Down the rabbit hole on the back of a caterpillar... Sound curious? It's not as curious as some of the adventures Alice had in Wonderland. The tone of this attraction is set early on as the lights illuminating the area come from large rose buds scattered next to a giant mushroom. On top is the book of Alice in Wonderland inviting all to share in her adventures. Next to these giants our size is immediately set askew. Notice the small caterpillar shoes left on the mushroom?

Your "Caterpillar Carriage" can sit up to four people, so climb aboard as you follow the White Rabbit's footprints down into the rabbit hole and into Wonderland. Make your way up through this curious place running into such characters as Tweedledee, Tweedledum, and the Cheshire Cat. As you climb upwards there is the Caterpillar and the singing of "A Golden Afternoon" with the flowers of the garden. Beware as you eventually have a run in with the Queen of Hearts. Don't you know by now that you should let her win at croquet? A "Merry Unbirthday" tea party rounds out your adventure. One interesting piece about this adventure is how it is split into two parts. After your close escape from the Queen of Heats and her Royal Court you exit the building and make you way down a path of leaves into a second building. Quite unique.

You can find Alice in Wonderland off and away from the courtyard of other Fantasyland attractions. It is appropriately located next to the Mad Tea Party and the across the way from the Matterhorn Bobsleds. This is probably my third favorite Fantasyland ride (after the Matterhorn and Mr. Toad). It's bold and colorful and has a lot of character to it. Some of the other dark rides in Fantasyland just don't quite have as much of a three dimensional feel to them. It helps that I really enjoy Alice in Wonderland too.

Remember the song of Casey Jr. everyone? "Casey Jr. coming down the track... Coming down the track..." Casey Jr. the Circus Train just made his arrival at the station from the animated feature Dumbo. Climb aboard the train in one of a number of different train cars. There are some cars with more traditional seating, the caboose where you can see everything behind, and a couple of cages for some wild animals. Let's be honest... All kids want to sit in the monkey cage. Right when you are about on your way you can hear Casey Jr. say "All aboard. Let's go." Soon you are indeed off. Where? For a trip around the Storybook Land Canal Boats of course. You make a few rounds in this area and can take a good look at all of Storybook Land below you. You're always in good hands with Casey Jr.

Have you ever seen an elephant fly? No? Well this is not just your opportunity to see one fly. This is your opportunity to see none other than Dumbo the famous elephant fly. Not only that, but this is also an opportunity to see multiple Dumbos fly while being piloted by the young and old alike. They fly Dumbo high. They fly Dumbo low. They somehow always fly Dumbo around in the same circle.

Welcome to Dumbo the Flying Elephant. True, this ride is targeted towards the younger of Disneyland guests. But being older takes nothing away from seeing the joy of the kids who climb in their flying elephant and take him up, down, and around with the approval of Jeremy the Mouse who is situated above. While targeted for the youngsters, it's not just for them. Many children need to be accompanied by their parent or another responsible adult.

It's always fun to see how different people fly their Dumbos. Some of the more timid young ones tend to always keep Dumbo at ground level while some of the older kids always fly as high as they can. I always varied my flight path because it felt more like I was flying around instead of just in a circle. I don't know when the last time I was on this one. For rides like this, it's all about the Astro Orbitor now I'm afraid.

As you near the end of Fantasyland before you end up in Toontown, you find find yourself face to face with a rather large structure. It looks like a huge cardboard cutout collage of different landmarks from different places in the world. There's also this huge face in the center of it all that keeps turning its head. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The whole thing looks like, well like it came from the 60s. And you know what? It did. Welcome to the legendary It's a Small World. As you approach you look down and see a water ride with fairly large boats. There are numerous topiaries surrounding the area. This is your chance to slowly sail through the continents of the world as the children within tell you how small the world really is.

It's a Small World was originally an attraction for the New York World's Fair in 1964 and 1965. Soon after, it made its way here to California to find its current home. The attraction has about three hundred audio animatronic elements. This includes the clock in front which let you know what time it is every quarter hour. Fanfare will sound and the time will present itself while drummers emerge from the clock and drum.

During the holiday season, the entire exterior of the attraction is covered in lights. Every single line on the exterior of that structure is absolutely covered in colored lights. All the topiaries weren't forgotten about either. Those really hit home the holiday season. You wouldn't believe how beautiful it looks. Also during the holiday season the children of the world in the attraction sign "Jingle Bells" instead of "It's a Small World". Everything inside becomes much more holiday oriented when it comes to wardrobe and locations. Even ticking face in front has a Santa Claus hat on for the holiday.

