Into the Fantasyland Forest

Past the castle walls is a magical realm, the Fantasyland Forest, where storybook worlds come to life. In Fantasyland proper, festival tents become portals through which we can enter the stories of Snow White or Peter Pan. Here, we can actually walk around and experience stories first hand.

The forest expansion of Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom, opening in phases starting in 2012, will fill the land previously occupied by 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Mickey's Toontown Fair. While the area is still under construction, we can get a good sense of what it will be like by exploring the Imagineering concept art for the project.

Close to the castle grounds is the Tremaine estate, the setting of much of the action in Walt Disney's 1950 animated classic Cinderella. From outside the mansion, we can see the tower where Lady Tremaine locked Cinderella away during the Grand Duke's visit, and we can almost hear Anastasia and Drizella torturing "Sing Sweet Nightingale" from the upstairs windows.

Inside at "Dreams Come True with Cinderella," we meet the Fairy Godmother and watch Cinderella transform from scullery maid to beautiful princess right before our eyes. Cinderella then steps forward for an audience with the young Knights and Ladies of the Kingdom, before hurrying off to the ball.

Heading into the western province of the forest, we find ourselves in a little town. It's a quiet village, where every day's like the one before. A visit to the cottage of Maurice the inventor shows us where young Belle grew up. Inside, a Magic Mirror transports us to the library of the Beast's castle for "Enchanted Stories with Belle." (Although depicted in some of the art as appearing outside their respective homes, the Disney princesses will typically be seen inside.)

Elsewhere in the castle is the "Be Our Guest Restaurant." This location, counter service by day and table service for dinner, places us in the grand ballroom surrounded by beautiful stained glass windows and that spectacular golden chandelier. The art even seems to indicate that Lumiere and the other enchanted objects from Beauty and the Beast might make appearances (a la Remy at Les Chefs de France).

Belle wants much more than her provincial life, but we can choose to return to the village to browse through the book shop or gnaw on a turkey leg at Gaston's Tavern, where he uses antlers in all of his decorating. The fountain in the square promises to be a particularly fun detail, an homage to that man among men, Gaston. Barrels of ale floating in the fountain are spewing forth their contents, as Le Fou tries to capture every last drop in his mugs.

A few existing sections of Fantasyland will be incorporated into the forest area, most notably The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, which will undergo a facade change to take it from tournament tent to Hundred Acre Wood. Some of this work has already begun, with the slate roof at Mrs. Potts' Cupboard being replaced with thatch to better fit its forthcoming wooded surroundings.

In yet another neighborhood of the Fantasyland Forest, we come upon the cottage in the woods where the three good fairies raised Briar Rose, hiding her away from the evil Maleficent. Today is Rose's sixteenth birthday. In "A Birthday Surprise for Sleeping Beauty" we can join the fairies in creating the celebration, and then be joined for the party by Princess Aurora herself.

The grandest adventure of the Fantasyland expansion promises to be Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid. We can meet Ariel in her grotto or step past Eric's castle for a trip fathoms below to the place where Triton is King and Merpeople sing.

The attraction, similar here and at Disney's California Adventure, will be an effects-filled voyage beneath the sea. The Audio-Animatronics figure of Ariel should be particularly impressive. In fact, it's two figures in one: Ariel and her hair, separately animated to create the illusion of floating underwater.

The rest of the Fantasyland Forest takes us to different places entirely. Dumbo's Circus expands upon one of the most popular and iconic Disney attractions. Instead of standing in a long line for a short ride, Guests will be entertained under the Big Top with fun interactive activities until it's time to fly with their favorite elephant.

Pixie Hollow, expected to be the last phase of the expansion to open, will take us to the Neverland home of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends.

As Walt Disney once said in describing his future Florida project, "The plans in this room will change time and time again." By the time the Fantasyland Forest opens for Walt Disney World Guests, it will likely be different from the images accompanying this article, but it will also be filled with countless details we can now only imagine.