How to Tackle Fantasyland in an Afternoon

Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom is the home of so much that is quintessential Disney – so many rides, attractions, and experiences that define a trip to Walt Disney World. Since Fantasyland is home to so much, it may seem overwhelming to attempt to tackle it all in one afternoon, but it is definitely do-able. Here are our top tips to use when tackling Fantasyland in the afternoon.

Know Popular Attractions – many of the attractions in Fantasyland are extremely popular and guests will want to use a FastPass to be able to experience the ride with a minimal wait. We would recommend guests get a FastPass for Peter Pan’s Flight and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Each attraction routinely has wait times in excess of an hour and during peak travel seasons, wait times can approach two hours! Definitely NOT the way you want to spend an afternoon, so plan accordingly!

Be Aware of the People Eaters – certain attractions in Fantasyland are referred to as “people eaters” because of their ability to absorb a large number of guests. Guests should have no problem gaining access to a showing of Mickey’s Philharmagic or hopping on a boat for “it’s a small world.” You should never need a FastPass for either experience and wait times are generally the same all day (between 5 and 10 minutes). Guests should be aware of this and take advantage of these attractions at any time.

Delicious Snacks – between rides and attractions, it is easy to work up an appetite and you may not want to lose a lot of time going to a table-service restaurant. Fantasyland is home to many great places to grab a quick and delicious snack – Friar’s Nook offers some tantalizing options – we love the variety of macaroni and cheese options available to guests. Guests looking for something sweeter can find it at Storybook Treats which offers a variety of ice cream options or they can head to Cheshire Café for a healthier option on-the-go. Of course, classic Disney treats (popcorn, pretzels, and churros) are all available in Fantasyland as well – the real challenge is to not spend all of your time waiting in line for food!

Character Interactions – between Princess Fairytale Hall and other walkabout characters, guests can be certain to encounter some of their favorites in Fantasyland. Some characters are transient and available during specific times, so guests should consult a Times Guide to see who is appearing where and when. Guests also have the option of greeting princesses at Princess Fairytale Hall – since Anna and Elsa have relocated to their Royal Summerhaus at Epcot, the princesses greeting at Princess Fairytale Hall are rotating, so be sure to ask a Cast Member who is greeting when you visit!

Take Advantage of Parades – the Festival of Fantasy Parade begins at 3 PM in Frontierland and does not travel through Fantasyland. Often guests are pulled away from lines when the parade is running, so wait times can be affected and you can use that to your advantage!

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Using these tips, you’ll be able to experience all that Fantasyland has to offer with minimal wait times and maximum enjoyment! When we are tackling Fantasyland, we quickly ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan’s Flight using FastPasses. We like to wander through the gift shops located around the back of Cinderella’s Castle before cooling off with a viewing of Mickey’s Philharmagic and a journey on it’s a small world before walking over to Storybook Circus and flying high on Dumbo and taking a spin on the Barnstormer (we usually use our last FastPass here – both to use it so we can get our “rolling fourth” FastPass, but also because the wait time for this ride can vary widely). We will either go visit with characters at Princess Fairytale Hall or Pete’s Silly Sideshow after that and then wrap up our afternoon with a spin at the Mad Tea Party, Winnie the Pooh, and Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid. Our last stop is for some ice cream before going to see Enchanted Tales with Belle. It may seem like a lot to see and do, but all of these experiences are great fun for everyone in your party!

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