Disney has released a nearly 30-minute behind-the-scenes video documenting the full scope of the Cinderella Castle repainting project at Magic Kingdom. The episode is part of the Disney Unscripted series on YouTube and covers everything from the early planning stages to the final steps of the restoration.
The project, first announced at Destination D23 in 2025, returned the castle to its classic color palette of blue, gray, and gold. Work wrapped up on June 4 when the moat was fully refilled, marking the completion of the repaint.
The video opens with a nod to Walt Disney’s belief that the parks would never truly be finished, then moves into archival footage of the castle through the years before getting into the work itself. What stands out is just how much went into a project that, from the ground, might look straightforward.
Seven boom lifts were craned into the drained moat to give crews access to every side of the structure. Paint color selection involved working from a board of gray samples alongside a new darker blue chosen for the roof sections. Cold weather created real delays on several nights when temperatures dropped below 35°F, making it impossible to apply paint without risking runs or improper drying.
Roof repairs were also part of the process. Corroded zinc screws beneath the clock tower had caused paint to bubble over time and needed to be addressed before repainting could continue.
One of the more technical elements covered in the video involves the castle’s nighttime projection shows. Crews worked with Disney’s visual media production studio to adjust the color calibration so the projections would read correctly against the new paint. A 3D previsualization tool was also used to model color combinations before anything went on the walls, cutting down on the on-site color testing that would have otherwise taken weeks.
Project leads and crew members noted the significance of working on such a visible landmark, with one describing it as a big honor to be part of the team.
The full episode is available now on the Disney Parks YouTube channel. Do you like Cinderella Castle’s new look?
