Disneyland Offers Sneak Peak at WDW's Fairytale Hall?

[TP2000]

The Disneyland version of WDW's New Fantasyland "Fairytale Hall", but called Fantasy Faire in Disneyland, just had its first soft opening today. Fantasy Faire officially opens on March 12th with a media event, but it looks like daily previews are now on offer to CM's, AP's, and select tourists. The Disneyland version, while quite different on the outside and in its overall scope from the WDW version, should prove to offer a lot of information on how the WDW version of this attraction will operate (and perhaps look like) when it opens late this year. A few photos and the link to the first reviews from this morning...

More pictures and info at... http://www./2013/03/inside-fantasy-...storytelling-surrounded-by-delightful-detail/

The Disneyland version of this attraction consists of four main elements; the Royal Hall meet n' greet location, the Royal Theater for princess stage shows, the Fairytale Treasures gift shop, and Maurice's Treats snack bar. These are all clustered around a small plaza, with Rapunzel's Tower in the middle, just to the west of Sleeping Beauty Castle.

The Royal Hall is the main part that will be found at WDW's Fairytale Hall, and at Disneyland it is split into two separate passages. Each passage encounters three princesses, or perhaps a princess and her prince together. The passage is segmented into three different meeting rooms, connected by a winding passage. Both passages enter at the same door, but are split just inside by a "greeter" CM who sends you to one side or the other. The passages exit near each other, conveniently dumping you out into the gift shop.

I expect the WDW Fairytale Hall will be operated the same way, with two passages offering three princesses. Or might there be room for a third or fourth passage at Fairytale Hall? But I would expect they would always have the same three princesses on offer in each passage to avoid confusion.

 

[afar28]

It looks very nice for a meet n greet. I hope WDW doesn't cheap out on this.

 

[unkadug]

Why did they misspell Fairy?

 

[Cosmic Commando]

How'd they get Jim Breuer to play Flynn Rider?

 

[TP2000]

Here's what this area at Disneyland looked like before it was turned into Fantasy Faire in 2012-13. It was a basic patio with a bandstand, and some restrooms in the back along a covered walkway from the Castle into Frontierland.

There's obviously money spent here to transform this old Disneyland area into Fantasy Faire, because the Prince$$e$ bring in money. That can't be a concept exclusive to just one coast, so I expect the WDW version of Fairytale Hall to be just as elaborately themed and furnished, if not more so. They also have the luxury of having this all indoors at WDW, versus the indoor/outdoor setup at Disneyland, so they can probably get away with more lavish detailing at WDW due to the climate controlled environment of Fairytale Hall.

 

[TP2000]

How'd they get Jim Breuer to play Flynn Rider?

A man's gotta eat and pay rent. We can't all be Bill Gates.

 

[unkadug]

Here's what this area at Disneyland looked like before it was turned into Fantasy Faire. It was a basic patio with a bandstand, and some restrooms in the back along a covered walkway from the Castle into Frontierland.

There's obviously money spent here to transform this old Disneyland area into Fantasy Faire, because the Prince$$e$ bring in money. That can't be a concept exclusive to just one coast, so I expect the WDW version of Fairytale Hall to be just as elaborately themed and furnished, if not more so. They also have the luxury of having this all indoors at WDW, versus the indoor/outdoor setup at Disneyland, so they can probably get away with more lavish detailing at WDW due to the climate controlled environment of Fairytale Hall.

TDO will most likely turn the AC up to a balmy 84 degrees in the summer to conserve energy. Power isn't cheap you know.

 

[TP2000]

Not sure what I think about this little stage show they've got going on in the Royal Theater. It's sort of funny, sort of dramatic, sort of vaudeville, and a little unusual for a kiddy section. I'm surprised the kids seemed to enjoy it as much as they did. I haven't heard that the Royal Theater concept makes the jump over to the WDW version of this attraction complex in Fairytale Hall, but I think that might be okay.



WDW's Fairytale Hall seems to have a large indoor hall (duh TP, that's why they call it a Fairytale Hall), in place of the outdoor plaza at Disneyland.

