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Children's Fairyland
Rating Details »
Categories: Parks, Playgrounds [Edit]
699 Bellevue Ave(between Grand Ave & Perkins St)
Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 452-2259
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
92 reviews for Children's Fairyland
simple, cheap, and fun for everyone . . .
puppet shows, children's theatre, storytelling, music and Mocha art workshops for the little ones. can't think of any reason to deduct a star.
It is with a heavy heart that i write this review. my nana and papa used to bring me here all the time when i was young. i used to get soooooo excited to go on the dragon slide with my brother and run down the rabbit hole.
i've brought my son here twice and its such a disappointment. whats the point in keeping this place open? its so run down, there are cob webs everywhere and i doubt they've repainted anything since i was my sons age.
also whats up with the admission price? $7? for my 2 year old son?! really?
When you're unemployed and hanging out with a 3.5 year-old ALL day, pretty soon you start thinking about outings that aren't to the same playgrounds and parks in your own backyard. Children's Fairyland fits the bill for an interesting few hours. Plus, it's not a long car ride away either.
As everyone else has said it's a bit ghetto and needs some serious updating. And sure, the animals that they do have are a bit on the sad side. But what matters the most is that the kid loved it. Ran around and climbed on nearly everything.
I think for any kids older than 5 or 6 they would be bored out of their minds.
3 stars only because I can't say that I'm a fan but it was nice.
What a bargain! The kids LOVE it here...only $7.00 for the whole day!
This place if perfect for fun for kids say up to 7 or 8. No fancy Great America rides...a merry-go-round, small train, a few little ferris wheel type rides and a WHOLE LOT OF FUN PLAY AREAS!
This place is a MUST for every child that lives in the Bay Area! Create a childhood memory here and then head to Fenton's for the best ice cream in the world!
Unfortunately only open Wed-Sunday and closed on rainy days? Every time I ran past I'm reminded of my childhood. Its a place I'll bring my nieces and nephews to no problem. A treasure of Oakland
Fairyland is an institution (sort of like Queen Elizabeth ...or maybe the SF Zoo.) You don't fault institutions for being dilipated. You give 'em a facelift and hire a new press secretary.
I have photos of my kids (now in their 40s) dressed as fairies, Indians, and maybe a gypsy or two. Playing about on the pirate ship at Fairyland. Holding hands with their grandmother in front of the Old Lady's shoe. No one in that simpler age thought fairies, indians, old ladies *or* gypsies were off-limits. ("PC" had yet to be invented.)
They loved it then, their kids (now adults) probably will love to bring their own kids to visit. Its simple, its "real" and its darn cheap. And it is child-oriented. Oh...but one thing you should know...
You have to have a child with you to gain admittance to Fairyland. Unaccompanied adults are not welcome. So I haven't been back for a bit. But I will. Just wait until my grandson gets married. HIs kid is gonna definitely get the Grand Tour of Fairyland. From me...
The scent of urine hung heavy in the air as Scarfy and I made our way to the entrance of Children's Fairyland with our two year old grandson, Ya-Ya, in tow. Ya-Ya seemed somewhat apprehensive. Perhaps he was wondering why we were taking him to a place that smelled like piss.
Once inside, the bouquet of yesterday's Mad Dog had pretty much dissipated, but Ya-Ya still seemed a tad anxious. I thought a friendly greeting from the big dragon might be just what the doctor ordered, so I pulled its tongue and it started talking. This had the effect of (I believe literally) scaring the shit out of Ya-Ya. Next we tried to interest him in the "Magic Storybooks" (upwards of 50% of which are actually functional). Ya-Ya developed a rather strange relationship with these things. Whenever he came upon one he was quite eager to activate it using his grandfather's 45 year old "magic key", however the instant they started up he began yelling at them and beating them with his hands. If I've said it once, I've said it a millions times: That boy just ain't right.
Ya-Ya eventually warmed up to the whole Fairyland concept and proceeded to have himself a pretty damn good time, thank you very much. Among other things, he got merry on the merry-go-round and worked up his jollies on the Jolly Trolley.
