Backstory
Once upon a time, the leaders of Fantasyland designed a peace treaty to be proposed throughout the land where good and evil could exist in harmony. Prince Charming and Snow White were the first to enact this treaty based on their encounters with the Evil Queen who tried to overthrow their castle and claim the throne. To prevent any sort of power grab in the land, many supported the bill, however it split the vote between citizens who were proclaimed as heroes in the films and stories, and those who were defined as villains.
The villains didn't think their side of the story and their motives were being treated fairly. They thought that the treaty was a way to diminish their role in Fantasyland, where many including Ursula and Captain Hook, declared that the tales of The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan respectfully, would not be as popular without their actions. This divided Fantasyland and eventually, Chernabog led the charge away from Fantasyland, building a wall in the center and declaring the forest the "villain territory"
It was so named the Arcane Forest later on, as the villains felt very misunderstood and decided to live separated from Fantasyland in hopes that their side of the tale could be better told. Luckily now for guests, you can see the villains in full force as you enter the Arcane Forest.
Land Overview
Below is a map of the land and all points of interest labeled (detailed descriptions to follow) The main "town" area is themed to a Bavarian Village with the 155 ft tall Bald Mountain looming in the distance. Throughout the land the background music will be mostly classical music from either Disney films or famous composers
1 - Bald Mountain
Based on the classic segment from Fantasia, Night on Bald Mountain, guests will embark on a thrilling roller coaster type ride through the caverns of the mountain ruled by Chernabog as you zoom in and out in the desolate landscape.
Queue
The queue begins in the Bavarian town at the base of the mountain and progresses into one of the quaint buildings as you gaze at artwork done by some of the best painters of the age as they try to illustrate the majesty of Bald Mountain while paying respect to Chernabog so he doesn't destroy the town once the sun sets. You then trek further out towards the mountain's base where you board a soul carriage (a 5 car train) towards the top of the mountain guided by Chernabog's souls to pay respect.
Ride-Through
From the station carved into the mountain's base you enter the mountain and go up a steady lift hill. To your left you see caverns and flames erupting from the floor and to your right you see souls riding skeleton horses pushing you up the mountain. Your train reaches the 120 ft peak, and still inside the mountain...sees the eyes of Chernabog in front of you and darts down and to the right. You go through a hairpin turn and in pitch blackness, hear his roar, and turn again to the right as projections of the souls surround you. You approach more flames and the train flies up and over a hump, turning to the left in the process. After a few more moments at speeds up to 45 mph, you see the giant AA Chernabog in front of you as your vehicle comes to a stop
You dart out of the mountain down a 40 ft drop in the dark and careen out into the landscape before making your return trip back to the village.
2 - Villains Tonight!
Villains Tonight is a comedy live action show that showcases the best of Disney villains. The show is being brought over from the Disney Cruise Line to the Villain Land (We never decided on a name either.).
FACADE/QUEUE:
The facade for the attraction is a large abandoned mausoleum, covered in ivy and starched paint. Parts of the roof have fallen off.
A worn out banner at the top of the structure reads Villains Tonight: Live From The Underworld! Curious guests enter the haunting mausoleum. Inside, a large sinkhole leads deep into a torch-lit, rocky cavern. Guests walk down stairs that seem to be carved into the moist earth (there is a ramp available for handicapped people). Deeper into the cavern, there is a large torch-lit room, made of black carved art and skulls. A large oval-shaped door provides as the entrance to the Underworld, Hades domain from the film Hercules
The gateway in this image serves as the entrance to the theater.
Look around though, and something seems to be a little off. Balloons are floating around the room. Signs point the door that say Welcome To The Thunderworld (what Hades renames his realm during the show) . When the show is ready to begin, the door swings open. The show is ready to begin once everyone is seated. The theater is a large open black-rocked auditorium. The stage appears to be carved into the huge skull seen in this image:
The water in the image is replaced with the theater's seating area.
The show is almost exactly the same as the one found on the Disney Dream. The only difference is that the Cruella de Vil number is replaced by Dr.Faciler as Cruella DeVil is already represented at the Golden Mickeys show on Hollywood Boulevard.
