Let's talk about the Castle!

[Holly79]

I absolutely LOVE the look of the DisneyWorld castle! But I haven't yet seen it in person and wondered if someone could answer a few questions for me.

Is it big, medium or small? Like, bigger than a large house? I read that it's made to appear bigger than it is, which fascinates me, but I'm wondering how big it actually is.

Can you go inside? If so, what's it like?

What's in the top of the towers? Anyone know?

 

[luvvseeyore]

How exciting to see the Castle for the first time...It's like you're a little kid again, no kidding. It's a big wow, cause you remember from your childhood, seeing it on TV, and imagining you were there...it's a magical moment for real.

It is very large, larger than a house for sure. I'm not sure about the inside, I know there more rooms open now, but I'm not exactly sure if they are open to everyone, or you have to be picked to go in them...someone else with more WDW experience could better answer that. I know you can go inside thru a hall, to the other side, and there was a room to the side that had a few things to view.

Hope you enjoy your trip, know you will!!

 

[Feralpeg]

The castle is bigger than a house, but it does look taller than it really is due to the use of forced perspective. As you walk up Main Street toward the castle, you are actually walking up a slight incline. The castle sets at the end of the incline, which makes it appear larger. I don't have the exact height. I'm sure it is available online, but it is still a large building.

You can only enter small parts of the castle. Part of it houses BBB and Cinderella's Royal Table restaurant. There are some offices on the higher floors as well as the Castle Suite. Stays in the suite were given away during the Year of a Million Dreams promotion. It is only available now for special VIPs.

 

[arrdee11462]

I absolutely LOVE the look of the DisneyWorld castle! But I haven't yet seen it in person and wondered if someone could answer a few questions for me.

Is it big, medium or small? Like, bigger than a large house? I read that it's made to appear bigger than it is, which fascinates me, but I'm wondering how big it actually is.

Can you go inside? If so, what's it like?

What's in the top of the towers? Anyone know?

We will be there in May also! Yaaahhhh...

The castle is huge! I'm sure someone will come on with specifics but, its about 200 feet high, about 2x as high as Disneylands castle.


It has security, I think offices and of course the fantasy suite where special guests can spend the night. I had heard that the gold on the towers is real but I don't know for sure.

Tinkerbell flies from the castle on nights when weather permits! (best part of the show) watch from the bridge to tommorrow land and she will fly right over head!

 

[Holly79]

There's a restaurant inside!? Oh that is so cool! And how does Tinkerbell fly out? Is it some sort of optical illusion?

 

[Holly79]

OH WOW! Wouldn't you just pass out!?

http://hotels.about.com/od/disneyworld/ig/Cinderella-Suite/Bedroom.htm

But y'all are right, you can't pay to stay there. You have to win a contest or have a VIP invite. That's okay, I think it makes it more special. I really like that people who might not otherwise be able to afford it can get a chance to stay there.

Even though I'll likely never be able to stay there, maybe someday (in our next house) we can arrange to have our bedroom decorated in a similar manner. Our bedroom now is in the attic of our 1940's home and absolutely darling with little cubbies and stuff. I wouldn't want to change it.

But since our next house is going to be in a castle anyway, (hey, I can dream, can't I?) this type of decor would be quite fitting!

 

[chartle]

Here's a lot of info about the castle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinderella_Castle

As for the very top turrets, they are smaller than they appear to create the illusion that they are further away. So the top ones are half the size that they should be.

One other illusion that makes the castle appear larger is that as you go up Main street, the buildings get a little shorter.

Side note, the top floors of the buildings on main street are also smaller than the full size bottom floors to make them appear taller.

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Perhaps if you call in now you can get an ADR to Cinderella's Royal Table, the restaurant inside the castle! Then you can really experience the castle's wonder! It's a hard reservation to get and you almost definitely won't get the exact time you wanted, but if you're willing to be flexible with your schedule it might be a great experience for a first time castle-goer. But be warned - it's a bit expensive. BUT you get to meet the princesses while you eat. If not that you could always opt to get an appointment at the Bippiti Boppiti Boutique, where they make up girls of ALL ages to look like princesses! You can get a photo-op and everything!

I cried when I first saw the castle, It's so magical! Have fun on your first trip ever!!!

 

[Feralpeg]

There's a restaurant inside!? Oh that is so cool! And how does Tinkerbell fly out? Is it some sort of optical illusion?

It isn't an optical illusion. A CM dressed as Tink slides down a wire from the top of the castle to the roof top of the restaurant at the edge of Tomorrowland. Her costume is covered in lights so she is very easy to see.

 

[BamaTigger]

Tink flies out from here!!!!!

 

[Planogirl]

I might have missed this in the posts but there is a tunnel that goes through the castle from the hub to Fantasyland. There are huge gorgeous mosaics of the Cinderella story along the wall and across from them the entrance to the restaurant.