As for my own observations, I'm not in the insurance racket myself, but if I were I sure as hell wouldn't cover Children's Fairyland. It seems to me like a series of fairly serious accidents waiting to happen. In fact, Children's Fairyland should perhaps form some sort of alliance with Children's Hospital. For example, Scarfy and I took a couple of moments to comment between the two of us upon the shameful lack of attention we felt some guardians were affording their charges. When we had finished, we found that Ya-Ya had clambered up into the crow's nest of a stylized pirate ship and was running around like a veritable idiot. I could envisage one (or two) of two things happening: Either he was going to fall and smash his face on the edge of the crow's nest (which appeared to be optimized for just such an occurrence), thereby busting out all the teeth we had been waiting for so long to grow in in the hopes that they might stanch the incessant drooling (they didn't), and/or he would tumble over the side and likely meet his Maker ten or fifteen feet below. (His mom and dad would have been pissed if either of these had occurred.) There was no way that I was going to fit through the small opening that led to the crow's nest, so Scarfy went up into the rigging. Scarfy, although old and fat, is still somewhat petite and pliable, but there was no way that even she was going to make it through that ridiculously small aperture.
We eventually lured Ya-Ya safely down. It's not really all that difficult to outsmart a two year old if you really put your mind to it.
After that little episode we decided to call it a day and, after throwing down $15 for a hunk of junk in the gift shop, we were out the door and on our way to where the air is sweet.
I can't tell you all how delightful it was to visit Fairyland. The last time I came here was over 20 years ago. I have very very fond memories of coming here with my family. And that magic key! Every kid needs one. So when my sister decided to have my nephew's second birthday at Fairyland, I was ecstatic. Like a little kid, I couldn't wait for the day to come.
My, how much I've grown. Everything that was once so so big, is now so tiny. This place is just as magical as I remembered. Your toddler and kindergartner will definitely enjoy the visit. I highly suggest that you come here before their first visit to Disneyland. Parents can expect to enjoy a fun filled afternoon without long lines. Don't expect commercialized cartoon characters and fancy rides, this place is a wholesome and imaginative playground for the little ones. There's a short train ride, carousel, lil mazes, slides, ferris wheel, miniature gardens.
Now hopefully one day I can bring own kids here. ^_^
I have very fond memories from coming here as a kid. I remember loving this place! It is definitely a lot of fun to see it all over again through your kid's eyes. The first time we brought our son, he was only about 14 months old, which was a little young. I really don't think he enjoyed it anywhere near as much as he did today (he just turned 2).
When we first arrived at 10:30am, we made a bee line straight for the train. The line can get fairly long, so heads' up! The favorite sights of the day were definitely the charlotte's web musical area as well as the snow white and seven dwarves set up. He loved it for some reason!
Sure, the place is old and worn down in some areas....but it is really charming.
Just a bit of advice: adults are not allowed on the carousel, so don't tell your 2 year old that they can go on it before you check out the situation yourself! We had to deal with a crying toddler over that one. oops!
Reading some of the stuff written about this place gave me some seriously low expectations. This is probably a good thing, being as you can already see I have given four stars.
I thought I was going to walk into a animatronic nightmare, and horrible rides assembled by a drunken Stinky Whistleteeth.
If that's what it is, then I did not notice.
Yes the place is a bit ancient, but for some reason I liked that, it was part of its charm. I'm not too huge on modern-y stuff anyway.
We had a good time, the price was sooo right. So much to do and there's things happening at certain times, like the puppet show. For SEVEN bucks?? Come on!
It was WAY bigger than I expected. So many fun things. The animals always depress me a little, but that's my own deal (it happens to me at the zoo, too). It looks like they are treated well and seem relatively happy, maybe?
Some of the Disney "statues" were a little creepy, but it made for great photo and laughing material. If you take it for what it is, and set your expectations as low as I did, you'll probably have an awesome time. :)
If you enjoy spending quality time with your lil one and significant other regardless of where you are, than one shouldn't be so critical.
I feel lucky to even be able to enjoy such a place like this that is at a great location (on lake merrit). Its very inexpensive $7 entrance and even provides parking, $3. If you are that cheap you should go to a public park.
This place has mad history, its picturesque and perfect for for a two year old (which my son is). I've been seeing the TV adverstisement for months now and we were finally able to go, my wife even mentioned that her mom used to take her, this must of been at least 20 yrs ago.
The way I see it, this is an old business trying to stay afloat and they advertise to keep attraction up but it must be a big expense.And regarding parking Yes they do have a toll booth for parking but there is an attendant, he has to be paid and its a 100 yards from the entrance which is very convenient,come on people $3 !
