Who’s ready for an update on New Fantasyland? I just heard that the first elements of Storybook Circus will open by late March, marking the first in a series of progressive openings for the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom Park history.
Among the first experiences to open will be one carousel of Dumbo the Flying Elephant, a re-themed Barnstormer starring the Great Goofini and the Fantasyland Station of the Walt Disney World Railroad.
In designing Storybook Circus, Imagineers were inspired by Disney’s animated film, “Dumbo.” When complete later this year, the area will be filled with multicolored circus tents and other nods to the film. The section will also feature Casey Jr., the famous locomotive from the movie, who has rolled into town, bringing the circus with him.
Beyond Storybook Circus and as we mentioned in a previous post, the Disney Princesses will be getting a new home at the location where Snow White’s Scary Adventures is today. The last day of operation for this attraction will be Thursday, May 31.
We look forward to sharing more with you throughout the year as our work progresses.
For more updates regarding New Fantasyland, check out the posts below:
Comments
Will there be a soft opening for passholders?
I REALLY hope Dumbo is open when we are there on March 28! My 2 (almost 3) year old has fallen in LOVE with the Dumbo movie and is so excited to ride on Dumbo! Will be sooo sad if she can’t 🙁 But will be an amazing trip anyhow! 🙂
Can not wait to see the upgrades!!We are heading there in sept and are close to being able to make our dining reservations… any word on when Be our guest restaurant will be open? or when they will be accepting reservations?
We will be there December 6th. The new promo stuff says the New Fantasyland will open 2013. The original time line was fall 2012. Do we have any chance to eat at B&B castle? See Aeriel exhibit? Please advise!!
I am so excited to see the attractions and developments in the New Fantasyland! My family and I are visiting at the end of June (a trip my mother made us promise to take together before she lost her battle with cancer last July), and we will be staying in the new Art of Animation resort. I have visited Disney World quite a few times and was, thankfully, able to experience the “old” attractions…but it seems fitting that we will be able to have some “new” experiences after having faced everything we’ve experienced over the course of the past year.
We are taking a last minute trip March 22-25…Sooo hoping the Dumbo and Goofini will be open then. My boys really miss the Barnstormer so they will be thrilled to experience this new coaster. And my toddler must have ridden Dumbo a dozen times when we were there in December!
I personally think that replacing the Snow White Adventure was a great idea. It was a “kids ride” that was way to scary for most youngsters anyway. At least it will still be a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs themed attraction. Very excited about seeing this new expansion unfolding!
it’s really great. i’m going to visit magic kingdon on august. what new fun i’ll be able to find at new fantasyland?
My nephew loves Dumbo ride and we will be there in May so I’m excited that part of the new Fantasyland will be open for us to see.
I’m curious though about the Mickey and MInnie houses – they are always part of what I love to wander through when I’m at MK, are they really gone forever? thanks, Ella
My daughter is crazy about Dumbo. We saw earlier that it was to open on March 10, so we planned a trip for March 14-17. She will be really disappointed if Dumbo is not running yet. Do you have a definite date yet? If not, we are flexible and could change plans to the following week or early April. Please advise.
This is fantastic news! I recently returned from a trip to Walt Disney World and saw the drawings for these upcoming attractions so I’m very excited to hear some of them may be ready for the public very soon! Thanks for sharing and please continue to keep us posted on this!
hi my family is going down april 28th thoguh may 6th. will everything be opened in fantasy land by then. i am really excited and hoping that the little mermaid attraction will be open by then.
My family and I are very excited about this news! We are seasonal pass holders and will be there in late March – keeping my fingers crossed that it will be open!
Any word on whether the Beauty & the Beast dining will accept reservations?
As Annual Passholders and someone who regularly visits the Bay Lake Tower @ The Contemporary Resort we have been watching the construction of the Fantasyland Expansion since its earliest days from various vantage points… Our family is very impressed with the size and quality that we are able to see from our various visits and that we are eagerly awaiting each phase of the openings!
We are planning a trip for mid June. My oldest son has seen and ridden Snow White, but not sure that he remembers as the last time we were there he was just 3. Although I am sad that my twins (I was pregnant with them the last time we were there.) wont get to experience this I am excited to see the new expansion!
Which map are you referring to? Can you post a link? No matter what time you visit, existing Fantasyland favorites will be available. The only portion that is not open yet is a new section that is being added on to this land.
Great news about the first phase of the new fantasyland opening! Is it possible to let me know specifically which attractions in fantasyland will be open between March 14-22. If I follow the map of fantasyland provided on your website, it appears as though most of that area of the park would be closed during that time. Unfortunately, that area of the park is most age appropriate for my son, and if in fact most of it would be closed during those dates, we may look at the other parks as a better option. If you could let us know whats open, and whats not that would be appreciated and help us to better plan our disney vacation…thanks
All of the main Fantasyland attractions are still open except for Dumbo of course.
I personally can’t wait for the new Fantasyland!! I am so excited to see what the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will be like considering it’s the replacement for Snow White’s Scary Adventures. It is a little bittersweet though that it’s going to be gone. :'(
Thanks for responding, Tracy!
It’s to bad that Snow White’s is closing (especially since its getting replaced by a meet and greet area) The same thing happened to another classic 20000 Leagues under the Sea. At least they make good decisions with the Fantasyland at Disneyland.
WE are heading down his weekend just heard fantasy land is closed Is the whole section closed I am very disapointed.
