Touring Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom (Attractions, Shopping, and Dining)

We’re off to Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. We’ll discuss the attractions, dining options, and shopping that are available while touring this area of the park.

Walt Disney once said, “Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.” When asked about his favorite land (at Disneyland), he candidly replied, “Fantasyland.”

Fantasyland is the largest land at Magic Kingdom Park. It’s a land where endearing fairytales and dreams come to life by means of classic attractions. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane as we revisit some of our favorite attractions, shops, and dining venues! I’m willing to bet that most of you have a favorite memory related to Fantasyland.

Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom

Since Fantasyland is so large, it’s broken down into several areas. We recently discussed two of those lands in separate articles: New Fantasyland-The Enchanted Forest and Storybook Circus.

The Enchanted Forest is home to attractions like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Journey of the Little Mermaid, Ariel’s Grotto, and Enchanted Tales with Belle. Some of its shops and dining venues include Gaston’s Tavern, Prince Eric’s Village Market, and Village Gifts. Of course, the area is home to one of the most popular dining locations at Magic Kingdom, Be Our Guest restaurant, where you can dine in the West wing of Beast’s Castle.

Storybook Circus is home to Dumbo, the Flying Elephant, The Barnstormer (a kiddie roller coaster featuring the Great Goofini, Pete’s Silly Sideshow, and Fantasyland Station, a stop on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Casey Jr’s Splash ‘n’ Soak Station and Big Top Souvenirs are nearby.

This article will focus on the original Fantasyland attractions and Princess Fairytale Hall, a character location added during this area’s last expansion. Here is a list of attractions, character meet-and-greets, dining options, and shops for Fantasyland.

Attractions

• Cinderella Castle
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• “it’s a small world”
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• Mad Tea Party

Fantasyland Character Locations

• Princess Fairytale Hall (Rapunzel, Tiana, Cinderella, Elena)
• Anastasia and Drizella
• Winnie the Pooh and Tigger
• Peter Pan
• Mirabel

Unfortunately, the following character meets have not returned:

• Fairy Godmother
• Alice in Wonderland

Dining in Fantasyland

• Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Pinocchio Village Haus
• Storybook Treats
• The Friar’s Nook
• Chesire Cafe

Retail in Fantasyland

• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
• Fantasy Faire
• Hundred Acre Goods
• Sir Mickey’s

Fantasyland Attractions

Original Fantasyland offers seven attractions to explore during your visit. If you’ve ever visited Walt Disney World, you’re likely familiar with most of these attractions. With so much to do in this area of the park, you’ll want to plan your time accordingly. It is challenging to see all of Magic Kingdom in one day.

Cinderella Castle

Cinderella Castle is the park’s icon and is considered part of Fantasyland. When you first step inside Magic Kingdom, you can see the castle waiting at the end of Main Street, U.S.A. She is 189′ tall and undergoes a makeover from time to time.

Below is a photo of the back side of Cinderella Castle taken from Fantasyland.

I always like to note that younger children tend to think the castle is a big deal. We took my son to Disney World for his first visit when he was three. He begged to go to the castle the entire day.

Unfortunately, the castle offers nothing “to do” except walk through the center. So you might want to tell them before visiting the park. Guests can walk through Cinderella Castle most of the day. However, at times, the area is closed off. For instance, it’s closed during Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire, which has several daily performances. The area also closes at night for the evening fireworks.

Inside the castle, panels share the story of Cinderella in beautifully detailed tile work.

Related: Cinderella Castle Photos

Peter Pan’s Flight

Fantasyland is home to one of the park’s most popular attractions, Peter Pan’s Flight. Board one of the hanging pirate ships, and you’re off to Neverland!

Along the way, you’ll fly over London, where you can look down and see the city’s twinkling lights below. Then you’re off to Never Land, where Peter, John, and Wendy have been captured by Captain Hook!

This Fantasyland attraction has no height requirements. However, it does have a Lightning Lane queue in addition to the standby queue. Guests who purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass can select this as one of their options. On most days, wait times for Peter Pan’s Flight peak at near 70 minutes. There is almost always a long line.

Peter Pan’s Flight has a fun interactive queue that most movie fans will enjoy. You’ll walk through the nursery and might encounter Tinker Bell. So, it’s not the worst place to wait.

Related: Peter Pan’s Flight

“it’s a small world”

The mere mention of “it’s a small world” probably has most of us humming along to the attraction’s tune before we realize it. This iconic attraction sits directly across the walkway from Peter Pan’s Flight.

Guests will board a slow-moving boat as they embark on the “happiest cruise that ever sailed.” This was another one of the opening day attractions at Walt Disney World. It has sister rides in most of the Disney Parks. Each country represented in the ride features children singing the tune in their native language. Scenes feature vibrant pops of color and whimsical animatronics.

“it’s a small world” is a simple ride to experience for the most part. If you’re looking for a good place to escape the loud noise associated with fireworks, this is it. Usually, this attraction has an empty queue during fireworks. So, it’s easy to hop on a boat, and the ride will take up the majority of the duration of the fireworks. This attraction has a Lightning Lane, but you won’t usually need to use one here.