 

[ZeitgeistDuck]

Holly, I'd like to introduce you to my friend the Google machine. You navigate to www.google.com and enter the words "WDW Cinderella Castle" and a plethora of information will turn up, right there! At your finger tips! Its amazing, really.

 

[Planogirl]

Holly, I'd like to introduce you to my friend the Google machine. You navigate to www.google.com and enter the words "WDW Cinderella Castle" and a plethora of information will turn up, right there! At your finger tips! Its amazing, really.

These boards would be a lot shorter and less interesting if everyone did that. Some people enjoy conversation.

 

[goofyernmost]

And others appreciate accurate information. All though well meaning, many of the answers are not absolutely accurate.

The castle is very large, very much in proportion to it's surroundings and has a look of reality to it on the outside.

Inside is different. If your vision is to wonder through a "castle" you will be disappointed. It is no more than a pass way from one land to another, with, as mentioned, some terrific mosaics and the restaurant and BBB. It is a prop, a very impressive prop, but a prop none the less. The suite was put in last year as a daily prize, if it is used at all right now it is still a special occasion thing and not rentable by us valley peasants. Not even approachable. But with all that said it is the identifying symbol of magic kingdom. You can see it from over a mile away as you approach magic kingdom and it the very heart and soul of the place. With a little imagination, you will not be disappointed.

 

[Reto]

I absolutely LOVE the look of the DisneyWorld castle!

I'm so with ya! Cindy's castle is to me simply the most magical building. I dreamed a long, long time of seeing it in person - and was able to do that for the first time last November. It's not only the beautiful design, it's also the message behind it: Cinderella Castle is a symbol to me, that dreams really can come true if you believe in them, and last but not least, it was Walt Disney's own, biggest (literally!) dream come true.

I'll absolutely never ever forget that moment I stepped onto Main Street, looked up and saw that HUGE castle standing at the other end of Main Street. I had tears in my eyes, seriously! It was that very Disney castle! You see it at the beginning of every Disney movie, you dream about it and I always wanted to see it once. It was prettier and larger than I thought it would be. I walked down Main Street with a big smile and tears in my eyes, both at the same time. When I got to the castle stage the Dream Along with Mickey show just started, with all the characters coming out singing and dancing, so you bet I had a magical first moment at the Magic Kingdom and, as said: My dream really came true. Already miss WDW and hope to return soon.

Is it big, medium or small? Like, bigger than a large house? I read that it's made to appear bigger than it is, which fascinates me, but I'm wondering how big it actually is.

I'd call it big, but as others have said, the buildings on Main Street and some details on the castle itself (the proportions specially) makes it look even larger.

Nevertheless it's larger than a big house. From ground level to the highest, golden spire, it measures 189 feet.

Can you go inside? If so, what's it like?

I've never been, but there's a restaurant on the backside (hard to get reservations though). Not sure exactly how it looks in there but I suppose it would be pretty much like you would be in a real French castle. In addition, there's a fully equipped suite - AFAIK the Make-A-Wish fundation uses or plans to use it for families with terminately ill kids to stay for a night in there.

What's in the top of the towers? Anyone know?

Nothing but some steel framing stuff which holds the whole thing together (the stones you see on the outside are actually fake, made out of fiberglass).

Since you love Cinderella Castle as much as I do, I have some pics to share. You bet I did A LOT of castle photos on my very first trip to WDW. Besides my favorite character (see my sig) the castle was, and will always be the coolest, most magical thing for me at WDW.

Now on with some of my castle shots:

This is what is was like when I saw Cinderella's home for the first time. Dream Along with Mickey was running on the forecourt:

Few know that the highest tower actually has REAL GOLD on it. Wow! Doesn't everyone want to have a golden castle?

Does it get any more magical? Yes! During the holiday season, the castle twinkles and shines like Cinderella's glass slippers - thanks to 200,000 LED lights. The little show they do when they turn on the lights is something I'll never forget. Was able to see it on 3 nights.

A shot from the left-hand side of the castle. The windows of the suite are visible here. I love all the elaborate details, the blue and golden towers - everything's so beautifully crafted:

Fireworks! Yay!

Walt in front of his largest symbol:

But this was my best castle moment: Having it alone in front of me one early morning I went to breakfast before the Magic Kingdom opened. Such a peaceful, delighting sight!

Yes, I really love that building

Holly, I hope you get to see it someday in person. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. It's one beautiful sight when you walk down Main Street and staring at that huge thing.

 

[brerdawg]

There's a restaurant inside!? Oh that is so cool! And how does Tinkerbell fly out? Is it some sort of optical illusion?

Tinkerbell does fly oout every night (weather permitting).