Fantasy World is an unfinished theme park in Lemery, Batangas, Philippines. With no operational rides, the site functions as a photo park.
 | |
| Coordinates | 14°00′56.7″N 120°52′24.9″E / 14.015750°N 120.873583°E |
|---|---|
| Status | Operating |
| Owner | ECE Realty & Development Inc. (formerly) |
| Theme | Fantasy medieval |
| Area | 30 ha (74 acres) |
| While the theme park is open, there are no functional rides, and the attractions serve as photoshoot subjects for visitors. | |
History
editFantasy World was initially intended to be a members-only club[1] but was changed into a resort-theme park open to tourists coming from Metro Manila and Calabarzon. It received an endorsement from the Department of Tourism in 1997.[1] Land acquisition started in January 1999 while site development began in October with ECE Realty & Development Inc. as the project's initial developer.[1][2][3] In 2001, it was granted pioneer incentives by the Board of Investments.[1]
It was touted to be the "Disney World of the Philippines" and was envisioned to dwarf Enchanted Kingdom.[3] The project was expected to cost ₱17 billion and was to be fully operational by 2005.[3] However, due to financial issues and illness of ECE Realty head Emilio Ching, development of Fantasy World halted in the mid-2000s.[4][5]
Fantasy World was then open to the public in the early 2010s as a site for photoshoots.[6] The site then was bought by new owners.[4]
Facilities
edit
Fantasy World is a medieval theme park covering an area of 30 ha (74 acres). There are rides installed within the park, but none are operational. A Bavarian-inspired[6] castle serves as the centerpiece of Fantasy World.[4] Originally there was a plan to build a 504-room hotel within the theme park's vicinity as well as other facilities for recreation and leisure.[2]
In popular culture
editABS-CBN's fantasy anthology series Wansapanataym was filmed at Fantasy World for the episodes "Sine-World" and "Rapunzel".
GMA's 2006 television series Majika was filmed at Fantasy World. Likewise, some scenes of Fantastica of Star Cinema and Viva Films were shot at the theme park.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "ECE's P1-B theme park gets perks". Philippine Daily Inquirer. April 16, 2001.
- ^ a b Go, Marianne (April 16, 2001). "Fantasy World project gets BOI perks: P1-B tourism facility soon to rise in Batangas". The Philippine Star. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ a b c Salazar, Tessa R (February 8, 2000). "Fantasy World's fairy-tale castle almost complete". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
- ^ a b c d Pastrana, Kathleen (December 31, 2018). "Fantasy World: The abandoned fortress". Sunstar. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ Domingo, Katrina (May 21, 2017). "6 things to do at the 'abandoned castle' in Batangas". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ a b Uy, Sasha Lim (October 17, 2017). "The Unfinished Mystery of Fantasy World in Batangas". Esquire. Retrieved November 16, 2021.