Fantasyland Expansion - Part 2

[Nick]

You can say the same for Gringotts and every extended queue in existence. When you don't need to use it, it doesn't really matter much, does it?

Well, despite the fact that guests are wrapped around the mountain, you are still kept within the thematic element of the ride for the most part. The Gringotts extended queue takes you completely out of the theme. So no, it's not the same.

 

[UNIrd]

Well, despite the fact that guests are wrapped around the mountain, you are still kept within the thematic element of the ride for the most part. The Gringotts extended queue takes you completely out of the theme. So no, it's not the same.

Yeah, okay. More like there's one rope that has you standing in the middle of Fantasyland and passes Mad Tea Party while Tomorrowland and the Speedway are visible but if you say so.

 

[Nick]

Yeah, okay. More like there's one rope that has you standing in the middle of Fantasyland and passes Mad Tea Party while Tomorrowland and the Speedway are visible but if you say so.

I can see Pooh, the speedway and Mad Tea Party while standing INSIDE the actual queue. All it takes is looking around. So really you are just a little less immersed when wrapped around the mountain.

But either way you can still see all of that, the ride is in the middle of Fantasyland. And either way, you still have the thematic elements of the ride around you. You can't say that about the Potter extended queue.

 

[Cole]

Today's the grand opening!!! Who's going?

 

[Nick]

Today's the grand opening!!! Who's going?

Being honest, what's special about the grand opening at this point? They already had a media event for it a month ago and anyone who has wanted to could've ridden it during sifts the past few days.

 

[Cole]

Being honest, what's special about the grand opening at this point? They already had a media event for it a month ago and anyone who has wanted to could've ridden it during sifts the past few days.

Nothing is really special about it but still grand openings are fun. I went to the transformers opening last year and while I rode it before and knew exactly what I was getting with the Hollywood version already open for a year, I still had a blast (even though it was a technical nightmare) sure with this opening the most famous person there is Mickey Mouse but it's still neat

 

[Nick]

Nothing is really special about it but still grand openings are fun. I went to the transformers opening last year and while I rode it before and knew exactly what I was getting with the Hollywood version already open for a year, I still had a blast (even though it was a technical nightmare) sure with this opening the most famous person there is Mickey Mouse but it's still neat

Yeah but the TF grand opening was pretty cool. They weren't doing anything like that for SDMT bc of the media event.

 

[Cole]

Yeah but the TF grand opening was pretty cool. They weren't doing anything like that for SDMT bc of the media event.

Lol if army planes flew over the mine with tons of explosions. Apperently they just had 3 imagineers and some characters walking around. A bit anticlimactic but whatever.

SO NEW FANTASYLAND IS COMPLETE!!!! I might go to the mine in a month or two but while I'm waiting. But for those who already went on it, what do you think of the expansion as a whole?

 

[rhino4evr]

I feel that is was a moderate sucuess. It didn't make the area "better" it just made it bigger. the rides all match with the quality of the other rides in that area of the park. short/simple/family rides.

- - - Updated - - -

I should also mention that it helped Dumbo's wait time shorten, created better themed areas for meet and greets, and also provided an excellent new lunch/dinner spot.

The area also looks nice and is very well themed.

The only real negative was the time it took to build it (which is in the past now) and the fact that none of the attractions featured anything "mind-blowingly" new or cutting edge.

 

[UNIrd]

The wait is 70 minutes right now. Less than I expected for the ride on during it's Grand Opening.

Btw, I also did Enchanted Tales with Belle for the first time over the weekend since it had no wait and I kept hearing I had to check it out. I got picked to be one of the armed guards. Nice AAs and mirror effect but never again.

 

[Cole]

I feel that is was a moderate sucuess. It didn't make the area "better" it just made it bigger. the rides all match with the quality of the other rides in that area of the park. short/simple/family rides.

thats a nice way to put it. So far I have really no idea what to think of it. I like the circus area alot and mermaid is pretty great for what it is. Never did Belle or anything beauty and the beast because fine dining at a theme park really isn't my thing and belle....I'd look so creepy there by myself jokes aside it looks pretty cool and probably mind blowing to a little girl. Le fou's brew can be gross or amazing depending how its served (hate the foam) and snow white looks neat.

Overall its really nice for a new edition but man they definitely should've added alot more stuff like they promised back in the first press release. When I go on dwarfs and eventually belle i'll do a more expansive review. This is just first impressions I guess

 

[Nick]

I don't see how the area isn't "better" now though. It's not amazingly better, but it's better than if they just let that land go to waste for another 15 years.

