Walt Disney Imagineers Explain How Technology Brings New Fantasyland Magic To Life

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida — Walt Disney Imagineers are like the rock stars of the Walt Disney Resorts. These technology wizards are responsible for bringing to life the magic that guests experience as they visit resorts and parks around the world. Their latest creations are on display at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. The theme park just opened its new multimillion dollar Fantasyland, which is the largest expansion project in the Orlando park’s 41-year history.

Gone is the dated 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea submarine ride and in its place a plethora of new attractions inspired by more recent animated classics like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. There’s also a reimagined Dumbo ride and circus experience. There are also two new castles and Goofy’s Barnstormer rollercoaster was remodeled.

The Imagineers behind these new rides, restaurants and experiences talk about the role new technology, especially tablets, have played in turning concepts into reality in the videos throughout this post.

Located just past Cinderella Castle, which is adorned in ice for the Christmas season, the new Fantasyland is divided into two areas — Storybook Circus, which is home to the expanded Dumbo experience, and Enchanted Forest, which features attractions featuring Disney Princesses Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

Disney has done something really cool with Dumbo. Anyone who’s visited any theme park has experience long lines. While things like FastPass definitely help guests schedule their rides throughout the day, lines are still part of the experience. The new Dumbo experience, which now features a pair of rides, has a giant Big Top next to it. But this tent isn’t just to keep guests shaded from the Florida sun. It’s an air-conditioned experience filled with interactive areas for kids and parents to play in until their pager goes off and they head straight for the ride. Walt Disney Imagineer David Minichiello talks about the new Dumbo attraction in the exclusive video interview.

Just next door to the Dumbo area, which also features a separate tent filled with delicious chocolates and other goodies, is the new ride that brings guests face-to-face with Ariel. Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid is what Disney Imagineers call a “dark ride,” which whisks families in clam shelled carts through the movie experience. Walt Disney Imagineer Chad Stachnik talks about the technology behind the new ride in the exclusive video interview.

Visitors will walk from one Oscar-nominated movie to another with Beauty and the Beast, located right next to The Little Mermaid. The new attraction here is Enchanted Tales With Belle, which is a walk-through experience that offers a magic mirror that transports guests from Belle’s cottage to the Beast’s castle. Once there, kids can interact with characters from the movie as they take part in a live action play featuring Belle.

The magic of Beauty and the Beast, which is one of my favorite Disney animated films, comes to life the moment you step into the castle of the Be My Guest restaurant. The huge main ballroom area features the ornately detailed painted ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out to the a snowy landscape (complete with always-falling snow). The West Wing area is home to the shredded portrait of the prince and the rose with its falling pedals. And the East Wing room features a giant dancing Beauty and the Beast in the center of the room, which also has beautiful paintings adorning each of the walls.

Guests can eat in any of these themed areas during the day with a counter lunch. The restaurant switches to a sit-down dinner experience in the evening, which is a first for a Disney park. The food is straight out of the French countryside setting of the movie, and even includes the gray stuff (it’s delicious)

The great thing about the Disney parks is that they’re always evolving.This summer at Disneyland’s California Adventure, the Cars Land expansion opened to bring John Lasseter’s movie world to life with three new rides and a re-created Route 66 featuring shops and restaurants. The new Art of Animation Resort at Walt Disney World Resort features a Cars theme, which offers up some of the same Radiator Springs buildings (including Sarge’s Surplus Hut and the Cozy Cone Motel) and full-scale cars on the outside as the theme park in California. Inside, the suites’ walls and floors come to life with Mater, Lightning McQueen and other beloved characters from the movies.

Considering the success that Walt Disney Animation Studios is having with the video game homage, Wreck-It Ralph, one could see those characters becoming part of Disney rides and attractions down the line. Toy Story Midway Mania and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin are great examples of computer-generated film franchises turning into interactive rides where you shoot aliens with laser guns. I can’t wait to see what the Disney Imagineers dream up next.