On Jan. 31 Disneyland Resort announced the official opening date for Fantasy Faire, a new area of Disneyland Park that promises to be a place fit for a Disney Princess and her guests.
The re-themed and re-Imagineered area is intended to offer an immersive storybook world, focusing on fairy tales, and themed as a village fair. Disney describes its design as “charming, old world style familiar to lovers of Fantasyland.”
Fantasy Faire will officially open March 12.
Watch a video overview of Fantasy Faire.
Fantasy Faire is located to the west side of Central Plaza – Disneyland’s “Hub,” near the forecourt of sleeping Beauty Castle. As first revealed during the 2011 D23 Expo, Fantasy Faire expands the Fantasyland area of Disneyland Park and has replaced Carnation Plaza Gardens.
“My goal was that the new Fantasy Faire would meld over into the existing Fantasyland naturally,” said Michel Den Dulk, Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering said in discussing the project with the Disney Parks Blog.
Among the features of Fantasy Faire is a pathway that takes guests to corridors of the Royal Hall, where Princesses await them. This area features touches from familiar Disney stories. Figaro, Gepetto’s pet in “Pinocchio,” cat naps (and occasionally wakes) on a windowsill. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is represented by “Clopin’s Music Box,” an interactive mechanical toy that recalls the Feast of Fools.
Tangled Tower, located in the village square, adds another showpiece to the area. The sculpture is inspired by the fairy tale of Rapunzel” as well as the 2010 Disney animated movie “Tangled.” At night, Rapunzel’s hair will come alive, twisting around the tower and sparking with lights.
The Royal Theatre will present two shows as part of the Fantasy Faire entertainment. The stories of Rapunzel (“Tangled”) and Belle (“Beauty and the Beast”) are re-told by Mr. Smythe and Mr. Jones, the area’s vaudeville-style Renaissance storytellers. During these shows Rapunzel or Belle, will join in, staying to greet guests after their respective stories conclude.
“My main inspiration there,” Den Dulk told the Disney Parks Blog, “was a Gothic kind of fair. King Arthur Carrousel and all the structures surrounding Dumbo – those were the main inspiration for the theatre structure.”
Fantasy Fare will also offer merchandise and refreshment options. At Fairytale Treasures, guests will be able to buy Princess dresses, accessories and gifts.
Maurice’s Treats, a food cart themed to look like an old gypsy wagon, serves bread twists (cheddar cheese garlic and strawberry almond cream flavors) and a signature beverage, the Boysen Apple Freeze. These refreshments may hint that Belle’s father, the not-so-crazy old Maurice, has put his powers of invention to good use.
Fantasy Faire is one of several planned additions to Disneyland Resort for Spring-Summer 2013. “Mickey and the Magical Map,” a new live show will run at the Fantasyland Theatre. At Disney California Adventure Park, Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins will join “Disney Junior – Live on Stage!”
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