Please note!
This is SPOILER heavy! If you want to be surprised by this experience, please don’t read any further.
This week, while at the Magic Kingdom, while in line for Goofy’s Barnstormer, I got a call from my friend Pam telling me they were asked to be among the first people to see the new “Enchanted Tales With Belle”, in the as yet unopened section of Fantasyland. As we were just boarding the Barnstormer, we were stuck. But the moment we were off, we headed over towards the new castle wall.
Several Cast Members were out front asking guests if they’d like to see “Enchanted Tales with Belle”!
We couldn’t get the word “YES!” out fast enough.
And we went behind the construction walls!
We were immediately struck by how beautiful the landscaping was.
Beast’s Castle in the distance.
We entered into the very humble living quarters.
We heard some people say that the portrait on the wall is Belle and her daughter. Perhaps Belle and her mother? Not sure. What do you think?
Then we entered Maurice’s workshop.
Wardrobe explains that we would all be participating in the retelling of the story of how Belle met the Beast. The Cast Member opens Wardrobe, and chooses guests to act out characters, such as animated suits of armor, Beast, Maurice, Chip and Mrs. Potts, etc. She even asks if anyone that didn’t get chosen would like to participate, and can see there are plenty of spoons and forks to be distributed to those who chose to be in the “cast”.
At this point, the Cast Members in attendance, bring in Belle herself, to participate in the retelling of the budding romance of Beauty and the Beast.
The cast of guests help retell the tale as old as time, with help from the Cast Members. Seeing the young children in utter rapt attention, and the joy…I won’t lie, my wife and I were welling up at several points. Here is Belle with her Beast.
At the end, each member of the cast received a special bookmark to commemorate the event, which I confess, made me question my decision to just be an observer!
Also, as each member of the cast was given the bookmark, a Photopass Cast Member took their photo.
At the end, everyone was given a Photopass card, which in itself is a lovely souvenir.
SO. What did we think. Well, in case you couldn’t tell, we LOVED it! This is what Disney is all about. Wonderful stories being told in an engaging, and now, interactive, way. It is one of the most “Disney” experiences we’ve had in a long time. I cannot wait to see what else Disney has in store for us, when the rest of the new Fantasyland starts opening in the next couple of months.
Nick is co-writer of the Disney Musings Blog with his wife, Barbie.
So, just to be clear: The only photo opportunities are the ones parents take as the experience unfolds? No individual shots with Belle, or autographs?
A very good question. Everyone who was in the show, got a one on one photo with Belle, taken by a Cast Member. At the end of the show, everyone in the audience was given the card pictured above. If you’d like a photo, I recommend volunteering to be in involved, providing you aren’t chosen. As for autographs, I’m not sure, no one in the group I was with asked for one.-Nick
Thanks, Nick. We’re going early February, Belle is of course my little girl’s favorite, and I just read on KennythePirate that she no longer participates at Cinderella’s Royal Table (which I, naturally, booked so as to let little girl interact with her idol).
I’m a little worried that the marvelous interaction you describe is due to sneak peeking, and may not be carried through in day-to-day once new fantasyland finishes opening celebrations.
I think it will be a permanent fixture. I hate to say it, but it’s a great way to generate money. If your child, or significant other, was in the cast and got a one on one with Belle, and you are given a Photopass card, you are very likely to pay for that photo. It’s a another brilliant move by Disney, that doesn’t make the experience any less magical.
Any way to know if there will be more “sneak peeks”? We’re going next week!
My family was able to participate in a “Dress Rehearsal” open to the public last Friday – the area was open on Sunday when we visited as well. Be prepared for a long line, as you are taken in groups to watch/be the show. I played Wardrobe and my daughter was Chip. The ‘show’ was fun and intimate. A photopass member took pictures of each cast member with Belle, and then Belle left before everyone else. No pictures with her unless in the cast, and no one got autographs. The mirror effect is fabulous – and the whole thing is very well done!