Last Updated: March 24, 2024
2 years after it opened Sleeping Beauty Castle received a significant enhancement. Not that it was conspicuous from outside the castle in fact the entrance to the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough was so unobtrusive in the castles inner courtyard that unknowing guests walked right past it. Inside the Castle walkthrough featured narrow stairways that lead guests on a walk up into the castles interior eastward past 10 beautiful dioramas across what is now called the corridor of goons and down to an eastern exit.The dioramas designed primarily by Kent Anderson and similar to those that were later added in the Emporium windows on Main Street retold the story of Disney's Sleeping Beauty movie, which didn't open until 2 years after the walk-through debuted. An update to the art in 1977 somewhat change the look but not the overall spirit of the dioramas. Shirley Temple dedicated this attraction.Closed 2001-2008 December 2008: Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through re-opens with many new effects.
Required a "C" ticket in 1957 Required a "B" ticket in 1959 Required an "A" ticket after 1964
Shirley Temple dedicated this attraction.
Burning of every Spinning Wheel in the Kingdom (a series of flats with a lighted burning effect down in the courtyard)
Three fairies watching over the little Princess night and day (the fairies would appear to float over the cradle using the "Pepper's Ghost" technique)
Maleficent's curse comes to pass (when the princess touches the spinning wheel)
Main Hall with sleeping spell cast on family and friends
Princess Aurora asleep under the curse
Meet Maleficent's demons (where the guest could peak through keyholes to see the goons. This was a last minute addition since the original plans indicate that the guests at this point were to wander outside onto the rear balcony for a view of Fantasyland but that never happened.)
Demons flying throughout air from Maleficent's Castle to King Stefan's Castle
Bottomless Pit (Echo Chamber. Guests would lean into a shallow area and hear their words repeated faintly over and over thanks to a special recording mechanism with a continuous tape loop passing over one recording and several playback heads giving an eerie echo illusion.)
Maleficent celebrates the triumph of evil
Waltz of the Spinning Wheel (there was a turntable with spinning wheels on it surrounded by mirrors, making it seem like an endless number of spinning wheels)
Love's First Kiss (when the prince leaned over and kissed the cutout of Aurora she fluttered her eyelids and opened her eyes)
Required a "C" ticket in 1957
Required a "B" ticket in 1959
Required an "A" ticket in 1964-1965
Interior was expanded in 1968 and redesigned in 1977
From WED Disneyland Dictionary 1968
Features dramatic scenes from Walt Disney's motion picture, Sleeping Beauty, which are viewed by guests from behind glass window enclosures. The story of the slumbering princess is told in narration as guests stroll through the castle.
Subjects attired in medieval costume approach King Stefan's castle to honor the newborn princess
Maleficent bestows her gift in the form of a curse
The three fairies conspire as the spinning wheels burn
A forest sanctuary for Princess Aurora
Aurora dances with a make-believe prince
Maleficent admonishes her army of goons
Aurora caught in a spinning wheel spell
Prince Phillip battles the fire-breathing dragon
Sleeping Beauty awakens with love's first kiss
The kingdom celebrates
Required an "A" ticket in 1970's
Closed 2001-2008
December 2008: Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through re-opens with many new effects. (see Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through (redesigned))
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