Related: “it’s a small world” (Magic Kingdom)

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is located on the opposite side of Fantasyland near Tomorrowland. This is another popular ride that often has waits of 30-45 minutes.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has a Lightning Lane option with the paid Lightning Lane Multi Pass upgrade and a standby queue. This attraction doesn’t have a height requirement. But it does have an area for children to play while you wait.

Here is a look at the honey pot ride vehicle.

After boarding your honey pot, you’ll embark on an adventure through the Hundred Acre Woods. You’ll see beloved characters as the pages from the book come to life before your eyes. Pooh, Piglet, Owl, Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo are all present. You might even see a few Heffalumps and Woozles! Beware!

Related: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Mickey’s PhilharMagic

Mickey’s Philharmagic is a 3D film that offers Lightning Lane with the paid Lightning Lane Multi Pass upgrade or a regular standby queue. Since this is an animated short film, all guests waiting will enter the seating area at once, so Lightning Lane is typically unwarranted for this attraction.

PhilharMagic lasts approximately 12 minutes and requires guests where the provided 3D glasses. The fun film pays homage to many Disney classics, including Fantasmic, Coco, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Lion King.

3D elements combine with other fun sensory effects, like a mild splash of water and an aroma piped into the room during a dessert scene. The backstory is that Donald Duck took Mickey’s sorcerer hat, and things got a little out of hand. Thankfully, Mickey realizes it and manages to get things back in order.

For most, PhilharMagic is not a must-do attraction, but I wouldn’t completely discount it. It’s an endearing film and an excellent place to break from the Florida heat.

Related: Mickey’s PhilharMagic

Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is another attraction not to be discounted. This isn’t just any carrousel—it sits directly behind Cinderella Castle and plays Mary Poppins tunes!

Sure, you can ride a carrousel at various other places, but how often can you do so at Magic Kingdom? Those with a love for the nostalgic will want to take a spin on the carousel. Make sure to notice the painted panels overhead. They feature artwork from Disney’s animated film Cinderella.

Related: Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

Mad Tea Party

Okay, I won’t insist that you ride the Mad Tea Party. But it is fun if you can handle the spin, and children will likely want to ride. My compromise is that I will ride if they don’t spin the circle inside the teacup. Unfortunately, that’s where things tend to get a little haywire.

Mad Tea Party offers Lightning Lane with the paid Lightning Lane Multi Pass upgrade. However, the standby queue doesn’t have terrible waits in most instances. Since this attraction is outdoors, most guests can gauge how long they will have to wait based on the number of guests ahead of them.

Related: Mad Tea Party at Magic Kingdom

Character Meet-and-Greets in Fantasyland

Several characters have meet-and-greet locations in Fantasyland. But be aware that most will have long waits given their popularity. Below, we’ll go over the basics, but make sure to check out our character section for more details.

Related: Disney World Characters

Princess Fairytale Hall

Princess Fairytale Hall opened during the last Fantasyland expansion. It is located directly behind Cinderella Castle.

Several Disney princesses meet at this location, which offers a standby queue. On one side, guests can meet Cinderella and Elena, Princess of Avalor.

Each of these characters signs an autograph.

Princess Tiana and Rapunzel from Tangled meet on the opposite side. You can expect a reasonably long wait on either side during the middle of the day. But if you wait until later, wait times are often shorter.

Related: Meet These Four Princesses at Princess Fairytale Hall

If you were to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you might run into these same characters meeting with their princes. Last season, we saw Rapunzel meet with Flynn Rider.

Related: Meet Characters at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Anastasia and Drizella

Anastasia and Drizella, Cinderella’s dreadful stepsisters, are often out in Fantasyland during the day. They’ve recently been greeting guests near Cinderella’s fountain behind the castle. You’ll want to check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for their exact times and locations.

Related: Meet Anastasia and Drizella at Disney World

Mirabel

Mirabel meets in Enchanted Fairytale Garden on one of the side walkways leading up to Cinderella Castle. Merida formerly met at this location. Disney turned this garden into an Encanto for Mirabel’s meet-and-greet! Be prepared for long lines; she is quite a popular character.

Related: Meet Mirabel at Disney World

Peter Pan

Peter Pan meets in Fantasyland beside the Neverland map outside his attraction. He can also be seen daily in the Festival of Fantasy Parade. Typically, I have found the best time to meet him is after the parade. However, he can have long lines. So make sure to get to his location before the next scheduled time.

Related: Peter Pan Meet-and-Greet

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger

Like Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger meet at The Thotful Spot next to their attraction, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. You’ll want to be prepared for this meet-and-greet location, as there is almost always a 45-minute or longer wait.

However, they are so worth it! Winnie the Pooh and Tigger both sign autographs, and a PhotoPass photographer is usually available at this location.

Related: Meet Winnie the Pooh and Tigger (Thotful Spot)

Dining in Fantasyland

When it comes to dining, Fantasyland offers several options, from quick service to character dining. Below, we’ll look at the dining options and a few menus.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Cinderella’s Royal Table is one of the best character dining restaurants at Disney World. Here, you can dine inside the castle with Disney princesses.