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz352/loaloauk/DLP that never was/trv389163.jpg

There could be an opportunity to be doing a lot of techno-driven interactive stuff here in this climate controlled WDW environment, compared to the outdoor Royal Theater in the Disneyland version.

 

[darthspielberg]

That stage show looks cute. They even have a DL version of the Lumiere animatronic from Enchanted Tales. Very nice.

 

[DisneyDelirious]

All I keep hearing for the WDW version is 2013 and that scrims are up. We can't get much of a peak at what's going on inside. Has there been a more definitive projection of when it will open in 2013? I have a princess in training in the family who would very much enjoy this.

 

[Bolt]

They did offer up this image late last year, so it's not only scrims.

 

[TP2000]

Not sure if this outdoor animatronic vignette up on a window ledge, "Figaro's Catnap Interrupted", will also be cloned for WDW's Fairytale Hall, but it is interesting to add outdoor animation like this and speaks to the level of detail they are after in these Princess palaces and the money they had. I imagine there would be more opportunities to do things like this in the indoor environment of Fairytale Hall...



I imagine there would be more opportunities to do things like this in the indoor environment of Fairytale Hall...

 

[TP2000]

But the real reason people will visit these place is the Princesses.

At Disneyland, there's a lot of queue, but much of it is not shaded. And per the Southern California climate, that which is shaded is not air conditioned.

Queue....

And more queue...

And finally into some shaded queue....

Before you finally are let in to the dual-sided Royal Hall to meet the girls.

It's that interior space, divided up into six separate meeting areas (in two adjacent passages), that I think will be most identical to WDW's Fairytale Hall. As you can see, they spent some cash here with all that custom woodwork, and stone accents, and big chandeliers and fine detailing. The Princess industry has money!

All photos from the fabulous weekly updates at Dateline Disneyland. http://datelinedisneyland.smugmug.c...hotos/28334282_8G5Kpn#!i=2399741901&k=v96cNQb

 

[tnemgif]

Disneyland did a really great job here - let's hope WDW gets even half the effort put in here.

 

[prfctlyximprct]

I wish we knew when this was opening.. seems like a simple project to me.. why does everything take so freaking long!!

 

[phi2134]

Disney's new recipe for success...small ride, small themed area or meet and greet + snack shop + sitting area = $$$$$

 

[TP2000]

Disney's new recipe for success...small ride, small themed area or meet and greet + snack shop + sitting area = $$$$$

I do wonder if the gift shop concept will appear in WDW's Fairytale Hall. They added a gift shop to the Disneyland version, even though the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique is just on the other side of this location. So now this Princess Pavilion is hemmed in by two princess themed gift shops; one for makeovers and one for all your princess supplies.

New gift shop at exit of Royal Hall meet n' greet - Disneyland Fantasy Faire

http://datelinedisneyland.smugmug.c...hotos/28334282_8G5Kpn#!i=2398561264&k=LjfFVHm

Looking on Google Earth the old Snow White dark ride building seems to be substantial. But just how much room is there inside? I can't imagine WDW management would give up on the chance to shoehorn in another Kiddy Gift $hop. Especially since the Bibbidy Boutique is a ways away from Fairytale Hall.

 

[TP2000]

raven24 posted this first over on the Disneyland board, but I think it's a great example of the type of techno-driven detail that the indoor and climate controlled environment of WDW's Fairytale Hall will be able to deliver in droves.

It's the Rapunzel tower in the middle of the Fantasy Faire courtyard, and after dark every few minutes it does a little show with the lights and music and her hair lighting up as it travels down the tower.

It's cute and clever, and catches you off guard. Like the Dad overheard in this video clip says afterwards "That was cool." Yup, it was Dad.

 

[Ignohippo]

Is it just me or does the interior design of the M&G area (in the pic with Aurora) look more like a church than a castle? I wonder if they'll have to close it this week for a conclave!

 

[PREMiERdrum]

When did Cinderella get her chest done???