Nearly half of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom has been repainted gray as Walt Disney World Resort progresses through the color restoration announced last year.
WDWNT reported on Thursday that the entire back half of the castle now displays the new gray paint scheme, with crews also beginning work on the front-facing side near the clock.
Repainting Project Underway Since January
Walt Disney World Resort announced in August 2025 that Cinderella Castle would return to its original light blue, gold, and gray color palette. The Magic Kingdom icon has worn pink, blue, and gold tones since the 50th anniversary celebration began in 2021—a scheme that lingered well beyond the official festivities, which ended in March 2023.
@DisneyParks shared concept art for the updated color scheme on X (formerly Twitter):
✨JUST ANNOUNCED✨ Cinderella Castle at @WaltDisneyWorld is getting a new color palette inspired by the classic and original look of the castle http://di.sn/6006f7IMj
✨JUST ANNOUNCED✨ Cinderella Castle at @WaltDisneyWorld is getting a new color palette inspired by the classic and original look of the castle https://t.co/cTAfEIuoho pic.twitter.com/z4Z24iCTBX
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) August 31, 2025
Work started in January, forcing operational changes including character removals from the “Let the Magic Begin” opening show and schedule shifts for “Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire” to later showtimes. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Daisy Duck have been making unscheduled roaming appearances in Fantasyland some mornings as compensation.
Back Side of Cinderella Castle Nearly Complete
Crews focused initial efforts on the castle’s rear, starting with one spire before expanding to cover nearly the entire back half in gray. Painters have also begun trim work around windows on that side.
The front half shows early gray applications, particularly near the clock area. That section previously displayed a “50” medallion during the anniversary celebration, which was removed before the repainting announcement.
Most work remains concentrated on the back side, though gray has appeared on some front-facing towers. Whether the current gray is the final coloring or acts as a base for additional detailing remains unclear.
Project Timeline and Entertainment Impact
Walt Disney World Resort has confirmed the project will finish by year’s end without specifying an exact completion date. The prolonged construction is affecting castle-based entertainment programming, though attractions continue to operate normally.
Are you excited about the new color scheme planned for Cinderella Castle? Disney Dining would love to hear from you in the comments!
