Disneyland’s Pinocchio’s Daring Journey — Better Know an Attraction

In this week’s “Better Know an Attraction” series, we’ll be taking a close look at a Fantasyland classic, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey. Read on for more!

What is Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is one of those classic Disneyland Fantasyland dark rides, where you travel along a twisting and turning path through scenes following Pinocchio as he tries to make his way home.

Where is Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is in the heart of Fantasyland on the left as you pass through the castle.

 

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey History

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey opened on May 23, 1983 (though it frankly feels much older). It replaced the Mickey Mouse Club Theater, which had previously occupied that space.

What You Need to Know About the Pinocchio’s Daring Journey Queue

The queue for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is an unremarkable series of switchbacks. The entire queue is indoors but open to the outside, i.e., it’s not air conditioned. The queue cannot accommodate wheelchairs and ECVs, so guests using those can need to enter through the exit.

What is the Ride Experience Like for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey follows the formula used by most Fantasyland dark rides, where you’ll travel along a twisting, winding path through 3D scenes documenting Pinocchio’s adventures. The ride can be jerky, but should not present motion or other issues for most guests. The attraction does include some darkness, loud noises, and scary elements that could frighten some smaller children.

What are the Ride Vehicles Like for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey puts guests in vehicles designed to look like wooden carts, which are carved with characters from the classic story like Jiminy Cricket and Figaro.

What You Need to Know About Accessibility for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey

Guests do need to be able to transfer into the ride vehicle to be able to ride Pinocchio’s Daring Journey. Guests in wheelchairs and ECVs should enter through the exit where you will be directed by a cast member for further boarding instructions. Captioning and audio descriptions are available.

What You Need to Know About Health and Safety Warnings for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey does not carry any special safety warnings and is intended to be appropriate for all audiences. The ride does contain some darkness and loud noises that may frighten some small children. 

What are the Height Restrictions for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?

There are no height restrictions for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, but guests under 7 must be accompanied by someone 14 or older.

Does Pinocchio’s Daring Journey Offer FastPass?

No.

Does Weather Affect Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?

The attraction is indoors and will run rain or shine. The queue is “indoors” but it’s open to the elements and can get hot when it’s particularly hot out. With that said, the wait is typically not overly long, so it’s rarely an issue.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is a minor attraction, and even on the busiest days, it’s rare for the wait to exceed a half hour. The apex of the day between noon and 4 or so should still be avoided to minimize your wait, but this should not be the attraction you’re running to first thing. Expected wait times on a crowd-level basis are noted here, but be sure to check out the expected wait time for the date you intend to be there.

 

Do you enjoy Pinocchio’s Daring Journey? Is it on your short list, or your skip list? Let us know in the comments!