Disneyland closing historic Carnation Plaza Gardens on April 30, to be replaced by Fantasy Faire village for Disney Princesses

in Disney, Disneyland Resort, Entertainment, Music, Theme Parks

A treasured piece of Disneyland history will soon be “reimagined” into a village for guests to meet Disney Princesses as Disney has announced the closing date for Carnation Plaza Gardens.

The festive outdoor location close by Sleeping Beauty Castle has been home to swing dancing parties for decades, dating back to Walt Disney’s personal enjoyment of the pastime years ago. But as was announced at the 2011 D23 Expo, the area will soon become Fantasy Faire, described as “an enchanting village square that will immerse guests in the stories of their favorite princesses.”


Video: Fantasy Faire announced to replace Carnation Plaza Gardens at 2011 D23 Expo


The last day of operation of the existing Carnation Plaza Gardens will be April 30, 2012, immediately after which the “transformation” into Fantasy Faire will begin, essentially an extension of nearby Fantasyland and hosting an updated version of the Princess Fantasy Faire that’s been operating near “it’s a small world” for several years.

Tangled Tower and Royal Princess Hall will be among the elements that guests will find in the new Fantasy Faire village, featuring “ample” time to meet and greet with Disney Princesses.

The new Fantasy Faire Stage is “where the tales of Disney’s fairy tale heroes and heroines will be brought to life each day.” And it’s here that at night the popular dancing of Carnation Plaza Gardens will return – the part of the announcement seen in the video above that received the most applause from the attending Disney fans in the D23 Expo audience.

In the meantime, the Jump, Jive, Boogie Swing Party will take place at Carnation Plaza Gardens three more times before it closes, on each Saturday this month featuring (in order) Doc Anello & the Swing Machine, Stompy Jones, and Swingtown. Then beginning May 5, Disneyland is moving the Jump, Jive, Boogie Swing Party to the Westside stage in Downtown Disney.

Many Disney fans upset with the upcoming closure of this classic piece of Disneyland nostalgia have passed around the below image of Walt Disney, very clearly enjoying himself at Carnation Plaza Gardens, which has remained relatively untouched since Disney’s time in the park – until the end of this month.

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