The thing is that It's a Small World can drive you a little crazy. I'm not exactly sure what the medical term is for when you lose your mind to hearing the same short repetitive song for about 15 minutes straight. But I know it's serious. People have emerged from that attraction with their hair frizzled, their eyes twitching and singing "It's a Small World" in some other language. One can clearly see the effect it has on people. Yet they still line up. During busy days the line is hardly less than an hour. And they really move people through. Boats fill up one right after the other. Use the FastPass system if you need to.

You know, I say that hearing that song again and again and again, and seeing those tiny animatronic children over and over can drive someone crazy, but I still go on it every once in a while. Why? Well it's cute. But really I guess it's the same reason that you go on it still. I want to go back to the time when it was part of the Magic and when I looked forward to going on it when I was a kid. And you know what? I really don't mind it. I know that the kids today don't mind it either.

You are standing before the true heart and center of Fantasyland. King Arthur's Carrousel is a big and beautiful attraction that is striking, no matter how many of these you have seen in your day. The decorations and attention to the smallest detail help to make this carrousel something special. Never fear, for there are numerous horses to ride on, all moving up and down and around and around. All of this action is to the tune of classic Disney music done up all carrousel style. It just looks and sounds absolutely stunning. According to Disney, all the horses are unique, made in the 19th century, European crafted, and hand carved. Who am I to argue?

Before the big Fantasyland overhaul in 1983 it wasn't quite in the place that it is in now. It was off cetner to be certain. Its current location is much better. Since that time and throughout its entire life the carrousel has periodically been refurbished and restored. After almost 50 years of use, it can get a little worn down. It went through its most recent full restoration within the last year and is once again open for business. Have I told you how good looking this carrousel is? I just want to be sure you know.

When we think of the Mad Hatter and March Hare from Alice in Wonderland what do we think of? Hats? Not so much. What we really think of is the Mad Tea Party which is exactly what we have before us. This Mad Tea Party is appropriately located right next to Alice in Wonderland and is complete with colorful paper lanterns and the classic Tea Party / Unbirthday song. But take a closer look and see what this party is all about and ask yourself this question. Do you trust the Mad Hatter and March Hare? I don't, but if you do then I'm sure you would have no problem in paying them a visit at their Mad Tea Party. If you are game, take a close look at this party from the cups' perspective.

Let me ask another question. Do you like to throw up? I don't myself which is why I tend to stay away from the Mad Tea Party. This attraction is often referred to as just the Teacups which is a very accurate description. I think the only more accurate way to describe it would be the Spin-n-Puke. What we have here is an number of spinning teacups that not only spin on their own, but can also be spun with the aid of the rider using the wheel mounted in the center of each cup.

It's funny to watch the some of younger riders go so completely over the top that you can't figure out exactly what force of nature they are using to get their cup to spin so fast. Then you get to watch them stumble out after the ride and collapse at the exit. Then there are those that get their cup going really fast in one direction and then try to stop halfway, burn their hands on the center wheel, and then get it going in the other direction. Then there are those like me who prefer to watch these entertaining riders. Have I ever gone on the Teacups? Of course. Do I often? Not a chance.

As you approach the icy behemoth of a mountain, you will be stopped dead in your tracks by a roar echoing through its chilling caverns and deep to your chilling bones. You look up and see a pair of bobsleds racing down the icy slopes with a few unfortunate close calls with the Abominable Snowman. Do you hear screams of horror? Are they screams of excitement? Care to find out for yourself? Two bobsleds pull up in front of you. Each seat two so you should have plenty of room for everyone in your group. As you climb aboard ask yourself, "Do I have the nerves to battle the darkness and the cold of Matterhorn mountain?" Just remember to keep all hands feet and arms in the vehicle at all times. We don't want the Abominable Snowman to have any smacks before dinner. Don't ruin his appetite. I hear he's partial to Club Buzz.

Many don't realize that the Matterhorn Bobsleds are actually considered to be part of Fantasyland. It wasn't always like that and its location is a little deceptive so it's an easy misconception. The mountain is also used for more than just bobsledding. Climbers have often scaled the mountain during the day, but I can't for the life of me remember when the last time is I saw that. And to start off the spectacular Disneyland fireworks show, Tinker Bell will fly down into Fantasyland from the very top of the mountain. The idea for the Matterhorn wasn't just pulled out of the air. The idea was brought in from the Disney film "Third Man on the Mountain". I've never seen it myself. But Disney wanted it to scale so it is 1/100th the size of the real mountain. Cool, huh? Also as an interesting note, there was also a half court for basketball near the top of the mountain near a break room. I'm guessing the real Matterhorn doesn't have that.

