LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom has a refreshed look.
Walt Disney World said work is now complete on a months-long project that transformed the castle from its previous pink shades to a more classic color palette inspired by its original 1971 debut.
The project was led by teams from Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney’s Facility Asset Management team.
Disney said the updated colors were selected through historical research, collaboration and planning meant to honor the castle’s legacy while highlighting its architectural details.
“Presented with the opportunity to introduce a new color palette, it was important for us to consider the history and heritage of our beautiful castle,” said Chris Weck, senior creative director with Walt Disney Imagineering. “We took our inspiration from that classic vision of the castle in 1971 by selecting elegant shades that lean into the element of fantasy.”
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Weck said the new look uses deep blue roofs, stonework and gold trim to celebrate the details of the Magic Kingdom icon.
Disney said the project required crews to drain the castle moat, build temporary dams and use boom lifts to paint parts of the structure.
Nathan Collahuazo, an associate project manager with Disney’s Facility Asset Management team, helped oversee the work.
“Not every day you are told, ‘Hey, you’re going to change the look of one of the most iconic buildings Disney has,’” Collahuazo said. “That excitement hit immediately, and then very quickly, the weight of it.”
Disney said painters worked at heights of more than 150 feet and used more than 600 gallons of paint during the project.
Crews also adjusted their work schedule so the equipment could be lowered and moved out of sight by noon each day, allowing guests to take photos of the castle.
The project was first announced last year at Destination D23.
Disney said the refresh was a collaboration among Walt Disney Imagineering, Facility Asset Management, Disney Live Entertainment, Project Development, Operations and PhotoPass teams.
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