Five Things to Know About Fantasyland

Fantasyland is one of the six lands comprising the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. It’s also where you’ll find one of the most popular rides in the whole park. Ready to leave the real world behind and enter a realm where dreams can come true? Here we go!

1. “Fantasyland is dedicated to the young-in-heart…”

Back in 1955, Walt Disney himself described his vision for Fantasyland: “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.”

Of course, at that time he was thinking of Disneyland, not Walt Disney World – but he was envisioning a land that would allow guests to escape into a world of just plain fun. It’s only here, in Fantasyland, that you can ride a flying elephant, travel to the Hundred Acre Wood, and go under the sea all in one day!

2. Fantasyland has the most famous wienie of them all!

The Fantasyland of today is much larger than when it opened in October 1971. The expansion of the original footprint was dubbed New Fantasyland and was themed around three Disney Princesses: Belle, Snow White, and Ariel. This increased the size of Fantasyland by some 26 acres!

The Fantasyland of today can be divided into three distinct sections. The first is the area behind Cinderella Castle, sometimes called the Castle Courtyard. Next, the Enchanted Forest area holds the newest and most popular rides in Fantasyland. And lastly, Storybook Circus is tucked into the far right corner of Fantasyland.

When developing the architecture of Fantasyland, the Imagineers faced a problem. How could they bring all the different visual looks of the feature films that were the basis for the land together in one place? The answer was to dress the various facades using decorative elements from English Tudor, French Gothic and other styles to create the atmosphere of a medieval tournament. That’s why you see flags, banners, tents and supports that look like lances. And it worked beautifully to unite the land into a cohesive place instead of a crazy jumble of styles.

We’ve talked about Disney wienies before. They’re something you see up ahead that pulls you along and keeps you heading in their direction. Fantasyland has the most famous of all: Cinderella Castle. (You can always tell a Disney newbie if they call it Cinderella’s Castle.) You can enter Fantasyland by walking through the Castle if a stage show hasn’t temporarily closed the passageway.

Fantasyland is also home to two other castles. The Beast’s Castle is home to Be Our Guest restaurant. And Prince Eric’s Castle houses Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid.

3. You can enjoy more rides per square foot than anywhere else in Disney World.

If you can’t find an attraction to love in Fantasyland, should you really even be at Disney World? Arguably, the most popular ride here is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. But close behind in terms of long wait times is Peter Pan’s Flight. Fantasyland is also home to the most iconic ride of all, “it’s a small world“, one of the few remaining rides that opened with the park in October 1971.

In Circus World you can ride the Great Goofini’s Barnstormer. Or maybe the classic Dumbo is more your style. In the Enchanted Forest, we recommend taking time to enjoy Enchanted Tales with Belle.  The Magic Mirror effect alone is worth the visit!

Mickey’s PhilharMagic  is a great place to take a load off and enjoy comfy seating in air-conditioning. You can sit and spin at the Mad Tea Party, or on the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel. The littles in your group will want to enjoy The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh with its fun interactive queue.

Lastly, throughout Fantasyland there are opportunities to Meet & Greet your favorite characters and princesses including Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Daisy, Tiana, Cinderella, Ariel, and many more. Check the My Disney Experience app for times and places.

4. Eating is no fantasy here, unfortunately.

When it comes to eats, there’s no shortage of opportunities in Fantasyland. But sadly, in terms of quality, the eateries here rank far down on our list. Throughout Fantasyland you’ll find snack carts serving up beverages, popcorn, and Mickey bars. As for Quick Service, there are three places of note.

The Friar’s Nook offers a couple of breakfast sandwiches, hot dogs, and Tiana’s Famous Beignets. So, it’s not a bad place to grab something if you’re rope-dropping. Gaston’s Tavern serves up a cinnamon roll nearly as big as your head, but the ham and Gruyère tart is also pretty tasty.

Pinocchio Village Haus has a large variety of items on the menu for lunch and dinner, most notably the flatbread pizzas. There are two big plusses here, in our opinion. One is the allergy-friendly options, including soy, sesame, peanut/tree nut, milk, shellfish, egg, and gluten/wheat. The other plus: some of the tables allow you to look out over it’s a small world and wave at the riders!

Table Service options in Fantasyland usually require reservations in advance. While popular, the food is expensive and perhaps less than what you might expect. Cinderella’s Royal Table serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with the opportunity to meet Cinderella herself and a rotating lineup including Arial, Aurora, Snow White, Rapunzel, and Jasmine. While we think the food quality here is above average, our readers tend to rate it below average.

Be Our Guest is the other table service option. Serving lunch and dinner, the atmosphere is wonderful, but the food has been up and down. The prix fixe menu has contributed to it being rated one of the worst at Disney World by our readers. If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation, it might be worth doing once. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

5. Secrets, shopportunities, and…hair styling?

Fantasyland has no lack of places for you to stock up on souvenirs, but a couple stand out. Fantasy Faire, next to Peter Pan’s flight, offers a wide range of ears, hats, and every item you can have embroidered. Sir Mickey’s behind Cinderella Castle is the place to get princess dresses and accessories in case you forgot to pack those for your little one. But the biggest of all is Big Top Souvenirs. Part bakery, part candy store and part shop, you can spend an hour in here looking at the merch and taking in the wonderful aromas.

Would your kids like to tour in style? The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can transform them into princesses or knights. Some of the available packages here even come with costumes. It’s not inexpensive, but it’s very, very popular. Check availability early and often.

As for secrets, two stand out in my opinion. Perhaps the most secret Hidden Mickey at Disney World is here in Fantasyland. Located in the queue for Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, it’s only visible at noon on November 18th every year – if the sun is shining. The Imagineers built a rock formation that casts the shadow of Mickey on the path of the queue. Why November 18th? That’s Mickey’s birthday, of course!

The second is less of a secret than a “wow, I wish I had known that” kind of thing. Not a ride, not an attraction, not even a shop, it’s the bathroom area in the Tangled area of Fantasyland. There are lanterns hanging overhead which are truly beautiful at night. There’s music playing, and the theming of the area is such that you’ll feel transported smack into Rapunzel’s village. And it’s just restrooms! There are a couple of places to sit in this area, too – with phone charging stations – allowing you to catch your breath before you resume touring.

The Bottom Line.

Fantasyland is the very heart of the Magic Kingdom. Spread beneath the towers of Cinderella Castle, it embodies and exemplifies the best of Disney magic. From the moment you emerge from under the castle, you leave the rest of the park – and the everyday cares of life – behind. Walt succeeded in creating a one-of-a-kind place “dedicated to the young-in-heart, to those who that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.”

What’s your favorite place in Fantasyland? If it’s your first trip, what are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!