The construction walls are finally down, and Storybook Circus, the first section of Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland expansion, has entered a soft opening for all Walt Disney World guests to enjoy! Storybook Circus actually beat Disney’s projected “late March” launch window that we reported last month. This first phase of Storybook Circus includes one carousel of Dumbo, a re-themed Barnstormer, and the Fantasyland station for the Walt Disney World Railroad.

It’s a truly special occasion whenever a major section of a Disney World park opens, and Twitter has absolutely been abuzz about Storybook Circus’ opening. Reception to the new area at Magic Kingdom seems to be overwhelmingly positive, and crowds have flocked to check out Disney World’s replacement for Toontown Fair. As Spring Break season just kicked off in Orlando, these new attractions will hopefully help with the crowds expected for Magic Kingdom over the next few weeks.

For pictures, videos, and reactions from around the web, be sure to continue reading about Disney World’s soft opening of Storybook Circus.

Orlando Attractions Magazine posted a walkthrough video of Storybook Circus to their YouTube channel. You can definitely get the feel for the classic circus theme that Disney is trying to evoke.

 

Craig Kuehnert posted these two photos to his Twitter account @Craigory24. Dumbo looks as great as ever! And the peanut shells in the pavement are just one small example of Disney World’s excellent attention to detail.

The new queue for Dumbo looks much more appealing than the old version. Shade and fans will be a great relief on hot days in Orlando. (Image credit: WDW News Today.)

Adam Roth posted the above image via Twitter and said, “The Fantasyland Train Station is gorgeous.”

Adam also posted this picture of the entrance of The Barnstormer.

Here’s a wonderful shot of The Barnstormer that WDW Magic posted to Instagram. I absolutely love the new look of The Barnstormer. Goofy’s crashed-through silhouette on the billboard is a great detail and a fun gag.

Kevin Yee seems to approve of Disney’s execution of the new area, saying on Twitter: “The Storybook Circus theming is impressive and well-done.”

Deb Wills from AllEars.Net says via Twitter, “My initial impression is great attention to detail.”

While I won’t be able to check out Storybook Circus in person for a couple of weeks, I’m really impressed with what I’m seeing. The theming of classic circuses from yesteryear provides a gorgeous aesthetic, which I find way more appealing than the old cartoony look of Toontown.

This soft opening of Storybook Circus marks the beginning of Disney World’s massive New Fantasyland expansion opening to the public. Many more attractions, restaurants, and stores are slated to open in the coming months. If Storybook Circus is indicative of the attention to detail that will be found around the rest of Fantasyland, Disney World fans have a lot to look forward to.

Have you checked out Storybook Circus yet? Do you have any pictures or impressions? Drop me a line at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you. Also, be sure to stay tuned to Guide2WDW for more information on New Fantasyland at Walt Disney World!