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Sleeping Beauty Castle

Near the center of Disneyland, at the end of Main Street, sits Sleeping Beauty Castle.   For nearly 50 years it has sat quietly as millions of visitors passed beneath the archway into Fantasyland.  Disneyland, and in fact the entire world, has changed much since the castle first appeared in an orange grove in Anaheim, but still it remains as a silent sentinel of the dreams of one man. 


The castle, made from wood and stone, has been a part of Disneyland since it opened back in 1955.  The tallest turret of the castle stands 77 feet over the moat surrounding it, making the castle almost half the size of Matterhorn Mountain to the east.

The moat, which surrounds the front half of the castle, creates a barrier between the castle and the hub.  A stone walkway leads up to the drawbridge and thru the archway of the castle, allowing access to Fantasyland.  There are two auxiliary pathways to the left and right of the castle.  


The eastern pathway leads to Snow White's Grotto, a small area right under the castle which contains a wishing well, and eight statues which depict the characters from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Every few minutes, bells chime and the voice of Snow White can be heard singing as mechanical fish leap from the waters of the castle moat.  The money which visitors toss into the wishing well is donated by the park to local children charities.  

But make no mistake:  This is Sleeping Beauty's Castle, not Snow White's.  Subtle features in the castle drive home the Sleeping Beauty theme. For instance, a drinking fountain behind the castle is adorned with bronze sculptures of Aurora, Prince Philip, and the three fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. The murals that line the tunnel through the castle also show key scenes from the movie. 


Once occupied by a candy shop, the other location inside the castle is the Heraldry Shoppe, where visitors can buy printouts of the history of their family name (most ethnicities are catered to), usually also with a coat of arms. Years after it's construction, Sleeping Beauty Castle was adorned with the Disney Family coat of arms.  It’s visible from the front, directly above the portcullis.

While the color and paint schemes of the castle have changed a couple times, the basic layout and shape of the castle has remained the same for it's entire history.  The shape of the castle is almost as well known as the castle itself, appearing in logos and promotions for Disneyland park for 40 years. It has also become an international trademark for the Walt Disney company as the logo for Walt Disney Pictures.  

There are few icons more widely immediately recognizable than Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland. It’s one of the first things you see when you enter the park, and it serves to lure you deeper into the park itself.  The castle concept has become so integral to the concept of Disneyland, that it has been replicated in every Magic Kingdom park Disney has built, and even some that Disney hasn't built.  The castle will remain for all time guarding the magical kingdom of Disneyland.

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