Cinderella’s Royal Table offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Along with character dining, this table service is also considered signature dining. Characters at Cinderella’s Royal Table include:

• Cinderella (Greets guests with a photo opportunity at the entrance.)
• Ariel
• Snow White
• Jasmine
• Rapunzel

You can preview the menu here on Disney’s site. In addition, you can adjust the meal period at the top to view breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Pinocchio Village Haus

Pinocchio Village Haus is in the heart and center of Fantasyland across from Mickey’s PhilharMagic. This quick service sells various items, including flatbreads and chicken nuggets.

If you’ve never been to this restaurant, it’s worth stepping inside. It has tons of theming.

Unfortunately, it’s rare to see this kind of craftsmanship and detail go into newer projects.

It’s charming.

Additionally, the far side of the restaurant has plexiglass windows that look down into “it’s a small world.” So you can watch others set sail on the happiest cruise while you dine.

Here is a look at the menu for Pinocchio Village Haus.

Tip-the main set of restrooms in Fantasyland sits behind this counter-service restaurant.

Storybook Treats

Storybook Treats is an ice cream quick service in Fantasyland.

Usually, they have items like soft serve ice cream, a hot fudge sundae, a strawberry sundae, and various floats mixed with a choice of fountain drink. This location is also popular for its limited-time treats. Currently, you can get a Heigh-ho sundae and a Snow White cone.

The Friar’s Nook

Friar’s Nook is a walk-up quick service in Fantasyland. They serve breakfast in the mornings and then lunch afterward.

Several hot dogs, brats, and tater tot items are available. Here is a preview of their menu.

Additionally, this location has kids’ meals.

Cheshire Cafe

Cheshire Cafe is located across the walkway from Mad Tea Party on the outskirts of Fantasyland. This location is popular for a few special treats.

Those snacks include the Cheshire Cat Tail and Pepper Jack Pretzel.

Additionally, they have a specialty cupcake, the Merry Unbirthday Cupcake.

Fantasyland Shops at Disney World

Before we finish things up, we’ll browse the shops in Fantasyland. Keep in mind that merchandise changes frequently. So, the items you see might not be available on your visit.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is located in Fantasyland, directly behind Cinderella Castle. This location takes appointments in advance and provides children with the opportunity to dress up like princesses, have their hair styled (pixie dust and all), and get their portraits made.

Fantasy Faire

Fantasy Faire is the gift shop for Mickey’s PhilharMagic. This shop sits at the attraction’s exit.

Inside, it features fun theming similar to the film.

On our last visit, we saw several merchandise displays.

This is an excellent location if you’re shopping for Minnie Mouse Ears.

Or Ear Hats!

A pressed penny machine is located in the back corner of this gift shop.

Hundred Acre Goods

Hundred Acre Good is another fun-themed attraction gift shop. You’ll walk directly through it when you exit The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

The attractions’ storybook theming continues inside the gift shop.

Items in this shop tend to be Winnie the Pooh-related or baby-themed.

If you love Winnie the Pooh merchandise, you’ll want to stop in during your visit.

Often, these types of shops are called “dump shops” because the ride dumps you into them at the end.

Sir Mickey’s

Sir Mickey’s is based on the classic short film Mickey and the Beanstalk. This gift shop is behind Cinderella Castle and connected to Princess Fairytale Hall.

A giant beanstalk has sprouted through the floor, and Mickey’s climbing his way up.

Watch out for the giant!

Inside Sir Mickey’s, you’ll find tons of princess merchandise, dresses, dolls, etc.

Minnie sits in the back corner of the store, waiting to be rescued.

Lastly, you’ll find a pressed penny machine inside Sir Mickey’s. Here is a photo of the designs.

Final Thoughts

Fantasyland covers a good deal of ground in the Magic Kingdom. For many, it’s a place with tons of nostalgia that has thankfully remained true to itself over the years. As for touring this area of the park, it begins to get congested around lunchtime and remains that way through the early evening. So you might enjoy spending time here earlier or later in the day.

Of course, the area looks entirely new at night when the carousel is lit up after dark. Cinderella’s Castle also looks just as stunning in the evening.

As we wrap up this Magic Kingdom by land series, here’s a look back. We visited Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom to check out Tron and other timeless attractions like the Peoplemover. Then we hopped all aboard the train at Storybook Circus, but first, we paid a visit to Dumbo and the Barnstormer. Then, we visited New Fantasyland (The Enchanted Forest) for dinner at Be Our Guest and Enchanted Tales with Belle. Our visit to Liberty Square was more than historical as we stopped to see the Hall of Presidents.  If you enjoy the Wild West, don’t miss our coverage of Frontierland (Magic Kingdom). We did what any good pirate would do and spent a good portion of our day seeing everything Adventureland had to offer! Lastly, we’ll stop in Main Street, U.S.A., for the confectionary, characters, and more!

In the Comments

What is your favorite part of Fantasyland? Do you enjoy touring this area of the park?