Wander the Parks

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is a character dining location inside Epcot’s Norway Pavilion. Its name and design come from Akershus Fortress, a 13th-century medieval castle and fortress in the Norwegian capital city of Oslo. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

This attraction in Walt Disney Studios’ Paris park provides guests with a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create a Disney animated feature. The building’s facade is an homage to the actual Roy E. Disney Animation Building on the Disney Studios Lot in Burbank, complete with a giant blue hat similar to the one Mickey wears during the Sorcerer’s Apprentice segments of the Fantasia films. Official Information: DisneylandParis.com

The Bab Boujouloud (or Blue Gate) can be found in Epcot separating the Morocco Pavilion’s old city from the new city. This city gate is a replica of the real Bab Boujouloud found in the city of Fez, Morocco. This location is mentioned in our blog post: Treasures of Morocco: Finding Epcot’s Real-Life Landmarks Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is a Disney Vacation Club property modeled after railroad hotels of the American West in the 1860’s. This is evident in the lobby area of this section which features paintings and decorations devoted to trains of the period. Off to one side of the lobby is the Carolwood Room, an elegant area dedicated to Walt’s love of trains, from his first exposure to them growing up in Marceline, to his elaborate 1/8 scale, half-mile long Carolwood Pacific Railroad which lived at his Holmby Hills estate. The centerpiece of this collection, no doubt, is an original caboose and cargo car from Walt’s Carolwood Railroad set. The caboose on display is numbered 0-7734 – if you head over to the ground floor of Magic Kingdom’s Main Street Railroad Station, you can see a photo of this car in Walt’s backyard as he works on a nearby train. Bookshelves in the area are stocked with antique railroad memorabilia and equipment, including a copy of Walt Disney’s Railroad Story and The Lonesome Trail. The lobby is open to visitors of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, just follow signs from the main lobby area. Don’t forget to ask the main front desk for a Hidden […]

Formerly known as Sleeping Beauty Castle, a clone of Disneyland’s original castle, Hong Kong Disneyland’s version is currently under a massive renovation to become the Castle of Magical Dreams. Revealed in 2020, it features a mix of architectural styles inspired by multiple Disney princess stories similar in concept to Shanghai’s Enchanted Storybook Castle. Yes, yes, the repainting of Cinderella Castle is great and all but I’m all about the new Hong Kong Disneyland Castle.https://t.co/ZlDWnuz8If — Chris Explorer (@tdrexplorer) June 23, 2020 Be sure to take a look at the other iconic Disney Parks castles: Sleeping Beauty Castle (Disneyland Park) Sleeping Beauty Castle (Disneyland Paris) Enchanted Storybook Castle Cinderella Castle (Magic Kingdom) Cinderella Castle (Tokyo Disneyland) This location is mentioned in our blog post: A Photo Tour Of The BoardWalk’s Hidden Disney Castles Official Information: HongKongDisneyland.com

This minaret (a mosque’s tower used to announce the call to prayer) near the back of Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion is a replica of the one found in the Chellah Necropolis in Morocco’s capital city of Rabat. This location is mentioned in our blog post: Treasures of Morocco: Finding Epcot’s Real-Life Landmarks Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Magic Kingdom‘s impressive castle was designed by Imagineer Herb Ryman, the same person who designed the original Disney castle: Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Park. Ryman based the new design on the one seen in the 1950 animated classic film with additional influences from Neuschwanstein Castle and other real European castles. A representation of the Disney family coat of arms can be found on the center balcony on the castle’s Fantasyland facing side. 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. Similar emblems can be found on its clone castle in Tokyo Disneyland and on Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland. Inside you can find forty additional coats of arms displayed around Cinderella’s Royal Table, a restaurant on the second floor. These flags represent key people involved with the development and design of Walt Disney World including Imagineer Marc Davis, John Hench, and Marty Sklar among others. This castle also makes a brief easter-egg style cameo in Lilo & Stitch […]

This castle at Tokyo Disneyland is a near aesthetic clone of Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom Park, the main difference being a slightly different brick pattern and subtle color changes. Instead of a restaurant inside the castle, Tokyo’s version features Cinderella’s Fairy Tale Hall, a walk-through attraction telling the story of the 1950 animated classic film through dioramas and displays. A representation of the Disney family coat of arms can be found on the center balcony on the castle’s Fantasyland facing side. 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 its clone castle in Magic Kingdom Park and on Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland. Be sure to take a look at the other iconic Disney Parks castles: Sleeping Beauty Castle (Disneyland Park) Sleeping Beauty Castle (Disneyland Paris) Castle of Magical Dreams Cinderella Castle (Magic Kingdom) Enchanted Storybook Castle This location is mentioned in our blog post: A Photo Tour Of […]

Epcot’s Clock of the Abu Inania Medersa is a replica of what remains of the real clock hanging above the marketplace in Fez, Morocco. Found just to the left of the entrance to Restaurant Marrakesh, Epcot’s version is an idealized one: what the clock may have looked like when it was in working order, back in the heyday of water clocks. This location is mentioned in our blog post: Treasures of Morocco: Finding Epcot’s Real-Life Landmarks Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Just like the real ones in Italy, Epcot’s scale replicas of The Columns of San Marco (Saint Mark) and San Todaro (Saint Theodore) stand guard in front of it’s own version of Doge’s Palace. Also like the real ones, these two statues overlook a lagoon. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

The Cozy Cone Motel is a quick-service dining location in the Cars Land section of Disney California Adventure based on the motel seen in Pixar’s Cars series of films. The design of the motel is based on the kitschy Wigwam Motel chain, of which two still exist along Route 66 – one in Holbrook, Arizona, and one in San Bernardino, California. “Yeah, it’s like a clever little twist: the motel’s made out of caution cones, which, of course, cars usually try to avoid… now we’re gonna stay in them” – Lightning McQueen Each of the 5 cones here sells cone-themed versions of snacks and beverages such as chili “cone” queso. Sharp-eyed Pixar fans can peek through the window to find a Buzz Lightyear hiding in the motel’s lobby, a nod to a scene from Pixar’s Toy Story 2 (1999). Official Information: Disneyland.com

This shop at the entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios was inspired by the art deco design of Hollywood’s iconic Crossroads of the World shopping center. The Disney version is a near replica, complete with neon lighting and a spinning globe. The main difference between the two is that this one is topped with a 5’3” tall Mickey Mouse sculpture. Mickey’s right ear is made of copper, acting as a lightning rod in inclement weather. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com