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From Opening Day to the Diamond Celebration: Evolution of Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle

  • by Michelle Pagaran
  • in Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
  • — 1 Dec, 2015

Beloved, timeless, and iconic, The Sleeping Beauty Castle has been emblematic of the Disneyland Resort ever since Uncle Walt opened its gates 60 years ago. Take a look at how the original castle, the focal point of the Disneyland Park, has evolved throughout the park’s rich history.

1955

July 17, 1955: Opening Day

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Children running through the gate of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Opening Day July 17, 1955. (c) Allan Grant

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Walt Disney sits on a grassy lawn with his grandson at Disneyland in 1955. (c) Gene Lester

 

As you can see, the original color scheme for the Sleeping Beauty Castle was very pale blues and grays with only hints of pink. This more closely resembles the castle’s inspiration, Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany (pictured below).

Details of the Neuschwanstein Castle

Details of the Neuschwanstein Castle

 

1965

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Photo via Pinterest

Walt with his partner Mickey Mouse and other characters in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle during Disneyland’s 10th Anniversary.

1995

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The ceremony for the 40th Anniversary Time “Castle” (Photo via Phactual)

By the 40th anniversary, the paint color scheme changed from light gray to a light pink. This gradual change over the years gave Sleeping Beauty Castle a more soft, fairy tale look rather than a realistic, Bavarian castle.

2005: “The Happiest Homecoming on Earth” [50th Anniversary]

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Concept Art for the 50th Anniversary Castle (c) Disney Parks

The 50th Celebration, the “Happiest Homecoming on Earth”, marked the first time the castle was especially decorated for a park anniversary. The castle was dressed in richly colored royal banners, bejeweled with precious gems, and trimmed with gold including a gold railing. Additionally, five turrets were decorated with crowns representing a decade of Disneyland’s history. This includes: mickey ears for the creation of Disneyland, rocket ships and planets for the “New Tomorrowland,” the blue fairy for the Main Street Electrical Parade, the evil eye of Mara from Indiana Jones, and fireworks and Tinkerbell for the 50th Anniversary.

Sleeping Beauty Castle for the 50th Anniversary (c) Disney Parks
Detail of Sleeping Beauty Castle during the 50th Anniversary (Photo via DisneyMike)

By this time, the shade of pink is even brighter and more vivid than before, creating a larger contrast and pop of color between the roof tiles and the faces of the building.

2o15: The Diamond Celebration [60th Anniversary]

SPARKLING BEAUTY (ANAHEIM, Calif.)— This artist's rendering shows Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland park draped in dazzling diamonds to commemorate the upcoming Diamond Celebration at the Disneyland Resort. From Sleeping Beauty Castle to Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure park, the Disneyland Resort and surrounding streets of the Anaheim Resort district will sparkle with Diamond Celebration décor and festive banners in shades of Disneyland blue. Celebrating 60 years of magic, three new nighttime spectaculars will immerse guests in the worlds of Disney stories like never before with the first all-LED parade at the resort; a reinvention of the classic fireworks that adds projections to pyrotechnics to transform the park experience; and a moving, new version of 'World of Color' that celebrates Walt Disney’s dream for Disneyland. The Diamond Celebration at the Disneyland Resort begins Friday, May 22, 2015. (Disneyland Resort)

Concept Art for the 60th Anniversary Castle (c) Disney Parks

To celebrate “60 Dazzling Years,” Disney decided to make Sleeping Beauty Castle shine bright like a diamond. The castle is studded with diamonds and crystals from the roof tiles to the turrets and gowned with drapes in varying shades of “Disneyland blue” and a 60th logo crest. At night, the castle twinkles against an endless diamond sky with Richard Sherman’s “A Kiss Goodnight” playing softly in the background.

Sleeping Beauty Castle during the Diamond Celebration (Photo via DisneyPhotoblography)
Sleeping Beauty Castle at night during the Diamond Celebration (Photo via DisneyTouristBlog)

Other additions were added throughout the years for technical reasons including the squirrel drain spouts and the four statue pedestals placed around the moat. Rather than have menacing gargoyles, Imagineers used friendly squirrels instead in keeping with the castle’s fairy tale, dreamy aesthetic. This allowed for rainwater to be channeled away from the building. Whereas the statues of woodland creatures taken from “Sleeping Beauty” house projectors used for the fireworks show.

Squirrel drain spouts along the sides of the Sleeping Beauty Castle (Photo via Phactual)
Owl Statue Pedestal on the West Side of the Castle (c) Joe Penniston
Squirrel Statue Pedestal on West Side of the Sleeping Beauty Castle (c) Joe Penniston

Rabbit Statue Pedestal on West Side of the Sleeping Beauty Castle (c) Disney Parks

Since the castle is transformed for the 60th this Christmas season, let’s reminisce on the Winter Castle of years past. This enchanting overlay includes snow on the rooftops, icicles that light up at night, and multiple festive garlands.

Detail Winter Castle (c) Bryan Pugh
Winter Castle (c) Disney Parks

Although, this year’s castle hasn’t completely skipped out on Christmas cheer. A garland and a wreath in shades of “Disneyland Blue” were placed around the 60th crest logo.

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Diamond Celebration Castle with Christmas Decor (Photo via MiceChat)

This is how Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle looks today. Which castle overlay or color scheme do you prefer? Let us know!

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— Michelle Pagaran

Writer at DisneyExaminer. Seeking adventure in the great wide somewhere and lover of all things sweet. Reach me at michelle@disneyexaminer.com Find me on Instagram at @mintvalue and Twitter at @mint_value.

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1 Comment

  1. Avatar Sebizzar says:
    May 13, 2016 at 3:53 am

    They’re both so darn pretty lol but I think the 50th looked the best!

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