Children’s Fairyland is a storybook park that’s been around longer than Disneyland. In fact, it inspired Walt Disney to create his Magic Kingdom. Fortunately, Fairyland has maintained it’s small size and original charm since it opened in 1950. I have fond memories of visiting the park when I was a child, during visits to see my grandma, who lived in Oakland. If you have a child in the 3-5 age-range, this is a fun amusement park to visit. Fairyland has a storybook theme, bringing classic fairy tales and stories alive for young children.
The storybook sets my son enjoys the most are running through Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole, climbing to the crow’s nest in Peter Pan’s Jolly Roger Pirate Ship, exploring the Old West Junction, and sliding (over and over) down the huge Dragon Slide.
If you visit, don’t miss the Storybook Puppet Theater. This month, we had the opportunity to enjoy Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, one of my son’s favorite stories. We have the Leonard Bernstein version, and we listen to it over and over while driving around. It was fun for him to see a puppet show version.
For hours, admission fees, directions, and more information about Fairyland, check out their website… http://www.fairyland.org/ .
My son loves Fairyland! Here are a few photos from our visit two weeks ago…
hike.wander.wonder 
My girls just told me this week that they think they are “over” the age for Children’s Fairyland and I was so sad. I love the quaintness of the place and the fact that it inspired Disneyland. We have 3 of those storybook keys at home next to the car keys – just in case we decide to go.
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Yes, I’ll be sad when my son doesn’t want to go anymore. I don’t think we have much longer. We have a membership this year, so we’re going as much as we can while the timing is right. I keep our storybook key in the center console of the van, as you say, just in case.
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The crow’s nest looks like it’d be exciting for a child. Never knew Disney based his park off an existing one. It’s nice they’ve kept the same small size charm over the years and didn’t try to ‘super size’. Looks like a lot of fun.
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Here’s another fun fact about Fairyland… Frank Oz, one of the creators of the Muppets, got his start here helping with the puppet shows. And, yep, it’s a fun little amusement park. Kid heaven.
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