My one problem with Fantasia Gardens...

[Matt_Black]

While I'm not the biggest miniature golf fan, it can be fun with the right people. However, FG is just awesome with it's set-up. I could do it by myself and have a great time. (In fact, if I ever go down to WDW solo, I just might.)

Having said that, it's far from perfect. Quite frankly, any miniature golf course based on Fantasia without any holes devoted to Night on Bald Mountain or The Rite of Spring is SHAMEFUL. Who wouldn't want to put around a T-Rex standing triumphantly over a stegosaurus corpse? There are several holes dedicated to Toccata & Fugue in D-Minor, and those don't actually even reference anything you see in the movie! Let's see dinosaurs! Let's see Chernabog! Let's see mayhem, destruction and death! And it's cool, because then you'd follow it up with Ave Maria, so everything would be okay.

 

[216bruce]

There is a Bald Mountain hole, unless the Chernabog projection and music inside the mountain wasn't working. That's my only gripe about FG- a few holes need work. The ostriches used to spin on one of them and haven't for years, some of the other holes don't have music playing anymore and on occasion some of the other mechanicals (mushrooms?) stay broken for a while. Great course that needs more regular maintenance. I think the powers-that-be figure no one will notice....Wrong!

 

[Matt_Black]

There is a Bald Mountain hole, unless the Chernabog projection and music inside the mountain wasn't working.

I didn't notice. In the Gardens, or the Fairway? And that still doesn't excuse the lack of Rite of Spring!

 

[Bairstow]

Speaking of Stravinsky, You could probably base an entire course around the Firebird Suite.

 

[216bruce]

I didn't notice. In the Gardens, or the Fairway? And that still doesn't excuse the lack of Rite of Spring!

Gardens course. I want to say its the 8th or 9th hole. Never played the Fairway course because I just love the Garden course and it looks too much like work and skill required. 'Yeah' on Rite of Spring- love to see it somewhere.
How about a Deems Taylor animatronic at a hole? After you sink the putt he starts explaining different kinds of classical music. Creepy...

 

[MarkTwain]

I know in orchestra circles, the rights to sheet music for Stravinksy compositions are REALLY expensive. I wonder if that has something to do with it. Stravinsky personally signed over his music rights to Walt Disney for Fantasia, but maybe that didn't extend as far as theme parks and Disney didn't want to pay for them?

You could also make the case that the tone of Rite of Spring doesn't quite match the happy fantasy theme of the rest of the course.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I've never done Fantasia Gardens, but I was thinking about it for my upcoming trip in June. Anyone have any good pictures of it? I don't recall seeing any. We have done WinterSummerland a couple times and really love that theming.

 

[Mammymouse]

We always play the Gardens. My only complaint is that there are always leaves and other garden debris on the astroturf areas. Now miniature golf is the best I get at golfing so it is no biggy, but just kind of annoying when your ball gets trapped behind a magnolia leave when it could have been a hole in one! Also we have pretty regularly hit a lake ball or two and replacements always available at the checkin

 

[belledream]

I've never done Fantasia Gardens, but I was thinking about it for my upcoming trip in June. Anyone have any good pictures of it? I don't recall seeing any. We have done WinterSummerland a couple times and really love that theming.

Here's a few of mine - not the best pics, but we had a great time! I'm looking forward to going to Winter Summerland this year

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We always play the Gardens. My only complaint is that there are always leaves and other garden debris on the astroturf areas. Now miniature golf is the best I get at golfing so it is no biggy, but just kind of annoying when your ball gets trapped behind a magnolia leave when it could have been a hole in one! Also we have pretty regularly hit a lake ball or two and replacements always available at the checkin

My dad has been known to clear off the leaves before he putts...

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Here's a few of mine - not the best pics, but we had a great time! I'm looking forward to going to Winter Summerland this year

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

While I'm not the biggest miniature golf fan, it can be fun with the right people. However, FG is just awesome with it's set-up. I could do it by myself and have a great time. (In fact, if I ever go down to WDW solo, I just might.)