The Matterhorn Bobsleds is one of my favorites. God I love it. With two separates tracks, there is also some controversy about which side is better. Some say left, some say right. I usually go on the Matterhorn more than once a day and I just alternate sides to get the full experience. To make your decision easier, many times there is only one line open. Be sure to catch the Matterhorn while you can for it seems to be under renovation quite a bit. And remember when the Skyway used to pass right through the mountain? They have since covered those holes up. I remember looking with a sense of childhood fascination and fear at the yeti. It was a while before I actually felt "old enough" to tackle the Matterhorn.

Enter Toad Hall and you will follow Mr. Toad in his motorcar on adventures to "nowhere in particular". Of course it isn't all about Mr. Toad. There are the other characters involved and you could just as easily jump into a motorcar named after Badger, Moley and the Weasels just to name a few. As soon as you enter the hall, the blood starts racing with the music and the bright and exciting atmosphere. There is a cool mural painted on the back wall that accurately foreshadows the adventure you are about to go on. Your motorcar can seat two, so climb on in with your partner and go on the adventure of a lifetime. Make sure you are in the hands of a skilled driver. Mr. Toad travels everywhere including crashing through Toad Hall, spilling out into a swamp, and out on the landing docks. The cops are after you and you better make a run for it. You even get hit by a train and land yourself in Hell. Quite the adventure wouldn't you say?

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is my second favorite ride here in Fantasyland. Fun! Adventure! Excitement! Those are the best words to describe this dark ride attraction. I've heard the argument that people don't know who Mr. Toad is. But everyone wants Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. In case you don't know where the adventures of Mr. Toad and his friends come from, may I suggest you go rent the Wind in the Willows. An excellent animated movie to be sure.

A flying pirate ship is part of what this attraction is all about. It's a wonderful adventure that will take you through the story of Peter Pan with a bird's eye view. It is a suspended trip where you fly through the nursery and out over the city climbing higher and higher until to find yourself completely over London. What are you waiting for? Think of a wonderful thought and you too will soon be off on an adventure with Peter Pan. "Pixie dust!" After taking off, notice the blocks on the nursery floor that spell out "Disney" before you round the corner. Doesn't London look wonderful? The city has incredible detail all the way down to traffic on the streets. After the second star to the right you are soon flying over NeverLand and on to more specific aspects of the story including the kidnapping of Tiger Lilly and the final sword fight of Peter and Captain Hook.

Peter Pan's Flight is noticeable from Fantasyland as is is right under the large clock tower. It also usually has one of the longest lines in Fantasyland mostly because of the flying ships themselves. They only take two or three passengers at a time. A family of four will have to take two separate ships. But Peter Pan is just so cool. It's so unique to experience a dark ride from above. Every character and item on this attraction is a full fledged three dimensional object in comparison to some of the other Fantasyland rides. It is an adventure that is truly different from the others in Fantasyland and the kids will absolutely love it. You will too. If only the ride was a bit longer. It goes by too fast.

Will Pinocchio ever learn? What happens to him in his Daring Journey? You'll just have to ride to find out. It was through Geppetto's love that he created Pinocchio and wished for him to be a real boy. But there are a number of things that Pinocchio must work though if he is ever to become a real boy by way of the Blue Fairy.

We join Pinocchio and his stringless performance with Stromboli. Before you know it, his is caged by Stromboli and the only thing he has is the care of Jiminy Cricket and the care of the Blue Fairy. But then Pinocchio runs off and gets to be even more trouble at Pleasure Island. Soon he has a donkey's tail, and a donkey ears and then gets swallowed up by the whale Monstro. But never fear. Pinocchio will prove himself and show his true heart. Don't forget to watch for the Blue Fairy in the last room granting the great wish of Geppetto and Pinocchio before she disappears.

When you reach the beginning of the queue, a car will approach that will comfortably seat a family of four. It is a Daring Journey that you and your family will enjoy. Pinocchio is one of Disney's best animated features and is a good story for all. Even though it is the youngest Fantasyland attraction, I feel it's not the strongest. Does that matter? No. The kids will love it and so do I.