Chris, I apologize, but I only saw your note now. No, Fantasyland is not closed. All the old favorites in Fantasyland (Small World, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Carousel, etc.) are open. The new section, which will contain new attractions based on Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast, and more are not finished being constructed yet.
Thanks for the update, Jennifer! We’ll be there in April and can’t wait for our littlest guy to take his first ‘roller coaster’ ride on the Great Goofini! We’ll also have to take one last spin in Snow White.
I hope he likes it! 🙂
Thanks Jennifer for responding to so many comments! I think your number of responses has to be some sort of record for this.
Well, thanks Bryan!
Im going most likley in September will Be our Guest restaurant be open then?
Thanks for the update! I think this is a good excuse to extend our trip a few days this year. I am really glad snow white is closing. We took our daughter on there and it freaked her out so bad, she would not ride a single thing besides Its a small world the rest of our trip. Really, she was shaking when she got off. Not good since it was the second thing we rode when we got there!
Jennifer,
Snow White’s closure is at the end of May – so that means you know the schedule through then, no?
Test Track was announced to close “in April” for its renovated per the press release. That’s before May, but no definite closing day has been given or shown up on the website’s calendar. Can you poke around and find out what day it is scheduled to be closed?
Hmm, that’s a different park. Let me see if there’s an update.
Any word on the Be Our Guest restaurant? We are coming in September. My son will be so excited to know the Great Goofini will be open, the Barnstormer was his favorite ride!
Adelle, we should have an update to share with you soon.
SO EXCITED to hear this! My marching band is coming to Disney at the end of April. I will get to ride the new dumbo and great Goofini! 😀
Cool – have a great trip, Alex. I got to visit with my high school marching band and it was a very memorable trip. Take tons of photos!
Did I read that correctly, Casey Jr is coming???? As in the ride that is at Disneyland????
It’s a different kind of “Casey.” You can read a few more details here: https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/06/a-new-look-at-storybook-circus-at-magic-kingdom-park/
Our family was fortunate to be there for the closing of Toontown and we recently planned a Spring Break trip for the last week in March! SO excited we will be there for the opening of this amazing new area! Barnstormer was our favorite ride so we were sad to see it go, looking forward to the Great Goofini! Super excited for our trip now! Thanks for the great update, Jennifer
Thank you, Tiffany!
Is there any chance of soft openings for these attractions? We will also be there in mid-March (3/10-3/17), and my son has really been looking forward to riding the Great Goofini again.
No matter what day you visit, check out the area – who knows, you may get lucky!
I’d love to hear a specific date when you have one, Jennifer. I had heard that Dumbo was re-opening on March 11, which is right before we arrive. We would love to catch these openings on our trip. Thanks for the update!
Bummer! We missed Snow White in November & now it will be gone! =(
Do you already have an exact date? I’m there from March 11 till March 22…I’d love to see Great Goofini open till then, we went last year when it was already closed and my boyfriend has never been on it before (last year was his first time in WDW :-))
I do not have an exact date. Have a fun trip, and be sure to stop by the area.
I can’t wait to see how casey jr. plays into the land!!!
Sad to see Snow White going, I absolutely loved that ride!! Can’t wait for the full expansion to be done, do you know the exact date that everything will be open Jennifer? I’m planning a trip for January or February of next year and am hoping it will be completely done by then!!
We do not, but please keep checking back. We love to break news and will share as soon as we get an update.
Was the Great Goofini coaster a concept originally meant to open at WDW in the 1970’s, and it was delayed until 2012? Or is the man with the bad Disco haircut and lambchop sideburns in that artwork just an Imagineers inside joke?
I am so excited! My husband and I will be bringing our 2 and 4 year olds in early April! This is perfect timing!
Will Goofini be opening with the new Dumbo, or is that at some point subsequent? So both will be open by beginning of April? Thanks!!
Both should be open by early April, yes. Keep in mind that only 1/2 of Dumbo (now features two spinning carousels) will be open.
What does late march mean? I am going the second full week in march. I guess it probably won’t be open by then. Which is sad b/c my two year old would love the water area.
So sad to see Snow White go, but I’ll get to ride it one last time during our trip this May. Looking forward to all the exciting new changes to Fantasyland!!!
So “Snow White’s Scary Adventures” ride will be operational until May 31, 2012? If so that would be great as I will be making my very first trip to WDW resort & parks May 29 – June 5. My spouse and I are very excited for the trip. Some people dream of a tropical isle vacation and while that is certainly appealing- visiting the WDW resort and parks has always been a dream vacation for me.
I hope you have a great time, Troy! You will both love it.
WHAT!!!! Snow White is closing?! I know there will be a new roller coaster about the 7 Dwarves mine, but that’s a ways away. Why so soon?
Great news about Dumbo, Goofini and the Train Station.
Sad news about Snow White. I won’t get to see it again.
Since the Princesses are moving to Fantasyland, will a new experience be added to Town Square Theater?
Wow it looks great can’t wait till December to see it all. really anticipating it because we will have 2 of our grandchildren with us, so excited.
Very nice, I’ll be there in mid-April, and I’m eager to see this because when I was there in December it was all just wood walls. It’s been a long time coming judging by the style of sideburns on Dad in the Goofini picture! 😉
There’s never been a gap of less than 4 years between visits to WDW for me before, so going back just 4 months later and seeing such immense change will be a treat!
Dave
Have a great time, Dave!
Very nice!
This is great news. I can’t wait to experience the new land!
Me, too!
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