 

[Cole]

Do any of y'all remember toon town on its final days? Woof, this is much better. Definitely a upgrade

 

[Nick]

Do any of y'all remember toon town on its final days? Woof, this is much better. Definitely a upgrade

Especially since we had the "on the cheap" version of toon town. Disneyland's Toon Town is actually pretty nice.

 

[Cole]

Especially since we had the "on the cheap" version of toon town. Disneyland's Toon Town is actually pretty nice.

Dude ours was so bad now that I look back at it, like damn remember Donald's boat? If that thing was still there today we'd keep bringing it up as we do dinorama. The one at Disneyland looks WAY better, we should've gotten roger rabbit!!!

 

[badlactose]

I was travelling across town in a subway train here in Toronto today and I tripped across this toony poster.
The tiny tagline at the bottom is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - Now Open!

Just as a point of comparison, I haven't seen any subway advertising for Universal Parks. But I have seen many commercials for Universal on Canadian tv in this past year.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Roll N Fear]

I just got back and had the chance to ride yesterday with FastPass + at 6pm. Standby got up to 120 at one point but we practically walked on with FastPass +. It was continuously breaking down throughout the day. It was a fun ride and as others have reported it's pretty short. The swinging of the cars is basically unnoticeable which was kind of disappointing. Regardless of these few issues it's still a pretty nice addition to Fantasyland. Don't wait 2 hours for it though.

 

[Shucker]

Just got back from Orlando and here are my thoughts on the Fantasyland Expansion. I thought the overall land was done extremely well. The park lost 1 dark ride but gained an upgraded dark ride (Little Mermaid), a new family coaster (Mine train), two new princess meet and greats (for their demographic a great choice), and a top notch counter service restaurant (Beast castle). I like how you can place your order online for the Beasts castle and after you check in they bring the food to you. Plus the Dumbo area is an improvement over Micky's toontown.

As for the Mine train. On our last day at MK, we got to the park at 8:30 in hopes to get to it earlier enough without waiting an hour plus. We were wrong! As the gates opened we went straight to the ride and it was already easily over an hour wait. The good news, peter pan was 5 mins. So at 11:30 pm we went to ride it and it still showed 90 mins. But we got in line anyway and it turned out to be about 30 mins. If you are going to try and ride it, I would suggest that approach. The line are seriously crazy. The ride itself I would call cute. It is very smooth and the animatronics are very cool, but seems really short. I would not wait more than 30 mins to ride it though. Oh and as mentioned, the ride looks like it really swings from side to side, but I really could not tell it was swinging at all. Overall a nice addition, and again probably a good fit for their demographics.

 

[KRAKENvsMANTA]

Rode 7DMT for the first time over the weekend. I had FP+, so I didn't get to experience the entire queue, but the parts I did encounter were excellently themed. The ride vehicles are a little snug for large/tall guest, but not too uncomfortable(I'm 6'3"). The ride itself is short, but quite fun. The coaster parts are slightly milder than BTMRR. The indoor show scene however steals the show. The AAs are amazing! The jewel-covered mine is so bright and colorful, simply awesome. All in all, I wish the ride was longer, but it was still great.

When there on Friday afternoon, the posted wait time was 120 mins. On Sunday it was 100 mins.

With Fantasyland FINALLY complete, I'm quite pleased with the final product. The Tangled, Beauty & the Beast, Little Mermaid, Seven Dwarfs, and Storybook Circus areas all look great. Obviously an additional ride would have been nice, but can't complain too much. New Fantasyland is indeed a much needed improvement to MK.

Next up: Tomorrowland please!

 

[Vyrus]

I was able to finally ride it Sunday Night myself. Had a posted 65 min wait at 10:30 at night..waited about 50 or so for it. Very cute ride, and honestly the only time you notice the swinging is when the car goes on flat ground and you look at the buckle and notice your car swinging a little bit.

Very cute ride and its funny that this ride goes 1mph faster than BTMRR. My only complaint would be I wish it went by the dwarves house a little slower for you can appreciate it more and the witch as well. We flew right by it and if you weren't looking you'd miss it.

But very cute addition, the in queue games were just OK, mainly for kids. But its still fun, only worth a 30 - 45 minute wait and not the 60 - 120 it got up to this weekend.

ps Make sure you sit in the very back, its the best spot for the ride, and even all of the CMs i asked agreed with me.