It is the beautiful icon of Fantasyland. It is the most recognizable symbol for the entire park. It truly sums up the Magic of Disneyland. The castle guards the entrance to Fantasyland and is the center point for the entire park. Even though the castle was here from the very beginning in 1955, the story of Sleeping Beauty only opened in 1957 as a walkthrough. You went up and down stairs through the castle viewing different scenes from the movie very similar to the movie scenes you see in the windows of the Emporium on Main Street. However this walkthrough is now closed indefinitely. I believe that it is closed because there is too much work required to get it up to standard and it is not exactly the most handicapped accessible attraction at the park. Regardless, the castle is truly a site that gets you excited every time you see it.

For me, no fireworks show is complete without watching them go off behind the castle. I highly recommend that for everyone. If there are no fireworks, just to see the castle illuminated at night is a wonder. So don't leave too early people. As I understand it, some very interesting surprises are planned for the 50th anniversary of the park that involve Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Well, it's not too much of a surprise seeing as you can find pictures of what they're planning online.

Snow White is the first attraction on the left as you walk through the gates of Sleeping Beauty's castle. As you arrive at the beginning of the queue, you glance up and see the Wicked Queen periodically pull the curtains back and glare through a window at the crowd below. This properly sets the tone for the rest of the attraction. As you begin to enter the building, there is a metal apple with a book on a pedestal. Touch the metal apple for an audible treat. Around the corner is a recreation of the Evil Queen's dungeon. Unfortunately, it is loaded with change. There's a lot of money there. I will take this opportunity to ask anyone who is reading this to not throw change in attempt to make a three point shot. Help keep the park clean. Do you really need to spend more money during your visit? Hmm?

When you arrive at the loading zone, you are ushered into a car named after one of the characters in the story. The cars comfortably seat a family of four and soon you are off to see the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Music and Magic unfolds in front of you as you make your way through the story. There isn't as much animation in this attraction as there is in some of the other dark rides but it's still fun.

I bet the popularity of this attraction grows a little bit with the current musical now in production at the Fantasyland Theater. As with most of the Fantasyland rides, I would wait unit the last hour or so before the park closes to visit. Lines quickly become nothing. As you may notice, this attraction is noted to be "scary". The witch and the forest might be a little much for the young ones, but I have to say that I remember it being much more scary. It was the forest that did it for me. But I think I just got older.

Have yourself a relaxing sit in one of the Storybook Land canal boats as your beautiful guide takes you on a fantastic tour of fantasy. But as you start your trip you notice the gaping wide smile of Monstro the whale who lies in wait at the entrance to Storybook Land. Closer and closer you float until there is obviously no turning back. How will you ever make your way out? Have no fear for he blew the back of his tail off when his sneezed out Pinocchio and thereby ensured our safe travel into Storybook Land. On this smooth and enjoyable ride we see the locations and structures of all our our favorite Disney stories. There are the houses of the Three Little Pigs, Geppetto's workshop, Toad Hall and the Prince's palace from Cinderella to name just a few. There is plenty more to see and the detail is everything that you would expect from Disney. Great care is taken on a routine basis to maintain the miniature buildings and surrounding grounds.

I enjoy the Storybook Land canal boats. It's not something that I necessarily do every time I visit, but once in a while if I'm at Disneyland by myself I will go as one of the last things in the night. I especially have a great time with the mood at night as the scenes are illuminated with the miniature lighting. I would imagine that this ride wouldn't appeal to many in the teens up through the 30s but there are a few of us that enjoy it and ride when we get a chance. And like everything in Fantasyland, I'm almost positive that the kids will love it. But be warned as I would say that it is one of the longer 3 or so lines in Fantasyland.

Is your name here? I'm pretty sure it is. The Heraldry Shoppe is located in the castle, across from the Princess Boutique. It's on the right side as you enter Fantasyland. For those of you who aren't familiar with heraldry, it's the study of tracing genealogies, and determining ruling status. So take a look inside and see where your family name comes from. Where did your family live? Where did your name come from? Did they have any kind of royalty in their blood? This is the place to find out. Looking your name up is free and most time you can see a family crest and see where the name came from geographically. For those who wish to take this family history information home in style, you can buy rings with a crest on it, necklaces, and very nice printouts of all your information.

