Can You Walk Through Magic Kingdom Castle?
The Magic Kingdom (Cinderella’s) castle is probably the first thing that comes into your mind when you think of Disney World.
Since it can be seen from almost every corner of the theme park, it’s widely accepted as the focal point of Magic Kingdom.
Thankfully, you are permitted to walk through the castle, over the drawbridge, and through to Fantasyland. As you walk through the hall/tunnel of the castle, you’ll be able to see a series of five spectacular mosaic murals that tell the story of Cinderella.
Know that the gates are only closed when a stage show is being prepared for your entertainment.
Once the show ends, the gates open up again.
How Was the Magic Kingdom Castle Made?
The Magic Kingdom castle was completed in 1971, around the same time as the opening of Magic Kingdom.
Contrary to popular opinion, bricks weren’t used to construct the Magic Kingdom castle.
Instead, the castle is constructed of ten-inch sturdy reinforced concrete and fiberglass, installed over a steel frame structure.
To ensure the infrastructure stood the test of time, the designers carefully chose sturdy fiber gypsum plaster to make up the castle’s exterior.
Additionally, light gauge metal studs were used to support the framework.
What’s Inside the Magic Kingdom Castle?
Now, let’s get to the juicy bit—what can you expect to see inside the Magic Kingdom as you walk through it?
Well, once inside the Magic Kingdom Castle, you can find the restaurant, Cinderella’s Royal Table, the Cinderella Castle Suite, where you actually get to live inside the castle, and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, a place that allows your child to live his or her dream of being a Prince or Princess.
Lest we forget—you will also see detailed, paneled mosaics that depict the story of Cinderella.
The mosaics are made of 300,000 pieces of Italian glass and rough smalti tiles which are showcased in over 500 colors.
Designed by Imagineer, Dorothea Redmond, it took a team of 6 craftsmen over 2 years to complete the artwork; the mosaicist, Hanns-Joachim Scharff, spearheaded the task.
So, make sure you take a good look at the mosaics when you walk through the Magic Kingdom castle.
What is Cinderella’s Royal Table Restaurant all About?
What makes Cinderella’s Royal Table restaurant so appealing is the fact that it’s located inside the castle. Therefore, it gives visitors a chance to dine inside the castle.
It also helps that several Disney characters show up in the restaurant to give a Disney character dining experience.
While dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table, you can expect to see Cinderella, Belle, Aurora, Snow White, and Fairy Godmother among others.
However, getting a reservation there can be quite difficult.
By far the most popular restaurant in Disney World, Cinderella’s Royal Table requires you to make dining reservations at least 90 days in advance.
If you want to book a table there, you’d need to call 407 WDW DINE. Personally, I think that the meals out there are pretty pricey for what they’re worth.
So, only choose to dine there if you really want to stay inside the castle.
How to Book A Stay in the Cinderella Castle Suite
The Cinderella Suite was originally designed as a place of residence for Walt Disney and his family.
Regrettably, Walt Disney didn’t get the opportunity to see his dream come to life as he passed away in 1966, five years before the completion of Magic Kingdom.
After that, the empty space was simply used by Disney telephone operators until the launch of “The Year of a Million Dreams” in 2007.
At the time, Disney converted the room into a 650 square feet habitable space.
The designers placed 2 beautiful Queen-sized beds in the room and had them facing an ornate fireplace.
To give the room a more Cinderella-esque feel, the designers also placed a 17th-century style portrait of Cinderella above the fireplace.
The magical bit about the room was that the portrait could further be transformed into a flat screen.
“The Year of a Million Dreams” event gave a select few lucky visitors a chance to stay in the Cinderella Suite.
Each day, a winner was selected and he/she with a maximum of 5 personal guests were allowed to stay in the suite.
The event was originally planned to run from Oct 2006 to Dec 2007. However, due to excessive demand, Disney continued to run the event throughout 2008.
Right now, no such event exists. On the bright side, Disney has promised to retain the Cinderella Suite as a prize award.
So, technically speaking, you could, one day, get the opportunity to spend a night in the Magic Kingdom castle.
Conclusion
Getting back on track, it is possible for you to walk through the Magic Kingdom castle at certain times during the day.
On times when you aren’t allowed to enter the castle, know that a stage show is being prepared for your entertainment.
Once the show ends, the gates will open up again.
