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Cinderella Castle

It’s a fairy tale come true! Cinderella Castle soars majestically above Fantasyland (and the entire Magic Kingdom), inspiring the imagination and bringing dreams to life.
Location:Magic Kingdom
Fantasyland
Type of Attraction:Walk through attraction
Height Restrictions:None
Typical Wait Time:None
Is It Scary?Nothing scary here!

Quick Links:

Magical Moments
Hidden Mickeys & Other Secrets
Did You Know…?
Touring Tips
Photo Gallery

Surrounded by rose gardens and tranquil ponds, Cinderella Castle serves as the focal point for the entire Magic Kindom. Paths taking you to the different lands lead away from the courtyard (where you’ll find a famous statue of Walt Disney holding hands with Mickey himself!).

As you walk through Cinderella Castle, you’ll find a breathtaking gallery of beautifully detailed murals depicting the story of Cinderella. There’s also a restaurant inside (as well as a few gift shops), and you may even find Cinderella herself waiting to greet you!

Magical Moments

  • For many people, seeing Cinderella Castle (especially for the first time) is a dream come true.
  • Try and dine in Cinderella’s Royal Table inside the Castle for a one-of-a-kind experience. Just be aware that you’ll need to make reservations well in advance.
  • Cinderella Castle becomes extra magical at night as spotlights bathe the Castle in an ever-changing rainbow of colors. At the end of the night look for the special pattern of lights that illuminate the Castle-this is the Goodnight Kiss! You’ll also see unique patterns of lights around the holidays, such as snowflakes at Christmas time.
  • Before the nightly fireworks, keep an eye out for Tinker Bell as she takes her flight from the top of the turrets down over Main Street.
  • Speaking of fireworks, while you can view them from many areas of the Magic Kingdom, there’s nothing like seeing them fill the sky above Cinderella Caste to bring a perfect end to a magical day.
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Hidden Mickeys & Other Secrets

  • Look carefully at the mosaic tiles making up the faces of Cinderella’s stepsisters in the interior mural. You’ll see that the tiles are specially colored; one sister (the jealous one) has a red-tinged face while the other (the envious one) has a face that’s slightly green!
  • At the front and rear entrances of Cinderella Castle you will find a coat of arms. This is the actual coat of arms of the Disney family.
  • The special decorations added to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Disneyland in California featured an enormous “stained-glass” mirror over the front entrance. Watching the mirror closely revealed that it actually changed every 40 seconds to feature every Disney castle and the date its park opened (Disneyland in 1955; the Magic Kingdom in 1971; Tokyo Disneyland in 1983; Disneyland Paris in 1992; and Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005).
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Did You Know...?

  • Cinderella Castle is 189 feet tall (more than twice the height of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland). The effect of height is further enhanced by the use of forced perspective. Turrets and windows near the top of the castle are in actuality shorter than those near the ground. Since you naturally assume that they should be the same size, they seem to be a lot higher off the ground, making the Castle appear taller and grander.
  • Despite popular myth, the Castle cannot be dismantled in the event of a hurricane. It is in fact plenty strong enough to endure hurricane-force winds, as evidenced by the storms Francis and Charlie which swept through central Florida.
  • There were plans to build an apartment into the Castle for use by the Disney family, but it was never completed. For a while it was used as the operations area for Vista United Telecommunications, and subsequently as a dressing area for the performers appearing in shows held on the Castle Forecourt Stage. Today the space has been magically transformed into Cinderella Castle Suite, where lucky Walt Disney World guests could spend a dream-come-true night amid fairy tale surroundings during the Year of a Million Dreams celebration.
  • The five murals depicting the story of Cinderella were designed by Imagineer Dorothea Redmond and executed by the artist Hanns-Joachim Scharff. The tiles (hundreds of thousands of them) come in over 500 different colors. There are even special tiles made of real 14K gold and silver!
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Touring Tips

  • There are many pathways to explore around the castle. Most people go right through the center, so you’ll often find some peaceful spots along the pathways where you can relax. In particular, you’ll find a little hideaway around the right side of the castle called Storytime with Belle Theater, where Belle occasionally appears to share stories.
  • As you face the Castle from central hub, there is pathway up and to your right filled with fragrant roses.
  • From the hub, you’ll find a great picture spot to the left (on the pathway leading to Liberty Square). The Castle rises majestically from the surrounding pond and is flanked by a meticulously maintained lawn. It’s a magical image right out of a fairy tale!
  • Keep in mind that the central passageway through the Castle is sometimes closed due to shows that take place in the Forecourt Stage.
  • Cinderella Castle is absolutely breathtaking at night. An ever-changing spectrum of lights bathes the Castle in brilliant blues, oranges, purples and greens. As the park closes, keep an eye out for the “Goodnight Kiss”-a light display of magical patterns that light up the Castle in dazzling fashion.
  • Don’t be so quick to race through the Castle on your way to Fantasyland. Take your time and admire the spectacular mosaic murals that line the corridor depicting the story of Cinderella.
  • In the courtyard in front of the Castle, take note of the small bronze statues that circle the outer walls, you’ll find miniature replicas of all your favorite Disney characters!
  • Cinderella Castle is home to one of the most popular photo spots in the entire Magic Kingdom; a shot of the statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse perfectly framed by the Castle. As you wander by, be sure to check and see if someone is taking that very picture for themselves, (you don’t want to get in the way)!
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Photo Gallery

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