The Sleeping Beauty Castle, located in the center of Disneyland, is the iconic place to take that postcard quality photo we all crave. It is such a spectacular sight, but how much do you really know about it? We are here to share our favorite fun facts about this magical castle so that when you go to the Sleeping Beauty Castle next time, you can share some insight with your family.
Walt Disney and Marvin Davis, the scenic designer, traveled around the world sightseeing different castles. Of course they fell in love with the copious Neuschwanstein Castle located in Bavaria, Germany. This castle belonged to King Ludwig (the Fairy Tale King). The Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration Walt was seeking for his castle. The Sleeping Beauty Castle was designed by Herbert Ryman who used forced perspective to create the illusion that the castle is even taller than its actual height of 77 feet.
(Above Photo: Walt and the Orange County Officials)
Out of all of the castles, the Sleeping Beauty Castle is the smallest one. This castle was built about 5 years before the Sleeping Beauty film was released. Walt did this intentionally so that when the Sleeping Beauty movie was ready to premiere, he was able to use the castle to promote the movie. If you compare the castle in the movie to the one in real life you’ll notice that they do not look the same, and this is because of the different time periods.
While Roy Disney (Walt’s Brother) was on vacation, Walt used this opportunity to put gold on one of the turrets (little towers of the castle), despite his brother’s opposition to this. Roy did not want to pay the extra cost for gold, but Walt was determined to have this luxurious detail, even if he had to go about it in a slightly sneaky fashion. The other turret is simply painted gold.
When the castle initially opened on July 17, 1955, it did not allow for guest entry. Walt recognized that this was a waste of space (and a perfectly good castle!), so he instructed the designer to make the necessary changes. By April 29, 1957, guests were able to walk through the castle, while immersing themselves in the enchanting world of Sleeping Beauty.
Did you know? Sleeping Beauty Castle is the oldest of all Disney Castles, located in Fantasyland.
On the big day that the castle opened, Walt said something amazing, “Here is the world of imagination, hopes and dreams……To those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.”
Nowadays, the Sleeping Beauty Castle gets an updated decor during different holidays and seasons. Plan your next visit in late November or December to witness the 80,000 LED lights brighten up the castle for the holidays!
