Guests expecting a postcard-perfect castle photo at Magic Kingdom this week are being greeted by something very different.
Cinderella Castle is still standing tall at the center of the park — but now, it’s surrounded by large construction lifts, scaffolding platforms, and visible heavy machinery as Disney continues its repainting project.
What began quietly in late January has officially entered a much more noticeable phase.
Construction Moves Into the Moat
The most dramatic visual change isn’t actually on the castle walls — it’s below them. The moat surrounding Cinderella Castle has been drained, and several boom lifts are now parked directly inside the empty basin.
On the Liberty Square side, multiple lifts sit in clear view of guests walking the hub. On the Tomorrowland side, additional lifts give crews access to more angles of the structure. A scaffolding platform and staircase system have also been installed to allow workers to safely reach and operate the equipment.
For weeks, Disney managed to keep most of the repainting work focused on the upper half of the castle without major construction visuals. That’s no longer the case. The machinery is impossible to miss.
Why Disney Needs Heavy Machinery
This shift signals that crews are moving into the lower sections of the castle.
While the upper towers and turrets have already seen substantial repainting, the bottom half requires closer access and more precise work. The boom lifts allow crews to reach stonework, trim, and architectural detailing that can’t be handled from a distance.
The repaint itself is part of an effort to restore Cinderella Castle’s original color scheme. During Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary, the castle received bold pink hues and expanded gold accents. Now, Disney is toning that down.
The lower gray stonework is returning to its pre-anniversary shade, and much of the extra gold trim has been repainted gray. The royal blue rooftops are also expected to shift toward a lighter blue tone.
It’s not a dramatic redesign. It’s a reset.
A Different Look for the Hub
Seeing heavy machinery parked beside Cinderella Castle changes the feel of the central hub. The reflective water that normally surrounds the structure is gone for now, replaced by exposed ground and construction vehicles.
Even so, Disney has kept operations running smoothly. Fireworks, parades, and daily entertainment continue as scheduled. From certain angles along Main Street, U.S.A., guests can still capture clean photos — though sharp-eyed fans will notice the equipment if they look closely.
Horticulture teams have also been spotted working near the moat area, restoring landscaping following recent cold weather that damaged some plants.
In true Disney fashion, even during construction, presentation still matters.
What This Means for Guests
For longtime visitors, this project feels less like a change and more like a return. The castle’s original gray tones defined Magic Kingdom for decades before the 50th anniversary makeover.
Now, as heavy machinery surrounds the park’s most iconic structure, Disney is carefully bringing that classic look back.
The equipment may only be temporary, but it marks a major step in the castle’s transformation. And while cranes and boom lifts aren’t exactly magical, they do signal something important: Disney is investing in preserving the symbol that defines the park.
Cinderella Castle isn’t going anywhere. It’s just getting ready for its next era.
