Saturday, 22 June 2019

Fairy Tale Castle


When Walt Disney and his wife toured Europe, they learned the biggest castles were built to intimidate foreign enemies and local peasants alike. Walt always said that’s why the Sleeping Beauty Castle was so tiny – to be more friendly. I suspect the truth has more to do with the size of the orange grove he’d purchased and the number of things he wanted to pack into it. The smallest of the Disney park castles, this almost 2-dimensional edifice really serves one purpose: to obstruct the view of Fantasyland until guests have actually entered. It’s what theater folk call a “big reveal.” The castle was undergoing refurbishment during our last visit; the whole thing was literally under wraps. The 64-year-old icon got a sparkling new roof and a fresh coat of paint. The pinks at the bottom are warm and golden, gradually moving to cooler, bluer shades near the top. It’s one of many clever ways employed to make this tiny castle seem magically bigger.

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