By Tyler Slater
“Fantasyland is dedicated to the young and the young at heart, to those who believe that when you wish upon a star your dreams do come true.”—Walt Disney, 1955
We are less than 15 days away from the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort, and today D23’s Ultimate Countdown continues with an inside look at the largest of all the lands: Fantasyland. Just beyond the majestic Enchanted Storybook Castle is a picturesque village and an enchanted forest created for the young and the young at heart. D23 takes fans inside this beautiful land where fairy tales live forever.
The crown jewel of Shanghai Disney Resort is the Enchanted Storybook Castle—the largest Disney castle in history. Unique to Shanghai Disneyland, Walt Disney Imagineering integrated Chinese elements into Enchanted Storybook Castle that signify harmony, prosperity, and purity of heart and mind. This magnificent royal residence is also the only castle that celebrates all the Disney Princesses. Everywhere guests look, stories of the beloved princesses come to life, as if by the power of pixie dust. For example, the seasons are depicted through the tales of Tiana, Merida, Rapunzel, Elsa, and Anna. Guests should also keep an eye out for an illuminated marquee that reveals motifs attributed to Belle, Cinderella, and Snow White.
Inside the castle, guests can dine with royalty and delight in a delicious storybook-style feast at the Royal Banquet Hall Character Dining experience. Meanwhile, a princess-in-training” can receive a Disney Princess makeover, courtesy of her very own Fairy Godmother-in-Training at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! Dreamers of all ages can step through the Magic Mirror portal and enter an enchanted dimension of Snow White’s fairy-tale world inside “Once Upon a Time” Adventure. Along the journey, guests can climb the castle stairs and meet Snow White’s friends and foes, and join the princess on her journey to “happily ever after.”
Beneath Enchanted Storybook Castle is a secret, underground chamber where fountains of light leap and dance in shimmering pools and bring favorite Disney tales to life! Voyage to the Crystal Grotto is an engaging excursion that travels to this breathtaking destination beneath the castle—this is a Disney park first, and is found only in Shanghai Disneyland! Before reaching the Crystal Grotto, guests first travel the waters of Fantasyland and wind past magnificent sculpture gardens dedicated to timeless Disney epics like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and many more. Each beautiful display captures the spirit and uplifting message of these film favorites and reminds visitors to follow their hearts and hold onto their dreams.
One of the most beloved attractions at any Disney park comes to life with the help of faith, trust, pixie dust, and an exciting new ride system! Peter Pan’s Flight welcomes adventurers to board a “flying” ship and sail through the skies over London and off to Never Land. In this classic attraction updated for Shanghai Disneyland, new magic brings the galleons closer to the action with varying speeds, allowing guests to be more immersed in the iconic story of Peter Pan.
Families can embark on a twisting and turning adventure throughout Fantasyland village and through a diamond mine aboard Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. This adventurous family coaster begins as guests board a train of mine cars that winds through rolling hills and into a fabulous mine glittering with jewels, before a quick dash toward the cottage of the Seven Dwarfs. Like the popular attraction at Walt Disney World, each mine car is mounted in a cradle-like pivot that allows it to swing back and forth as the track turns.
Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood, guests visiting Shanghai Disneyland will have the opportunity to explore the many adventures of that “silly old bear” aboard two attractions: Hunny Pot Spin and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Hunny Pot Spin is the sweet spot for Disney fans looking for free-wheeling family memories. Beneath a canopy strung with honey-dripping hives, ceramic “Hunny” jars twirl at speeds that vary based on guests’ turns of a wheel in the center of the honey pot. Inspired by the Mad Tea Party at other Disney parks, this Fantasyland experience has been redesigned for Shanghai Disneyland… still with the sweet ingredients for timeless Disney magic.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh brings the world of the Hundred Acre Wood to life. Guests can glide by stories that are bursting with fun, friendship and everyone’s stuffed-with-fluff favorite, Winnie the Pooh. Along the way, families encounter the musical adventures of Eeyore, Gopher, Kanga, Piglet, Tigger, and tiny Roo, too. Based on scenes from Disney’s animated film of the same name, as well as the attraction found at other Disney parks, this popular adventure stars A.A. Milne’s beloved “bear of very little brain” and music from Disney Legends Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman!
Get ready to be lost in the Alice in Wonderland Maze, designed especially for Shanghai Disneyland. Don’t be late for this maze, the first attraction at a Disney park themed to Tim Burton’s live-action film Alice in Wonderland. During this experience, guests will enter the maze through one of three doors, each providing a different route into the dream-like landscape where Alice, Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat and the rest of the fantastical cast of characters await.
Also in the Fantasyland village, royal visitors can enter the Evergreen Playhouse and be transported to Arendelle to be part of the music and magic of Frozen: A Sing-Along Celebration. During the interactive performance, Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff are joined by two amusing Festival Guides who recreate the fun and adventure of Frozen and recount the enchanted tale. Guests are, of course, invited to “Let It Go” and sing along!
Knights and ladies looking for a bite to eat inside the Fantasyland forest can stop by the Tangled Tree Tavern, a pub inspired by the Snuggly Ducking from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film Tangled! Warped by time and the roots of the large tree nearby, Tangled Tree Tavern is full of Disney details that create an atmosphere perfectly fitting for the ruffians and thugs from the film. Guests can enjoy hearty fare that includes roasted chicken, fish & chips, Mongolian-style beef, and other hot dishes.
With only two more installments of D23’s Ultimate Countdown to Shanghai Disney Resort left, which land are you most excited to visit? To see the rest of the countdown, click on the links below!
Tour other areas of Shanghai Disney Resort here:
