The title isn’t meant as an insult, but to point to the importance of this attraction in your touring plan. Dumbo used to the the number 1 attraction on most guests lists to avoid long lines. Dumbo now offers FASTPASS, so it’s a much lower priority despite long lines in busy seasons. Enchanted Tales with Belle (Contes enchantés avec belle) has become the new go-to attraction in the Magic Kingdom. The lines for ETWB during the Christmas season have regularly been 90-150 minutes long. That’s 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours to wait for one attraction! Within a few minutes of park opening the line has been completely filled with guests eager to see this attraction. It’s kind of like the Rapunzel Run, only worse. The lines for ETWB often compete with Space Mountain and Peter Pan’s Flight for the highest wait times in the park, but ETWB does not offer FASTPASS of any kind at this time.
The best way to beat the crowds is to go straight there at rope drop or save it for last on your touring plan. Many people have asked it they should go to Belle or Merida first. I would recommend going to each first on a separate day. If you can’t do that, then go to Belle, then Merida and take whatever line you see; or go to Merida first, then take in the Belle attraction late at night. I’m sure the lines for Belle will moderate down to a high of about 60 minutes once the insane crowds subside, but that’s still 60 minutes of standing around.
If you’re going to either attraction first, you might want to send a runner to grab a FASTPASS for Peter Pan.
ETWB IS open for Extra Magic Hours
If a guest wishes to take a photo of their child with Belle, you must stand behind or beside the Photopass photographer.
Guests were allowed to pose with Belle that were not in the show the dates that we have visited.
OUR RECENT EXPERIENCE: On December 19th, my daughter and I were a few minutes late arriving to the Magic Kingdom due to monorail issues. We arrived at ETWB at 9:15 am when the line wasn’t very bad. This photo was taken at 9:27 am. This is the room that you enter before you begin the actual attraction.
We moved into l’atelier de maurice at 9:32 am. The entire experience felt far more rushed than it did in test and adjust period. In each room we were told to “hurry, hurry.”
The doors opened at 9:35 for us to enter la salle de armoire.
We moved on from la salle de armoire into la bibliothèque de la bête at 9:41 am.
My daughter had her photo taken with Belle at 9:49 am.
We were done completely by 9:52 am. The wait and the attraction accounted for 37 minutes for us on a moderately busy day. It may have been slightly shorter if we had been able to arrive 10 minutes earlier. By the time we left the posted wait was 75 minutes and climbing.
Here’s my write-up from the attraction when they were still in test and adjust. It includes photos and videos: http://kennythepirate.com/2012/09/16/enchanted-tales-with-belle-review-behind-the-new-fantasyland-wall/
Hi Kenny! Just a quick question about this – I know on your touring plan you suggest to use the FP for this only if you are skipping other attractions. Our kids are almost 4 and almost 2 so we will be skipping some of the attractions but my 4 year old is determined to ride the “choo choo train coaster” so we may attempt Big Thunder Mountain. What is your recommendation of the best time to go to ETWB? When you say late at night, how late? Right now, I have the FP for 5/1 @ 6:00 pm but would like to go see this attraction earlier in the week. We are tentatively planning on spending the second 1/2 of the day in Magic Kingdom on 4/28, after naps, and were trying to figure out a game plan so that we could maybe use the FP that we have scheduled on Thursday on something else and see ETWB on Monday. Any suggestions are appreciated!! Thanks!!
If you use FP, just do so after completing the rest of Fantasyland, if you don’t use FP, you should go after the fireworks.
Is this the only way to meet Belle in MK?
Yes. The actual meet and greet is in Epcot though. This is more of a show with a fast photo opp .
Is ETWB also open during Wishes in the evening? I think I would like to save this for last, given the mad rush in the morning.
Yes, it’s currently from open to close, but they usually cut the line 1 hour or more before close
Thank you for the advice Kenny!
Is ETWB open during moring EMH?
Yes, it’s open for morning AND evening EMH
When you went thru, was there any announcement made in the Wardrobe room that you HAD to participate in order to get a picture with Belle? Or is this still not readily known?
No such announcement was made and one lady politely asked a CM while we were in the Library to allow her to take a photo with her toddler. The CM welcomed the opportunity
Thanks Kenny…we did ETWB in mid Oct during “dress rehearsal” and then in late Nov during “soft opening” and each time was so different. I didn’t think that any announcement would ever be made. That would slow the lines down even more. I do not like ETWB in its current form, I believe slight changes need to be made in order to make it better. And trust me, I did voice my experiences to Disney, and they did respond. So I am watching what happens with Belle.
Thanks for the heads up! Is ETWB open during EMH?
Yes, it is currently open for EMH
Is it open during morning EMH?