Disneyland has announced that the current Princess Fantasy Faire meet and greet, located in the Fantasyland theater location, will be closing August 12th. They also let it be known that the plan is to prep the theater to once again host a stage show and they’re promising a new concept in entertainment.
With papers filed for some construction on Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theater of the Stars, home to Beauty & The Beast stage show, many are wondering if Disney will be saving costs by building sets and costumes for two shows at the same time. Most speculation is centered on will it be for a past movie (many assume Tangled is the likely candidate) or another revue show (like Animazement). The theme park stage version of Beauty and the Beast didn’t debut until a year after the movie came out, so they’re not too far off that timeline with Tangled. But revue shows have a little bit for everyone… it’s a toss up.
As you know, Fantasyland will actually be expanding soon when the Fantasy Faire area opens up in the old Carnation Gardens location. The Princess Meet and Greets will move to this location, along with some entertainment offerings during the day and the return of swing dancing at night.
Walt Disney Imagineering has shared this photos of the models for Fantasy Faire. The large tent that will cover the dance floor reminds me quite a bit of the color scheme for the Prince Charming Carousel at the Magic Kingdom.
If the detail of the construction matches the detail show in this model, then I’d say this will be spectacular. The only question is will it look out of place from the hub.
For those who need their Princess photos in the meantime, look to ‘it’s a small world’ mall for your fix.
Which are you looking forward to more? The new Fantasy Faire princess meet and greet or a new show in Fantasyland Theater? (Do I have to ask?)
“The only question is will it look out of place from the hub.”
Yes.
“Which are you looking forward to more? The new Fantasy Faire princess meet and greet or a new show in Fantasyland Theater? (Do I have to ask?)”
Neither. (Well, if I had to pick one, the new show in Fantasyland Theater. You can easily swap out a bad show, but this meet-and-great eyesore is significantly more permanent.)
I was at an event yesterday where Tony Baxter discussed the Fantasy Faire Project in a little more detail highlighting elements such as an interactive Figaro from Pinochio to koi ponds. He also said it should open in Feb.-March of next year and that we should see new models of the project in the Opera house in the next few weeks! Maybe it was the discussion with him that got me so excited about it but I’m definitely more excited for the fantasy Faire expansion with the new ambiguous show in second.
I’m more excited for a new show then the Faire. Yes, the Faire was exciting to meet the Disney Princesses, but the wait was horrific. The fact that their putting a show is wonderful, since the point of the Faire was basically waiting in line for about an hour to meet a princess for 30 seconds.
A show, which lasts hopefully not 30 seconds, will bring me back to that little corner of Fantasyland.
Yes, it will look dreadful. That irritating medieval castle has always ruined the look of the idillic turn of the century town of Main Street. The sumptuous exterior finish of the buildings in the model will only compound the problem.
I’m no fan of meet and greets, but if you’re going to build one, build it like this.
No one said it would look dreadful, just that it pulls Fantasyland out in front of the castle walls, not behind them like we’re used to. Tomorrowland never meshed with Main Street (House of the Future anyone)
Sorry John, I have to agree with Disney Zephyr. From its location I don’t think the fantasy faire will be visible from Main Street. It certainly won’t be more intrusive than the castle. The hub already has an eclectic range of sights: jungle, frontier, fantasy, future, and nostalgia. Even though I’ll never go there, the fantasy faire fits in just fine, in my opinion.
The castle works because it acts as the grand “gateway” to the land of fantasy, which is one of its main purposes for being there. This “Fantasy Faire” undermines this with its location so distinctively outside the “gates” of Fantasyland. So not only does “Fantasy Faire” undermine the distinctively turn-of-the-century hub by bring the hustle and bustle of Fantasyland into the area, it also undermines the castle, a big no-no to do to the park’s definitive icon.
Well, the Pixie Hollow meet-and-greet area is “outside the castle boundaries”, too, so your point is pretty much moot.
I agree with John’s example about how Tomorrowland has never meshed well with Main Street.
Philip says:
“Well, the Pixie Hollow meet-and-greet area is “outside the castle boundaries”, too, so your point is pretty much moot.”
False, two wrongs don’t make a right. I disapprove of the Pixie Hollow meet-and-greet, as well. At least Pixie Hollow is a significantly less permanent structure than the “Fantasy Faire” concept, and less attention grabbing at that. I do not wish to worsen the problem with the construction of yet another, more troublesome meet-and-greet outside the castle’s brim.
You dissaprove of everything! >:(
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