Although Fantasyland in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is probably best known for its wide variety of classic Disney rides, the land is home to so many other experiences as well. In part 2 of their guide to Fantasyland, Joe and Leslie discuss all the many Fantasyland character meet-and-greet experiences and get started with the dining options, covering the quick service restaurants.
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In part 1 of our Fantasyland guide, we covered the numerous (and we mean numerous) rides and attractions in the land. But the breadth and depth of Fantasyland doesn’t stop there. The land is home to just as many character meet-and-greet opportunities, a wide range of dining experiences, and more. Here’s a look at the characters and quick service dining guests can expect to experience in Fantasyland in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
(And stay tuned for our part 3 guide to Fantasyland in two weeks!)
Fantasyland Characters
Character lovers will find a ton of character meet-and-greet opportunities in Fantasyland. Some of these character meets are available with Fastpass+, but others are the more common line up and wait.
Fastpass+ Character Meet & Greets
Princess Fairytale Hall: Princess Fairytale Hall is the current home of Elena of Avalor, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Tiana. Guests will see a pair of princesses with each entrance. Although Fastpass+ is available, don’t waste an advance reservation for this experience. It is often available same day through the Fastpass+ refresh technique.
Ariel’s Grotto: Fans of the Little Mermaid can meet Ariel in Fantasyland as well. Like with Princess Fairytale Hall, same day Fastpass+ is often available for this experience, so save your advance Fastpass+ selections for other attractions.
Other Character Meet & Greets in Fantasyland
Pete’s Silly Sideshow: In Storybook Circus, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Pluto are available for a meet-and-greets where you can get a lot of photos and autographs in one place (Minnie is usually in Pluto’s place but has been temporarily moved for the Mickey & Minnie’s Surprise Celebration). No Fastpass+ is available, so the best strategy for dodging long lines is to arrive at 9:55am (on 9am park opening days, Pete’s opens at 10am).
Other characters commonly found in Fantasyland include:
- Gaston
- Pooh & Tigger
- Merida
- Alice in Wonderland
- Peter Pan
Of course, character opportunities can and do change regularly so check the Disney World app for the most accurate information on your day of visit.
Quick Service Dining in Fantasyland
Fantasyland is home to a number of food carts and quick service restaurants, not all of them entirely memorable. The ones of note to plan around include:
Big Top Treats: For some unique carnival food you can’t get elsewhere in Walt Disney World, this stop is an excellent choice for a snack.
Be Our Guest: Be Our Guest is a counter service restaurant for breakfast and lunch. The restaurant is set in three rooms from inside Beast’s Castle, so the ambiance is one of the best among quick service restaurants. One popular strategy for Fantasyland is to make a breakfast reservation before park opening, eat quickly, and make a mad dash to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train before the rope drop crowd is let in. Mobile ordering is a must here to save time.
Gaston’s Tavern: Try a ham & swiss sandwich, sip on LeFou’s Brew, or satisfy your sweet tooth with cinnamon rolls at this quick service stop. (Sadly, Leslie’s dad’s favorite pork shank is gone!)
Pinnochio Village Haus: Mostly forgettable food, but a great stop for air conditioning and a break with kids on hot days. (Hot tip: sit by the window overlooking it’s a small world where the boats launch to entertain your kids!)
Episode Description
We continue our land by land guides with Part II of our Fantasyland guide. We take an extended look at where the best character meet and greets are, what to eat if you’re doing quick service, and why you might want to take a picture next to a bathroom.
Who are your favorite characters to meet in Fantasyland? Do you enjoy eating at any of the quick service restaurants? We’d love to hear your experiences and tips, please share them by e-mailing us at disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com.
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Episode Notes
2:08 – Main character greetings in Fantasyland
5:23 – Other character greetings in Fantasyland
8:55 – Be Our Guest (Quick Service for breakfast or lunch)
12:20 – Gaston’s Tavern, Pinnochio Village Haus, Friar’s Nook
15:06 – Disney Dos and Don’ts
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My daughter and I went to WDW together recently. She’s 10 and she planned lots of snacks and treats for us to have and I planned most of the rides. I never realized before how many fun snacks and treats there are in the Magic Kingdom. We had about 5 different kinds of ice cream, but it was super fun. In Fantasyland, there’s Storybook Treats that has a bunch of different kinds of ice cream. When we were there, we got a Peter Pan float ( Lime Soft-serve, Sprite® and a Chocolate Feather) and the Lost Princess Cone (lemonade soft serve, I think, and edible flowers). Both very yummy!
We were there on a very busy day and our routine was to do a fastpass ride, and then a treat or a show or ride that has a very short wait. It kept our day very relaxing and we got to try lots of great treats. We didn’t eat particularly healthy, but that’s ok.
I had no idea the pork shank is gone! We had that on our first trip to WDW with our kids, right after Gaston’s Tavern opened. Bummer that it’s gone. It was great.