Fantasyland Forest Expansion—June 2010

This is our monthly edition of Fantasyland Forest Friday, keeping you up-to-date on the latest happenings over in the Fantasyland area that is being made over into the “Fantasyland Forest”.

Past Fantasyland Forest “Fridays” for you to keep track of the progress:

January 2010 and January 2010 2.0
April 2010
May 2010

In the beginning of May 2010, the bland Great Wall of Fantasyland was ‘transformed’ and ‘spruced’ up with various ‘billboards’ giving guests a hint at what is to come when the walls come down. (All Pictures from WDWNT Network)

 

      

Early in the Month of May, the buildings of the Ariel’s Grotto area were still standing, the signs just were taken down. 

 

Also in May, Prince Eric and Ariel (in human form) began their meet and greets in Adventureland, in the space that was formally occupied by the Lilo and Stitch (and later just Stitch) meet and greets.

Near the end of the month the buildings of Ariel’s Grotto were ‘demolished’ and/or removed from the area. (NOTE: A great place to see over the walls is the second floor balcony of Pinocchio’s Village Haus or by riding Dumbo, the Flying Elephant attraction.)

  

The walls were moved back, allowed more walkway, and now the area for seating for the grotto is now uncovered by the ‘gazebo’/tent structure, and reveals the flooring is still there, and the next day the seating returned to the area, to allow guests to sit and rest in the HOT Florida weather.

 

Meanwhile on Main Street, Exposition Hall is still all construction walled off all around, and guests are only allowed in the front store area.

 

A Pooh and Tigger meet and greet is now on Main Street, near City Hall, in front of a ‘themed’ background.

During the month of May, the Disney Parks Blog revealed two pieces of information. The first was the showing of how Walt Disney Imagineering moved the 100 Acre Wood play area tree across the way to in front of the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction, and soon to be queue area of the attraction. Check out the video and pictures below.

 

Another minor, yet seemingly important  detail is that the Disney Parks Blog announced that the Cinderella’s Royal Carrousel would be renamed Prince Charming’s Regal Carrousel, as of June 1st the new name took place on the attraction. Many wonder if this has to do with the Fantasyland Expansion, but why change the name now? Especially IF it does have to do with the expansion, why not wait a couple years? Overall I think that it is an ok change, but it is understandable (for me) because of the whole story area of the new Fantasyland Expansion.

That is it for this month’s Fantasyland Friday, see you in July!

Pictures Courtesy of the WDWNT Network