Cinderella Castle, the most recognized icon of Walt Disney World. Made from steel and fiberglass instead of brick and stone, the Castle stands at the center of the Magic Kingdom, and it is visible from most all areas of the park. Curiously, the Castle doesn't really resemble the castle in the movie Cinderella. Also, the restaurant inside was originally named King Stefan's Banquet Hall, although King Stefan was Sleeping Beauty's father, not Cinderella's. But then the restaurant was renamed Cinderella's Royal Table in the mid-1990's. In the interior passageway are tile mosaic murals that illustrate the story of Cinderella.

My main problem with presenting pictures of Cinderella Castle is that I have almost too many to choose from. After looking at all of them, I decided to choose some of the more unique images that I have. So here we go!

First off are a few views of the Castle from outside of the Magic Kingdom. This first one was taken from the ferry in the Seven Seas Lagoon. I like how the island blocks the view of the Magic Kingdom entrance and Main Street, making the Castle look like it is just out among the trees.

This next picture was taken from the Monorail as it approached the Grand Floridian. Somewhat similar to the previous picture. Incidentally, you may notice that the Monorail track goes up to a pretty high elevation in this picture. That highest point is over the canal that connects the Seven Seas Lagoon with the Rivers of America in the Magic Kingdom. Whenever the Liberty Square Riverboat needs service, it is towed through the canal to the Seven Seas Lagoon, past the Contemporary Resort, over the water bridge connecting the Lagoon to Bay Lake, and back to the marine service facility to the northeast of the Contemporary. Not really related to the Castle, but I thought I would share it anyway.

The final image from outside the Magic Kingdom was taken at dusk from the roof of the Contemporary Resort, which is now one of my favorite places for taking pictures. A few years ago, a new lighting system was installed for the Castle. This computer controlled system changes the colors of light on the Castle, making it appear differently every few minutes. The system is capable of producing 256 colors, I've heard.

Next up are a couple of elevated views of Cinderella Castle. This first one was taken from the dearly departed Skyway as it approached the Tomorrowland Station. The building in the foreground with the dome on the end was at the time the Tomorrowland Terrace restaurant, now Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe.

The other elevated shot of the Castle was also taken from the Skyway, this time as it passed over Fantasyland. Different sides of the Castle seem to show different architectural styles, and I've always been fond of this side of it. The huge windows are at the restaurant inside.

One of the main differences between Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle and Walt Disney World's Cinderella Castle is size, with Cinderella Castle being around twice as tall as it's California counterpart. Another difference is that in front of Cinderella Castle is a stage, which is used for character shows. Here, you can see Mickey, Minnie, and the gang giving a performance.

Continued

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