Disney Rides & Attraction Filming Locations

The Eiffel Tower is a 324 meter (1,063 foot) tall structure built for Paris’ 1889 World’s Fair. Like many world icons, this one has a number of connections to the Disney universe. Most memorable is Epcot’s World Showcase where a 1/10th scale replica of the tower perched high above the pavilion gives the forced-perspective impression that the full-sized tower is looming above, a common site in the real City of Lights. Deeper inside the Epcot pavilion lies Impressions de France, an 18-minute film showcasing France‘s famous sites. This famous tower acts as the grande finale. Want to be magically transported to Epcot right now? Check out this audio track and you’ll feel like you’re there. Also in Epcot, you can fly up to the top of the Eiffel Tower while riding Soarin’ Around the World. Its spectacular twinkling lights can also be seen during two other versions of this ride: Soarin’ Around the World at Disney California Adventure and Soaring Over the Horizon at Shanghai Disneyland. Tokyo’s version, Soaring: Fantastic Flight, opted to replace their Eiffel Tower with an extended finale featuring the Eiffel inspired Tokyo Tower. Finally, the gigantic tower can be seen briefly during The Aristocats (1970) and […]

The Great Wall of China is a world-famous UNESCO World Heritage structure that once served as the barricade of the North, now acts as a tourist attraction for millions of visitors every year, many of whom (or is it just me?) are inspired to visit based on its connection to Disney. A portion of this 13,000-mile-long wall can be seen as one of the featured locations in Soarin’ Around the World (Disney California Adventure), Soarin’ Around the World (Epcot), Soaring Over the Horizon and Soaring: Fantastic Flight. I can’t help but think of a certain song every time I see this scene. The portion of the wall seen is near the city of Miyun, outside of northeast Beijing. It’s the same filming location that was used in the Wonders of China attraction shown in Epcot’s China Pavilion from 1982 to 2003 and Disneyland from 1984 to1996. Today, Epcot’s China Pavilion shows the updated(ish) Circle-Vision film, Reflections of China, which now features the Great Wall as the bookends of the attraction where we both meet and say 再见 (goodbye) to our host, Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. Watch the below video or take a listen to this song, it’ll make you feel like you’re […]

Iguazu Falls is a series of waterfalls dividing the upper and lower portions of the Iguazu River which forms the boundary between Argentina and Brazil. The name Iguazu comes from the Tupi–Guarani language meaning big water. It’s not just a clever name as this expansive collection of moving water contains 270 different falls along the approximately 2.7 kilometer (1.6 mile) stretch of the river, making it the largest waterfall system in the world. Fans of beautiful natural sights such as this one can catch a glimpse of this big water from above while riding Soarin’ Around the World (Disney California Adventure), Soarin’ Around the World (Epcot), Soaring Over the Horizon, and Soaring: Fantastic Flight. Take a look at it on the small screen in the below video. This iconic series of waterfalls can also be seen as Warrior Falls where T’Challa fights to protect his crown during Marvel’s 2018 film Black Panther. While much of these scenes took place on a soundstage in Atlanta, establishing and aerial shots of the real falls were used in combination with CGI. Similarly, 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull filmed scenes here for Indy’s triumphant return to the big screen, […]

The Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the west coast of Greenland, 250 km from the Arctic Circle. Its gorgeous floating ice chunks set the stage as a filming location for Soarin’ Around the World (Disney California Adventure), Soarin’ Around the World (Epcot), Soaring Over the Horizon (Shanghai Disneyland), and Soaring: Fantastic Flight (Tokyo DisneySea). Address: Ilulissat, Greenland Visitor Information: Visit Greenland

The Lau Islands are a remote group of islands set between Melanesian Fiji and Polynesian Tonga. While it’s unknown if Motunui is one of the Lau Islands or a neighboring archipelago, it is certain that one of the Lau Islands was used as a filming location for the beautiful tropical scene during Soarin’ Around the World (Disney California Adventure), Soarin’ Around the World (Epcot), Soaring Over the Horizon, and Soaring: Fantastic Flight. Address: Lau, Fiji Visitor Information: Tourism Fiji

Lujiazui is Shanghai, China‘s modern financial district. Its vibrant skyline along the Huangpu River features futuristic looking buildings such as Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai Tower, and Oriental Pearl Tower. All of these buildings and more can be seen during the unique fireworks filled finale scene of Shanghai Disneyland’s Soaring Over the Horizon. The other versions of the ride (Soarin’ Around the World [Disney California Adventure], Soarin’ Around the World [Epcot], and Soaring: Fantastic Flight) have alternate locations for their end scenes. This colorful cityscape can also be seen in Epcot’s China Pavilion during the Circle-Vision film, Reflections of China (although the skyline has changed a bit since the film’s debut in 2003). Check it out in the video below! Set your gaze across the Huangpu River, and you will find a new China that reaches for the sky. Yet in this city of East meets West, one can still find treasures of Shanghai’s stately European influence. – Reflections of China’s host, poet Li Bai Address: Lujiazui, Shanghai, China Visitor Information: The Official Shanghai China Travel Website

