Overnight on April 15, something changed around Cinderella Castle. For the first time in months, Magic Kingdom Park guests approaching the building from the Tomorrowland/Fantasyland sides can finally see it clearly again.
The Color Change That Took Years to Arrive
Walt Disney World Resort announced in 2025 that Cinderella Castle's divisive pink-and-dark-blue color scheme — introduced for the resort's 50th anniversary in 2021 and lingering for nearly three years after the celebrations ended in March 2023 — was finally getting replaced. The new palette, a light blue and gray inspired by the castle's original 1971 appearance, began going up earlier this year.
Construction forced modifications to both the Let the Magic Begin opening show and Mickey's Magical Friendship Faire throughout the project. Walt Disney World Resort has committed to completing the makeover in 2026, without setting a specific end date.
Walls Come Down, Path Reopens
As of April 15, the construction walls that had been blocking a large portion of the Cinderella Castle area in Fantasyland have been removed. Along with them goes the barrier that had been cutting off the walking path on the Tomorrowland side of the castle — including Cinderella's Wishing Well, which had been completely inaccessible to Magic Kingdom Park guests while the walls were up.
The project isn't fully finished. A crane is still stationed in the area, and the castle moat remains drained. Crews appear to be concentrating on the roof, with a few patches of the old pink-and-dark-blue still visible on select turrets, roof sections, and some detached Cinderella Castle structures in Fantasyland and near the hub on Main Street, U.S.A. WDW News Today shared this image on Facebook:
Walt Disney Imagineers were also recently spotted using dye in the moat to test for leaks before it's refilled.
No official completion date has been announced.
What do you think of the updated Cinderella Castle color scheme? Share your opinion with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
