The emblem of every Disney Park is the fairytale castle, and this is no different in Paris. The Sleeping Beauty Castle stands directly on Central Plaza at the end of Main Street, U.S.A.
The magnificent building with its 16 turrets is not only the entrance to Fantasyland, but an attraction in its own right, with many lovingly crafted details waiting for you to discover them.
When you enter the castle, you will first come to the entrance hall, which is over ten metres high and has wonderful stained glass windows. A stone staircase will take you to the upper floor of the castle, where the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty is told with the help of tapestry and stained glass. From here, you can access the balcony through a small door, which gives you a good view of Fantasyland.
But before you go up the stairs, take a look around the ground floor. Here you will find the two small shops ‘La Boutique du Château’ and ‘Merlin l'Enchanteur’ as well as a beautifully designed entrance hall.
Before you leave the castle and head towards Fantasyland, you can also gather all your courage and visit the cave under the castle. But be careful, there is a fearsome inhabitant here!
Neuschwanstein as a model?
In every Disney park in the world, a fairytale castle forms most prominent focal point, the weenie as Walt Disney called it. The Sleeping Beauty Castle is also the symbol of Disneyland Paris. This pink castle was not the first idea that came to the Imagineers. They discussed the type of castle that would be suitable for Disneyland Paris for more than a year. They considered simply recreating the Sleeping Beauty Castle from Anaheim or, alternatively, the Cinderella Castle from the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Both ideas were rejected because the architecture of both castles is too much influenced by the architecture of the Loire castles and the real-life models in France are easily accessible.
A stark counter-design can be seen in Tim Delaney's model, which shows a futuristic castle, more of a tower in a steampunk style. However, this variant would have turned the entire concept of Fantasyland on its head or meant that Discoveryland would have had to be built at this point in the park. It was deemed too wild an idea and therefore ended up in the archives.
The Imagineers finally drew inspiration from classical architecture, which they combined with imaginative elements. In doing so, they followed one of the central elements of the design of Fantasyland.
Elements from Mont Saint Michel in Normandy were incorporated, as were those of Chateau Chambord, the largest castle in the Loire Valley. The Imagineers were also influenced by Saint-Severin, a church in the Latin Quarter in Paris. Furthermore, the two Loire castles Chateau Chaumont and Azay-le-Rideau served as inspiration.
However, one artist who was closely associated with Disney for many years was also crucially involved in the design: Eyvind Earle. It was the American artist whose style characterised the animated film Sleeping Beauty from 1959. And his style was a decisive inspiration for the Disney Imagineers in designing the Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant.
The Imagineers also talked to numerous European scientists, such as museum experts and historians, to achieve the perfect result.
In any case, the result is impressive, isn't it? The Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Paris is probably the most beautiful of all Disney castles, don't you think?
Without doubt it is clear that Neuschwanstein did not serve as a model for the castle in Disneyland Paris. However, there is definitely a connection between Neuschwanstein and Disney! Walt Disney used Neuschwanstein Castle, which is located in the German Alps, as inspiration for the very first Disney castle, Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland in California.
Inside the castle, there are numerous references to the employees who were involved in the planning and design of Sleeping Beauty Castle in Paris (in French it is called Château de a Belle au Bois Dormant). For example, in the entrance hall, various coats of arms can be seen as a hidden thank you, each alluding to an Imagineer. This is also the case for Latin inscriptions you find in the castle.
Change over time
From time to time, the fairytale castle at Disneyland Paris changes its appearance. For special birthdays, it is redesigned a little and thus offers a very special eye-catcher. For example, for the resort's first birthday, the castle was transformed into a giant birthday cake; for the fifth birthday, it appeared in a kind of jester's costume in reference to the film ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’. On the occasion of the resort's 15th birthday, giant candle holders and gilded Disney figures adorned the castle.
