Opened July 17, 1955, the castle is the oldest of all Disney castles. Its primary inspiration was the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. Though it reaches a height of only 77 feet (23 m), it was designed by Herbert Ryman[2] to appear taller through a process known as forced perspective; design elements are larger at the foundation and smaller at the turrets. It initially featured an empty upper level that was never intended to house an attraction, but Walt Disney was not satisfied with what he viewed as wasted space, and challenged his Imagineers to find some use for the space.
Beginning April 29, 1957, visitors were able to walk through the castle and view several dioramas depicting the story of Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty. The voice of Cliff Edwards singing "When You Wish Upon a Star" is piped into it.[3] The original dioramas were designed in the style of Eyvind Earle, production designer for Sleeping Beauty, and were then redone in 1977 to resemble the window displays on Main Street, U.S.A.. The walkthrough was closed for unspecified reasons in October 2001; popular belief claims the September 11th attacks and the potential danger that ensued played a major factor in the closing.
On July 17, 2008, Disney announced that the walkthrough would reopen in the style of the original Earle dioramas, enhanced with new technology not available in 1957. It did so on November 27, 2008 at 5pm., drawing long lines going as far back as the Hub at the center of the park. Unlike previous incarnations, visitors who are unable to climb stairs or navigate the passageways can still experience the walkthrough "virtually" in a special room on the ground floor. This room is lavishly themed, and presents the closed-captioned CGI walkthrough recreation on a high-definition TV. This same virtual recreation is included on the Sleeping Beauty 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition DVD.
The Disney family coat of arms hangs above the archway to the castle.[4] It is composed of three lions passant in pale.[5] It is known that the coat of arms was not originally on there, but was placed there sometime between June [6] and July 1965.[7]
At the rear of the castle, shaded by the archways and driven into the ground is a gold spike that is widely, but wrongly, believed to mark the geographical center of Disneyland as of the addition of Mickey's Toontown in 1993. In reality, it is a surveyor's mark that was used to ensure that the castle's drawbridge and entrance lined up with Main Street U.S.A. when the park was first constructed. The original geographical center of the park was in the middle of the round park, where the "Partners" statue stands. The addition of Mickey's Toontown moved the actual center of the park a few yards northward, but still on the hub side of the drawbridge.
Fiftieth anniversary[]
In celebration of Disneyland's 50th anniversary in 2005, the castle was repainted and five turrets were decorated with stylized crowns, each representing a decade in the park's history.
The creation of Disneyland is represented by a pair of famous "Ears" peeking up over the horizon to see the wonders to come.
"A World on the Move", otherwise known as the "New Tomorrowland" of 1967, is represented by rocket ships and accented by opalescent planets.
The Indiana Jones Adventure is represented by the evil Eye of Mara, guarded by snakes.
The 50th anniversary is represented by fireworks and Tinker Bell.
Sixtieth anniversary[]
For Disneyland's 60th Anniversary, World of Color changed to the World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney. The park introduced Paint the Night and a new fireworks show, "Disneyland Forever". A 24-hour kickoff event occurred May 22, 2015.
As part of the celebration, the castle was covered with diamonds and glitter, with a large 60th logo in the center.
Hong Kong Disneyland version[]
Hong Kong Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle was a nearly identical copy of the original in California. However, the two castles could be differentiated through very subtle details. If one were to look closely enough, Hong Kong Disneyland's castle was built with much more precision compared to Disneyland's. This could be observed through straighter and sharper edges on towers and walls as well as more ornate turret toppings. Hong Kong Disneyland also used a different color scheme compared to that of Disneyland, with natural white and pink for the accents and cornice, giving the castle a more medieval look while the original uses slightly more saturated colors for its cornice and decorations, giving it a more fairytale look. Disneyland frames its castle with lush trees and gardening to compliment its fairy tale aesthetic. Hong Kong Disneyland had less trees surrounding its castle, allowing a more open view to accompany the nightly fireworks show. While Disneyland did not begin its nightly fireworks tradition until one year after the park opened, Hong Kong Disneyland's was built with the firework performances in mind. This resulted in the fortress-themed buildings to the sides of the castle, which housed the Fantasyland dark rides, being much more extended to both sides compared to Anaheim's, allowing a much more panoramic view to the pyrotechnic display.
The park's current castle became completely redesigned and reconstructed in 2020, as part of its 15th anniversary celebration. The castle became redesigned to pay tribute to all Disney Princesses. The castle closed on January 1, 2018.[8][9]
Fifth anniversary[]
In celebration of Hong Kong Disneyland's 5th Anniversary, Celebration in the Air, unlike Disneyland, the castle has been transformed into Tinker Bell’s Pixie Dusted Castle. The castle is decorated by golden pixie dust, which sparkles and shimmers in the sun, and illuminates by night.
