Horsing Around Tri-Circle-D Ranch Ft. Wilderness Campground at Disney World. If you ever wondered where the horses come from that stroll down Main Street USA in Disney’s Magic Kingdom? Wanted to know where they keep the small white Shetland Ponies that pull Cinderella Carriage? If you ever have wanted to see them, then go to Tri-Circle-D ranch at Disney’s Ft. Wilderness.
The ranch is free to visit and easier to get to than people realize. If you have reservations for Hoop-Dee-Doo Review, or any dining reservation at Ft. Wilderness you can park at the entrance to the campgrounds and take the bus system around.
If you do not have a reservation, than there are 2 other great options. Disney Transportation offers the Water Taxi from the Magic Kingdom, and local resorts like The Contemporary, or Wilderness Lodge. The other option would be to pick a bus route to Ft. Wilderness Campgrounds, either from any of the 4 major parks, Disney Springs, or the Water Parks.
There is plenty to see and do, from Trail rides through the campground, to carriage rides. You can see all the varieties of horses in the stables, or take a history tour of Walt Disney and Horses. Some of the Horses you may see are Appaloosas, Arabians, Belgians, Clydesdales, Percherons and Quarter Horses, plus Shetland Ponies.
Horseback Trail Riding –
Guests 9 years of age and up can ride through an idyllic woodland teeming with deer, ducks, armadillos and rabbits. This trail ride is perfect for beginner and intermediate riders. Horses will keep a steady walking pace as we explore the natural beauty surrounding Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campgrounds. This runs $65.00 per person for a 45 minute ride.
Horse Drawn Excursion – Carriage Ride at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Travel through the lush pine and cypress forest where deer, rabbits, ducks and armadillos like to roam. You’ll board your horse-drawn carriage for a 25-minute ride near Crockett’s Tavern. If arriving by vehicle, please park in the main entrance of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and take a bus to the Settlement Depot. Carriages fit up to 4 adults, or 2 adults and 3 small children.
Walt Disney and Horses –
The Tri-Circle-D Ranch also features two unique nods to Disney’s horse history that can be viewed by guests. The first is the Walt Disney Horses room, which houses a collection of photos that shows Walt playing polo, and guiding a team of horses through Disneyland Park.
Dragon Calliope –
A second historic highlight is the nearby Dragon Calliope, a horse-drawn musical instrument that Walt purchased from the Bradley and Kaye Amusement Park to use in the Mickey Mouse Club Circus Parade at Disneyland Park in the 1950s. The calliope also was featured in the 1960 film “Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus” that starred Mousketeer Kevin “Moochie” Corcoran. The calliope is still used on occasion for special events at our parks, and when needed, is pulled by as many as eight horses.
To be very honest here, this was the whole reason for writing this article. I am amazed at the amount of museum quality pieces Walt Disney World has located around the parks. If I had my guess this is on loan from the Walt Disney Archive Collection. Don’t quote me on that.
You can actually hear recordings on what the calliope sounded like when in use. There is a button close by. To me this was worth the trip alone. But that wasn’t all to see, there was still some giant horses coming and going from their stables. This is a working stable after all.
I did some investigation and found a video from 2020 that Disney Animal, Science, and Environment released about bringing the Dragon Calliope back to Ft. Wilderness and installing it. You can watch the video below.
Home on the Ranch
Stroll through the stable to visit Cinderella’s Ponies and the majestic horses of Main Street, U.S.A. Discover the Dragon Calliope—the horse-drawn musical instrument that Walt Disney purchased for the Mickey Mouse Club Circus Parade at Disneyland Park in the 1950s.
Animal lovers of all ages will delight in the variety of breeds that live at Tri-Circle-D Ranch, including Appaloosas, Arabians, Belgians, Clydesdales, Percherons and Quarter Horses, plus Shetland Ponies.
From pony rides to carriage rides, browse fun offerings that are available throughout Walt Disney World Resort.
Our “Neigh”-borhood
Tri-Circle-D Ranch is home to more than 90 of the Happiest Horses on Earth! The ranch is split into 2 locations:
- The stable near the Settlement area of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Guests are welcome to walk through the area and visit the horses. Pony rides also depart from this location.
- The Trail Blaze Corral is located at the Main Entrance to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. When checking in for horseback riding, visit the building with the large Tri-Circle-D Ranch sign near the Main Outpost parking lot.
Just a heads up for everyone wondering what the Tri-Circle-D Ranch offers, and how to enjoy a day wandering around. It really makes for a great day off spot to check out. Disney World is absolutely more than just 4 Parks.
Keep reading more on The Funatics Blog for all your latest in Disney News, and tours around Walt Disney World.
