Inspiration, Replication, and Namesake

This historic drive-in movie theater on the famed Route 66 first opened in 1949. It inspired a scene at the Radiator Springs Drive-In Theatre during the credits of Pixar’s 2006 film, Cars. Here we see the characters watching car versions of previous Pixar movies, including Toy Car Story, Monster Trucks, Inc., and A Bug’s Life. The drive-in is seen again briefly at the beginning of 2011’s Cars 2, this time showing The Incredimobiles, a play on the 2004 Pixar film, The Incredibles. Address: 17231 Old 66 Blvd, Carthage, MO 64836 Visitor Information: 66 Drive-In Theatre

This memorial to the creator of Winne the Pooh in the heart of the Five Hundred Acre Wood is inscribed with a quote from The House at Pooh Corner: And by and by they came to an enchanted place on the very top of the Forest called Galleons Lap. The plaque continues to proclaim that here at Gills Lap are commemorated A. A. Milne 1882-1956 and E. H. Shepard 1879-1976 who collaborated in the creation of “Winnie-The-Pooh” and so captured the magic of Ashdown Forest and gave it to the world. Address: Ashdown Forest, Uckfield, UK Visitor Information: Conservators of Ashdown Forest

Originally built in the 13th-century, this medieval castle and fortress in the Norwegian capital of Oslo was designed to protect the city and provide a royal residence for the family of the King of Norway. The castle tower and part of the cathedral are replicated in Epcot’s Noway Pavilion as the exterior for Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, which also takes its name from the real-life location meaning “the (fortified) house of (the district) Aker”. The buildings and design of these grounds served as part of the inspiration for the design of Arendelle’s Castle in Frozen (2013). You can see the similarities on the brick fortress walls, the sloped roofs, and the round, green towers. Today, this fort is open to the public as a park and contains a series of museums detailing the history of the grounds as well as Noway’s military history. Address: 0150 Oslo, Norway Visitor Information: Akershus Festning

Known as America’s first boardwalk, Atlantic City’s Boardwalk stretches over 5 miles along New Jersey’s beachfront. On this pedestrian walkway, you can find hotels, casinos, and restaurants including WanderDisney locations Rainforest Cafe and Trattoria Il Mulino. This area, along with Coney Island’s boardwalk served as the design inspiration for Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and Villas. Just down the road, you’ll also find Lucy the Elephant, a roadside attraction that’s honored in Disney’s BoardWalk’s lobby. This location is mentioned in our blog post: A Photo Tour Of The BoardWalk’s Hidden Disney Castles Address: Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 Visitor Information: DO|AC (Casino Reinvestment Development Authority)

Atwater Village is a district of Los Angeles, which was frequented by Walt and his animators in the early days of the Disney Studio. This hip area is located just across the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge from the studio. This area is referenced on a building on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure called the Atwater Ink & Paint shop (really a facade entrance to the Julius Katz & Sons shop). Address: Atwater Village, Los Angeles, CA Visitor Information: Discover Los Angeles

The Bab Abi al-Jounoud or Bab Bou Jeloud (also spelled Bab Boujeloud or Bab Boujloud) is an ornate city gate dividing the western entrance of Fez to the medina (old city). This city entrance, also known as the Blue Gate is replicated in Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion. Read about our visit to this location and other Moroccan points of interest in our blog post: Treasures of Morocco: Finding Epcot’s Real-Life Landmarks Address: Fès, Morocco Visitor Information: Regional Council of Tourism FES

Located on the eastern side of Bergen’s Vågen harbor, Bryggen’s historic district of buildings dating back to the 14th century is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The row of colorful dockside buildings inspired part of the facade to Epcot’s The Fjording, a souvenir shop in the Norway Pavilion. The area is also said to have been the inspiration for the seaside village of Arendelle in the Frozen franchise. This location is mentioned in our blog post: A Perfect Disney Day In Bergen, Norway Address: Bryggen, 5003 Bergen, Norway Visitor Information: Visit Bergen

In 1974 an artist collective named Ant Farm installed Cadillac Ranch: an art installation along the historic Route 66 (this stretch in Texas is now known as Route 40) which inspired the Bruce Springsteen song of the same name. The roadside attraction features 10 brightly colored classic Cadillacs buried face-first in a row. Fans of Pixar’s Cars franchise may recognize a similar sight as the filmmakers paid very appropriate homage to the Ranch in the mountains surrounding Radiator Springs, named Cadillac Range. Parks buffs will notice that this same mountain range is also incorporated into the theming of the high-speed Radiator Springs Racers attraction. Address: 13651 I-40 Frontage Rd, Amarillo, TX 79124 Visitor Information: Atlas Obscura

Cars on the Route is an old gas station, converted into a cafe and gift shop, just off of historic Route 66 in Galena, Kansas. A 1951 International Company boom truck, affectionately named “Tow Tater”, sits outside the cafe and serves as the inspiration for the look of the character of Mater in Pixar’s Cars franchise. As the story goes, Cars screenwriter Joe Ranft became inspired by the rusty old truck he saw in a junkyard near Galena when the Pixar team was there in 2001 on a research trip for the film. The cafe’s owner happened to purchase the truck afterward and upon finding out about the Mater-connection, moved the truck next to the building, where it lives today. Address: 119 N Main St, Galena, KS 66739 Visitor Information: Facebook: Cars on the Route

The Chellah Necropolis is a complex dating back to medieval times on the east side of Morocco’s capital city of Rabat. The area has gone from a Phoenician (thanks) trading site to a Roman colony, to a Muslim burying ground and mosque. Today, the area is considered a historic archaeological site and park, open to visitors for a fee. The mosque’s minaret (tower used to announce the call to prayer), which still stands, was replicated and can be found in Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion. Read about our visit to this location and other Moroccan points of interest in our blog post: Treasures of Morocco: Finding Epcot’s Real-Life Landmarks Address: Quartier Chellah, El Youssoufia, El Youssoufia 10190, Morocco Visitor Information: TripAdvisor

Chichén Itzá is an archeological complex on the grounds of a former Mayan city established between 750 and 900 AD. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a popular tourist destination. Among the site’s Mesoamerican pyramids is its most well known, El Castillo (also known as Temple of Kukulcan), which is the main inspiration for the pyramid found in Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion. Address: Tinum, Yucatan, Mexico Visitor Information: Zona Arqueologica de Chichen Itza (Available only in Spanish)

Chillon Castle is a medieval castle built on a limestone rock in Lake Geneva between Montreux and Villeneuve in Switzerland. It has survived since the Bronze Age and has been used as a fortress, prison, and residence for counts. Today, it houses a museum which showcases its history. While it isn’t a replica, this castle served as the architectural inspiration for Prince Eric’s shoreside castle in the 1989 animated feature, The Little Mermaid. You can find scale versions of Eric’s castle while riding the Storybook Land Canal Boats in both Disneyland and it’s Disneyland Paris counterpart, Le Pays des Contes de Fées. You can also find a version of it in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom as the facade for Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid attraction. Address: Avenue de Chillon 21, 1820 Veytaux, Switzerland Visitor Information: Château de Chillon