In conclusion this place is without a doubt old, but in my opinion a Bay Area Gem, all the way. They have puppet shows, the design is unique and almost nostalgic, the staff is very nice. There are animals and in general just a great experience for a youngster and eachother.
I have a vivid memory of this place and I came here when I was in preschool. I guess I really liked this place! Hmmmm I remembered that there were puppet shows and it talked about stars and the giant dipper! I loved that! Also I remember that caterpillars everywhere! And my friend had one in her hand and we were just watching it it wiggle and crawl on her palm. May be the company bought caterpillars in bulk and released them all throughout Fairyland so that they can turn into butterflies and they would flutter all throughout Fairyland. I remember the Giant Shoe too!!
All you need are some adventurous kids in tow and you've got yourself the perfect day. Fairyland is a blast. Avoid the fried food there and bring some snacks with you and make sure you check out the new music installation in the park. One of my friends worked on the piece and it's amazing. Cheers!
Boy was I wrong! I expected dilapidated replicas of Dutch windmills, forest animals, fake rocks, and other miniature golf course reclamations, scattered invisibly around a fairly conventional playground.
There are so many unique and intriguing attractions that my 20-month-old daughter can already enjoy. And yet the sum of the parts is more than just all the excellent individual attractions -- puppet show, animals, train, climbing and sliding, etc -- every aspect, excepting the picnic area, feels like part of a storybook. From the first moment til we left 3 hours later, she ran around wide-eyed and happy.
Recently, they started offering family memberships. Woo-hoo! We'll be back many times before she outgrows it.
I feel guilty for giving this place only 2 stars, but when a place makes you feel sorry for it...
I actually felt sorry for the place, like it was a person.
It was like a sweet, weathered old lady with a teal polyester leisure suit, a cameo pin, and a fresh coat of pearly pink lipstick that bleeds into the cracks.
She feels pretty, thinks the cameo and the lipstick really dresses her up, is completely dated but has been that way for a long time. It's cute, endearing and sad all at the same time.
An Oakland historical landmark!
I love the shoe, the shoe is sooo cool, however I remember it being much bigger as kid...I resist the temptation to go through it cause I might get stuck.
I love Fairyland's seasonal festivities such as their Winter Wonderland and Jack-o-lantern Jamboree. The community comes together donating many things so kids can have free cocoa, cider, crafts, shows, and more. I think it's most worth it to bring the kids during these times.
We all must agree that that it isn't what it used to be. There need to repairs structures, fill the ponds, fix the story boxes and repaint. I don't think they bring in much income to do those things anymore.
What that being said, there still lies a magic about this place that is indescribable. Kids still love to come here over and over again. I know I still do. There is a reason why when Walt Disney stepped foot into this place he said "I'm going to use this place a inspiration". I'll continue going here just to keep that magic alive.
The $7 to get your little one into Fairyland is money very well spent.
My four year old and I just spent a full day here on Saturday and we'll be back soon. He couldn't get enough of the Alice in Wonderland rabbit tunnel, the Dragon Slide, the new Fairy Tunnel or using his $2 Magic Key to play the story boxes. He also had a great time climbing on a range of things including the Clock Tower, Peter Pan Pirate Ship and the like.
I think 3-4 years is probably right in the sweet spot for Fairyland... I'll bring my 6 year old and think he will like it, but he probably will have enough after one or two visits. Overall I find Fairyland to be similar to Happy Hollow in San Jose... much smaller in physical space, but also more imaginative and much more densely packed with things to see and do.
I used to come here as a little kid myself and returned this weekend with somewhat low expectations... but have to admit being pleasantly surprised to find the park clean, the staff friendly and the features in generally very good shape. So sure, Fairyland is not Disneyland and should not be judged anywhere in the same league... not least because your entry fee is almost exactly 10% of the price!
A rare day off. The wee ones convince me to spend it at Fairyland. Cinzia says... "Just go past Paul's Office, through the tunnel, then to Oakland and that's it!" Screw the garmin, she'll find it. They happily ran through the place, not caring that it was out-dated, nothing Pixar has touched with their magic, a few things in disrepair. They had a blast.
