Welcome to our Dress Rehearsal!
*Warning to Marissa-don't read this update, lol! I'm sad you can't read it, because it was one of the best parts of my trip!!!

*
So. Brandon and I were ready to leave the Magic Kingdom, and started to make our way out of Storybook Circus. It probably would have been easier to walk through Tomorrowland and leave that way, but I wanted to make a quick detour, so I started walking towards Fantasyland. New Fantasyland, to be more precise.
I told Brandon I wanted to see if MAYBE it was open. I knew it wouldn't be, since it was only open to AP holders that week, but hey, can't hurt to look right?
So we walked over and looked at the sign they had out, which was guarded by CM's, and figured it said it was closed. But then I saw people walking in and the CM's just letting them. So I got closer and read the sign-
"Welcome to our Dress Rehearsal of New Fantasyland!"
Oh. My. God. I started flipping out to poor Brandon, telling him it was open and I could FINALLY see this new, probably amazing section of the Magic Kingdom. I felt like I waited SO long for this moment, and we were about to walk in. I think I actually had to stop for a second to make sure it was actually going to happen!
We walked in, right by the CM's who just waved to us and smiled-for some reason, I was thinking they would tell us we weren't allowed in there haha, and we were IN! IN NEW FANTASYLAND!!!
I could not contain myself, I was freaking out. I was crying, Brandon was laughing at me, I was trying to compose myself to figure out what we should do first, and I was trying to see every little detail! I did not want to miss anything!
The first thing I focused on was the Beast's Castle!
I mean, sure, I've seen it from afar, outside of New Fantasyland, but I was IN New Fantasyland, so I had a whole new perspective, and the Castle was perfect! I love how it really looks like it's up on top of a mountain! The whole area is amazing, with the waterfall and river under it, I loved it!
And of course, the Castle is home to Be Our Guest!
And people were going in!!!
So I said to Brandon "can we eat here? Can we actually go in? I'll die if we can eat here, can you ask?"
So Brandon went up to one of the CM's and asked if we could go in and they said yes, if we wanted to eat, we had to get in line, and if we just wanted to look around, we could go in a different door to just wander around! WHAT????
Of course I was not about to pass up an opportunity to eat here! And the line wasn't even that long, so we hopped in and just looked around at all the amazing scenery!
The line moved really slowly, it seemed like the whole ordering process was confusing for a lot of people! They had self-serve kiosks where you just do the touch screen to order, and then they had actual people you could order from.
Finally we got into the room where you order, which is the Beast's room where he hangs out during dinner, so his chair was there. People were sitting in it, taking pictures, so of course, Brandon wanted his picture in the Beast's chair:
I was trying to take pictures of the area where you order, but I didn't want anyone to see what I was doing so this is the best one that I got, haha!
It was our turn to order and it took no time at all! We went through a line with a CM, and everything was really simple, they have the whole menu on a screen right where you order and it could not be easier! I'm not sure why it was so complicated for people, I think the dining plan confused a lot of people for some reason!
Anyway, when you complete your order, they give you a rose, and when you sit at the table, the rose is how they find you and give you your order. HOW AMAZING IS THAT??? I wish I had a picture of it, but I'm sure you guys have seen it a million times by now, right? I can't believe I didn't take a picture!
But I'm guessing I didn't take a picture of it because when I walked into the ballroom, I was blown away! It is literally like stepping into the movie "Beauty and the Beast". It is perfect in every way.
You can't tell in the pictures, but it actually has SNOW falling outside of those windows!!!
We didn't want to wander around too long, so we just grabbed the first table we saw in the ballroom, kind of close to the windows.
Brandon went to get us drinks and when he sat down, our food arrived! They bring it in these glass carts to keep it warm, I guess, and it's just crazy how they wheel those things around and know which table to bring everything to!
Brandon got the Tuna Nicoise Salad
(Sorry the pictures of the food are dark, it's dark in there and I was using my phone!)
And I got the Croque Monsieur with fries:
And for dessert, we both got the chocolate cupcake!
Everything was amazing! I loved it, Brandon loved his salad, although he said he was still hungry by the end, haha! I was just so happy to be eating there, everything could have been horrible and I wouldn't have cared, but luckily, it's really good!

I'd love to do the quick service again, but there's no way I'd ever wait an hour to eat there!
When we finished eating, we decided to look in the west wing before we left,
which was gorgeous! Again, it was just like being in the movie!!!
Finally, we were ready to leave, I was excited to see Be Our Guest, but I was dying to go on the Little Mermaid Ride! As we were walking out, I saw this:
DEAD.
I hope everyone gets a chance to eat at Be Our Guest! I've heard people complain about the food, but I've eaten there for lunch and dinner, and it's fantastic! I don't know what more people could want, but I loved it! And you just have to see the inside if you like Beauty and the Beast, because it's like being in the movie, and I love that! I didn't want to leave!
But like I said, there was still MORE New Fantasyland to explore, and I was REALLY hoping the wait for the Little Mermaid wasn't too bad, because I HAD to ride that puppy!
Up next...MORE NEW FANTASYLAND!!!