The Matterhorn is a unique looking mountain in the Swiss Alps at the edge of a small town called Zermatt, Switzerland. Its jagged profile may look familiar if you’ve ever eaten a Toblerone – it’s featured on the logo of the Swiss chocolate. It may also look familiar if you’ve ever been to Disneyland… #MatterhornMonday Walt’s fascination with the mighty mountain first grew during a set visit to the production of the 1959 live-action feature film Third Man on the Mountain. According to author Jim Denny (via Disney Avenue), Walt had always wanted a mountainside attraction in Disneyland to remind him of his childhood days sledding down the snowy hillsides of Marceline. While on location in Zermatt, Walt became obsessed with the site of the Matterhorn mountain so much that he couldn’t take his eyes off of it – he knew it had to be a part of Disneyland. Legend has it that he mailed a souvenir postcard back to Imagineering with a hand-written note: Build This. In the summer of 1959, Walt’s vision came to life and the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction opened in Disneyland. The ride is still in operation today with only minor cosmetic and theming changes happening […]

The West and East Mitten Buttes (an isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top) are rock formations in the Arizona portion of Monument Valley Park. From the south, these massive buttes look like two giant mittens. You may recognize one of these buttes if you’ve ever been on Soarin’ Around the World (Disney California Adventure), Soarin’ Around the World (Epcot), Soaring Over the Horizon or Soaring: Fantastic Flight as it is a featured location visited during the ride. In the Pixar Cars films (2006), the area near Radiator Springs is called Ornament Valley, an automobile spoof on the namesake of the Mitten Butte’s Park. If you’re into seeing more buttes, check out the Mexican Hat Rock Formation just ~25 miles down the road. Address: West and East Mitten Buttes, Arizona 86033 Visitor Information: Navajo Nation Parks & Rec

Mont Saint-Michel (English: Saint Michael’s Mount) is a monastery and commune in Normandy, France. This location’s unique feature is a ~14 meter (46 foot) change in tide in the area surrounding which turns the mount into an island. You can see this magnificent sight in Epcot during the whimsical Impressions de France film. Be sure to check out this track for some Epcot related chills. In another Disney Park, Disneyland Paris, you can see design elements incorporated into their eccentric version of Sleeping Beauty castle. Don’t be left in the dark: if you’re a fan of Disney’s 2010 feature animated film Tangled, take a closer at the kingdom of Corona – its island was largely influenced by the famous commune. Now, at last, you see the light! Address: 50170 Mont Saint-Michel, France Visitor Information: The Tourism Office Mont Saint-Michel Normandie

The plains of this UNESCO World Heritage Site near the city of Moshi, Tanzania is featured in Soarin’ Around the World (Disney California Adventure), Soarin’ Around the World (Epcot), Soaring Over the Horizon and Soaring: Fantastic Flight as it is a featured location visited during the ride. The name Kilimanjaro is believed to mean The Mountain of Caravans in Swahili, referring to Africa’s highest peak. The name might sound familiar if you’ve ever been on Disney Animal Kingdom’s Kilimanjaro Safaris – here you actually do ride through the park in a caravan of off-road vehicles. In film, the park is the setting of both the 1994 and 2019 versions of The Lion King. Address: Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania Visitor Information: Tanzania Tourist Board

Found atop a hill in southwest Germany, this Bavarian castle was commissioned by King Ludwig II in 1869 as a retreat but, sadly, he never lived to see the completion or its impact on Disney Parks around the world. This castle is the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland based on Imagineer Herb Ryman’s designs. You can definitely see some of the similarities in the towers and turret shapes. Neuschwanstein is also a featured location where a flyover of the site was filmed for Soarin’ Around the World (Disney California Adventure), Soarin’ Around the World (Epcot), and Soaring Over the Horizon (Shanghai Disneyland). This view can be seen best by hiking up the mountain past Marienbrucke. One more tribute to King Ludwig’s masterpiece which can be found in Paris’ Disney Village: the King Ludwig’s Castle restaurant is a direct reference and namesake to the famed landmark. Read about our experience visiting Neuschwanstein Castle including travel tips and tricks in our blog post: The Best View in Bavaria: Seeing a Disney Castle In Real Life Address: Neuschwansteinstraße 20, 87645 Schwangau, Germany Visitor Information: Neuschwanstein Official

Sleeping Beauty Castle is the iconic centerpiece of the original Disneyland Park and the only Disney castle whose construction was personally overseen by Walt Disney. Its aesthetic was largely influenced by the famed Neuschwanstein Castle based on designs by Imagineer Herb Ryman. While Neuschwanstein and other real European castles were imposingly large to intimidate common citizens, Walt supposedly wanted his castle to be friendly and less intimidating, so it was built on a smaller scale. A representation of the Disney family coat of arms can be found above the castle’s Main Street facing archway. The official Coat of Arms consists of three gold fleur-de-lis on a red fess (representing purity), a crest with a red lion passant-guardant (representing bravery or courage), and the motto Vincit qui patitur meaning: He conquers who endures. The emblem used on the castle is a custom design featuring the lion symbol. A similar emblem can be found on Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom and its clone in Tokyo Disneyland. Today, the castle houses a Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough attraction where guests can see various dioramas telling the story of the 1959 animated film, Sleeping Beauty, using the film’s original Eyvind Earle style of artwork. Just across the […]