Leaving behind the old-timey charm of Main Street, we made our way to Fantasyland—because apparently, Ella and Bill were on a mission to meet every single Disney princess before the day ended. After all, according to them, “Disneyland isn’t Disneyland until you see Cinderella.” I couldn’t argue with that logic, especially since I was equally excited to step into a world straight out of our favorite storybooks.
A Storybook Entrance—And a Minor Detour
Walking through the grand castle entrance felt like crossing into a dream. The sight of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle up close was magical, even for me. But before we could get lost in the fairytale setting, Henry, the self-proclaimed “map expert,” insisted we check out the famous Sword in the Stone. Spoiler alert: no one in our family was able to pull the sword from the stone, but that didn’t stop the kids from trying—and failing—multiple times. Jake even claimed that they felt it “move slightly” (nice try, buddy).
Meeting Royalty: The Princesses and Their Castles
We finally made it to Royal Hall, where my youngest got to meet their favorite princesses. Watching them twirl in front of Belle and curtsy for Cinderella was one of those priceless moments that made all the line-waiting and snack-bribing totally worth it. Annie, who swears she is “too cool” for princesses, somehow ends up in a deep conversation with Ariel about life under the sea. Even her Dad got caught up in the moment, pretending to be a royal escort. Of course, she is still her Daddy’s princess after all. But our little princess Ella was throwing tantrums as always.
Fantasyland Rides: A Mix of Whimsy and Chaos
Fantasyland is packed with classic rides, and we were determined to hit as many as possible. Peter Pan’s Flight was at the top of our list, and despite the long wait, it was absolutely worth it. Flying over London and Neverland in a tiny pirate ship made all of us feel like kids again (even my oldest admitted it was “actually kinda cool”).
Then came Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, which had my younger two in fits of laughter and me wondering how a children’s ride ends in… well, let’s just say the finale is unexpectedly intense. Dumbo the Flying Elephant was another must-do, but I may or may not have let my youngest cut in front of me so I wouldn’t be the only adult riding a flying elephant. No shame in that, right?
A Sugar-Fueled Fairytale Feast
By midday, we needed fuel, and what better way to keep the fairytale magic going than with some Mickey-shaped treats? The kids went for churros (again), while I treated myself to a Matterhorn Macaroon—because when in Fantasyland, dessert is basically required. We even found a charming little seating area near the carousel, where we could rest our feet and watch the happy chaos unfold around us.
A Perfectly Magical Ending
As the sun started to dip, we squeezed in one last ride on It’s a Small World, which was the perfect way to wind down from our Fantasyland adventure. Henry may have groaned about the song being stuck in his head forever, but the kids were too mesmerized by the colorful scenes to care.
With Fantasyland checked off our list, we headed back to our hotel. Everyone was excited for day 2 as Adventureland was calling—and from what I’d heard, this was where the real thrills would begin!