Through the first half of this year, Cinderella Castle has been undergoing a major renovation. The brand-new Cinderella Castle paint job is much closer to her original colors, with grays, creams, blues, and touches of gold instead of the pink for Magic Kingdom’s 50th anniversary.
At the start of 2026, Walt Disney World Cast Members began the painstaking process of repainting Cinderella Castle. After half a decade in pink and gold, Disney announced that Cinderella Castle would get a new color palette that would return her to her former glory.
As of today, that work is finally complete. If you visit Magic Kingdom, you’ll see a finished Cinderella Castle in shades of gray, cream, and blue, with hints of gold. No more massive cranes. No more drained moat. Just a beautiful castle, glistening in the Florida sunshine.
Photo courtesy of Disney
The project involved a wide range of Cast Members across Walt Disney Imagineering, Facility Asset Management (FAM), Disney Live Entertainment, Project Development, Operations, and even PhotoPass. Let’s see how they bibbidi-bobbidi-booed it in less than six months.
How Disney Repainted Cinderella Castle in Plain Sight
Repainting Walt Disney World’s most famous icon, which stands at 189 feet and dominates the view of the world’s most popular theme park, was no easy feat. The near-six-month project had to happen in guest view; there was no way around it.
Photo courtesy of Disney
Photo courtesy of Disney
“Probably one of the most difficult parts of this project was getting into the moat,” said, the Associate Project Manager with FAM. “The moat had to be completely drained so we could safely work in there.”
To do so, the team had to construct temporary dams and drop the water level. After cleaning and prepping the moat, they brought in massive boom lifts, which allowed them to paint the front of the castle. But Cinderella Castle is one of the most important parts of the Disney experience, so the team also initiated a project schedule wherein all the cranes and equipment were lowered and hidden from view (as best as possible) by noon, so everyone could snap their pictures.
Photo courtesy of Disney
The painting work was precise and painstaking. Painters were hoisted into the air and used small brushes and rollers to get all the trim work right. It was a labor of love, and the result is nothing short of stunning.
Are you ready to head to Magic Kingdom and see Cinderella Castle’s new paint job? Plan your next trip with our trusted travel agent partners, The Vacationeer!
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