I’ll be honest…I don’t think Fantasyland is really for people in my age category. I mean, I just don’t think I’m their target audience as I enter my early 40’s. Having said that, the bulk of Fantasyland has been around the Magic Kingdom since it opened back in 1972, so there is a ton of sentimentality involved with the attractions.
In the center of it all is the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel.
Originally, this was called Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel, but they changed the name back in 2010 in order to better tell the Cinderella story. It’s a little lengthy, but here is the official story behind the name change:
Following their fairy-tale romance and happily-ever-after wedding, Cinderella and Prince Charming took up residence in Cinderella’s Castle. With peace throughout the kingdom, Prince Charming had time to practice for jousting tournaments. In the countryside near the castle, he built a training device of carved horses, on which he could practice the art of ring-spearing, a tournament event in which a knight rides his horse full speed, lance in hand, toward a small ring hanging from a tree limb, with the object of spearing the ring. This event was known by various names throughout the lands, but generally came to be called “carrousel.”
The carrousel device drew the attention of the villagers, who wanted to take a turn on this amazing spinning contraption. So Prince Charming had a second carrousel constructed closer to the Castle, where everyone could take a spin on this wondrous invention. Instead of a working knight’s training device, however, this new carrousel is more befitting its regal location in the Castle Courtyard – its rustic training horses replaced with ornately decorated prancing steeds adorned with golden helmets and shields, flower garlands, feathers and other festoons. Prince Charming invites one and all to test their horsemanship skills and to enjoy their own happy ending.
Obviously, this attraction is meant for small children and those VERY young at heart. While the photographs at night can be spectacular, there really isn’t any reason to go on this merry-go-round unless your children are dying to do it.
While walking into Fantasyland from Liberty Square, you will see Rapunzel Tower to your left. In this area you will find shops such as Fantasy Faire (near the exit of Mickey’s PhilharMagic with magic-themed merchandise), Sir Mickey’s (a lot of princess-themed merchandise), and Hundred Acre Goods (for all things Winnie the Pooh related).
The biggest attraction is just ahead on your left and is the one that really put Walt Disney World on the map when it initially opened at Disneyland back in 1966: it’s a small world (yes…the lower case is intentional). This ride features over 300 brightly-costumed animatronic children singing the same (admittedly catchy) song in different languages for ten minutes.
Trust me…this is one of the cheesiest rides in all of Disney, but it’s also one that is considered iconic and a “must-see”. The waits can be quite high, but I’d like to think that this one is probably worth waiting for. And while it’s been active in the Magic Kingdom since 1971, the last refurbishment was in 2010 so it should be in pretty good working order. This is a great ride as long as you don’t mind having “that song” stuck in your head for the rest of the trip.
If you’re hungry, you can walk out of it’s a small world and walk into the very cool Pinocchio Village Haus.
The place has flatbread pizzas, meatball subs, mac & cheese, Mediterranean salad, and more. Because of its size and central location, expect it to be crazy-busy during mid-day hours. Still…it’s got some great choices for the kids and is a place we would definitely eat at.
When you’re done eating, located across from “that song” is a place where you’ll find some of the longest line-ups in all of the Magic Kingdom: Peter Pan’s Flight. This is definitely another “iconic” ride in terms of Disney parks, as it’s been around since 1971. You’re not going to see state-of-the-art special effects on this ride, but it’s designed for you to re-live your youth and the story of Peter Pan. You “fly” over London and on through to Neverland.
It has been redesigned to allow a smoother flow of traffic since I was at Disney last, but the wait times can still get quite high due to the low ride capacity. I have read that Disney is designing a new interactive queue for the attraction, which will help pass the waiting time a little bit. The FastPass is also available for this ride, which may be something you should consider if this is a “must-see” on your list. For me, though…it’s not. If the line-up is less than 20 minutes, I might grab the family and jump in line. But because my kids aren’t “Disney-fied”, they’re not completely interested in the story of Peter Pan. This is a ride that they could “give or take”. Don’t just trust me, though…take a look and see what you think:
As you continue on to the right, you’ll find Mickey’s PhilharMagic. Now this is an attraction that I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing yet, but am really excited about enjoying the experience on my next visit. It’s a 12-minute 3D movie that features effects, scents, and water. It includes a number of Disney movie characters and is shown on a massive 150-foot wide 3D screen.
If you continue to the right, you’ll see Cinderella’s Castle and Prince Charming’s Regal Carrousel. Go through those and you’ll see Sir Mickey’s and the Princess Fairytale Hall, both of which are for the younger set or those with girls who love princesses and fairytales.
Continue on and you’ll find The Friar’s Nook. This restaurant is open seasonally, so you may actually find it closed during slower days. All seating is outdoors and the food is pretty basic (mac & cheese, hot dogs, etc.). If it’s open, it’s a great little place to pick up something quick-n-easy…just don’t expect really healthy eating.
On a hot day, the location right after the Friar’s Nook is guaranteed to cool you off (and add a pound or two): Storybook Treats. It’s here that you’ll find varieties of sundaes, milkshakes, floats, and soft-serve ice cream. Depending on how hot it is, this is probably going to be a popular spot for families with children. I know it’ll be popular with mine.
Finally, on the right is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
This is a newer attraction that I have yet to experience. It opened in 1999 and replaced Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, which I remember going on as a child. From what I understand, it’s an upbeat and fun ride…though it’s slow moving and slow-loading. Wait times can easily exceed 30 minutes during the day, so if you and your kids really want to see it then I’d suggest using a FastPass on it. Otherwise, see it early in the day or later in the evening. I’m not sure if my kids will want to see it or not as we’re not huge Winnie the Pooh fans. But I think it’d be an attraction worth visiting.
That’s pretty much it for Fantasyland. Before heading to the final section of the Magic Kingdom, though, you need to check out the expansion area of NEW Fantasyland!
To Travel Or Not 