The staff I dealt with were all young-ish, theatre-type young adults who really seemed to enjoy dealing with Other People's Kids. The one at the Merry-Go-Round seemed to enjoy the carnival music a bit too much, but whatever, she patiently waited while Reno picked out the perfect *horse.*
I asked both Reno & Cinzia what their favorite part was afterwards, and both said "everything." My favorite part was the puppet show (11a, 2p and 4p.) I'll never forget the look on Reno's face when Snow White came to life via puppets, or when Cinzia scooched a bit closer to me and held my arm tightly whenever the wicked step mother showed her puppet-face.
Admission = $7 a piece, parking = $3, corn-dog = $2.75.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/13/2009
From Cinzia:
"I didn't have to go to school today because we went to Fairyland instead and it was… Read more »
Ok let's be honest, many out there would agree that Children's Fairyland is in need of a lot of things --- updates, repairs, a major facelift in general. I want to make sure we don't leave a larger or perhaps a second cafe off that list. No parent should ever wait in line to feed small children for more than 5-7 minutes. I waited almost 15 to get lunch to for my kids today and this wasn't the first time. Let me tell you, there's nothing like 15 minutes of ordering your kids to stop playing with shade umbrellas, get off the ground and keep your mitts out of the ice cream freezer case to make you sick of the sound of your own voice!!!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/22/2009
Oh Molly O., conjure up your childhood imagination for a minute will you? I agree with you that… Read more »
I'd go on my lunch hour just to watch the play. How entertaining.
I was sort of an odd kid, or as one of my sister's friends so eloquently put it "The creepy, quiet little girl in the big house who's always looking out the window."
I wouldn't say I was exactly creepy, although I did used to wake up at 6 am and sing "Tomorrow" at the top of my lungs at the tip of the staircase. Creeeeeepy.
My friend and I also made up pretend games where we were rich kids at boarding school, and another gem where we combined all the characters from the Cosby Show, Family Matters and A Different World.
Ok, so maybe I was a little creepy. And do you know what creepy kids love? Fairy tales! And plastic keys! And painted wood cutouts that you can put your face in and magically transform into one of the three pigs! Because in all seriousness, who hasn't wanted to be a pig at some point in their life?
I remembered Fairyland as large and elaborate, with HUGE ships and an Alice in Wonderland maze that takes an entire weekend to find your way out of.
Well, on my first trip back to Fairyland as an adult I was fairly disappointed. The place seemed barren and run down (although we went in the winter). The paint was chipping off most displays, giving a sort of forgotten and haunted appearance, and the animal's quarters were shabby, smelly and woebegone. Each exhibit seemed small and painfully without interaction.
On my second trip as an adult, the place seemed to have received a recent face lift. The paint was fresher and more vibrant, the concession stands were open and bustling, and the enthusiastic staff entertained and conducted with the gusto of circus freaks.
As I stood and silently judged the smell of the new pony's house, I looked over at my ecstatic nephew, bursting out of his skin with excitement, waving frantically at the mellow, extremely child-friendly creature, and realized that Fairyland is exactly what it was when I was a child. It was big and playful with colorful characters from my favorite storybooks.
The kids don't notice the chipped paint and depressing bunny hutches. They dance about laughing at the guinea pigs and sprinting toward the train with reckless abandon.
And if you're my nephew, you'll throw a tantrum next to the cotton candy seller because your mom is making you pee in the potty instead of in the bushes next to the train tracks.
Who doesn't Love Fairyland? My mother went as a little girl, she took me and now I take my children.
We went over my kids holiday vacation to the Holiday themed evening event they did. It was GORGEOUS!! If you have ever been to Fairyland you know that its a very peaceful fun escape for kids and grownups alike, but on this evening the entire park was completely covered in Christmas lights. When I say covered I mean lights on EVERYTHING, it was amazing to see all the work they did (The Alice and Wonderland was awesome). They had all kinds of special events, shows and a parade. And I have to say the food at the Johnny Apple-seeds Cafe is not bad at all, plus they have splurges and healthy alternatives (but they only take cash so be ready). The coffee bar the added has some real great coffee and the Barista is friendly and knowledgeable... all in all is was a spectacular night.
