

In 2012, I took the family to Walt Disney World for what I had expected to be our last Disney World trip for quite a few years. But a mere eighteen months later, we were back. A big part of the reason for our return was the completion of Disney’s long-in-the-works Fantasyland Expansion. With the opening of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride, Disney has completed a project that was announced over five years ago! I have been reporting on the Fantasyland Expansion for the last several years and could not resist the chance to see the finished project for myself.

This trip wasn’t just a family vacation. It was also a research trip. I wanted to tackle as many new experiences as possible so that I could report on them here at Le Blog. Since the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was opening in late May, that provided an opportunity to attend my first Star Wars weekend. We checked out every nook and cranny of the new Fantasyland, met with new characters and tried out new restaurants. Although we have stayed at Port Orleans before, I booked our stay in the new Royal Guest bedrooms.

Visiting in the early summer was also a new experience. How would we handle the crowds, the heat and the thunderstorms? As expected, the summer months presented some new challenges. But touring in the summer time proved to be less challenging than expected. Additionally, Disney is in the process of rolling out their My Magic Plus program which changes many elements of a Disney World vacation.

With so many new experiences to report on, I thought it was worth returning to Disney World earlier than I had originally planned.



Since this trip report is so massive, I wanted to provide a table of contents with links to areas that may be of interest.

Table of Contents

Arrival and Check In at Port Orleans Riverside

Dinner at Boatwright’s Dining Hall

The Royal Guest Rooms at Port Orleans Riverside

A Morning Walk Around Port Orleans Riverside

Fantasyland: A Visit With Ariel

Fantasyland: Gaston’s Tavern

Fantasyland: Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train

Killing Time in Fantasyland

Lunch at Be Our Guest

Dinner at Be Our Guest

Fantasyland: Enchanted Tales With Belle

Evening at the Magic Kingdom

Star Wars Weekend and Toy Story Mania

Breakfast at Fairfax Fare, Tower of Terror and the Great Movie Ride

Legends of the Force Motorcade and the Feel the Force Premium Package

More Star Wars, Toy Story Mania and an Afternoon Swim

Dinner at the 50s Prime Time Café

Obi-Wan and Beyond

Star Wars Fireworks and the Feel the Force Dessert Party

Meeting Up With Friends and Bus Depot Woes

Crazy Spinning at the Mad Tea Party

Fantasyland: Gaston, My What a Guy

Peter Pan, Country Bears and Lunch at Columbia Harbor House

The Festival of Fantasy Parade Part 1

The Festival of Fantasy Parade Part 2

Beating the heat in Adventurland and Tomorrowland

Dinner at the Crystal Palace

Hitting the Wall

Morning at Downtown Disney

A Rainy Afternoon at Port Orleans Riverside

Club Cool, Maelstrom and Kidcot

Dinner at Akershus

Gran Fiesta Tour, Mickey Bars and the Epcot Character Spot

A Lazy Morning at Port Orleans Riverside

Flying Solo at Epcot

A Messy Mexican Snack

Test Track, The Seas and Figment

Dinner at Chef Mickey’s

Big Thunder and Meeting Anna and Elsa

Fantasyland: Dumbo, Big Top Treats and Pete’s Silly Sideshow

Farewell to Magic Kingdom and One Final Swim

A Boat Ride to Downtown Disney

Dinner at Planet Hollywood

Evening at Downtown Disney and The End

Next: Arrival and Check In at Port Orleans Riverside

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