Another place to visit when you’re enjoying your vacation here in Central Florida is a golf course; and not just the grown up version like Providence Golf club, Falcon’s Fire ,Mystic Dunes etc.

We’re talking miniature golf here, and a challenge to all, young or old.    Your children will enjoy trying their skills at the Disney Fantasia Gardens;  you never know – you could have fun too!

We visited Fantasia Gardens the other weekend, and with a  15 year old , decided that the really young Fantasia course was going to be not quite so suitable as the Fairways course for slightly older players.  As “proper” golfers , we thought this was going to be real simple and we’d beat the pants off our younger companion!   There is a chalk board at the entrance showing the course record and the current top score of the day;  course record 47, score of the day 61.

Collecting our putters and balls ( a different colour golf ball  for each of us) we set off to the first tee.   That was the moment when we realised simple this  course is not!

Staring us in the face was the board showing the set up of the tee from the green, and the par 3 hole which was about 75 yards away.  Now, you may think 75 yards is not too far to putt a ball into a three inch wide hole.  But, the “course” to that hole was full of lumps and bumps;  more like a badly laid ski slope than a fairway.   Here they called them bunkers and sand traps.

Anyway we found that one not too bad , and after about 4 or five attempt the balls rolled successfully into the hole.   That gave us confidence for the next hole – again a par 3 hole with a slight dogleg.  This one wasn’t too bad, and so we continued onwards, through the course.  The course was getting longer too;  now we were trying to score on par 4 holes.  Actually we were gradually getting worse, or the course was!   I’m not quite sure which it was.  Of course, by now frustration was setting in, and the odd tantrum occurred;  luckily no clubs were thrown or balls lost.

We had great fun, simply laughing at our own foolish attempts to putt these balls into holes that were surrounded by hillocks and bunkers.  As a family we have played crazy golf on many of the local crazy golf courses, and enjoyed every one of the games.  This course required a bit more skill and decision making …………..  the players behind us were very serious about winning, even if we weren’t.

We did complete the course – it takes about an hour and half, depending on how many people are in front of you;  on the day we were there, it was busy, with many families on the Fantasia course, as well as the teenagers and their families on the Fairways course.

The Fairways course at Disney Fantasia Gardens is more demanding and is not for the younger children;  if you have little children, the Fantasia mini course is more suitable, having many of the Disney characters and music for their entertainment,  and is a smaller shorter course.   There is a drink vending machine half way round and a small shop selling Disney memorabilia at the front entrance.  Restrooms are also there at the front.  Entrance to the Fairways Course is $12.00 per adult.

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Just so you know, no, we didn’t beat the day’s score of 61; we were beaten by our 15 year -  who scored 73 !