Cinderella Castle

 

 

Cinderella Castle is the Magic Kingdom’s iconic structure. It was built in 1971, with a design is based on a French palace-fortress with a medieval base and gothic turrets and spires. At 189 feet high, it is the tallest structure in the Magic Kingdom.

Visitors can see the story of Cinderella depicted in a stunning mosaic inside the main hall. The castle’s five murals, known as the Cinderella Castle Mosaic, contain about 500 colors and a million pieces of glass, many of them fused with real silver and 14-karat gold. Venetian glass and smalti traditionally used by Italian craftsman were incorporated into the design. Each of Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters has her own special facial tint. One sister is red in tone, to show that she is “red with rage,” while another is greenish (“green with envy”), as they both look on as Cinderella tries on the glass slipper — a perfect fit. This mosaic in the archway was designed by Disney artist Dorothea Redmond, and crafted by a team led by the world-famed mosaicist Hanns-Joachim Scharff.

Cinderella’s Royal Table restaurant, located in the castle, was formerly known as King Stefan’s Banquet Hall when it opened with Cinderella Castle on October 1, 1971. The restaurant displays more than 40 coats of arms representing people who played significant roles in the heritage and history of the Walt Disney Company. This extremely popular hosts a character meal every day, where Cinderella and other Disney princesses join guests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Inside the castle, there is a penthouse that was intended to be an apartment for Walt Disney and his family when they were in Florida, but it was never finished after Walt Disney’s death. Instead, the penthouse served as the operations area for Vista United Telecommunications. The suite was left unfinished for many years, and it wasn’t until 2006 that the suite was finally completed and opened to guests as part of a special promotional contest. Today, it now serves as dressing rooms for entertainers performing in the shows at the Castle Forecourt Stage.

Over the years, Cinderella Castle has been the site of many special events and celebrations, such as fireworks displays, light shows, and stage shows. It has also undergone several renovations and updates to keep it looking fresh and modern.

During the evening fireworks display, make sure to catch Tinker Bell’s nightly “flight” from the Castle down towards Tomorrowland. Tinker Bell covers a distance of 750 feet, averaging a speed of 15 miles per hour, and the flight takes approximately 34 seconds. She has been flying from Cinderella Castle to Tomorrowland since July 4, 1985.

Other notable attractions inside the castle include Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Visitors can also shop at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or Castle Couture for dresses and accessories.

 

Brief History:

In the early 1960s, Walt Disney began planning for a new theme park on the east coast of the United States, which eventually became Walt Disney World. He wanted the park to be larger and more elaborate than Disneyland in California, with more attractions and better infrastructure. One of the key elements of the new park was a castle that would serve as a visual landmark and hub for visitors.

Walt Disney tasked Imagineer John Hench with designing the castle. The centerpiece structure would be based on the architecture of real European castles, but with a distinctly Disney twist. Hench and his team looked at castles in Spain, France, and Germany for inspiration, and came up with a design that combined elements from several different styles.

Construction of the castle began in 1969, and it was completed in July 1971, just a few months before the park opened to the public. Contrary to a popular legend, the Castle cannot be taken apart in the event of a hurricane. It was, however, built to withstand hurricane winds of at least 90 miles per hour. The inner structure is steel covered with fiberglass, secured to a concrete foundation. The turrets and towers also have internal steel framing and were lifted by crane, then bolted permanently to the main structure.

The exterior was painted in shades of blue and gray to create a sense of depth and perspective, and there are 27 towers and turrets that give the castle its distinctive silhouette. The towers were pre-fabricated near the site, then slated, gilded, and hoisted into place. The outside of the castle is adorned with 13 gargoyles, while a decorative portcullis above the gateway to the main hall permanently remains raised.

Over the years, Cinderella Castle has seen a few makeovers. To celebrate Walt Disney World’s 25th Anniversary, Cinderella Castle was transformed into a giant pink castle cake adorned with gum drops, Life Savers, lollipops, and red candy hearts, known by some as the “cakestle.” The castle cake remained for 15 months, from October 1, 1996, through January 31, 1998. At the conclusion of the celebration, Cinderella Castle was transformed back to its original traditional blue-and-gold-spired, storybook splendor.

For the 50th Celebration, the Castle received a new color palette, with the gray and blue replaced with royal purple and a blush pink. To complete the look, skilled artisans and designers added special decorations to the castle. The decorations, known as “EARidescent,” are a nod to Mickey Mouse’s iconic ears and are made up of shimmering gold details, royal blue jewels, and delicate pearls.

Fun Facts:

Cinderella Castle is not only a visual landmark, but it is also a functional one – it serves as a hub for Magic Kingdom’s “spoke and wheel” layout, with different lands branching out from the central plaza.

The castle’s moat contains approximately 3.37 million gallons of water, which is filtered every day to keep it clean and clear.

Every night, Cinderella Castle is lit up by over 16 million LED lights, which create a stunning display of color and patterns.

The castle’s clock face is a special feature that tells time in Roman numerals, except for the four o’clock hour, which is represented by IIII instead of IV – a tradition that dates back to the earliest clocks.

Cinderella Castle has been used as a backdrop in many movies, TV shows, and commercials, and it has even been the subject of its own documentary, “The Making of Cinderella Castle.”

The castle’s stage has been graced by many famous performers over the years, including Julie Andrews, Elton John, and the Jonas Brothers.

There are numerous hidden Mickey Mouse shapes throughout the castle, including in the stone walls, windows, and other details – can you spot them all?

Tips:

 

• The Castle Breezeway may be partially or fully closed off during certain times of the day because of the Stage Show that is performed multiple times a day in front of the Castle.

 

• The Castle is accessible for wheelchairs/ECVs.