-That night we went to Fairyland, The Mormon Temple and to Alameda to see the street of lights (you know what I'm talking about)
Not a bad place, definitely outdated and a bit dilapidated. My son liked it enough, but I wish they could have had more rides and the rides they did have, only 5+ kids could ride it b/c adults couldn't get on them either. Many things were in disrepair. It is in the middle of Lake Merritt, which is a nice walk after you get out of the park. Oh and let's talk about the hidden parking fees. How are you going to charge $3 to park in a place where it's so hard to find parking? Little bit of a rip off, if you ask me. Wish they kept Nut Tree Family Park open instead.
This place is for young children around age 5 or YOUNGER. It is perfect. All others go at your own risk.
Have you seen the look of a young child (age 3 in this case) when she first sees the big shoe at the entrance and then walk into the park and her jaw drops and she is so excited that she can't contain herself and is dragging Mom and Dad and Grandparents in all directions? I have first-hand witnessed this.
So, it is not about you -- it is all about the kid and the kids LOVE IT. $7 can't be better spent on quality play and imagination. Open from 10am - 4pm .. go there after lunch your kid(s) will be pooped after 2-3 hours and you can have a break when they pass out on the ride home.
I had such fond memories of Fairyland, I went there with my Dad as a little girl, my Mom and Grandma too. My most memorable times were when my Dad would take me. It seemed like we were there from dusk until dawn and I always had so much fun.
I took my son (25) there when he was a child, and my sister (20) as well. Now that I am a Grandmother, of course I had to take my Granddaughter who was one at the time and can hardly wait to take her again.
Although the park is run down, we still had a blast!! My Granddaughter was in awe of that huge bubble blowing dragon, ran to the few characters that were walking around, she loved every single minute of the day there. Sadly, there were no plays or puppet shows going on while we were visiting, and the only concession stand open was near the Jolly Trolly which I must say every child was excited to ride on. The other rides were not operating which seemed to be the same as when my son and sister were young.
I was bummed that the Giant was gone, and that most of the story book boxes were broken.
Apparently there have been some upgrades since my last visit, such as a new theater but from some reviews it seems as if the City of Oakland isn't really putting much in to restoration. Of course Fairyland is a "non profit" sooooooooooooo, maybe some of us can donate time and materials to fixing the place up. I'd rather give directly of my time, buy the paint, and whatever else is needed and see the upgrades first hand then give the City of Oakland a penny - especially since they sitck it to people downtown on the parking situation. Back to Fairyland, check out their website http://www.fairyland.o...
Who knows you may find a way to restore one of the happiest places in the Bay Area for children to play!!
One of the reviewers stated "it is rumored to have given Walt Disney the instpiration for some of his fantasy themes in Disneyland" that is NOT a rumor, it is FACT. In fact Walt Disney incorperated some of Fairyland's ideas into Disneyland, he even hired Fairyland's first executive director and a former puppeteer. This information is public knowledge. He actually was most impressed with the Thumbalina and Alice in Wonderland "tunnels."
Speaking of Thumbalina I really would like to see that restored some day. It hasn't been open in over twenty years.
If you have small children in your life, Childrens Fairyland in Oakland is always a hit!
I went here yesterday with my fiancee and my nephew. The parking was really good, only 3 dollars and I found a spot right away. As soon as we get out of the car there were all these geese walking around on the grass...it seemed kinda weird to me. The entrance fee was only 7 dollars for each person and a dollar for a key to turn on all these different stories they had.
Well, my nephew was so excited to be there from the moment we seen the lady in the shoe thingy. He went on the dragon slide like 3 times and he loved the puppet show they had. He kept going in all the little houses and petting the animals. He had a blast.
The only thing about it that I didn't like was that the area where the puppet show took place at smelled like ass. I guess all the little kids shit their pants from all the excitement or something.
Overall, I had fun the whole time. It's a really good place to take your kids out and get em tired and distract them for a while. Hah, I will definitely be coming back some time soon.
Wow. Haven't Yelped in hella long...
Today me and Juan and my 3 yr old nephew went to fairyland I haven't been to fairyland in almost 15 yrs since today. I woke up and seen the weather was perfect to go roam the green. But where could I go?
FAIRYLAND!!!! my nephew is tiny tot and loves to roam around and run and interact without other kids his own age. When we pulled in to park, Purfect !!!! 3 bucks to park.
we found parking getting into the lot. we get out the car and alot of geese were chillen in front of the car LOL!!!! The Lake Merritt Mafia! also another plus animal protection. We walked up and seen the shoe that stands out so big. We walked into the gate paid 6 bucks a head plus 2 for the little orange key. LOL the girl only charged me admission for 2 and no key so basically $14 dollars.
we walk in a lil boy gives me a map and directs me into the land of paper mache' mushrooms and puppets. my nephew runs towards the barn animals they have there. I look and WTF? they have Bilingual boxes now. That is So cool. how many times have I came here on a field trip and most of my classmates didn't understand English.
