Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf and Garden Pavilions

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I may have mentioned once or twice (okay, several times) how much pleasure I take in putting a round of miniature golf at Fantasia Gardens on every trip to Walt Disney World. I may even have a friend who was there for the courses’ grand opening. So it should come as no surprise that I couldn’t help but share this article on Fantasia Gardens just as soon as it came across my desk. The article, Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf and Garden Pavilions originally comes from The Disney Magazine’s Winter 1995 issue.

Disney’s Fantasia comes to life! Disney’s newest experience, Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf and Garden Pavilions, is located on an 11-acre site to the southwest of Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan Hotels, near the BoardWalk Resort. The project will provide a wonderful Disney style experience for two distinct markets, a convention facility and a recreational amenity for Disney Resort guests.

Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf is a unique recreational experience with two 18-hole miniature courses that will appeal to both children and adults. An animated Starter Shack, that includes a snack bar and arcade, greets our guests and sets the stage for the theme.

For the family, the 18 holes of Fantasia Gardens, designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, is a fallback to the era of traditional miniature golf in a classical garden setting. Rolling grassy hills, sculpted hedges, elegant topiaries, sparkling ponds and formal flower beds work together to create an environmental garden setting reminiscent of “The Pastoral Symphony” sequence from the Classic Disney animated feature, “Fantasia.”

While beautiful and tranquil in setting, Fantasia Gardens also offers up a healthy dose of fun. Guests interact with whimsical, animated statues and dancing fountains. There are surprises around every corner as guests are challenged by the cleverly themed hazards based on five sequences from the film:

Toccata & Fugue, the introduction that sets a musical tone;
The Nutcracker Suite, that celebrates the seasons of the year;
The Pastoral Symphony, with its mythological cast of characters;
The Dance of the Hours, famous Alligator and Hippo ballet;
and of course, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, starring the one and only Mickey Mouse.

Focused more for the adult children, Fantasia Fairways is a one-of-a-kind challenge putting course. In a landscape setting that harmonizes with Fantasia Gardens, the par three and four putting holes will thrill and entertain the best of golfers. Exaggerated contours, water hazards and sand traps together with dogleg bends will demand both skill and luck to overcome.

Designed by noted American architect Michael Graves, the Garden Pavilions will extend the variety of spaces available for convention functions. In its open air, circus tent style, the pavilions will capitalize on Central Florida’s outdoor environment with patio decks, a sandy beach with lush landscaping. The two connected pavilions will accommodate a single large function or two groups simultaneously.