Editor’s Note: This blog is brought to you by our agent Erin! Thanks Erin!
This past weekend at the Magic Kingdom guests were welcomed into the Enchanted Forest area of the New Fantasyland expansion. As you enter the Enchanted Forest, the first attraction is Enchanted Tales with Belle where selected guests become part of the tale being told by Lumière. Guests wind through the pathway leading to Belle’s house. Inside you will find a checkerboard table and chairs, stacks of books and a reading table by the fire place. Then a certain number of guests are allowed into Maurice’s workshop where drawings of his designs are tacked on the wall and completed projects can be found around the room. After a little story telling guest then travel the magic hallway to the bedroom in Beast’s Castle where Madame Armoire is waiting to help with the assignment of roles. Once all of the roles have been assigned to children and adults everyone then enters the ballroom where Belle and Lumière are waiting to tell the tale of Beauty and the Beast.
Next you come across the entrance bridge to Be Our Guest Restaurant inside Beast’s Castle. As you cross the bridge there are gargoyles greeting you. As you reach the end of the bridge the gates to the castle are adorned with the Beast’s Coat of Arms. Once you are inside the castle there are tapestries and mosaics hanging on the walls with more stone gargoyles guarding the entryway to the Main Ballroom. To the right is the entrance to the Quick Service area but straight ahead is the Ballroom. The Ballroom is gorgeous! The 20 foot ceiling is decorated with a painted fresco, ornate detailing and 3 giant chandeliers. The room has marble columns along the outer rim. As you look out the windows on the far end of the room you can see the snowcapped mountains in the distance and snow falling. To either side of the Ballroom are additional seating areas – the Rose Gallery and the West Wing. Back to the main foyer and down the Suits of Armor lined hallway, guests can order lunch and eat in any of the 3 seating areas.
As you head towards the back of the area guests come upon Belle’s village. Pass by Gaston’s statue and fountain, enter Gaston’s Tavern and grab a LeFou’s Brew or a roasted pork shank – signature food items.
There is a small seating area off to the right of the counter decorated with all of Gaston’s hunting trophies (antlers animal heads galore) and of course a large portrait of himself over the fireplace. To the right of Gaston’s Tavern is Bonjour Village Gifts where you can purchase goblets, wine glasses, plates, pillows and many more souvenirs.
After passing Belle’s Village guests step into an amazingly themed world – Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid. The queue area is well decorated as underwater caverns with pieces of a shipwreck, whosits and whatsits all set alongside Prince Eric’s castle. It is an interactive queue that incorporates a scavenger hunt with little blue crabs collecting items along the way. Once inside guests hop inside a clamshell and float through scenes from the movie.
Finally there is Ariel’s Grotto, a character meet and greet with Ariel. Disney Imagineering did an amazing job creating a one of a kind opportunity for kids and adults to visit Ariel in her clamshell.
Annual Passholder, D23 member and DVC member previews are being held beginning November 3 with pre-registration required. The official previews begin November 19 and the Grand Opening will be held on December 6.