I walk by and smell feet,tree sap and animal booty. Yes I was walking by the hippies making out with the goat. I was mortified.
I walk ahead. Our little "family" got hungry and we walked towards the cafe. Dayumn I had gotten 3 years older waiting in the line,service was horrible. Finally I made my selections
"I'll have 2 hot dogs
nachos
2 cokes
1 fruit punch
and augghhhh ummm a pop-sickle!"
"Okay...That will be $14.95" That was kinda steep considering these people do not got paid for working the snack bar.
it took another 25 minutes to get my food. but my nephew didn't seem to mind as long as he had his little Popsicle. Today the train was down for maintenance. But I totally got flashback of the Alice in wonderland tunnel. I miss that. I remember I used to chase around the cat appearing painted on the wall.
Overall I had a pleasant experience. No older kids making the kids feel bad or terrorizing them. it was all clean fun, I love the fact that has a retro charm to it. Kids love it.
Imagination should be Kept simple.
Oh my goodness! I practically grew up here when I was a kid. i try to take my kids here to go and feed the ducks. They always attack us. But I love the puppet shows and it really lets the kids use their imaginations. Try to buy them a key so they can go from place to place and listen to the stories. i love Fairyland. it's not too bad especially when you go on the FREE days. check out your local Parent's Press magazine or the website.
Lucky me-I was finally able to return to Fairyland for the first time in 8 years! You can only go to Fairyland with a kid and my 5 year old niece was visiting with her dad and mom.
I am happy to report it is as fun and magical as ever. I love the low-tech and low-key atmosphere. It is a true blast from the past and has been around for over 50 years.
There are 40 or so fairy tale/nursery rhyme-themed amusements for the kids to play. That same Alice in Wonderland slide down the rabbit hole and playing card maze still delights kids.
I still love the Owl and the Pussycat ship.
My niece loved the Magic Key boxes where you can still hear rickety old fashioned songs and rhymes. Cheap and big thrills for only $2 a key.
The "train" ride is very short but they do make two loops.
The conductor was singing during our ride! 8)
The puppet show is wonderful. We saw a lively marionette performance of "Pinocchio." The sets are simple but the puppets are way way too cool. The kids get front row seats on the bench about a foot from the stage. My sis-in-law and I cracked up at the frank dialog that transpired. When Pinocchio got tricked into
planting 5 gold coins by the fox and cat only to discover the duo dug them out during the night he was scolded by the Blue Fairy.
"You are a VERY stupid puppet!" Whoa! No cutesy talk in Oak-town!
At one point Mr.. P got pissed off and told everyone to, "Shut-up!"
The parents all chuckled at these remarks and the kids seemed totally unfazed.
We had many fun times here when our son was young. I'm happy to see that families are still loving this place!
All this fun for only $6 each!
Parking is free during the week but costs ? during the weekend.
Great gift shop too.
And you still may have to duck as you enter through the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe entrance!
I love Children's Fairyland. I was so impressed with our second sleepover here last weekend. While we enjoyed last year's sleepover (because the park itself is so special), there were some logistical details that could have used some improvement.
I personally did not point these out but I'm sure someone must have (Oakland parents are a force to be reckon with) because everything was better this year. It seems they actually listened to what the patrons had to say and made changes for the better. Wow, how original. And all this without a fee increase.
For our family of four, the fee for an overnight stay at the park (in our tents) including dinner and breakfast, a puppet show, a fire show, complete access to the park and its rides is $120. A good value, in my opinion.
They are still making improvements to the park and I saw that some areas have had a makeover and others are under way.
There are still a couple of more sleepover dates available this summer. If you have little ones, you should definitely check this out.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/23/2007
I have two kids under the age of five; I have lived in the neighborhood forever; I have jogged by it… Read more »
TSADA: I love Fairyland. It's like Disneyland for toddlers, only without all the Orwellian shit and mass-marketing. It's a magical little oasis in the middle of Oakland.
