Photo © The Walt Disney Company

With the opening of Disneyland’s Fantasy Faire this week, today seems like the perfect time to look back at the history of Fantasyland.

This is a huge topic, so if you want to hear more, let me know in the comments below and I’ll write a follow-up post and fill in some of the details.

When Disneyland opened in 1955, Fantasyland was the land that was closest to Walt Disney’s heart, because it was in this land that his animated films could finally come to life in three dimensions. It didn’t quite look the same as it does today, though.

Appearance

Walt’s budget didn’t allow him to create the immersive and detailed environment he wanted, so Fantasyland opened with most of the attraction entrances as painted flat plywood facades. The dark rides in particular had more of a circus look than the fairy-tale village look we have today. If you’ve been to Walt Disney World and seen their Fantasyland, it is reminiscent of Disneyland’s in many ways.

Some of the attractions were in different places, too. The carousel was much closer to Sleeping Beauty Castle, and the Mad Tea Party was approximately where the carousel sits today. Dumbo relocated, too, from the back left corner of Fantasyland (this was before there was a path connecting this land to Frontierland), ultimately to its current location. Of course, that spot wasn’t vacant before, either–the Pirate Ship Restaurant and Skull Rock and Pirate’s Cove used to be there.

Stories

One of the biggest differences between Fantasyland then and now is in the dark rides–Snow White’s Adventures, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. When they first opened, the rides’ namesakes were nowhere to be found in their respective attractions. The idea was that the Guests were supposed to be playing the roles of these characters and experiencing their adventures personally. Unfortunately, most Guests didn’t understand that, and City Hall Cast Members frequently heard the question, “I just rode Snow White’s Adventures and I didn’t see her! Where was she?”

Big Changes

There were various changes that occurred over the years–the addition of the Skyway to Tomorrowland, a rethemed canal boat ride now called Storybook Land Canal Boats, the introduction of Alice in Wonderland, etc.–but the biggest changes happened in 1983. This remodel finally made Fantasyland into something much closer to Walt’s original vision in 1955:

• The circus-like facades were all replaced with with more of a village-style architecture that would call to mind the stories told inside each attraction.
• Attractions were relocated to improve guest flow, like moving the Mad Tea Party east and moving the carousel back, removing the bottleneck people walking through the castle experienced when they stepped into the courtyard.
• The removal of some attractions (like the pirate-themed ones that used to be where Dumbo sits today), and the addition of others, like Pinnochio’s Daring Journey.
• The addition of Snow White, Peter Pan, and Mr. Toad to their respective attractions.
• A new restaurant, the Village Inn (later called the Village Haus), which has it’s own entertaining bit of trivia associated with it.

“Here is the world of imagination, hopes and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment, the age of chivalry, magic and make believe are reborn – and fairy tales come true. 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.”