Tenth anniversary[]
Although no significant decorations is added to the castle for the park's 10th anniversary, the nightly "Disney in the Stars" fireworks show is added with elaborate projection mapping with visuals to compliment the display. This, however, resulted in the elimination of a few pyrotechnic elements launched from the front of the castle during the show.
The Walt Disney Story • Aladdin's Oasis • Swiss Family Robinson • Big Thunder Ranch • Mike Fink Keel Boats • Nature's Wonderland • Mickey Mouse Club Theater • Autopia • Skyway • Ariel's Grotto • Disney Afternoon Avenue • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea • Rocket Rods • Circle-Vision 360° (America the Beautiful • Wonders of China • American Journeys) • Rocket to the Moon • The World Beneath Us • House of the Future • Submarine Voyage • Flying Saucers • Adventure Thru Inner Space • Carousel of Progress • America Sings • Innoventions • Super Hero HQ • Star Tours • Rocket Jets • Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage • The Magic, the Memories and You • PeopleMover • Starcade • Magic Journeys • Captain EO • Honey, I Shrunk the Audience • Star Wars: Path of the Jedi • The Disney Gallery • Disneyland Dream Suite • Country Bear Jamboree • Toon Park • Main Street Electrical Parade • Light Magic • Paint the Night • America on Parade • Flights of Fantasy Parade • Aladdin's Royal Caravan • The Lion King Celebration • Hercules Victory Parade • Mulan Parade • Motor Boat Cruise • Viewliner Train of Tomorrow
Animation Academy • Art of Animation • Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad • Hong Kong Disneyland Band • Main Street Vehicles • Ragtime Piano • The Annex • Building a Dream: The Magic Behind a Disney Castle
Festival of the Lion King • Jungle Drumming • Jungle River Cruise • Karibuni Marketplace • Liki Tikis • Moana: A Homecoming Celebration • Tarzan's Treehouse
Seasonal:Let's Get Wicked • Mickey and Friends Christmastime Ball • Pixar Water Play Street Party! • Tree Lighting Ceremony
Other Attractions
Inspiration Lake Recreation Centre
Former Attractions and Entertainment
Autopia • Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters • Dapper Dans • Disney in the Stars • Disney on Parade • Flights of Fantasy Parade • High School Musical: LIVE! • Jungle Puppet Carnival • Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple • Lucky the Dinosaur • Muppet Mobile Lab • Sleeping Beauty Castle • Space Mountain • Stitch Encounter • Star Wars: Command Post • The Disneyland Story presenting How Mickey Mouse Came to Hong Kong • The Golden Mickeys • We Love Mickey! • UFO Zone
Seasonal:A Celebration of Coco • A Magical Frozen Snowfall • Adventureland Oasis Party • Alien Invasion • Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Boot Camp • Demon Jungle • Disney Friends Springtime Processional • Disney Music Program • “Frozen” Festival Show • “Frozen” Village • Glow in the Park Halloween Parade • Graves Academy • Horrors of the Amazon • Inferno Dance Party • Mickey's Halloween Time Street Party • It's a Small World Holiday • Jack Skellington’s Villainous Gathering • Journey to the Halloween Town • Jungle River Cruise: Curse of the Emerald Trinity • Lightning McQueen Live! • Main Street Haunted Hotel • Marvel's Mission: Dimensions of Danger • Mickey's Halloween Time Street Party • Mickey's House • Mickey's WaterWorks • Nightmare in the Sky • Pirate Takeover • Pirates of the Caribbean Ghost Trail • Royal Christmas Ball • Santa Mickey's Toy-riffic Street Party • Star Wars: Tomorrowland Takeover • Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy • Stitch's Summer Dance Bash • Stitch and Friends Summer Surprise • The Nightmare Experiment • The Revenge of the Headless Horseman • Tinker Bell Castle Illumination • Tomorrowland Party Zone • Turtle Talk with Crush • Villains Night Out!
Kingdom Keepers • Kingdom Keepers I: Disney After Dark • Kingdom Keepers II: Disney at Dawn • Kingdom Keepers III: Disney in Shadow • Kingdom Keepers IV: Power Play • Kingdom Keepers V: Shell Game • Kingdom Keepers VI: Dark Passage • Kingdom Keepers VII: The Insider
Television:House of Mouse • Once Upon a Time • Once Upon a Time in Wonderland • Sofia the First Video Games:Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep • Disney INFINITY • Maleficent Free Fall • Disney INFINITY: 2.0 Edition Books:My Side of the Story: Sleeping Beauty/Maleficent • The Curse of Maleficent: The Tale of a Sleeping Beauty • Once Upon a Dream: From Perrault's Sleeping Beauty to Disney's Maleficent • Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy • Disney Princess Beginnings Music:The Legacy Collection: Sleeping Beauty • Maleficent • Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Maleficent:Forest Army • King Henry • King Henry's Army • Fairies Maleficent: Mistress of Evil:Queen Ingrith • Conall • Borra • Gerda • Dark Fey Deleted Characters:Vulture
