The Magic Roundabout

The Magic Roundabout

Year: 2004

Runtime: 85 mins

Language: English

Directors: Dave Borthwick, Jean Duval

FantasyAnimationComedyFamilyKids' animated fun and adventure

A shaggy, candy‑loving puppy named Dougal teams up with his friends on a perilous quest to capture the tyrannical ice sorcerer ZeeBad, the evil twin of Zebedee. With the world threatened by ZeeBad’s plan to freeze everything, the group must locate three magical diamonds whose power can halt his icy domination.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Magic Roundabout (2004)

Trace every key event in The Magic Roundabout (2004) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Dougal's mischief leads to the road accident

Dougal, well-meaning but greedy, slips a nail onto the road to pop the sweet cart's tyre. When the driver leaves to fetch help, the cart crashes into the Magic Roundabout's roof. The resulting impact sends the Roundabout spinning and summons an ice wizard, freezing the roundabout and trapping everyone nearby.

Village road / Magic Roundabout
2

Roundabout freezes and traps the inhabitants

The Roundabout immediately becomes a sheet of ice, sealing repairman Mr Rusty, Dougal's young owner Florence, and the children Coral and Basil inside an icy cell. The town watches in horror as the enchanted ride glows with frost. The ice locks them away from help while danger looms beyond the village.

Magic Roundabout
3

Zebedee explains the plan to stop Zeebad

Zebedee explains that the Roundabout once kept Zeebad imprisoned; with Zeebad freed, his ice magic could threaten the world again. He tells the gang that retrieving three enchanted diamonds and slotting them on the Roundabout will re-imprison Zeebad and reverse the freezing.

Magic Roundabout
4

Breakout to embark on diamond quest aboard Train

Zebedee sends Dougal and his friends on a journey aboard a magical Train to reach distant locations where diamonds are hidden. The group departs with hope, setting off on a quest that could save or doom the world.

Train
5

Zeebad animates Soldier Sam to aid in the mission

Zeebad discovers Soldier Sam, an animatronic guard toppled from the roundabout. He uses his magic to bring Sam to life as an ally in finding the diamonds.

Beyond the village
6

Mountains: Dougal abducted, Ermintrude rescues, moose leads to lair

The group camps in the snow-capped mountains and Dougal is abducted by Zeebad. Ermintrude the cow rescues him, and a European moose leads them toward Zeebad's lair, heightening the sense of peril.

Mountains / Zeebad's Lair
7

Zebedee duels Zeebad; Zebedee is frozen

Zebedee confronts Zeebad in a magical duel, but Zeebad freezes the cliff they stand on and Zebedee is sent plunging into an abyss. The heroes are left without their ally as the villain grows stronger.

Cliff / Zeebad's Lair
8

Journey to volcano: first diamond sought

The team presses on toward a lava-bordered volcano to retrieve one of the diamonds, all while Zeebad trails close behind, determined to beat them to it.

Volcano
9

Ancient temple yields the second diamond

Next they enter an ancient temple filled with eerie skeleton guards in search of another diamond. They face traps and eerie magic as they push onward toward their prize.

Ancient Temple
10

Zeebad seizes the diamonds

Zeebad corners the group and steals the diamonds he has captured, forcing the others to scramble and rethink their plan. The odds grow starker as the clock ticks toward doom.

Zeebad's lair / along the journey
11

Train crash and snowbound retreat

Zeebad's drill-like locomotive pursues the fugitives and crashes into a buffer stop, sending the Train airborne and wrecked in the snow. With the Train disabled, the group abandons it and treks back through the snowy wasteland toward safety.

Snowy wasteland
12

Sam dies and the third diamond is found in him

When the gang reaches the village, Zeebad cannot locate the third diamond. Sam is gravely wounded in battle and dies; Zeebad discovers the hidden diamond inside Sam and removes it, securing the prize for himself.

Village
13

Final take: diamonds reclaimed, Zeebad threatened

The survivors return to the roundabout to reclaim the diamonds, but Zeebad steals the last one again, threatening to freeze the sun. Their courage and teamwork push them toward a last chance to save the world.

Magic Roundabout / Village
14

Train saves the day and the last diamond is freed

The Train arrives, heals and knocks the diamond free from Zeebad's grip. Dougal uses the final diamond to slot the roundabout, re-imprisoning Zeebad and thawing the world and the sun once more.

Magic Roundabout
15

Aftermath: Florence revived, Sam restored to the roundabout

Zebedee survives and rejoins the group; Florence is revived, and Sam is restored to his place on the roundabout in an inanimate state as the ride returns to service. Dougal learns the true value of friendship, courage, and selflessness.

Magic Roundabout / Village

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:15

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The Magic Roundabout Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Magic Roundabout

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Magic Roundabout

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More About The Magic Roundabout

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