Walt Disney World Resort has plenty of moderately-committed Disney fans in its community, but some hardcore Disney fans are also still around — and if you’re one of them, then you might already know the identity of the castle that supposedly inspired Walt Disney to create the iconic Cinderella Castle and Sleeping Beauty Castles that grace Disney World and Disneyland with their presence!
Apparently, the Walt Disney Company founder was inspired by pictures of a small castle in Scotland while he was designing the iconic castles that are now associated with Disney Parks (and Disney movies, since one castle has often been featured in the Disney movie logo). The castle is called Craigievar, and it is located in Aberdeenshire within Scotland.
Craigievar is a castle with a pastel pink hue, and it is open to tourists or visitors — but apparently, according to the National Trust for Scotland, this iconic Scottish castle is facing some pretty significant wear and tear due to rain and other damages caused by climate change-related weather patterns.
The northeast regional director of the National Trust for Scotland, Iain Hawkins, explained the following when discussing the renovations that need to happen to keep the ‘Disney’ castle solvent: “Craigievar holds a special place in the hearts and minds of the local community, across Scotland and indeed globally, thanks in no small part to the castle’s famous pink exterior, which was introduced in 1824 by Sir John Forbes”.
“It’s our duty to ensure that this much-loved castle is protected against climate change in a way that is sympathetic to the natural environment and heritage of this magnificent building,” he added, emphasizing that “we can’t wait to unveil this fairy tale castle’s refresh in 2024 and can assure our visitors, supporters and members that all the hard work will be very much worth it, bringing joy to future generations,.”
The renovations involve masonry and many layers of limewash, which will be used to brighten the now-faded pink color that supposedly helped inspire Walt Disney’s castles. If you’ve been channeling Merida and making plans to head to Scotland sometime soon, then be sure to check out this ‘original’ Disney castle!
Did you already know about Craigievar and its relation to Walt Disney?
