, not actual waits. — reported by · checked
Wait data: Powered by Queue-Times.com and ThemeParks.wiki.