Is the Princess Fantasy Faire worth it?

[disneydreamer74]

I have heard mixed reviews about the Fantasy Faire. I have a 2 year old (who does love Cinderella, and...well....aw heck I'll admit it ,... I love Belle. So, anyways, is it worth the long wait? what do they do exactly? trying to determine if my lil one is old enough to really enjoy it. TIA! Tina

 

[silence]

Depends on what you are looking for. Since the princesses rotate through (I think every 20-30 min) you aren't even guaranteed to see your favorites.

We did this line once and it is doubtful we will again. I'd much rather save the time and spend the money on a princess meal where I know my DD can see them all.

We have stopped by the craft area for a break and let DD color. We have not done any of the shows, which I hear are pretty cute.

 

[audrabolster]

We went and the line was only 20 minutes long or so. I thought it was great because we saw princess minnie, aurora and cinderella. But while we were in line they switched out jasmine, mulan and pochahontas- I would have been a little bummed if I had seen them. Lol. So if you are dead set on a certain princess, it might not be worth it. But otherwise, I think it's pretty cool.

 

[disneydreamer74]

So, they do shows and offer crafts then? Any idea how long the PFF lasts? I know it starts at 9 AM.

 

[bumbershoot]

There's the line (was over an hour in early December afternoon last year) to meet a random rotation of 3 princesses.

There's an area with picnic tables with coloring pages, crayons, stickers, and crowns.

On the opposite side from the crafts area, there's the store with princess stuff, Prince Phillip swords and shields (made of foam), and some sort of face-painting and hair stuff.

And on the stage, down from everything, there's the Coronation Ceremony at scheduled times (singing and some sort of ceremony that involves princes and princesses, I believe), and there's also set storytelling times with a rotation of princesses (a surprise when the princess comes out). Those two things are done at separate times, of course.

And lastly there's a counter service place with goodies and bratwurst type things.


My son at 3 wanted to meet princesses, ANY princesses. He loooooves the attention he gets, and looooooves pretty 20-something women (he has the taste of a college boy, I swear, from the women he chooses to make little-boy eyes at), so he really wanted to meet them. He was fairly patient with the line. There was a bad start b/c he met Belle first and had NO idea who Belle was, and she was asking him to sit on her skirt which is weird for a rule-following kiddo. But that yielded some funny pictures (that I titled "sorry Belle, he's just not that into you") and he was more than happy with Pocahontas (probably b/c he thought she was Sacajawea from Night at the Museum though) and Princess Minnie.

But if your child is going to be upset that she can't meet one certain princess, I can't recommend waiting in that line. You don't get to find out before it's your turn, you can't wait to the side until the desired princess is there. You might see "your" princess LEAVING of all awful things to see. So if your girl is going to have a problem with that, I would NOT do the line to meet them.

Hope that helps!

 

[disneydreamer74]

There's the line (was over an hour in early December afternoon last year) to meet a random rotation of 3 princesses.

There's an area with picnic tables with coloring pages, crayons, stickers, and crowns.

On the opposite side from the crafts area, there's the store with princess stuff, Prince Phillip swords and shields (made of foam), and some sort of face-painting and hair stuff.

And on the stage, down from everything, there's the Coronation Ceremony at scheduled times (singing and some sort of ceremony that involves princes and princesses, I believe), and there's also set storytelling times with a rotation of princesses (a surprise when the princess comes out). Those two things are done at separate times, of course.

And lastly there's a counter service place with goodies and bratwurst type things.


My son at 3 wanted to meet princesses, ANY princesses. He loooooves the attention he gets, and looooooves pretty 20-something women (he has the taste of a college boy, I swear, from the women he chooses to make little-boy eyes at), so he really wanted to meet them. He was fairly patient with the line. There was a bad start b/c he met Belle first and had NO idea who Belle was, and she was asking him to sit on her skirt which is weird for a rule-following kiddo. But that yielded some funny pictures (that I titled "sorry Belle, he's just not that into you") and he was more than happy with Pocahontas (probably b/c he thought she was Sacajawea from Night at the Museum though) and Princess Minnie.

But if your child is going to be upset that she can't meet one certain princess, I can't recommend waiting in that line. You don't get to find out before it's your turn, you can't wait to the side until the desired princess is there. You might see "your" princess LEAVING of all awful things to see. So if your girl is going to have a problem with that, I would NOT do the line to meet them.

Hope that helps!

Thank you, you were a huge help! I don't think my princess will be upset about seeing Cindy leave. She is quite familiar with them all. I think I will try it since there are many activities going on. I was laughing my butt off at the reaction your son had at the PFF. He knows where to find the girls already, LOL. I didn't want to wait in line just for my daughter to draw pictures, she can do that at the hotel ya know? Thanks for explaining everything.

 

[bumbershoot]

Glad I could help!

I took some pictures in May that I posted in my trip report, of the area.

And the pix in my December trip report show his "not that into you" face with Belle. Too funny.

As for him and young women, it's crazy! With one exception which just happened last weekend (he fell madly in "love" with an REI employee on an REI family campout, and she looked like she could be my sister), he goes for the little hotties! We lived last year in an apt building with tons of college students and young military men, so there were many women living there and visiting there, and he always would talk them up in the elevators. Too funny. And a little scary, too!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

If your daughter just wants to see the princesses, than I think the PFF rotation will work just fine for you. For what it's worth, I will note that a CM told me that Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora(Walt's princesses if you will) usually do the final meet and greet shift for the PFF. I personally don't like the rotation of the PFF, but that's because I really only want to see Aurora.

