The Fantasyland Toy Shop, as referenced in the context of the current it’s a small world Toy Shop (opened December 18, 1992), likely refers to earlier toy shops in Fantasyland at Disneyland with different names or locations before Mattel’s sponsorship tied the shop to the it’s a small world attraction. Historical records suggest the shop near the it’s a small world exit evolved from earlier retail spaces, potentially including the Fantasy Shop or other unnamed kiosks in Fantasyland’s central area, operating from 1955 onward. The it’s a small world Toy Shop’s current gazebo-style location and theming were established in 1992, but prior toy shops in Fantasyland had varied names and placements, often near Sleeping Beauty Castle or other key attractions. Below, I focus on the pre-1992 toy shop landscape in Fantasyland, addressing the “original location/name” as earlier retail spaces that preceded the modern it’s a small world Toy Shop.
Below are 10 fun facts about the Fantasyland Toy Shop (original location/name) at Disneyland:
- Early Retail Hub: From 1955, Fantasyland’s toy shops, likely including the precursor to the Fantasy Shop, were small kiosks near Sleeping Beauty Castle, selling toys tied to Disney films like Peter Pan and Dumbo.
- Fantasy Shop Legacy: The Fantasy Shop, a documented early toy store, operated in the castle courtyard before becoming Tinker Bell’s Toy Shop, offering dolls, plush toys, and costume accessories in the 1950s–1960s.
- Proximity to Carrousel: Pre-1992 toy shops were often positioned near King Arthur Carrousel, capitalizing on the central courtyard’s high foot traffic for families with young children.
- Themed Merchandise: Early shops sold storybook-inspired toys, such as wooden Pinocchio puppets and Mickey Mouse figurines, reflecting Fantasyland’s fairy-tale aesthetic.
- Open-Air Design: Like the current it’s a small world Toy Shop, earlier toy shops often used open-air counters or gazebos, allowing quick purchases without entering a full store.
- Tinker Bell Connection: By the 1960s, the Fantasy Shop evolved into Tinker Bell’s Toy Shop near the castle, featuring Peter Pan-themed items like fairy wands and pirate hats, a precursor to later toy retail.
- Merchandise Evolution: In the 1950s–1970s, shops offered imported toys, such as European-made dolls, alongside Disney-specific items, diversifying from today’s ride-branded focus.
- Castle Courtyard Retail: The original toy shop locations, including the Fantasy Shop, were strategically placed in the castle courtyard, near the Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through for visibility.
- Pre-Mattel Sponsorship: Before Mattel’s 1992 sponsorship created the it’s a small world Toy Shop, earlier toy shops lacked corporate branding, focusing on generic Disney character merchandise.
- 1983 Remodel Impact: The 1983 New Fantasyland overhaul relocated some toy retail, with the Fantasy Shop space transitioning to Tinker Bell’s Toy Shop, paving the way for the modern shop’s placement near it’s a small world.