COUSIN: You're SUCH a hypocrite.
T: Why?
C: Because you claim to be an animal lover.
T: And?
C: You forward me all those friggin' PETA emails. Bitch, I don't care if Pink doesn't want me to wear boiled wool. Quit spamming my ass.
T: But have you seen what they do to those sheep? When they harvest the wool, the take part of the skin with--
C: Seriously though! You can be so fucking JUDGMENTAL, Tsada.
T: Judgmental? I have no idea what you're talking about.
C: You wouldn't come with us to the circus. You had a big stick up your butt when we had that family trip to the San Diego Zoo. You won't eat birds or mammals.
T: Or amphibians or reptiles.
C: Irregardless.
T: *Regardless.*
C: What?
T: Nothing.
C: Anyways, irregardlessly, I see tons of oppressed mammals and birds here. Why are you okay with it?
T: I don't know. For some reason they seem content here. I think it's the all the fairylicious magic that keeps them loving life. Plus, they only let you pet the goats. The other corrals are protected from the grimy hands of children. And those goats seem to REALLY like to be touched. Goatsluts.
C: I think you're making excuses.
T: No, I'm not. Take those ducks right there. They have wings. If they're so miserable, why don't they fly away?
C: Speaking of wings, did you see that chicken over there? If she's so happy, why's she missing that big patch of feathers on her back?
T: Good question.
C: I know it is.
T: Well, then, let's ask, why don't we?
*approaches man shoveling chicken poo*
Excuse me sir, but can you tell me what's wrong with that chicken right there?
OFFICIAL FAIRYLAND EMPLOYEE: Nothing.
C: She looks sick.
OFE: She's not sick.
T: Then why did all those feathers fall out of her back?
OFC: They didn't fall out.
T and C: ?
OFC: The rooster rips them out with his beak when he has sex with her.
C: Poor chicken.
T: Not necessarily.
C: ?
T: Did you ever consider that maybe she's INTO it?
C: That's just sick.
T: Oh, so NOW who's being judgmental?
OK, I'm going to keep it real here at Children's Fairyland...
Parking is $3 but it's a 2 hour parking zone. Attendant said not to worry, we won't get ticketed. So far so good.
Walking through the entrance it appeared we were in for a day of fun but the place is so filthy it could definitely use a wash down with a high pressure scrub. There were cobwebs and peeling paint on most of the play areas. Alot of the animal houses were empty and the whale's mouth that you had to climb into had one tiny little goldfish in it. We have more exciting fish in our home aquarium.
Most of the pools were dry and the Fairyland Town was ok. The gift shop was about as impressive as the park itself and food was about as bad as you would expect.
Two stars for the live performances. I truly don't understand all the 4 and 5 star ratings here. This has to be based on the "for what it is" scale. For all those first timers who read these reviews and decide to go, PLEASE set your expectations LOW and maybe you won't be disappointed.
The price is cheap and my 2 year old niece had a good time, but she would have had the same good time at any park for free. $6 per person seemed like such a bargain to get in there but upon leaving $18 seemed like a high price for what we got.
Children's Fairyland of Oakland.... done and done.
I wasn't super impressed by Fairyland, but I'd definitely recommend it to parents of tots, especially those in the 3-4 age range. You can't beat the $6 admission. The 3-4 age range seems perfect for this place. I felt my son was too young to appreciate the fairy tale adventure replete with miniature houses, ships, buildings, oversized mushrooms, shoes, etc. For the most part he just wanted to run off in different directions or chase bubbles coming from the Bubble Elf.
I agree with other reviewers that the low-key, low-tech Fairyland has charm and old-fashioned fun, not commercialized fun or bells and whistles. I wouldn't say Fairyland is run down, though; it was never high-tech to begin with, so it just looks quaint to our technolust eyes. But the rides were a bit lacking. For example, the colorful trolley takes you around a really small track twice, but there's no scenery to look at, just backs of buildings, storage, a mini-cemetery of all things, ew! The larger carousel only allows kids over 38 inches. I took my son to see the smaller merry-go-round, and it was a very, very pared-down ride; it wasn't like a mini-carousel at all.
The park is stroller-friendly for the most part (although you don't need one), but at many times I didn't know if I could park the stroller or not. Good thing I have a small travel-minded stroller. I can't imagine bringing a huge tandem in there. It might be a good idea to have a designated stroller parking area.
