It's time for what will probably be the longest post in this series, a look at the dark rides of Fantasyland (all six of them)! But let's start with the land's classic walkthrough that runs through Sleeping Beauty Castle.
I went through this attraction twice and had two very different experiences. The first time I did it, there was hardly anyone else inside, allowing me to leisurely walk past the scenes at my own pace.
On a crowded day later in the week, though, the walkthrough was an endless conga line that ruined the atmosphere of walking through the dim castle corridors..JPG)
When the walkthrough is uncrowded, the spooky Maleficent scenes are quite effective.
The foreboding Maleficent shadow terrified me, so much so that people were giving me weird looks when I was still screaming while riding the carrousel.
Although Pinocchio's Daring Journey was my least favorite of the Fantasyland dark rides, I still really enjoyed it. The ride is fine, but the set presentation feels in need of an upgrade. Some of the scenes were difficult to see, so I think new backlights would be a welcome addition.
That isn't to say that this ride isn't delightful. In most other parks it would be one of the best attractions, but at Disneyland, it plays a supporting role in the park's lineup of world-class dark rides.
I enjoyed the dark turn from the whimsy of the Pleasure Island scene to the Salt Mine donkeys and the climactic Monstro effect.
Flash photography isn't kind to the painted plywood flats in these rides, but I really like the pictures I captured.
It may sound silly, but Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was one of the main things I was looking forward to experiencing at Disneyland.
Fantasyland is classic dark ride heaven, and Mr. Toad, with its zany gags typical of an old haunted house, is one of the best remaining rides of that genre.
Of course, after hearing stories about the closed Mr. Toad ride at Magic Kingdom, I was especially intrigued to ride Disneyland's now one-of-a-kind attraction.
I could have stood here all day, listening to "The Merrily Song" and watching the cars exit the fireplace. It entranced me. ;-)
I took this picture because I have never seen double lap seating on a dark ride before. They just doubled Toad's capacity like a boss.
It's hard to make it out in this picture, but there's a minuscule hidden Mickey in one of Toad's eyes.
I was smiling all the way through Mr. Toad every time I rode it (which was several times)!
I love that the fountain in Mr. Toad is real, when it could just have easily been another plywood cutout.
Of course, your uncontrolled spin through London ends up in a steamy hell, which I'm sure has surprised and shocked generations of children.
Alice in Wonderland runs above Mr. Toad in part, but I really took this picture to capture the gigantic tree that I believe once broke an "accidental" fall from the Skyway. ;-)
I was astounded how every ride vehicle at Disneyland seemed to be polished and gleaming, which is amazing considering how many hundreds of ride vehicles are in the entire park as well as the heavy use these attractions see 16 hours a day.
Alice in Wonderland is a little longer than the other Fantasyland dark rides, and the elevated outdoor portion is still a highlight, even though it was subject to the addition of more walkways years ago.
The landscaping is nice I guess, but more importantly, get a load of that beautiful, sinuous Arrow Development-designed guiderail with electrical pickup included!
I took this photo looking behind me on Alice during the Tulgey Wood scene.
Passing through this scene while listening to"March of the Cards" and "Painting the Roses Red" is wonderful. Unfortunately, the effect of the marching cards was not working while I was at the park. But all was forgiven when I heard that wacky Goofy yell while emerging onto the balcony.
I know I had some Mad Tea Party pictures in the last post, but this ride is just perfect. Perfect, you hear me?!
I was keen to ride the updated version of the Snow White attraction, though I am slightly disappointed that I never had the chance to experience the old Snow White's Scary Adventures, here or in Florida.
I almost left my lens cap in one of the cars, but I told the Cast Member at the unload panel, and a few minutes later, the empty car arrived back with my lens cap sitting on the seat.
While I wish the ride could have retained all of its campy old spooks, it seems like the update gaves Snow White a sense of cohesion it never had before now.
During one time I rode Snow White, my 9-year-old sister was in the front row, and she covered her ears when we came into this scene. When the Evil Queen spun around, she really jumped! But even so, she liked the ride.
I wish I could have taken flash photos in all the dark rides, but of course, that would be obnoxious and disrespectful in rides like the Haunted Mansion or Pirates.
While I wish I could have seen the Dark Forest scene that was removed for this updated finale, it's a delightful way to end the ride. The thousands of twinkling lights are really awe-inspiring.
I know we haven't looked at Fantasyland's most popular dark ride, but I only rode Peter Pan's Flight once, so I don't have any interior pictures to share.
I can see why Peter Pan gets such long lines, but it felt painfully brief, especially compared to the longer version of the ride at Magic Kingdom with its huge Neverland scene. I would probably name Snow White as my favorite Fantasyland dark ride, followed by Mr. Toad and Peter Pan.
it's a small world is in a class all its own among the Fantasyland dark rides. Although I enjoyed the ride itself of course, my favorite part was the attraction's charming and fanciful facade.
My family wasn't involved in this evacuation, but that would have been fun to walk off through the ride's scenes--though not fun for the Cast Members, obviously.
The Disneyland Railroad is seamlessly integrated with the facade, and there's no way you'd know the track is there without seeing the train go past.
A scene like this is what makes Disneyland special and one-of-a-kind: Mary Blair whimsy, meticulous landscaping, and Walt's train.
I only rode small world once, as my mom is not a fan of the song. Some people just are not in touch with their inner child. ;-)
Even though we still have only one land left to explore, there are still several more posts to come in this series!
I went through this attraction twice and had two very different experiences. The first time I did it, there was hardly anyone else inside, allowing me to leisurely walk past the scenes at my own pace.
On a crowded day later in the week, though, the walkthrough was an endless conga line that ruined the atmosphere of walking through the dim castle corridors..JPG)
When the walkthrough is uncrowded, the spooky Maleficent scenes are quite effective.
The foreboding Maleficent shadow terrified me, so much so that people were giving me weird looks when I was still screaming while riding the carrousel.
Although Pinocchio's Daring Journey was my least favorite of the Fantasyland dark rides, I still really enjoyed it. The ride is fine, but the set presentation feels in need of an upgrade. Some of the scenes were difficult to see, so I think new backlights would be a welcome addition.
That isn't to say that this ride isn't delightful. In most other parks it would be one of the best attractions, but at Disneyland, it plays a supporting role in the park's lineup of world-class dark rides.
I enjoyed the dark turn from the whimsy of the Pleasure Island scene to the Salt Mine donkeys and the climactic Monstro effect.
Flash photography isn't kind to the painted plywood flats in these rides, but I really like the pictures I captured.
It may sound silly, but Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was one of the main things I was looking forward to experiencing at Disneyland.
