Celebrate the Beauty of Nature and the Power of Imagination...
The central hub of the park is made out of
The Wondrous Garden which is surrounded by a moat. The parade route goes around this moat, past the entrances to the various themed areas of the park, which are connected to The Wondrous Garden by bridges that each subtly reveals the theme of the land Guests is headed into through decorations in its ironwork. The Garden celebrates the wonders of nature, the power of dreaming, and the joy of imagination. Guests leave everyday life behind to enjoy this whimsical and ornately designed garden, which is filled with engaging activities, floral and woodland displays, and playful photo opportunities. At night, the mood in The Wondrous Garden becomes dreamy, with music and a cascade of twinkling light in the style of pixie dust sprinkled across the landscaping. Besides the land being interactive itself, there are several attractions, dining options, shops, and entertainment offerings that Guests are able to enjoy. While venturing through the garden, Guests will come upon towering topiaries and fields of sculptures designed to inspire and incite creativity. Benches line the walkways as well as tranquil streams and fountains. One of the highlights of The Wondrous Garden is a Court Garden-like hedge maze with interactive elements like music, bubbles, jumping fountains, and small dioramas as seen in Hong Kong Disneyland’s Fairy Tale Forest.
We wander off into an area that presents itself as an English Garden; it is as if we have just jumped into a chalk pavement ourselves. It is here that we find the
Jolly Holiday Carousel, where we can climb aboard a colourful carousel horse for a whimsical spin filled with the grandeur and symphonic bliss of Disney’s
Mary Poppins. Immerse yourself in pure Disney artistry – sculpted greenery, vibrant flowers, and the jolly old surroundings that set the stage for this attraction. Your horse awaits – introducing the first time Mary Poppins forms the basis for the park’s carousel ride. Walt Disney himself first dreamed of Disneyland while watching his young daughters play on the Griffith Park carousel – which explains why the popular ride became a cornerstone in the design of Disney Parks. The carousel will be adorned with murals that resemble scenes from
Mary Poppins as well as its sequel
Mary Poppins Returns. The horses and carriages will be inspired by characters from both these movies, by giving them each a unique colour scheme as well as accessories.
Not too far away from the Carousel, Guests will find a small tea house, similar to the 18th Century Chinese Tea House at Sanssouci Park. Around it a terrace is placed, where Guests can sit down and enjoy a cup of fresh tea or coffee, accompanied by bread, vegetables, cheese, pies, potatoes, and crackers; a true High Tea experience. The tea house itself will be themed to the Jolly Holiday scene from Mary Poppins as well and will be known as
The Penguin Tea House, based on the penguin waiters from the aforementioned scene. Nearby is a more general Fairy-tale garden area that pays tribute to fairy tales and stories from around the world through statues, murals, fountains, and flower beds. In an open area near the water, in a sort of mini-amphitheater design, we are introduced to The Wondrous Garden’s
Storytellers. Gather around for a stage show presented by these intricate and immersing storytellers. These adept players perform a trunk show using stylized scenic pieces, props, and puppetry. See them retell famous tales from various Disney fairy tales, such as Frozen, Hercules, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Also located here is
The Wishing Well. This stone construction, with marble columns and flowers growing up and around it. Wishing wells originated in Europe and they were believed to host deities in its water that would grant wishes if a token gift was left for them. The well features references to various forest critters and animal friends from
Bambi,
Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,
Cinderella,
Sleeping Beauty, and
Tangled.
The Ugly Duckling Clothiers is located in a low octagonal wooden building in the same area with a bell gable on the west side containing the entrance. The exterior is adorned in bright colours, somewhat reminiscent of Scandinavian cabins. All around there are window displays in which a range of fancy apparel is displayed, as well as dioramas related to the Silly Symphonies short
‘The Ugly Duckling’. At the back, we also find a notice board with reproductions of concept art for the short. To the left and right of the entrance are two small display cases with the English inscriptions ‘costumes’ and ‘dresses’. Via a red carpet and a small porch, we enter one large, round room. The checkout counter is on the left. On the right in the room is a sideboard with an antique sewing machine. At the back of the shop are two fitting rooms with a small stage in front on which you can showcase your new outfit. Large background images have been installed in the fitting rooms with which you can photograph yourself. At the top center of the ceiling are murals re-telling the story of the
Ugly Duckling, using the characters from the short.
