slo’s WEDNESDAY 7/16 poll - Cinderella’s Castle Through The Years

[slo]

Cinderella’s castle has had some changes throughout the years. Some of us have been blessed to see them all. The castle is something many of us are pretty passionate about. I’ll dare to say that some of us will debate about which castle they like best and why, before they’ll debate about politics (I’m one of those people - LOL! ) I provided several pictures below for you to look at before you vote. You do not have to be someone that has been to WDW or have seen each of these castles to vote - just go by the pictures.

So let’s talk about one of the world’s most famous and familiar castles…….

After reviewing the pictures below , which one is your favorite?

*There is no “other” for this poll
*These pictures were from Instagram - they were on the AllEars.net page. I did not create these myself. If you don’t watch and follow AllEars, you should give them a try - they have great content.



For Me…..This is a tough question for me to answer. I am someone that has been blessed with seeing each of the below castles. My DD21 and I were discussing this last night after I showed her the pictures and she immediately said The Dreamlights castle (we saw it in 2012 and it was amazing). I’m going to vote for the mid 90s - 95 because the castle still looked like that afterwards and some of my greatest WDW memories were with my girls when they were little (1998 - 2012). We then took a WDW break because of DD21’s softball schedule and returned in 2021 for my 50th birthday, and have returned in 2023 & 2025 and will be continuing to return now that my DD21 is retired from softball. The 50h anniversary castle is a runner up for me, because I do love that castle and going for my birthday was a really special trip.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Mid 90s is and will always be my favorite because that’s when I visited the most and I just think it was the most beautiful castle ever my personal opinion
But I absolutely loved the castle with the Dreamlight at night During the day it didn’t look pretty but at nine it looked absolutely gorgeous again my personal opinion
And again my personal opinion but when they made it into a birthday cake I absolutely hated it I know a lot of people loved it but I’m just not one of them

 

[Meriweather]

Mid 90's

 

[loves to dive]

I voted for current but to be honest, I kind of liked all of them. I've never been to DL but have seen all the WDW changes through the years. I didn't even hate the birthday cake one. I loved the dream lights at night but during the day it was just the castle. I'll be honest again, I go at least 2 times a year sometimes 4 times a year so the castle has just sort of become something that is there. I do still sometimes take a picture of it when I come into the park for the first time but don't really pay too much attention to it otherwise. I'm not a fan of the projections on it during the fireworks since I'm height challenged and can't see them any way so I rarely even watch them, because of that the backdrop isn't so special for me. Like all the park icons, I notice it when I first walk into the park then just go about my day.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Holiday Dreamlights

 

[Wood Nymph]

I've seen then all except the 1971 opening, Stitch vandalism and Disneyland. I hated the 25th anniversary ballons. It was very obnoxious ad lasted way too long.

I voted for the current castle, but the dream lights were very pretty at night.

 

[slo]

I voted for current but to be honest, I kind of liked all of them. I've never been to DL but have seen all the WDW changes through the years. I didn't even hate the birthday cake one. I loved the dream lights at night but during the day it was just the castle. I'll be honest again, I go at least 2 times a year sometimes 4 times a year so the castle has just sort of become something that is there. I do still sometimes take a picture of it when I come into the park for the first time but don't really pay too much attention to it otherwise. I'm not a fan of the projections on it during the fireworks since I'm height challenged and can't see them any way so I rarely even watch them, because of that the backdrop isn't so special for me. Like all the park icons, I notice it when I first walk into the park then just go about my day.

My DD21 is 5’3” and we found the best place for her to see the projections well. We stand in the hub area right by the entrance to Liberty Square. The spot is slightly raised because of the curb and we stand by the trash cans. This way she is slightly higher with that curb and nobody can stand in front of her because of the trash can. Last trip someone/a tall dad tried to have their child on their shoulders in front of the trash can and I was like..,,of heck no! So I politely asked them if they could just hold their child and why and they understood and agreed to just hold them instead of the sitting on his shoulders (this is such a pet peeve of mine, but that’s a topic for another day - just hold your child). I told them that even when your child is an adult child, you still want them to see. Definitely look for this spot when you return. You just can’t have it when we’re there

Then when the fireworks are done we go straight into Liberty Square and hang out there until the crowds disperse. Works great every time

 

[slo]

@loves to dive and anyone else that needs a good place to stand for the fireworks - this is our favorite spot.

