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Fantasia Gardens

With 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, and the Downtown Disney complex, there is no shortage of attractions and amazing places to spend your valuable vacation time at Walt Disney World.  You have the option of spending every waking minute SOMEWHERE on property…which is not all bad, but it can sometimes lead to more stress than relaxation; which isn’t that the whole reason you took the time off in the first place?

One thing that I (Parkhopper John) have really been learning lately, is that no matter if it’s at home, at work, or on vacation, it’s the quality of the time you spend that is truly important.  All this brings me to an often overlooked attraction on Disney property: Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf.

Fantasia Gardens, located across Epcot Resort Boulevard from the Swan Hotel, is not your typical mini-golf location.  It features the usual 18 holes of challenging miniature golf, but with the Disney twist that all 18 holes are based on the 1940 Disney classic film Fantasia, including many of the key scenes and iconic characters.

Having driven by Fantasia Gardens over and over again on the many trips we’ve made, we finally decided that we would take a couple hours on a recent visit to the parks and spend some time conquering the course.  And at the end of our time we asked ourselves, “Why have we not done this before?”

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“Greens Fees” for Fantasia Gardens are $12.00 USD per 18-hole round for adults, and $10.00 USD for children 3 to 9 years of age.  However, one thing to remember for all you Passholders out there, you get a 50% discount on ALL your games at Fantasia Gardens.  The Golf Course is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Each hole begins with instructions, written as a poem, on a sign made to resemble a music book on a stand.  The limerick not only instructs on how to play the hole, but also gives you a hint on any surprises coming your way.

We started playing and quickly caught up to a family of 6 who were enjoying a leisurely game that afternoon.  They graciously allowed us to “play through”, which allowed us to play their hole and get ahead of them.  This is something you should remember.  If you have a larger party, it is polite, and MUCH appreciated, to allow them to play past you, and that allows you to play at your pace and not interfere with anyone else’s game.

My personal favorite hole was #8, inside the mountain where something evil dwells.  The really cool thing about Fantasia Gardens is, like other mini golf courses, it’s animated.  But this is Walt Disney World, and animation is what they do best!  The characters throughout the course surprise you and amuse you, they make you laugh, and they make the course magical.

This mini golf course is perfect for families, not too difficult for the young ones, but challenging enough for the adults to keep from boredom.   The most important thing about this course, as with everything at Disney World, is it makes you SLOW DOWN.  There’s so many subtle things to experience that you could play this course several times and still not see or hear everything.  It makes for a much richer experience and at the end of the day, your memories will be better.

One word of caution: this golf course has water hazards.  Seriously, if you hit your ball too hard and it careens into the water…you either have to fish it out, or walk ALL THE WAY to the  front of the course and get another ball.  And that can be a LONG WALK!

This is a fun course for young and old.  It’s a great way to spend a few hours with your family and a awesome, unique Disney experience NOT within the parks.

 

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WDW Parkhoppers are Parkhopper John and his wife, Parkhopper Sid and they love to share the magic of Walt Disney World. They can also be found at www.TeamParkhoppers.com, a non-profit organization that helps other non-profits raise money while also enjoying runDisney events. Living only 45 minutes from Walt Disney World, their lives are truly magical!

4 Comments

  • Dan Bejma

    My wife and I like the Fantasia Gardens course, but we LOVE the Summer/Winterland (or Winter/Summerland) courses. We HIGHLY recommend those two courses. You’ll love em. They are located near Blizzard Beach… And don’t forget to check for discounts! Last time we were there, it was 2 for 1 with an AP or Disney Visa Card. Oh, and watch out for Squirty the Snowman!! 😉

    • admin

      Thanks for the suggestion! That’s one reason I love the Disney community…we help each other out! Sarah and I plan on visiting the Summer Winterland courses as soon as we can! They sound like fun, and we always want to find great ways to make memories in and OUTSIDE the parks!