Following up we are able to walk up to a picnic area, where several trees provide shade for families and parties looking to take some rest from their visit to the park. Nearby they’ll find the
Flowers and Trees Terrace, which gives Guests the opportunity to refresh before exploring the rest of the Garden. Around the restaurant, you might notice the themed topiaries which will be shaped to the characters in the
Flowers and Trees short film and even the restaurant's atmospheric soundtrack will be inspired by the short's music. Another offering in the area is
The Greenhouse Inn, which is inspired by Victorian Greenhouses of the late 1800s. The restaurant brims with light, topiaries, and tropical palms, offering an enchanting spot to dine in the heart of the park with views of Porto do Amigos, The Wondrous Garden, and the Fantasia Palace. Bountiful buffets feature American favourites prepared before you in the onstage kitchen. Start your day with delicious traditional breakfast fare, freshly baked pastries, fruit and more. For lunch and dinner, choose from mouth-watering favourites like roasted carved meats, freshly prepared pastas, delicious salads, and beyond. And delight in such desserts as a warm seasonal cobbler, butterscotch pudding, strawberry shortcake, and soft-serve ice cream – the perfect ending to your lunch or dinner. Lastly, there’s also
Persephone’s Perks, a small shop themed to
The Goddess of Spring short by Silly Symphonies. Here, they’ll be able to find souvenirs, apparel, toys, and garden accessories.
The last area of The Wondrous Garden which is closest to Fantasyland and The Fantasia Palace is themed around the Fantasia movies. One of the attractions that Guests can find here is the
Waltz of the Flowers, a trackless flat ride that is similar to
Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters at
Disney California Adventure. Here, we are invited to board flower-themed vehicles in this enchanted garden to dance along to classical music pieces that are heard in Fantasia segments. The dance routines will be reminiscent of classical waltzes. The other attraction here will be
The Flight of the Pegasi, which is a Sky Fly-type spinner in which you’ll feel like you’re boarding a baby Pegasus from
Fantasia and perform unique flight maneuvers at airy heights. When the gondola carrier with 12 comfortable individual seats lifts into the air, the motion starts. Due to the tilted bearing of the main arm which is connected to a tree that holds the Pegasi nest, in each round the gondola carrier first rises up to 22 meters into the air and then lowers back toward the ground. With the control wings on the side of each seat, every passenger can control the gondola’s motion and even perform inversions. Depending on your personal preference and skill, a ride in The Flight of the Pegasi can be a thrilling flight adventure or a fantastic sightseeing flight aboard your winged horse.
Take time to unwind at the
Bacchus Vineyard, a positively Heavenly hideaway. You can sip high tea with tasty pastries by day and inspired cocktails and wines with enticing appetizers by night. Just the place for a little escape, you may get swept away to another world, as the whimsical décor – inspired by the
Pastoral sequence of Disney’s classic
Fantasia – features scenes of gods, nymphs, and centaurs out of Greek mythology. Satisfy cravings of mythological proportions with snack fare fit for a king – or a Greek God! The restaurant is set around a Greek garden which is centred by a fountain of Bacchus and Jacchus enjoying divine wine. Not too far from the Vineyard, is
The Faun’s Hideout, an outdoor souvenir marketplace offering beverages, candy, apparel, and toys in a garden-like area dedicated to the Faun and Cupid figures from the same aforementioned
Pastoral Garden- sequence of Disney’s
Fantasia movie. From time to time, the statues in the marketplace come to life and play music from the infamous segment. Finally, the last feature of The Wondrous Garden is a small pastry and sweets pavilion building which is themed around the Sugar Plum Fairies from
Fantasia. The
Sugar Plum Patisserie is where you can find cakes, brownies, cupcakes, and other sorts of sweet pastries to enjoy around The Wondrous Garden and its many benches and grass fields.
