After Extended Closure, Sleeping Beauty Castle Has Reopened in Paris!

Disneyland Paris has had it very rough over the past year and a half. The theme park was supposed to reopen in April 2021 since COVID cases were decreasing, but the opening was then pushed back until June. Finally, the Park could reopen, but just a few months later, in October, the Park had to shut down once again as France enacted a new virus lockdown. Now, the popular European Disneyland Resort will not be able to welcome visitors from the UK this Christmas season as the Omicron variant of COVID spikes around the world.

Credit: Disney

Even though Disneyland Paris is open, one of its most iconic areas has remained closed for the past 12-months. Disney decided that, because the Parks were closed due to the pandemic, it would be a great time to give Sleeping Beauty Castle the refurbishment it needed. Imagineers and construction crews went to work and began working tirelessly to make Sleeping Beauty Castle shine once again.

Credit: Disney

Now, just in time for Christmas and the Park’s 30th Anniversary celebration, Disney has revealed that the work on Sleeping Beauty Castle is complete, and it is once again open to Guests visiting Disneyland Paris. Disney Parks shared pictures of the beautiful castle and the hard work that went into its refurbishment.

After 12 months of renovation, Sleeping Beauty Castle is once again open to guests at Disneyland Paris! Thanks to the hard work of @WaltDisneyImagineering teams and experts in monument refurbishment from across France, this icon is shining brighter than ever, just in time to celebrate the resort’s 30th Anniversary, beginning on March 6, 2022. Head to the Disney Parks Blog (link in bio) to see more! ✨

Credit: Disney Parks 

A lot went into this refurbishment, including working with French and European craftspeople to keep the castle looking as authentic as possible. Here is some more information on the massive undertaking via Disney Parks Blog:

“It was the first time we undertook something so monumental. Certain effects have even been improved so that the castle’s structure will be even more resilient in the upcoming years,” said Tracy Eck, Art Director, Walt Disney Imagineering Paris, who supervised the work done to breathe new life into the castle. “It took nearly a year to complete these works on site with all of the teams. Painters, electricians, gilders, craftspeople in charge of the tiled roofs… It was a hive of activity.”

Disneyland Paris also has a long history of collaborating with French and European craftspeople to build and maintain décor across the resort, and this very special project was no different. Imagineering and construction teams called on various French experts in historical monument refurbishment across carpentry, roofing, painting and ironworking to lend their skills to the project, which saw Sleeping Beauty Castle recognized as a valued monument in France.

Credit: Disney

Sleeping Beauty Castle’s refurbishment comes as Disneyland Paris gears up to celebrate not only its 30th Anniversary but also the opening of Avengers Campus — similar to the one already open at Disneyland Resort — which is scheduled for this summer.

Disneyland Paris officials have not said when Disneyland Paris will be able to once again welcome visitors from the UK, but it is certain to be as soon as France allows visitors from the UK to visit for something other than essential travel.