The single's music video was the first that Carey directed entirely on her own. Carey had been open about the fact that she had not been happy with some of her previous music videos. She therefore decided to single-handedly direct the video, so the outcome would be to her exact choosing. Carey said her inspiration for the video was to give off a "free and open feeling," trying to portray the freedom she had finally achieved in being allowed to direct her first video. The video for "Fantasy" debuted on September 7, 1995, at the "MTV Video Music Awards." The video begins with Carey rollerblading in front of the boardwalk entrance at Playland amusement park, located in Rye, New York, and riding The Dragon Coaster, the park's signature wooden coaster. The video continues with various snippets of Carey until the end of the second verse. Afterwards, the video switches to a night time scene that involves people dancing in the parking lot and on top cars.