Flashback: Fantasyland Theater

In an earlier post, we explored the Royal Concert Hall in Fantasyland, home to Mickey's PhilharMagic. This spot has actually hosted a number of different attractions over the years. When PhilharMagic opened in 2003, it replaced Legend of the Lion King (94-02), a stage show which combined large-scale puppets and special effects to retell the story of the 1994 animated feature.

Going back a bit further, we discover that Mickey's PhilharMagic was also preceded by another 3-D presentation, Magic Journeys. Magic Journeys had originally been a feature of the Journey Into Imagination pavilion at EPCOT Center, playing there from 1982-1986 until it was replaced by Captain EO. The following year, it shifted to the Fantasyland Theater where it was screened along with a 3-D pre-show of the 1953 animated short "Working for Peanuts."

In the years between 1980 and 1987, the theater bore the generic marquee of Fantasyland Theater, often playing host to Cast Member events. During the warm summer months, the theater was also open to Guests who were invited in for continuous screenings of classic Disney animated shorts.

The original occupant of this space was actually a direct cousin to PhilharMagic, the Mickey Mouse Revue. This attraction featured popular Disney characters in musical vignettes from their films, all brought to life through Audio-Animatronics. The show ran at Walt Disney World from 1971-1980, at which point it was relocated to Japan for the opening of Tokyo Disneyland (it closed there last year to make way for Mickey's PhilharMagic).

The Royal Concert Hall

Located just off the central court in the village is the Royal Fantasyland Concert Hall, now presenting Mickey's PhilharMagic. The golden touches and crown icons tell us this is a theater built for the pleasure of the nobility, while the scrolls and musical notes indicate the nature of the performances.

Of course, with this being the Kingdom of Cinderella and Prince Charming, all are welcome to attend. Stepping through the main entrance of the hall, a lobby card informs us of tonight's featured presentation: The PhilharMagic Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Mickey Mouse.

The entire Concert Hall is dedicated to the enjoyment of music, and musical motifs can be found in everything from the large piece of art dominating the back wall ("Music on Parade" donated by Miss Minnie Mouse) to the notes and instrument shapes woven into the carpet.

While this is home to the PhilharMagic Orchestra, the Royal Fantasyland Concert Hall has also played host over the years to a number of guest performers. Posters from some of the past shows that have played the theater grace the walls of the theater lobby. They represent a virtual "Who's Who" of Disney musical heritage.

A personal favorite is the poster of Willie the Whale performing "I Pagliacci." Not only is it a nice reference to the segment "The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met" from Disney's Make Mine Music (1946), but the image on the poster actually shows Willie performing at the Royal Concert Hall. The golden proscenium is the same one you see before you once seated in the theater.

It's just about show time, so grab your opera glasses and head inside. This way, please. That entrance is for the musicians only:

After the show (assuming everything goes well and doesn't get interrupted by that meddling duck), perhaps you'll want to pick up a souvenir of the performance at the Concert Hall's shop, Fantasy Faire.

Inside, we discover that when Donald was shot from the tuba at the end of the concert, he crashed all the way through to the ceiling of the shop. We find him in one of his usual moods, caught up in a tangle of instruments. While we're looking up, though, it's a great opportunity to admire some of the other musical details in the space, from the tops of the fixtures to the columns around the edge of the room.

Just above those columns is a bar dotted with musical notes. The appear purely decorative... unless you know how to read music. Hum through the notes, and you'll find yourself singing a bit of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" by Paul Dukas.