Fairyland was uncrowded until 11:30-ish to noon on a Wednesday morning. I kid you not: it's like someone opened a gate at 11:30 and a bunch of summer camp groups came in. Get there when it opens at 10 am.
Fairyland was a bit of fun during the weekday, but I wouldn't say it was more than a three-star experience for us.
First time to Fairyland with nephews and they had a great time.
CUTE! and entertaining place for children. Prior to going there, we thought that our 8 year old goddaughter was going to be bored and too big for this place. BUT, she had so much fun and we did, too!! Although lots of the story boxes were not working... and some the animals were inside... it was still a pretty fun place for us to spend 3 hours there!! Reminded us on our childhood fun. The setting is great too... you can go down to the lake Merritt area after you done. Love it!
Crap, I'm going to the Rodeo one week and now I'm at Fairyland?
What is happening to me? Who am I anymore?
This place is cute though, the Anti-Disneyland.
It's cheap and it's refreshingly anti-corporate.
Plus, it's kind of old school in a pre "overprotect the hell out of your
kid" way. I couldn't even count the myriad of ways a kid could eat shit around there.
I really like this place. It's a good place for toddler birthday parties. I feel like this is a safe place also.
-Great concept, but needs a lot more.
-Good for one time visit, but after that it will be boring.
-Needs better eating area or needs an actual restaurant with healthy snacks.
-Bathrooms are GROSS! Public park GROSS or maybe even GROSSER!
Darling Baby Photo Torture {Straight up}. Or, Where Do You Think You're Going, Princess? I truly wanted to give this place 5 stars :'( I love the concept, though the reality of kid+space=hit'n'miss
Her audible gasp upon approaching Fairyland's grand gate last Sunday was reassuring that yes, Birthday Girl's wishes were about to come true. Her mad dashes into the entry courtyard past a fenced in line of paying customers were barely thwarted, all looked Quite promising. The meandering round abouts the 'petting zoo' went well... then, PONIES {or, at least, tiny mules}. This sector was stinky but cute, no supervision for the animals at all.
Um, no you can't climb in with them. No you can't ride that pony walking in front of you. Ah, no you can't touch them. No feeding, no petting, no no no. No pony rides. Evidently, not even on the carousels. Not on those carni~rides either. No rides at all! No you can't swim in that {the one thing I forbade}, don't climb. No puppet shows.
Yes you can just stand there and listen to people remind you 'no you can't/you're too little... how awful!
Really not much interactive for a kid who otherwise absolutely lives breathes and sleeps her vast collection of fairy tales, with her entourage ready to play out stories illustrated in 3~D here, on her level.
I caught an undercurrent of overwhelmingly poor morale from the staff I did encounter, who were full of No. Yes I understand you deal with this allllll the livelong day, No don't tell me my kid is getting away when it ought be obvious that there are several more of us herding her along... Hello to you too, mr. crankypants o_0
About $100 into the grand adventure, our party of 5 began to re~evaluate exactly what the worth of cute birthday adventure was for a 3~year old, whom was told at every corner that she was either 'Too Big', or "Too Small'. Why haven't I heard a word of this before? Ah, because it's neither on the website nor does anyone else seem to care whether their curious kid goes on the creepy carousel {or other rides}.
This place is perfect for egocentric aspiring models whom want to take part in thematic shoots {I saw a lot of That, actually}. Or, grownups who want cutesy photos & video of grandkids toddle~waddling about in FAIRYLAND.
Rather better than the aging fairyland in Point Defiance, Wa.
Hmmm... more playstructures anyone???
If you look at it one way, it looks a little run down. But then you look at in another way, though the eyes of a child.
It's definitely low tech. Lots of things to climb in, over and through. Hidden slides all over the place. Go through the rabbit hole into Alice's world, ending in a maze of cards. Climb onto Noah's Ark and peer inside... surprise, live cockateils! Check out the old western town and ride the train. Ride the carousel and then watch a real puppet show. Do some crafts.
The rides are all free with the $6 admission. Isn't that refreshing? Get one free entry if you have an Entertainment book for the East Bay.
If you don't bring your own food, there is a decent selection at the snack bar, but it's cash only.
We went today on a dreary winter afternoon. It was chilly and threatening rain. It almost felt like we had the park to ourselves. It was a blast!
