Disney Resort Magic Kingdom Fantasyland Expansion

[LaTiNoObSeSeDSFGAm]

Has anyone checked out the Disney Resort's Magic Kingdom Fantasyland expansion? I have seen clips of it on YouTube and it looks like a great addition. Thoughts on it? How does it compare to the Wizzarding World of Harry Potter?

[monsterfan99]

Checked it out a few weeks ago. Go with a breakdown item by item

Voyage of the Little Mermaid - Very well done ride. Not a game changer or anything, but a solid people-eater ride the park needs. Queue line is going to be hell in the summer with no shade.

Enchanted Tales with Belle - This will be a skipped attraction by most but was easily my favorite of the expansion. Two of Disney's best audio animatronics are in there and is a great way to do a meet-n-greet. Also a victim of no shade in the sun, so visit early or late.

Be Our Guest Restaurant - Have not eaten there by have buddies who have. Most reviews are while it taste good is worth no where in the ballpark of the price of food in the sitdown part (50-100 for a meal,) However it looks fantastic and will be a massive hit.

Gaston's Tavern - This is their attempt to go after Butter Beer drink and it didn't work. The place looks great but almost no seating and I thought the drink was awful.

Merchandise - Forgot the name of the store but holy crap is it expensive, even for Disney. Basic t-shirts are up to over $30 now and even more insane for mugs.

The former Toontown that most have seen is what it is. The Dumbo works incredibly well and the area looks nice. The last three parts in the princess M&G building, show with the flying dragon they are testing and Mine Train coaster are still a long way off.

Overall it is nice expansion if your already heading there. Unless you have a 3-10 year old girl I'm not sure this is worth a trip to be built around. I guess that is part of the problem is it's not a Potterland or Carsland that are worth a trip to experience. In a year when the entire is finished, it might be a different story.

[Ace]

Saw it last week and was not impressed at all.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid - Mediocre ride,it felt a lot like the Nemo ride at Epcot but shorter. I got on this during a soft opening event and it took longer to walk through the empty queue than the length of the actual ride (this one gives BTR at StL a run for its money) .

Enchanted Tales with Belle - This was not available when I went. Based on the above review maybe it would change how I felt about fantasy land.

Be Our Guest Restaurant - I have heard it looks fantastic, but the prices that I have heard for what the meals are going to be are outrageous.

Gaston's Tavern - The specialty drink is an apple juice based drink which I don't care for so I passed on it. It was well themed but tiny. I feel like they could have done so much more with this.

Dumbo- I really hate that they have two identical ride next to each other. The ride was fine, but something irks me that the original ride is gone and there are two replacements are in its place.

Overall, the expansion is just ok. I was expecting a lot more. If I were in a position where I was thinking about going down there I would hold off until the mine train is finished. Last estimate I heard for completion on that was late 2013 early 2014.

[monsterfan99]

Enchanted Tales with Belle - This was not available when I went. Based on the above review maybe it would change how I felt about fantasy land.

It shouldn't change your mind but is an extremely well done meet-n-greet. The problem I forgot to mention is if you don't play a character when they do the story for Belle, you don't get to meet her. There are going to be a lot of pissed off people about that.

It's also one of their first meet-n-greets where it's almost impossible to get the same photo the Photopass person takes. The main photgrapher blocks the middle section to where you can only get photos from the crowd at an angle. This is something they have tried out at ESPN Wide World of Sports(FYI, this is where they test a lot of future park changes at) this year when the teams meet Mickey and it has been a smash hit for Disney money wise. The photopass managers there told me sales of photos went up around 200% from this, so expect this being the new norm going forward.

Overall, the expansion is just ok. I was expecting a lot more. If I were in a position where I was thinking about going down there I would hold off until the mine train is finished. Last estimate I heard for completion on that was late 2013 early 2014.

The most recent word from Disney itself is early 2014 at the earliest. With how utterly slow construction is, might want to plan spring break 2014 for it's opening.

[rb1]

Agree it sok just like the seaworlds new ridekind of hoping they added more new rides instead of meet n greets and restaurants USF got a better addittion in Orlando. Although it woud've been awesome if that new thrill park have been OK'd thats politics for you in Orlando now that would be a better addittion to Orlando.

[monsterfan99]

^I'd say blame the local residents that blocked it getting built, but that park was never going to last more than a year even if it did get the permits. The Fun Spot expansion is coming along nicely and will give FL a shot at a good wooden coaster.

[rb1]

Thats good to hear first wooden coaster in orlando and also getting a new Vekoma coaster. I love going to funspot a least expensive alternative to the big parks also known as the mini sixflags of orlando. Hope they add more coasters and attractions in the future and also at their kissimmee location.