Yes….I’m a big Wishes fan and miss it very much. I wish the powers that be would make a new fireworks show to the soundtrack of Wishes. I love it so much

 

[CGB]

Holiday Dream Lights! We only saw it twice, but wow! what a site it was!

 

[clappyclaps]

My favourite, and i appreciate I'm likely in the minority here, was the 25th anniversary birthday cake. My first trip to WDW was when I was 10 in 1997, so this castle will always have a special place in my heart.

 

[PollyannaMom]

My favourite, and i appreciate I'm likely in the minority here, was the 25th anniversary birthday cake. My first trip to WDW was when I was 10 in 1997, so this castle will always have a special place in my heart.

That was my first castle view as well (though I was older.) - I wonder if we were there at the same time? (My trip was in May.)

My favorite is the Dreamlights version, though. We went at Christmastime in 2018, and seeing the castle all lit up like that was completely magical!!

 

[Micca]

I voted the castle of "today" but I've liked all of them except the Pepto Bismol castle and Stitch.

 

[fla4fun]

I have seen them all. My least favorite was the Stitch vandalism. I didn’t love the cake, but it was okay since I knew it was temporary and I liked it from a merchandise angle. My favorite would have to be the today castle. I am glad they kept the colors on it, as it adds interest and dimension to the castle, especially when viewed from a distance on Main Street. The original look, while classic, was a little bland and left the castle looking two dimensional instead of three.

I miss the Dreamlights. I think the castle needs some sort of holiday lights that are on between the projection shows. It wouldn’t have to be as detailed as the Dreamlights. Even something as simple as outlining the roof lines would be appreciated.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I liked the mid 90's picture the best. I like it without the various accoutrements added over the years, a more simple look. Stitch thing was the worst of the ones I saw over the years. The Dreamlights were pretty, at night. The current look is close to the 90's look, but I like the more subdued blues on the peaks of the 90's look.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Love what Stitch did with the place. It’s so him.

 

[slo]

My favourite, and i appreciate I'm likely in the minority here, was the 25th anniversary birthday cake. My first trip to WDW was when I was 10 in 1997, so this castle will always have a special place in my heart.

I really liked that castle too. It's not my favorite, but I thought it was super fun. I remember seeing it like yesterday.

 

[clappyclaps]

That was my first castle view as well (though I was older.) - I wonder if we were there at the same time? (My trip was in May.)

Possibly? Can't remember exactly when we were there but know it was around end of May/ possibly start of June as I'm sure we were there for my birthday on 9th June.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Possibly? Can't remember exactly when we were there but know it was around end of May/ possibly start of June as I'm sure we were there for my birthday on 9th June.

I think we left May 25th, so probably just a few days off. Funny how small the world is.

 

[leebee]

I voted for mid-90s as that's when we first went to Disney, with DD and my two young nieces, so it's always near and dear to my heart. I saw them all except Stitch. Not sure how I missed that one, but we don't always go to every park (we go to Disney a lot, 3 times this year) so maybe that's how I missed Stitch. I didn't love the cake-castle, but it surely was interesting. And I'm with @loves to dive ... NOT a fan of the castle projections. It makes the whole area far, far too crowded. Like @slo , Wishes was my favorite... the music still can make me cry. I have the best memories of SITTING on the ground in the hub, DD (who was in high school by then) lounging back against me, watching Wishes together and, yes, both of us being a tad teary-eyed.

 

[tvguy]

I would have voted OTHER.
I prefer Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland. The original castle. And in any form it has been in over 70 years.