If you have got a couple of hours to spare try a game of crazy golf. (This is a great way to spend time on an afternoon when you have checked out of your villa but have time before catching a flight home). We went along to Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Courses this spring. As the name suggests you’re bound to meet Mickey as the sorcerer’s apprentice having an adventure and misbehaving!
There are two courses to choose from. There’s a traditional pitch n putt style course – however as it’s a short course you are only given a putter! This is attractive set in real and artificial grass set in attractive gardens, with greenery, flowers, decorative pebbles and shaped ponds. Regular golfers may prefer this option.
The second is a more traditional crazy golf course with attractive concrete and topiary, hippos, ostriches, alligators and Mickey to challenge and be obstacles to you.
Each hole takes its theme of Fantasia with clues of how to play the hole in a rhyme and the par. Hole number one starts:
Our musical game has just begun
And here comes treble for everyone
Up to the top the ball must run
For any hope of a hole in one.
As you hit your ball it should go into a large trumpet with one of the ball’s route option giving a high opportunity to get a hole in one. Hole two is a series of large metal notes in the ground. Hit your ball at the right angle, threw the quavers for the best option – trouble is if you hit the notes, the ball bounced back!
Hole three is effective as it is themed on a piano. Hit the ball up the hill and round smoothly through hanging chimes and down on more ‘step’ chimes creating a pretty sound. Number 4 looks simple with the hole in a middle of a flower – however, it can be tricky getting through the petals to the middle of the flower!
Be careful of the moving mushrooms on hole 4…. they have been known to eat one golf balls and for it never appeared again! Luckily the staff will provide additional balls!
Hole number six depicts a frost covered path – again pick the right hole and you’ll get a hole in one. Hole seven has a large snowflake turning like a windmill. Hit it threw a snowflake and you could be on par. Miss and you will have ball going to the side, taking the longer route, or at worse it will come back to where you teed off!
As you work your way further around the course hole number nine is beside a man made lake. When you get your ball in the hole the impish faun will play in pan pipes. Number twelve is a hippo dancing on top of a crocodile - well, this is Fantasia’s mad world! Hit the ball threw the crocodiles mouth and hopefully it will go straight into the hole for a hole in one. If you are unlucky it will bounce straight out again! (Yes… it’s happened to me! ).
Hole thirteen sees Hycinth Hippo pirouetting around - get the ball straight threw underneath her and it’s plain sailing. Go off to the side and you are making your life more complicated!
Number sixteen is Mickey and water. Like Fantasia – will he be mischievous and shoot water all over you? At number seventeen he is conducting! Will you put your ball in the water like the many already there?
If you are still dry by hole 18 Mickey is with the Sorcerer – here you may easily get a hole in one to see your ball disappearing…. As it does the Sorcerer lights up – will you get sprayed with water?
The Disney staff were very friendly and helpful. This course is great fun and although not the prettiest course in Orlando it can be quite challenging, especially for young or inexperienced golfers! The night we went we had a 40 minute wait but at the end we were invited to come back the next day and play for half price. The second time we played during the day and it felt and looked different – worth playing again. In the distance you can see Disney Hollywood Studios and the Tower of Terror, hearing the screams, but at night you can see lights and hear the drama of the Fantasmic Show – all adding to the atmosphere.
Opening Hours: 10am to 11pm 7 days a week (can close due to weather conditions and season .
Price: US$9. 76 plus tax (adult) and US$7. 78 plus tax (child 3 – 9 years) for either course. There is a 50% discount on a second round played on the same day (we were offered for the next day as we were there late, at 10pm). You will need to keep your receipt as proof of purchase.
There are two courses to choose from. There’s a traditional pitch n putt style course – however as it’s a short course you are only given a putter! This is attractive set in real and artificial grass set in attractive gardens, with greenery, flowers, decorative pebbles and shaped ponds. Regular golfers may prefer this option.
The second is a more traditional crazy golf course with attractive concrete and topiary, hippos, ostriches, alligators and Mickey to challenge and be obstacles to you.
Each hole takes its theme of Fantasia with clues of how to play the hole in a rhyme and the par. Hole number one starts:
Our musical game has just begun
And here comes treble for everyone
Up to the top the ball must run
For any hope of a hole in one.
As you hit your ball it should go into a large trumpet with one of the ball’s route option giving a high opportunity to get a hole in one. Hole two is a series of large metal notes in the ground. Hit your ball at the right angle, threw the quavers for the best option – trouble is if you hit the notes, the ball bounced back!
Hole three is effective as it is themed on a piano. Hit the ball up the hill and round smoothly through hanging chimes and down on more ‘step’ chimes creating a pretty sound. Number 4 looks simple with the hole in a middle of a flower – however, it can be tricky getting through the petals to the middle of the flower!
Be careful of the moving mushrooms on hole 4…. they have been known to eat one golf balls and for it never appeared again! Luckily the staff will provide additional balls!
Hole number six depicts a frost covered path – again pick the right hole and you’ll get a hole in one. Hole seven has a large snowflake turning like a windmill. Hit it threw a snowflake and you could be on par. Miss and you will have ball going to the side, taking the longer route, or at worse it will come back to where you teed off!
As you work your way further around the course hole number nine is beside a man made lake. When you get your ball in the hole the impish faun will play in pan pipes. Number twelve is a hippo dancing on top of a crocodile - well, this is Fantasia’s mad world! Hit the ball threw the crocodiles mouth and hopefully it will go straight into the hole for a hole in one. If you are unlucky it will bounce straight out again! (Yes… it’s happened to me! ).
Hole thirteen sees Hycinth Hippo pirouetting around - get the ball straight threw underneath her and it’s plain sailing. Go off to the side and you are making your life more complicated!
Number sixteen is Mickey and water. Like Fantasia – will he be mischievous and shoot water all over you? At number seventeen he is conducting! Will you put your ball in the water like the many already there?
If you are still dry by hole 18 Mickey is with the Sorcerer – here you may easily get a hole in one to see your ball disappearing…. As it does the Sorcerer lights up – will you get sprayed with water?
The Disney staff were very friendly and helpful. This course is great fun and although not the prettiest course in Orlando it can be quite challenging, especially for young or inexperienced golfers! The night we went we had a 40 minute wait but at the end we were invited to come back the next day and play for half price. The second time we played during the day and it felt and looked different – worth playing again. In the distance you can see Disney Hollywood Studios and the Tower of Terror, hearing the screams, but at night you can see lights and hear the drama of the Fantasmic Show – all adding to the atmosphere.
Opening Hours: 10am to 11pm 7 days a week (can close due to weather conditions and season .
Price: US$9. 76 plus tax (adult) and US$7. 78 plus tax (child 3 – 9 years) for either course. There is a 50% discount on a second round played on the same day (we were offered for the next day as we were there late, at 10pm). You will need to keep your receipt as proof of purchase.