Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of Fantasy Faire. The theater only seats a little more than 200 (with room for 50 kids on
the floor up front), so you may want to line up 30 or more minutes before showtime. Stick
around after the curtain falls for an autograph session with the stars.
In addition to the theater and hall, you'll find the Fairytale Treasures shop, stocked
with princess outfits and accessories, and Maurice's
Treats snack
cart. Passageways from
the courtyard connect to Frontierland (through Rancho del Zocalo) and Fantasyland.
TOURING TIPS
Little girls love the Fantasy Faire, as do boys age 6 and younger. Incidentally,
you won't believe how many of the kids come in costume. If you do everything, you'll
spend about an hour, not counting shopping time. On busy days, you may be barred from
bringing your stroller into Fantasy Faire, unless your child is asleep in it, so teach your kid
to play dead on command if you don't want to park.
Fantasyland Theatre
DESCRIPTION AND COMMENTS
Originally installed as a teen nightspot called Videopolis,
this venue has been converted into a sophisticated amphitheater where concerts and elab-
orate stage shows are performed according to the daily entertainment schedule. Better
productions that have played the Fantasyland Theatre stage include
Beauty and the Beast
Live, Snow White,
and
The Spirit of Pocahontas,
all musical stage adaptations of the re-
spective Disney-animated features.
After a half decade of serving as a shopping center for precocious princesses, the
Fantasyland Theatre was returned to service as a stage in 2013.
Mickey and the Magic
Map,
the debut production in the reborn venue, involves apprentice Mickey's accidental
adventure into sorcerer Yen Sid's mysterious dream-controlling map. This 25-minute mu-
sical adventure combines new songs and classic tunes in a newly recorded score that skips
from India to Hawaii, with a stopover under the sea. Rapunzel, Pocahontas, Mulan, King
Louie, Sebastian, and Stitch are among the Disney icons who appear, along with a platoon
of dancing paintpots and brushes, but the show is stolen by a mischievous animated paint
splotch (brought to life through high-tech video effects).
The opening number is less than memorable, and the computer-generated animation
of Yen Sid is disappointingly chunky. On the whole, however, this is easily the best
new musical production that Disneyland's parks have mounted in a decade. Live singing
and energetic choreography influenced by drum corps enliven the somewhat overfamiliar
songs, and a gospel-flavored riverboat finale (complete with streamers shot over the audi-
ence) brings down the house. Well worth watching once you've experienced the head-
liners, or on your second day at Disneyland.
