Fantasyland


Fantasyland is one of the "themed lands" at all of the Disneyland-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company around the world. It is themed after Disney's animated fairy tale feature films. Each Fantasyland has a castle, as well as several gentle rides themed after those Disney animated feature films.

Disneyland

History and environs

Fantasyland is one of the original themed lands at Disneyland. Fantasyland features Sleeping Beauty Castle at its main entrance, which is also the park's icon, and a central courtyard dominated by King Arthur Carrousel, in front of which sits a sword in an anvil; several times each day a costumed Merlin helps a child pull the sword from it. The entrance also contains a separate walk-through attraction that opened in 1957 but was closed from 2001 to 2008 due to security concerns following the September 11 attacks. The attraction reopened in May 2008.
The famed "Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks" show was introduced in 1956, but Tinker Bell's first flight wasn't until 1961. The first Tinker Bell was Tiny Kline, a former circus aerialist. Multiple shows have replaced this, most involving some sort of 'flying' character, such as Tinker Bell.
In 1983, Fantasyland received a major facelift and the attraction façades changed from a Renaissance motif to a fantasy mock up of a Bavarian village, similar to the European setting of many of the fairy tales Walt adapted. The area was expanded to allow for more space between attractions. Existing rides were given small but helpful upgrades; new rides were added; and only a small handful of less popular attractions were removed. To commemorate the opening of New Fantasyland, the drawbridge was lowered on Sleeping Beauty Castle for only the second time ever.
The plaque in front of the castle marks the spot where the Disneyland Time Capsule is buried. Sealed on the 40th anniversary of the park, it contains different items from the history of Disney parks. It is scheduled to be opened in the year 2035, forty years after it was first sealed.
Fantasyland was said by Walt Disney to be his favorite land in the park. He said, "What youngster has not dreamed of flying with Peter Pan over moonlit London, or tumbling into Alice's nonsensical Wonderland? In Fantasyland, these classic stories of everyone's youth have become realities for youngsters – of all ages – to participate in."

Current attractions and entertainment

Expansion

The area went through a large expansion and renovation between 2010 and 2014.
Conceptual artwork for the expansion shows several new additions and changes. Included is a new dark ride themed to Disney's 1989 film The Little Mermaid, and an area themed to Disney's 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast featuring the Beast's Castle with a new sit-down restaurant and Belle's cottage. Between the two attractions life-sized figures of Bambi and Thumper can be seen playing in the woodland with the Great Prince of the Forest watching them from a distance. There is also a rest area themed to Disney's 2010 musical film Tangled, and an interactive queue for Peter Pan's Flight.
There were originally plans for an area and attraction based on The Chronicles of Narnia film series as part of the expansion but they were cancelled when Walden Media’s contract with C. S. Lewis’ estate expired in 2011.
Mickey's Toontown Fair was closed on February 11, 2011 in order to build the Storybook Circus area of the Fantasyland extension. Some elements of Mickey's Toontown Fair were demolished and others were re-themed to the new area. Storybook Circus is based on elements of the 1941 animated film Dumbo and other characters from the Mickey Mouse universe. The Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride was removed from Fantasyland and rebuilt in Storybook Circus, the new version doubling the capacity of the old ride and introducing an interactive queue. The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm was renamed The Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini. Storybook Circus has been completed and became fully open to the public on October 4, 2012. The first stage was completed on March 12, 2012. The second phase of Storybook Circus opened in July 2012. The third and final phase saw the completion of Storybook Circus on October 4, 2012.
Snow White's Scary Adventures closed on May 31, 2012. The original ride was removed and Princess Fairytale Hall, a new Disney Princess "meet and greet" area, opened on September 18, 2013, where the attraction previously existed. An area themed to Disney's 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs features the dwarfs' cottage and a new roller coaster ride called the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. The coaster features a first-of-its-kind ride system with a train of ride vehicles that swing back and forth, responding to the twists and turns of the track. Although not part of the original plans for the new Fantasyland, this attraction took the place of several proposed interactive Disney Princess meet and greets; these have been removed from the updated plans for the expansion. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened on May 28, 2014, completing New Fantasyland.
On May 2, 2024, following the announcement, Magic Kingdom announced that a new interactive game attraction, Smellephants on Parade are debuted, where guests can find 8 pachyderms throughout Storybook Circus in a search-and-sniff adventure.

Current attractions and entertainment

Note: ▲ = Genie Plus / Lightning Lane available

Attractions

Castle Courtyard
  • Mickey's PhilharMagic – located inside the Fantasyland Theatre. ▲
  • Princess Fairytale Hall – offers indoor daily character greetings with Disney Princesses. ▲
  • Fairytale Garden – currently offering a daily outdoor character greeting with Mirabel Madrigal from Encanto.
    Enchanted Forest
  • Enchanted Tales with Belle – an indoor daily interactive character greeting with Belle. ▲
  • Ariel's Grotto – an indoor daily character greeting with Ariel. ▲
    Storybook Circus
  • Casey Jr. Splash 'n' Soak Station
  • Pete's Silly Sideshow – an indoor character greeting space featuring Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy. Named after Pete from the Mickey Mouse cartoons.
  • Smellephants on Parade – a new interactive game where you go around sniffing elephant statues in Storybook Circus.

    Rides

Enchanted Forest
Castle Courtyard
  • Fantasy Faire – the exit gift shop at Mickey's PhiharMagic.
  • Sir Mickeys – gift shop themed after the Mickey and the Beanstalk segment from the 1947 Disney film Fun and Fancy Free. Guests can be "pixie-dusted" inside the store.
    Enchanted Forest
  • Cottage of the Three Fairies - confectionery shop themed after the fairies’ cottage in the 1959 Disney film Sleeping Beauty.
  • Hundred Acre Goods – specializes in Winnie-the-Pooh-themed merchandise.
  • Bonjour Village Gifts