Fantasyland - Exploring the World, One Land at a Time

Everyone knows "Four Parks, One World", but each of those parks is made up of multiple, themed "Lands". Each land contains it's own unique decor, dining, experiences and history. With so much to do and see, it's easy to miss many of the details that make these lands special in their own way. This series will explore each of these lands in detail to show how they are part of the Magic that is Walt Disney World resort.

As we leave Colonial America, we step into a world of Fantasy. This is where all of our most-loved fairy tales come to life and we leave the real world behind. In December, 2012, the largest-ever expansion in Magic Kingdom made it's debut, New Fantasyland, adding more rides, restaurants, shops, and magic.

“Here is the world of imagination, hopes, and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment, the age of chivalry, magic and make-believe are reborn - and fairy tales come true. Fantasyland is dedicated to the young-in-heart, to those who that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.”-Walt Disney Co.

Cinderella Castle serves as the icon for Magic Kingdom park and the gateway to Fantasyland. It stands more than 100 feet taller than Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland at 189 feet high. Imagineers used forced perspective to make the castle appear much higher while keeping the actual height under 200 feet, which would have required it to have an airplane beacon on top. You can walk through the castle to see a beautiful retelling of Cinderella's story in mosaic tiles. It also serves as the backdrop for several of the most popular shows in Magic Kingdom. 

Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire debuted in June, 2016 replacing the long-running "Dream Along with Mickey". In this castle stage show, Mickey and his friends celebrate the stories of some of the more recent Disney animated classics, including Frozen, Tangled and The Princess and the Frog. 

Every young girl dreams of being a princess. And what better place to become one than the Magic Kingdom? At the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique inside Cinderella Castle, girls between 3 and 12 years old can have a magical makeover and become any princess they wish. The boutique is very popular and requires reservations. You can call (407) WDW-STYLE for info and reservations.

You can also feel like royalty as you dine inside Cinderella Castle! Cinderella's Royal Table serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Upon entering, you will be greeted by Cinderella and also meet some of her friends throughout your meal. Possibly the most popular restaurant in WDW, reservations are a must! 

Each day, the fantasy spreads throughout the kingdom with the Festival of Fantasy parade. This new parade pays homage to the unbridled magic and vivid pageantry of Fantasyland and its many inhabitants. Many floats feature moving and spinning parts not normally found in Disney parades. The most notable new piece is the Maleficent dragon float that spits actual fire! 

At night, the castle features two magnificent shows. Once Upon a Time is a spellbinding nighttime show that brings Cinderella Castle to life with projections of beloved Disney scenes and characters. The grand finale of the night is the Happily Ever After fireworks show.

Beyond the castle walls, we explore this land of Fantasy. A true classic, Prince Charming's Regal Carousel is a classic carousel featuring 90 horses and hand-painted scenes from Cinderella. It also plays organ music based on Disney classics.

Mickey's Philharmagic is a 4D film spectacular. It features 3D effects, scents and water. You can enjoy a cast full of Disney characters on a 150-foot wide screen and see what mayhem occurs when Donald tries on the sorcerer's hat!

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has an interactive queue filled with activities with your Hundred Acre Wood friends followed by a ride that will have you gliding, bouncing and swirling through the pages of some of Pooh's most-loved stories.

On Peter Pan's Flight, you can "fly" through the storybook world of Peter Pan just like the Darling children. This suspended, dark ride takes you on a journey to Neverland. For reasons I personally don't understand, this ride regularly experiences exceptionally long wait times. Getting a fastpass is recommended.

Love it or hate it? Either way, once you hear the song "It's a Small World", written by the Sherman Brothers, you just can't get it out of your head! This classic Disney ride takes you on a boat ride through beautifully colored scenes depicting audio-animatronic children from around the world. The design and color styling is attributed to Mary Blair, an art director on several Disney animated film. No trip to a Disney park is complete without it.

A new atmosphere group called the Royal Majesty Makers engage boys and girls in random acts of "royaldom" endowing them with the skills to become princes and princesses. You can receive lessons in swordsmanship, dance to medieval tunes and more! You may even receive an invitation to the royal ball! Check your Times Guide for show times!

Princess Fairytale Hall is the meet and greet location for some of the most famous Disney princesses. Here you can be sure to find Cinderella, Rapunzel and many other favorite princesses.

