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While the Fantasyland expansion means the creation of some fantastic new attractions in the Magic Kingdom, it also indicates the closing of some old Disney World standards. Tomorrow, February 12, sees the shutdown of Mickey’s Toontown Fair.
I can’t be overly nostalgic about the Toontown Fair because I’ve never been to it, nor is it one of the attractions I can herald as a Disney World original. But Mickey’s Toontown Fair has been in Orlando since 1988, and as such it’s an integral part of the Magic Kingdom for many.
In some ways it might feel more special than other parts of the park because for over two decades it’s been one of Mickey Mouse’s homes. Originally called Mickey’s Birthdayland and then Mickey’s Starland before the change to its final moniker, Mickey’s Toontown Fair was the Magic Kingdom’s vacation destination for its namesake and his friends.
The idea of a bright and happy home for cartoons came from the movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” The financial success of the film in the 1980s lead park executives to propose a new section of Disney World behind Main Street, U.S.A. called Hollywoodland, filled to the brim with characters (at least the ones Disney owned) from the innovative movie.
At the same time plans were underway to create another section in the Magic Kingdom to house Mickey Mouse in honor of his sixtieth birthday. Execs named the attraction Mickey’s Birthdayland. The two new sections of the park were located near one another.
Much like those for the current Fantasyland expansion, however, the elaborate plans for Hollywoodland were cut back. In fact, while Mickey’s Birthdayland survived, Hollywoodland was cancelled entirely. Instead, execs took a concept from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”—Toontown—and combined that with Mickey’s Birthdayland. Thus Mickey’s Toontown Fair was born.
Not having been to Toontown Fair myself, I can’t say whether or not many characters from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” appear there. I’m guessing not, because in everything I’ve ever seen from Disney World the cartoon rabbit doesn’t make many appearances. Instead, the neat idea of a town entirely for toons, presided over by Disney patriarch Mickey Mouse, persisted.
Mickey’s Toontown Fair will disappear almost entirely after its closing tomorrow. An element or two of the attraction, like new locations for Dumbo and Goofy (as The Great Goofini), will appear in the expansion’s new Storybook Circus.
I wouldn’t worry about having any problems finding Mickey after this weekend, however. The famed mouse makes several appearances all over the park, so his presence will still be deeply felt at Disney World. He should also find a new home soon enough, as housing him elsewhere was always part of the plan for his upcoming reimagining. Disney execs are still tightly lipped about the details for that particular change, but expect much fanfare whenever his new home does debut.
Fans of Mickey’s Toontown Fair shouldn’t despair too much. While the attraction will soon just be a memory in Orlando, it will live on both at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland.
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No Longer the Happiest Turkeys on Earth
The Magic Kingdom: Where to Meet Characters
*(This image by Joe Shlabotnik is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