Having said that, it's far from perfect. Quite frankly, any miniature golf course based on Fantasia without any holes devoted to Night on Bald Mountain or The Rite of Spring is SHAMEFUL. Who wouldn't want to put around a T-Rex standing triumphantly over a stegosaurus corpse? There are several holes dedicated to Toccata & Fugue in D-Minor, and those don't actually even reference anything you see in the movie! Let's see dinosaurs! Let's see Chernabog! Let's see mayhem, destruction and death! And it's cool, because then you'd follow it up with Ave Maria, so everything would be okay.

Hopefully it's any consolation, on the Fantasia Fairways there are references to Ave Maria and Rite of Spring. It's no Fantasia without them!

What I would love is some Fantasia 2000. I really liked that one.

I was thinking about making my next trip golf-centric, basically going from course to course!

 

[Matt_Black]

What I would love is some Fantasia 2000. I really liked that one.

Yeah, it's really short, but fun. Flying whales, Donald Duck, the Spring Sprite are all awesome. Rhapsody in Blue, though... It's really well done, but doesn't feel Fantasia-y. When I think of Fantasia, I don't envision people running around New York all day.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Yeah, it's really short, but fun. Flying whales, Donald Duck, the Spring Sprite are all awesome. Rhapsody in Blue, though... It's really well done, but doesn't feel Fantasia-y. When I think of Fantasia, I don't envision people running around New York all day.

Oh no, I liked that Gershwin scene! Jazz-y music, American urbanism, adult themes. Altough the scene was good rather than great. I like it when Disney's creative traditions are deployed not to entertain kids, but for more ambitious cultural endeavour.



My fav scene was the last, Stravinsky again, with that green spring sprite. Just lovely.

 

[Matt_Black]

Oh, yeah, it was good. I'm just saying that thematically, it seems more in line with Melody Time or Make Mine Music than it does with Fantasia.

 

[RandomPrincess]

We love Fantasia Gardens at night. The lighting on the holes is really nice and we usually get to see the Fantasmic Fireworks going off.

 

[FerretAfros]

I know in orchestra circles, the rights to sheet music for Stravinksy compositions are REALLY expensive. I wonder if that has something to do with it. Stravinsky personally signed over his music rights to Walt Disney for Fantasia, but maybe that didn't extend as far as theme parks and Disney didn't want to pay for them?

You could also make the case that the tone of Rite of Spring doesn't quite match the happy fantasy theme of the rest of the course.

Interesting that the rights are more expensive than other composers. That theory could also explain why they use other music for the Primeval World diorama on the DL Railroad, even though the scene is often cited as being inspired by Rite of Spring in Fantasia (down to the T-rex/stegasoarus battle finale)

Yeah, it's really short, but fun. Flying whales, Donald Duck, the Spring Sprite are all awesome. Rhapsody in Blue, though... It's really well done, but doesn't feel Fantasia-y. When I think of Fantasia, I don't envision people running around New York all day.

Funny, Rhapsody in Blue is my favorite segment by far in Fantasia 2000, and is the only new one that really captures the essence of the original film for me. Perhaps it's because the other segments tend to be very short and look like regular Disney animation, while this one is (slightly) longer and has a really distinctive style

 

[MarkTwain]

Oh no, I liked that Gershwin scene! Jazz-y music, American urbanism, adult themes. Altough the scene was good rather than great. I like it when Disney's creative traditions are deployed not to entertain kids, but for more ambitious cultural endeavour.



My fav scene was the last, Stravinsky again, with that green spring sprite. Just lovely.

Both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 are brilliant, I wish Disney would make more of them.

 

[Matt_Black]

Both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 are brilliant, I wish Disney would make more of them.

They actually planned a third one, and at least 3 segments were animated. The Little Matchstick Girl (available as a bonus feature on the Little Mermaid), One by One (Lion King), and the Salvador Dali one (not on any DVD, to my knowledge, but you can find it on youtube).

 

[TubaGeek]

If it were running at 100%, that may be the best theme park minigolf in Orlando. If.