Posted by
Mike and Chris Pettey
on July 14, 2020
Category:
Disney vs. Disney
Tags:
Castles
Disney vs. Disney
Disney Castles are the centerpieces of the parks, containing various attractions, restaurants, retail shops, and entertainment offerings. Castles are found at all six Disney Resorts across the globe. We’ve visited every Castle in person.
Major Similarities & Differences
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You can watch fantastic videos of all the Castles online, so we won’t spend time re-hashing the details of each experience. Instead, we will just point out the major similarities and differences we feel are worth calling out:
- The California and Hong Kong versions, both called Sleeping Beauty Castle, are nearly identical from the outside.
- The Paris version is called Sleeping Beauty Castle, but takes on a much more whimsical look, in order to distinguish it from the many other castles found in Europe.
- The Florida and Tokyo versions, both called Cinderella Castle, are nearly identical from the outside.
- The Shanghai version is called Enchanted Storybook Castle, and represents all of the Disney princesses, rather than just one. It is the largest Disney castle.
- The California, Tokyo, Paris, and Shanghai versions, all contain walk-through attractions.
- The Florida and Shanghai version contain table-service restaurants.
The Rankings (from least favorite to favorite)
It’s no secret that Hong Kong Disneyland was built on the cheap. The park opened with only a handful of attractions, most of which were generally inferior or cookie-cutter copies from other Disney parks around the world. The Castle was no exception. From the outside, yes, this looks like the California original. However, a closer examination reveals very little substance. No walk-through attraction, no restaurant, no retail shop. And the small size means that any nighttime projection shows leave much to be desired. Because of this, Hong Kong’s Castle is currently undergoing a major transformation into what will be known as the Castle of Magical Dreams. However, the version that has existed until now is a hollow shell mimicking the California original, less the personal Walt touch.
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Small. Simple. Quaint. These are words often associated with Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle – most often by those who frequent the other Disney resorts (less the copy found in Hong Kong). However, California’s version contains the fantastic Sleeping Beauty walkthrough attraction, which was given a major upgrade in 2008. Additionally – and this may be totally cliché – this is the version Walt designed, oversaw, and personally walked through. It’s the iconic landmark that inspired not only all the other Disney castles, but countless theme park centerpieces across the globe. Call that pure fanboy nostalgia, but it counts in a big way here. California’s castle is the original, and despite being relatively modest, there is no denying its significance in both Disney and theme park history.
The most popular theme park icon in the world comes in at #4 on our list. It’s not a coincidence that this Castle is the inspiration for the opening production logo of every Disney film today. This is unquestionably the icon most associated with the Disney parks. It’s the template that even Lego chose to design a set from. And it is fantastic. The size and scale of this massive structure are impressive, and provide the perfect backdrop for some fantastic entertainment, fireworks, and projection shows. Cinderella’s Royal Table is truly an incredible dining experience – possible the most genuinely regal treatment Disney provides anywhere. Yes, the castle lacks a walk-through attraction – but that’s about the only place it stumbles. Overall, Cinderella Castle is a fitting centerpiece for the most visited theme park in the world.
Just as Hong Kong’s Castle very closely resembles California’s, Tokyo’s Castle is the spitting image of Florida’s. From the outside, there is very little difference to the castle found at Magic Kingdom. Inside, however, Tokyo gets big points for its walkthrough attraction Cinderella’s Fairy Tale Hall, which just oozes Tokyo-caliber details. Its Glass Slipper store is simply the “perfect fit” for a castle, containing fantastic and impressive merchandise. Yes, it is missing a restaurant, but that doesn’t set it back too much. This castle is the birthplace of a long list of incredible nighttime spectaculars that have since been exported to other Disney parks, and today is home to the stellar Celebrate Tokyo Disneyland fireworks/projection show. And while it may be closed now, we’ve got to plug the brilliant Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour walkthrough that resided here from 1983 to 2006…perhaps the darkest, scariest Disney attraction ever created. We simply insist the remnants of that attraction still exist somewhere inside, waiting for an eventual return...
Let’s clear the air: Enchanted Storybook Castle looks sooooooo much better in person than it does via photos. It is massive on a scale matched by no other Disney Castle, and in this case, bigger truly is better. Walking up to and into the castle is a surreal moment of pure Disney magic. Digging deeper, this Castle checks all the right boxes. Impressive walk-through attraction with cutting edge special effects? Check. Fantastic table service restaurant? Check. Top-notch retail shop with amazing glass-blown figurines - including a $20,000 crystal dragon? Check. Breathtaking tile mosaic forum featuring scenes from several Disney princess movies? Check. Boat ride that travels under and within the castle footprint? Check. The Castle’s exterior impresses with ornate detailed carvings and features, representing each of the Disney princess – and making exploring and taking in these elements an adventure of its own. And the Castle boasts a fantastic firework and projection show as well. It needs to be experienced in person to fully appreciate, but Enchanted Storybook Castle does not disappoint one bit, and earns its place firmly as the second-best Disney castle in the world.
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At the top of the list stands what is simply the most beautiful Disney Castle in the world. Many a story has been told of how the Imagineers were intimidated by the task of creating a castle in the continent of real castles, but you’d never know it. There is just something so “right” about its design, and how well it fits into the rest of the visual symphony that is the Disneyland Paris park. It’s hard to find the proper adjectives to adequately capture exactly how stunning it is. The features here are plentiful: from a gorgeous stained-glass display featuring scenes from its namesake film, to plentiful balconies providing impressive views of the surrounding park. It contains a fun sweet shop filled to the brim with delicious guilty pleasures, and boasts an impressive nighttime firework/projection/fountain show. Finally, there’s that dragon. Beneath this castle dwells one of the most breathtaking, heart-stopping, jaw-dropping animatronics Disney has ever created – lying in wait for those who dare to venture into the caves for a face-to-face encounter. Disneyland Paris gets a lot of knocks for its shortcomings – and there are plenty – but its centerpiece is a masterpiece, and unquestionably the greatest Disney Castle in the world.
Written by
Mike and Chris Pettey
YOUR THOUGHTS?
Agree or disagree with our rankings? Have you experienced any of these castles – either in person, or virtually via the internet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
2 Comments
Where would you rank the new hong kong disneyland castle?
That’s tough. Definitely above California. And definitely below Shanghai and Paris. But not yet sure if we’d put it above or below the Florida/Tokyo pair of Cinderella Castles. It’s a very cool castle and in person especially with the mountains in the background.