The newest attraction in Fantasyland is the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train where you can race through the mine from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on this family roller coaster.

Another new Fantasyland attraction is Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid. Ride a clamshell omnimover through your favorite scenes and songs from the Little Mermaid movie. After the ride, you can stop by Ariel's Grotto and see all her treasures and meet Ariel herself.

My favorite memory from our first trip in 2003 was Storytime with Belle in Fairytale Garden when both of my children were picked to be part of the story. That's why I'm so glad to see this experience returned but on a much grander and more permanent scale with Enchanted Tales with Belle. You begin your journey by entering Maurice's cottage. From there, the magic mirror transports you to Beast's castle where you meet Madame Wardrobe. At this time, members of the audience are chosen to play parts in the telling of the story. You are next called into the library by Lumiere and once inside, Belle makes an appearance and the story is then acted out with all the helpers including a lively song and dance number to "Beauty and the Beast." After the performance, children have the opportunity to take a photo with Belle.

If you need even more Beauty and the Beast in your life, you can enjoy French-inspired fare for a Quick Service breakfast and lunch or a Table Service dinner at Be Our Guest. Inspired by Beauty and the Beast, you can dine in the West Wing, Ballroom or the Rose Gallery of Beast's castle. Because of the popularity of this restaurant, reservations are available for all meals and highly recommended. It was recently announced that as of July 27, 2018, an enhanced dinner menu will be offered here. As a result, dinner will now require 2 Disney Dining Plan credits. 

For a lighter snack, stop by Gaston's Tavern. Modeled after Gaston's taste, it is decorated with plenty of antlers! Although they serve mostly snack food, there is indoor seating so it's a nice spot to take a break. This is the only spot to grab LeFou's Brew, a tasty drink you don't want to miss!

Outside, you will also find one of the most unforgettable character experiences with everyone's favorite guy!

Take a ride on a classic spinning teacup ride at the Mad Tea Party! You can also find meet and greets with some of your favorite Alice in Wonderland characters and may even be lucky enough to ride with one of them!

With the expansion of New Fantastland, the Dumbo ride has been moved to the new Storybook Circus section and a second Dumbo ride was built! Now twice the fun and twice the opportunity to get that iconic Dumbo ride photo we all love! 

Need a place to beat the heat or just relax while letting the kids blow off steam? Casey Jr Splash N Soak Station is a great play area in Storybook Circus where the kids can get wet and play!

You can meet your favorite classic Disney characters dressed as circus performers at Pete's Silly Sideshow.

The Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini is a junior roller coaster in Storybook Circus. It was retitled and relocated from the Mickey's Toontown Fair area during the Fantasyland expansion. It is the only attraction remaining from that extinct land. 

If you haven't tried one of the great places already mentioned, you can still find something great to eat at these places in Fantasyland. Pinocchio's Village Haus serves up pizza, nuggets and salads. The Friar's Nook features chicken baskets, hot dogs and frozen beverages. Storybook Treats for ice cream and Cheshire Cafe for iced coffee, frozen lemonade and snacks.

Finally, we leave you with these Fantasyland Fun Facts:
*There are approximately 3.37 million gallons of water in the moat surrounding Cinderella Castle
*Prince Charming Regal Carousel was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1917
*The mosaics in the castle walkway show the evil Stepsisters with red and green faces. That is to show one is red with rage and one is green with jealousy.
*On Prince Charming's Regal Carousel, the horse with the gold ribbon on its tail is said to be Cinderella's horse.
*In Sir Mickey's Shop, you can see Willy the Giant peeking inside where the walls meet the roof.
*The ground slopes upward as you walk up to the castle because it is built on the "second floor". Underneath are the famous Utilidors.

*The Disney family coat of arms is displayed above the front and back entrances of Cinderella Castle.
*Notice the crown above Cinderella on the fountain behind the castle. As you bend down to take a drink, you are symbolically bowing to the princess and you can glance up to see the crown now appears to be on her head.
*Mary Blair, the artist responsible for It's a Small World, is also responsible for the 90 foot mural inside Disney's Contemporary Resort.
*Many Fantasyland attractions were not quite finished when Disneyland opened in 1955. The banners and decorative tents were used to mask the unfinished work. That theme, the medieval fair, stuck as the theming for Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland.

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photo credit: some images obtained from Google Images