#castleshow

What area of Magic Kingdom is the first to come to mind when you thing about the park?  For me it is Fantasyland.  We have learned through the years of taking our family to Walt Disney World that your time is best used if you take one land at a time instead of running back and forth through the park… so once we had done all we wanted to do in Tomorrowland for the day, we headed over to Fantasyland.  Our first ride of this area was Goofy’s Barnstormer since there was only a 5 minute wait.  Something else we have learned is to take these 5 minute waits when you can get them because they don’t last long!  We love this family friendly coaster and have dubbed it the ‘quickest’ coaster we have ever ridden… not the fastest, but the quickest.  So we decided to time it and from start to finish the ride lasts 54 seconds.  But that’s ok, we still love it!

Walking into New Fantasyland still takes me by surprise.  We had five years where we were unable to go to WDW and when we left in 2010 they were just starting to clear the way for this new area. And when we return in 2015 it is all complete and so different than what we had remembered!  The theming is so beautiful here and we love how each area stands apart but all flows together.  The Little Mermaid area is a perfect example…  it sits right by Beast’s Castle and the mountain of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and while completely unique it fits perfectly.  The Journey of the Little Mermaid is a beautifully done dark ride that takes you through the entire story of Ariel’s longing for what is beyond, to Sebastian’s trying to convince her to stay ‘Under the Sea’, to her transformation and boat ride with Prince Eric with ‘Kiss the Girl’, to Ursula’s attack and finally the wedding!  This ride is perfect for all ages and even our boys enjoy it.  And if you have some who don’t tell them it’s some time in the nice cool air conditioning!

Finally it was time for our Fast Pass on Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train and we were so excited!  Ethan, Cameron or Colby had never ridden this as their were technical difficulties on our last trip and the ride was down.  Jason & I rode it several times on our trip in January and we knew the boys would love it!  And rides like this is why I absolutely love Fast Passes… There is a posted 90 minute wait and we were on in about 10 minutes!  Fantastic!  This is such a fun ride, but don’t get it confused with a thrill coaster.  When you pull out on the ride on your mine car you start on quick but smooth twists and turns and you can feel your car slightly rocking back and forth.  Upon entering the mine it slows down to a crawl so you can see how beautiful the colored gems all around you are and the seven cute animatronics are singing ‘Heigh Ho’ as they work.  One of my favorite parts is when you start climbing the tracks and you can see the shadows of the dwarfs climbing with you... and when you reach the top, the fun begins!  There is a nice drop that goes into twists and turns of pure joy!  The ride ends at Snow White’s cottage where you can see her dancing with her friends as the evil queen/crone lurks outside the door.  Verdict: the boys loved it!  It is evident by the looks on their faces in the ride picture, I have never seen them smile like that on a ride before!