If you haven't ever looked this information up, it's fun to do. The realist in me wonders how accurate this information is. I remember in elementary school when kids always said that there name came from somewhere in Europe and they were descendents of royalty. I could never figure out why royalty would leave their kingdom and come to the United States. Most who came here, came because they were being persecuted in their homeland. But that's just me talking. I'm probably just crazy as I'm sure you've figured out. Remember though, these crazy ramblings don't take away from the coolness factor of this store.

Kids love It's a Small World and it's always an incredibly long line. It's also the perfect opportunity to market to those who keep those lines long. Just to the left of the entrance and right in front of the exit sits this colorful and playful looking gazebo of a toy shop using the It's a Small World name. The only thing small about the world here is the size of the action figures. Otherwise, there isn't much of a tie-in with the attraction. There are a lot of Mattel brand toys here like Hot Wheels and Barbie. It helps to have a toy store presented by a toy manufacturer. There are action figures, dolls, games, Toy Story stuff, and Power Rangers merchandise. I have to be honest and say that I don't know of any other place in the park that has Power Ranger toys. I don't know. Maybe you do. Let me know.
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Le Petit Chalet. That sounds Spanish to me. Ha. Across from the Storybook Land Canal Boat, there is an open counter store with items spread out for all to see. I consider open stores to be those that you don't actually walk into, but ones that present their merchandise out for everyone before them. I don't think there are actually too many stores for general merchandise in Fantasyland. A lot of the stores around here seem to be more specialty oriented. So here is a good stop for some fun items like pens, wallets, collecting spoons, hats, candy and shirts. Don't leave without an autograph book if you want to get some signatures from your favorite characters. If you want pictures with them you can get cameras, film and then Disneyland frames here to display your pictures back home. Make your friends jealous.

On a corner of Fantasyland between Mr. Toad and the Mad Tea Party there is a thatched roof building called the Mad Hatter. We all know the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, and here we have an opportunity to see what he has to offer the public. You can get everything here from Mad Hatter hats, to princess hats, to Mickey baseball hats, and don't forget your Mickey or Minnie ears that you can have embroidered with your name. There seems to be at least one hat for every major Disney character available. You want to go around with a Donald Duck sailor hat? Go right ahead. It's a fun store with a mirror above the counter that will periodically revealed the Cheshire cat to all who are shopping below.

I had a pair of Mickey Mouse ears once. I have no idea where they went to. Lost somewhere through the years I suppose. But this would be an ideal place to get a replacement pair. Main Street U.S.A. also has a Mad Hatter and you can find some of the same merchandise but this store is a little bit bigger and I believe gets a lot more traffic.

The Village Haus is the only place in Fantasyland to get yourself a meal, and I don't think the food is too bad. It's not completely to my liking. The kids will probably just stay with a cheeseburger or some pizza. You may need to order those burgers "plain" if you kids were anything like me when I was younger. But for you older ones there are sandwiches and salads available too. Some side dishes and vegetarian meals round out the menu. The line operates like many others in the park. You make your way up to the cashier, give your order, and move forward to the window to pick up your food.

Let me tell you this weird story that's only interesting to me. Back in junior high, there was this girl that I had a crush on for many years. Near the end of the year, our entire grade made its way to Disneyland for the day. I spent a good part of my day looking for her and her friends. I just wanted to spend some time with her at this magical place. My friends were getting more than a little irritated because we just kept walking around in circles. I was young. What can I say? But here we were, having lunch at the Village Haus and I get this strange feeling. So I get up and take a look outside, but I don't see anyone of any particular interest. Three minutes later I happen to glance out the door and see her and her friends walking by. I have no idea why I just told you that story. I guess it's just a strange memory that stuck with me.

That whole section of Fantasyland is very Pinocchio oriented. There is Pinocchio's Daring Journey, the Village Haus, Geppetto's Toys & Gifts, and Stromboli's Wagon which is located just outside the restaurant. The interior and exterior look like they fell right out of Pinocchio with the detailed wood carvings inside and the murals painted on the wall. For the murals they have used this effect where it looks like they painted onto wood with the grain clearly showing. It gives the paintings some life. If you take a closer look and you will find that the grain is just painted that way. The texture is all artificial and very beautiful. Take a look at it. There is seating available inside and outside. Don't fret. If you eat outside umbrellas will shield you from the sun while you enjoy the beautiful day outside. Since Fantasyland has more kids in it than anything, the Village Haus can get a little crowded during meal times. If you would like to eat here, maybe catch it during non mealtime hours.
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