Fantasyland by dek516
Perhaps the most quintessential of Disneyland's themed areas is Fantasyland, located directly behind Sleeping Beauty's castle. Fantasyland is reminiscent of a small European town and has a fairytale atmosphere to it. In that theme, rides in Fantasyland are based on some of Disney's more magical stories, like Peter Pan and Snow White. Rides in Fantasyland include:
--Peter Pan's Flight: Visitors ride in a ship over London into Never Never Land to see mermaids, crocodiles and battles between Peter Pan and Captain Hook. Be advised-- lines for Peter Pan are usually the longest in Fantasyland, although the ride itself is very short. Try to get there early or late in the day.
--Snow White's Scary Adventures: Follow Snow White's journey, meeting the dwarves and of course the witch/queen. The witch may scare some young children.
--Alice in Wonderland: This colorful ride includes the Cheshire cat, the Queen, and the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.
--Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: Based on the children's book "The Wind in the Willows," Mr. Toad involves a wild ride that ends with Mr. Toad getting run over by a train and landing in Hell-- maybe not the best for some little ones.
--Pinnochio's Daring Journey: Ride through the Pinnochio story, including the colorful Pleasure Island where boys become donkeys and a near-encounter with a giant whale.
--It's a Small World: This ride was designed for the 1964 World's Fair in New York City, after which it was bought by Walt Disney and transferred to Disneyland. The ride is a long one and a great way to cool off midday. Visitors ride a boat past dolls dressed in costumes of different areas of the world, singing the obnoxiously-catch "It's a Small World" song in different languages. As of summer 2008, the ride is closed for "refurbishment."
--The Matterhorn: This thrill ride takes guests through the Alps past the Abominable Snowman. This ride is rickety and painful; it's one of the few at Disney that I'd recommend skipping.
There are other rides in Fantasyland, but those are the big ones. Beware long lines, especially given the fact that most of the rides are around 2 minutes long. Besides the Matterhorn, rides are generally appropriate for all ages.
