Fantasyland with little waiting

After the Haunted Mansion, we walk into Fantasyland. The loading area of it’s a small world is almost empty!

Now, this ride is admittedly no one’s favorite, at least not in my group. We don't actively dislike it, it's just not a favorite. But it is so completely identified with the Disney experience that we almost always make time for it. It helps that we’re able to walk on the ride.

The loading area has been completely renovated since we were last here, done up to resemble the iconic original ride at Disneyland, but in dazzling white. I approve.

Our “wait” in line lasts as long as it takes us to walk at full speed down the ramp, and we are put on a boat immediately. As I sit, I can tell that I’m going to have a problem here. I’m a big guy, and I’m always concerned that I’ll be able to fit in a ride. The boats in it's a small world have bench seats, so my width is not a problem, but my height is. There is very little leg room.

I’m forced to sit cross-legged in the seat, and even then my knees are pressed into the back of the seat in front of me. I try readjusting several times during the ride, but never find a comfortable position.

The dolls and singing are saccharine-cute as always – and also renovated, with new paint and a new sound system so the theme song gets stuck more completely in our brains – but I’m never happier to see the “goodbye” signs marking the end of the ride! My knees need a break.

Okay, it’s almost 10:30 now. What next? We go to check out Mickey’s Philharmagic, which was new on our last trip. It was also one of our favorite new attractions. The standby line shows a wait time of 10 minutes, but I don’t think it can be accurate, since the queue is out the door.

Still, we get in line. Becky will probably be irate that we saw this without her, but we’ll be willing to do it again when we’re here tomorrow.

We quickly enter the main queue room, and find that all of the switchbacks there are bypassed, so that the line goes straight through to the preshow holding area! We go straight there and are ready to go in for the very next show!