Fantasyland at Disneyland Park in Anaheim is a nostalgic area with classic Disney rides and fairy tale themes. It contains many original rides, including It’s a Small World, and has hidden secrets. The area is usually busy, but some rides outside of the main area may have shorter lines.
If you’re a fan of traditional Disney cartoons, the Fantasyland area at Disneyland Park in Anaheim is probably for you. Passing through the massive replica of Sleeping Beauty’s castle, guests enter a world of fairy tales, magic and classic Disney style. While most of the rides in this section of Disneyland are aimed at children, they are fun and often nostalgic for adult riders as well.
Fantasyland was one of the original areas of the park and contains many rides from the early days of Disneyland. Many of the rides are dark retellings of favorite Disney stories, where riders board small cars or boats that transport them through the entire story. The architectural style of the area is an interesting mix, from the medieval area surrounding the castle to the Bavarian-style buildings that house many of the rides and shops.
In 1955 when the park opened, Fantasyland contained several rides which still operate in the park as of 2008. Dumbo the Flying Elephant, King Arthur’s Carousel, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, Peter Pan’s Flight and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride were all part of the park on opening day. While many of these rides follow the fairly benign storylines of well-known movies, be careful with small children. Many of them feature evil characters, like Monstro or Snow White’s evil stepmother, popping in without warning. If you’re traveling with a child who has a fear of a particular villain, you may want to skip any rides that may contain him.
One of the rides that visitors love or despise is the amazing It’s a Small World. Disney previewed the ride at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, as an example of the Disney company’s animatronics innovations. The shallow boat ride takes passengers through huge dioramas depicting children from many countries of the world, dancing and singing. The musical accompaniment for the ride, written by famed Disney composers Richard and Robert Sherman, seems to inspire anger in some patrons over its constant repetition during the long ride. At Christmas, the carousel is completely redone with a holiday theme, including a spectacular outdoor light show and Christmas carols mixed in with regular music.
Fantasyland has a few secrets up its sleeve, well known to park-goers. If you find yourself in the usually long line for Peter Pan’s flight, look away from the rush and watch the second story above The Scary Adventures of Snow White. You might be surprised to see the Evil Queen pop out from behind a curtain to stare at you. Though closed since 2001, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle long contained a little-visited attraction, with scenes and music telling the story of the princess. As you walk through the castle, notice a strange brass spike embedded in the ground that marked the geographic center of the original park, long since changed by the park’s expansion.
The Fantasyland area contains many rides aimed at children, and as such is usually very busy for most of the day. Strategies for avoiding lines include hitting the area earlier in the day or waiting until late at night when most families with children have left. Some rides that are outside the main part of Fantasyland, such as Alice in Wonderland, The Mad Tea Party, and Matterhorn Bobsleds, may not be as crowded to start with, making them excellent choices to ride earlier in the day.
Fantasyland offers a look at Disneyland’s best movies and a true appreciation for childhood innocence. With its classic fairy tale style and immersive driving environments, it is a favorite of many nostalgic fans. The area is meant to honor the ideas of dreams and wishes and, as Walt Disney himself said, is “dedicated to the young at heart and those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.”
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