Once the show concludes, guests exit back into the dark, derelict village.
3 - An Expansion Pad
Currently used as a D-zone for guests, with bathrooms and charge ports, this area could be used in the future for another show, cafe, or even small attraction if guests demand. For now, this space is used for multipurpose activities as well as a cast member/storage facilities.
4 - Virginia Dig
Sail on a C-ticket boat ride through the forest of Jamestown as you see Governor Ratcliffe and his men dig and dig and digity dig for gold in the new land. This 3 -minute attraction offers is located towards the Frontierland side of the forest on the outskirts - representing a thematic tie in with Frontierland as this represents the eastern most portion of America and our Frontierland represents the Mississippi River and west.
5 - Fantasmic!
One of our night-time entertainment options takes place right on the Timeless River that runs between Fantasyland and The Arcane Forest. Seating about 3,000 guests along the river banks, guests are greeted by the classic Fantasmic show with some lighting and projection updates, as well as pyrotechnic updates on the water. This show will be similar to the one in Disneyland -- seen here:
A - Core of the Apple
This small marketplace provides all sorts of fruit from the Arcane Forest for guests to try, including the famously delicious Arcane Forest red apples. Legend has it that one bite and all your dreams will come true. But beware - some elements might be to frightening for small children as cast members will be dressed as the Evil Queen.
B - Gaston and Hook's
When you're evil --- you usually don't win in fairy tales...so villains have to drown in their sorrows somewhere.
After leaving Fantasyland, Gaston used his wealth to purchase a bar in the village while Captain Hook mentioned that he knew a lot of good brewing skills. The two opened up the bar and it was a huge success...in fact Disney villains have concocted some of the most unique crafts, ales, and mixes this side of Neverland.
A few of the favorite options on the menu when you've really had a "bad" day:
Gaston and Hook's is also a cafe serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is famous for serving a buffet-character villain breakfast in the morning for children -- separate from the bar area. Gaston and Captain Hook make regular appearances throughout the day as well
C - Chernabog's Feast:
Chernabog's Feast is a full-service dining area found within the heart of Bald Mountain itself, where you can dine on high-quality Eastern European cuisine (the area of the world where the area represents) in an immersive environment.
To get to the restaurant, take the side path around the side of the huge, intimidating mountain. You may notice a cavernous, torch-lit opening on the side. Carved onto the side of the opening is Chernabog's Feast. Hungry guests are beckoned into the mountain itself. Once inside, a Cast Member will escort you to a table.
It is then you enter the magnificent dining area. Large, rocky arches extend throughout the room. Dining tables and chairs are disguised to seem like they were expertly crafted from molten rock within the trenches of the mountain. The cavern is lit by raging torches, enough to illuminate the otherwise dim cavern.
The crown jewel of the area though is the dozens of Chernabog's dire souls (Pepper's Ghost Holograms) who fly through the room over your head.
One of the souls that fly around the dining area.
The menu items here include everything from lamb and pork, an assortment of soups and broths, to specialty spicy dishes, all fit for a monstrous demon king. All menu entrees have a price range of 15-25 American dollars.
No ghouls about it. Eating at Chernabog's Feast will make you feel like the ruler of hundreds of spirits and satisfy your hunger for some great food!
D - Maleficent Meet and Greets
A Villain Character Meet and Greet spot hosted by Maleficent herself where you can see a variety of Disney villains including Jafar, Hades, Governor Ratcliffe, Queen of Hearts and more.
E - King John's Gifts
King John has changed a lot since moving out of Fantasyland (I think I've seen him at Gaston and Hook's quite a lot actually) but he has had a change of heart and is giving away a lot of his jewels. While he still sucks his thumb, you can browse his shop on the outskirts of the Arcane Forest for some items of interest including jewelry, earrings, shirts, and all things Disney villains. This is your one stop shop to find all of your Disney Villain apparel.
Thanks for visiting the Disney Villains! Look for our next land soon.
