Planning to snap that perfect shot behind Cinderella Castle on your upcoming Magic Kingdom Park trip? You might want to adjust your expectations…and your route.
Construction Walls Go Up April 6
Walt Disney World Resort installed new light-blue construction walls in Fantasyland on Monday, April 6, partially blocking the back of Cinderella Castle and reshaping how guests move through the surrounding area. The barriers sit on the left side of the castle’s rear, positioned near the entrance to Cinderella’s Royal Table and the Sir Mickey’s store. See this photo from WDWNT:
Cinderella’s Royal Table remains open; guests just have to walk around the walls to get there. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is technically still accessible, too. However, the plywood makes the entrance harder to find, and the post-makeover Fairy Godmother meet-and-greet queue has gotten noticeably more cramped as the barriers tighten available space.
The biggest disruption hits guests coming from the direction of Tomorrowland and the Magic Kingdom hub. The walkway that passes the Mirabel meet-and-greet and leads toward the back of Cinderella Castle is now blocked by rolling planters. Cinderella’s Wishing Well is completely off-limits as a result.
Families hoping to reach that side of the castle will need to reroute through the pathway near the bridge to Liberty Square, or loop through Tomorrowland or Liberty Square to enter Fantasyland from a different angle.
The Reason Behind the Walls
The new barriers are connected to the ongoing Cinderella Castle repainting announced by Walt Disney World Resort last year. Since January, crews have been working to transition the Magic Kingdom icon from the pink-and-gold palette introduced for the resort’s 50th anniversary back to its more classic blue-and-gray appearance. The main body of the castle is largely transformed, with attached structures and portions of the roofline still awaiting their new coats.
Disney hasn’t pinned down an exact completion date, saying only that the makeover will be finished sometime in 2026.
Have you noticed any other changes around Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Let Disney Dining know in the comments!
