‘Beauty and Beast’ still big at Disney
In the 25 years since “Beauty and the Beast” debuted, its characters have found multiple ways to establish themselves in Walt Disney World’s theme parks. Now, as a live-action version of “Beauty” arrives in theaters, is a great time to spin through them all. Introducing … the Beauty and the Beast Marathon, a upand-at-’em journey through all things B&B at WDW.
Of course, you can mix up this list any way you please — be our guest. But this order makes sense to us at Theme Park Rangers World headquarters.
Start your day of “Beauty” with an encounter with the film’s female lead. At Epcot, Belle meets and greets guests at the France pavilion. Go before May 29 and you can check out her topiary twin, which Disney has upgraded, improving the facial features to look more like her animated character. (Big bushy Beast is by her side, naturally, behind the France fountain, in the shadow of the park’s faux Eiffel Tower.)
The next four stops are within Magic Kingdom, starting with Be Our Guest Restaurant, which features three distinct dining areas based on Beast’s castle. The dominant one is the grand ballroom, which is flanked by the gallery (with large B&B figures dancing) and the west wing (dark, but with fun special effects).
Next door is Enchanted Tales with Belle, a playlet with audience participation, top-notch animatronics and a real-life Belle, who pays more attention to kids than adults. Good for you, Belle. (Side note: Watch the engineering of her golden dress when she kneels to talk to little ones. It automatically — some would say magically — falls into place just so, making it cameraready.)
Over in Mickey’s PhilharMagic, you’ll have to tolerate characters and songs from other Disney animated flicks, but in return, there’s a 3-D (and way-bigger-than-life) Lumiere breaking into “Be Our Guest.”
Since you’re in sharing mode, you’ll have even more non-”Beast” creatures in the mid-afternoon Festival of Fantasy parade that runs through Magic Kingdom. But B&B are front and center of the lead float. An arrangement of the song “Beauty and the Beast” is incorporated into the overall Festival of Fantasy theme music. (Cinderella and her prince, Tiana, Naveen, Elsa and Anna have their backs on the float.)
And now, hot-foot it over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to catch a late showing of “Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage.” The stage production hits many of the high points of the original and throws in a trick or two along with fun costuming. Fun fact: This theme park show and the animated film debuted on the exact same day back in 1991.
Finally, get sneaky with a sneak peak of the bigscreen retelling with an eight-minute preview showing inside the One Man’s Dream attraction in Hollywood Studios. Nearby, there are costumes and props from the new film, which debuts in theaters today.
The D-Living store at Disney Springs specializes in home décor items, and right now it’s stocked with “Beauty” products such as picture frames, artwork, candles, dishes, bedding and more. Expect turnover in its stock and a change in theme, so don’t let the clock strike midnight before visiting. (Oops, sorry. Wrong princess.)