Now, Cinderella is the usual princess at the Drawn to the Magic Show in DCA. When running, it shows multiple times a day. You'll know during the show if it's going to be Cinderella because they draw 3 characters that will later "magically" appear. From what I've heard, Aurora is the other princess that occasionally shows.

Sometimes, some of the princesses appear right by the Mickey flowers inside DL's main entrance around 2:30-3:00pm.

You can also go to City Hall early in the morning and ask where a certain character is going to be and they can find out for you.

 

[Canyon girl]

I have to say that the storytelling was fabulous! They get the kids involved. My daughter LOVED it! Well worth the time for the story! I know that you never know what princess will be telling the story, but it is really great for any princess lover. We saw Cinderella and I think Snow White.

 

[fairykin]

Meeting the Princesses was the highlight of our 5 year old granddaughters trip.

It is so nice how each child gets time alone with each Princess and You are able to take great pictures with pretty backdrops.

While we were in line to meet the Princesses... We were Dreamed for a private meeting with Princess Aurora and Snow White...it was Fabulous.
A memory she still talks about.

When we go back in Feb. we will be going twice to this.. once each day!

Have a Beautiful trip and make lots of Happy memories.

fairykin

 

[sand2270]

Another option is to do the princess lunch at Ariel's Grotto. I did not want to wait in the long line at Princess Faire and we had the lunch scheduled. I told my DD beforehand that we would go do the crafts, storytelling, etc but we would skip the line since we were doing the princess lunch. She was fine with that.

I like the lunch because it's nice and cool and all the princesses come to you. But the food isn't that great and it's a little expensive so keep that in mind.

 

[disneydreamer74]

Glad I could help!

I took some pictures in May that I posted in my trip report, of the area.

And the pix in my December trip report show his "not that into you" face with Belle. Too funny.

As for him and young women, it's crazy! With one exception which just happened last weekend (he fell madly in "love" with an REI employee on an REI family campout, and she looked like she could be my sister), he goes for the little hotties! We lived last year in an apt building with tons of college students and young military men, so there were many women living there and visiting there, and he always would talk them up in the elevators. Too funny. And a little scary, too!

That is so funny, more so bc my nephew is the same way. Definitely a ladies man! I am going to check out the pics on your trip report right now!

 

[disneydreamer74]

Thanks everyone for the great info. I think we will try the PFF and play it be ear. Many friends of mine complained about Ariel's Grotto, so don't think I will do that one until she is a little older and has to speak one on one with the princesses. For now, I am lucky, she will not complain. lol.

 

[fairykin]

DisneyDreamer

I would for sure take your little princessa there! When you get behind the wall, it's roomy and you get a good amount of time with each Princess. Your child has quality interaction with them.

 

[tortugaverde]

For what it's worth, I will note that a CM told me that Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora(Walt's princesses if you will) usually do the final meet and greet shift for the PFF.

And I was told they do the first meet and greet, lol! Perhaps they do both the first and last!? Or perhaps it is just random !! At any rate, we got there 40 min (or so) before opening and were first in line and saw Cinderella, Snow White and Aurora. I felt it was worth it, as my daughter (5) absolutely loved it and we got some really awesome pictures. She still talks about how Cinderella told her that Tinkerbell sprinkled pixie dust that made her the first princess of the day.

Have fun

 

[Sleepless Knight]

When I did it, it was near the end of the day, so my guess is they do it both at the beginning and the end. Which makes sense when you consider that Ariel doesn't show up at the PFF, leaving only Belle and Jasmine as the other available "princesses"(read actual princesses either by birth or marriage as opposed to heroines, but not of a "royal" nature).

 

[bumbershoot]

Many friends of mine complained about Ariel's Grotto, so don't think I will do that one until she is a little older and has to speak one on one with the princesses. For now, I am lucky, she will not complain. lol.

The one thing to think about with the Grotto is that right now you wouldn't need to pay for her to eat. So if it's just the two of you, that might bring the total, relative, cost down a bit.

 

[fairykin]

Sleepless Knight... that was so funny!!

hhmmm..well when we went.. it was mid afternoon..we saw Cinderella..Belle and Jasmin..

Mulan read the story!

And then we had the private meeting with Princess Aurora and Snow White.

fairykin

 

[jencav5]

I think it's totally worth it if your kids like the princesses & fairy tales! The whole area is themed like a fairytale castle, and it's very enchanting! The storytelling is great! The coronation ceremony, where they teach them to bow, etc..., is very cute, and they do get to see the princesses, although no pictures/autographs during this. Both of those activities don't really require any waiting. The only thing you actually have to wait for is the picture/autograph with a princess. I don't believe they ever stop the princess greet, because they rotate them in and out. Only 3 are in the coronation ceremony, and only 1 does a storytelling at a time.

 

[bumbershoot]

When I did it, it was near the end of the day, so my guess is they do it both at the beginning and the end. Which makes sense when you consider that Ariel doesn't show up at the PFF, leaving only Belle and Jasmine as the other available "princesses"(read actual princesses either by birth or marriage as opposed to heroines, but not of a "royal" nature).

In the story, is Belle actually a princess? I've (gasp) never seen the movie, but I've heard it ends simply with them in love, NOT with a wedding, so she isn't *actually* a princess.

Just what I've heard...