In Defense of DL's Castle

[cfc]

Sleeping Beauty's Castle takes a lot of abuse. Why, hardly a Disneyland TR is posted on this board without some long shot of Main Street and a caption like this: "Where's the castle? I heard there was a castle." Or perhaps a bit of forced perspective: "Look! I'm eating the little castle!" or "Hey! I'm stomping on the tiny castle!" Such pics and captions are becoming as common as cops-and-donuts jokes (I've even succumbed myself at least once).

 

Yes, Sleeping Beauty's home is, physically, the smallest castle of the Disney parks (but I'm guessing that Hong Kong's is about the same size). Heck, even Disney itself has belittled the poor thing over the years--for example, by switching to Cinderella's Castle from MK in the credits of The Wonderful World of Disney back in the 1970s. Current commercials for WDW on the East Coast even superimpose Uncle Walt himself over MK's Main Street, with the Florida castle prominently in the background: "To all who come to this happy place [which didn't actually exist when I gave this speech], welcome."

 

Now, I'm not putting anybody down for making castle jokes, but please consider this: Sleeping Beauty's Castle is, perhaps, the most recognized symbol of the place that became the catalyst for the theme-park industry we all enjoy today--good old Disneyland. So, to me (and I suppose to some others), DL's castle, like the TARDIS on Dr. Who , is "dimensionally transcendental"; that is, much bigger than it appears. It casts a long shadow over all the parks that have followed. It was

the theme-park icon to me when I was a wee lad, when it seemed quite large, indeed.

 

This isn't a rant, folks--just me cooking up a little food for thought. Thanks for stopping by.

 

Chuck

[Rollerholden]

^I agree! Glad someone says it.

[robbalvey]

You also got to remember that our castle "jokes" are just that...."jokes" and come from a long history of "inside jokes" which we have now opened up to all of you to partake in also!

 

I'm sure everyone has something or someone that has been a long-running joke for years, for us the tiny little Disneyland castle is one of them!

 

--Robb

[Nrthwnd]

Thanks for sharing your feelings and opinion on "the castle size matter."

 

I think, tho, that the majority of TPR peeps here will agree with you (myself included) that The First Castle of the Disney Empire is surely The One that a good number of us (what is that again?) "Baby Boomers" will always hold near and dear to our hearts - regardless of finger-crushing size, LOL.

 

The probability is, Disney couldn't afford anything bigger, at the time, when DL was first built. And he also wanted to keep everything in the park within a reasonable viewing height, once the 'guests' were inside the surrounding berm that the train circled the park on.

 

The exception now to that, is/was The Matterhorn. But even Space Mountain was sunk down 15 or so feet, so as not to loom over you-know-what, nearby.

 

WDW's Cinderella Castle was built tall so it could be seen from a great distance. The reasoning, or so Disney himself told it before his sad passing in Dec.'66, was that guests who travelled so far to get there (to the WDW property)would want some kind of 'icon' that would tell them they were indeed, getting closer to WDW.

 

Anyway - Tokyo DL wanted an exact replica of the WDW castle, so they got that, and as well, WDW's Haunted Mansion, too. And Paris allowed the imagineers to re-create Sleeping Beauty Castle "all grown up", as I like to put it, heh heh. And hey - it got taller, too!

 

Hong Kong DL wanted to go back to some basics, which meant, The First Castle, which to me looks pretty good with those hillsides in back. When more landscaping grows in, things will be fine, there.

 

The dissing and 'miniaturizing' of Sleep's Domain is all in fun. Gotta love a castle that was built by a mouse, hmmm?

 

[cfc]

You also got to remember that our castle "jokes" are just that...."jokes" and come from a long history of "inside jokes" which we have now opened up to all of you to partake in also!

 

I'm sure everyone has something or someone that has been a long-running joke for years, for us the tiny little Disneyland castle is one of them!

 

--Robb

Ah ha! So you admit the deed! I thought as much!

 

No argument there, Robb. But, every now and then, somebody has got to stick up for the little guy, er, castle.

 

[arrowfanman]

But, every now and then, somebody has got to stick up for the little guy, er, castle.

 

That's my job.

 

 

-Jahan "I'm still waiting for Elissa to change my title to 'It's not the size mate, its how you use it'" Makanvand

[slick]

This may seem somewhat n00bish, but why not they just re-design and add on more towers and whatnot onto the current "smallish" castle to make it slightly larger?

 

Of course, it would have to be done properly, but I don't see why not, unless there's some kind of underlying prestige castle thing I don't know about.

[3rdShiftCM]

^ Don't want to sound like a freak but that's blasphemy. Like it or not that's Walt's little castle.

 

Anyway the AP freaks would chain themselves to the castle if they ever tried changing it.

[slick]

I tend to disagree. Like his famous quote says, "Disneyland will never be complete as long as there's imagination left in the world," and provided it's done to the same style as the current castle is done, why not improve furthermore like the rest of the park, and bring it on as thought it was something that not even Walt himself could imagine.

 

I'm sure given how he was with the park he would have been very impressed with the idea that even his well known legacies are still being maintained in a way that continues to make the crowds gasp, not laugh.

[cfc]

^Actually, I'd be happy if they'd just reopen (and upgrade) the Sleeping Beauty waltkthrough attraction inside. But being that it's been closed for so long, I wonder if there are ADA (that is, Americans with Disabilities Act) issues that would have to be resolved.

 

The castle did start out as just a facade and was "plussed" with the addition of the walkthrough in the 1960s.

[socalMAN123]

I've joined in on the castle jokes, but I mean, the castle is only a little bit over 60 feet tall.

---Brent 8)

[robbalvey]

See, I'm not one that's as much for preservation, so IMO, it would be AWESOME if they totally redid the entire castle plaza and Disneyland and made it look more like....let's see, Disneyland Paris!

 

I mean, just imagine if this was at the end of Disneyland's Main Street:

 

 

That would be awesome! I know most people would disagree with me, but I for one would have no problem "upgrading" the castle!

 

--Robb

[SharkTums]

Awww, I love that castle!!!!

[arrowfanman]

I honestly think that if Walt could have done it like the castle in Paris, he would have--that is, by far, the best of the castles. But maybe that somewhat has to do with the fact that it hasn't been cloned yet! hehehe.

 

This may seem somewhat n00bish, but why not they just re-design and add on more towers and whatnot onto the current "smallish" castle to make it slightly larger?

 

Well, for one, people aren't really bothered by the size of it! Honestly....if you went to the park, and ranted in front of the majority of people, they would agree that it's small, but they wouldn't join the fuss.

 

Secondly, the whole park is designed artistically into proportion. One of the contributing factors to making the Magic Kingdom Castle bigger, was that their Mainstreet would be bigger--they needed a larger structure to occupy the space, to create a complete, full look. Well, we all know that Disneyland is a pretty small park! It just so happens that the castle fits perfectly into the end of Mainstreet--making it anybigger would make it over power its surroundings, which is not the intent.

 

-Jahan "Im a freak" Makanvand

[robbalvey]

Well, for one, people aren't really bothered by the size of it! Honestly....if you went to the park, and ranted in front of the majority of people, they would agree that it's small, but they wouldn't join the fuss.

I think people are missing the point that the castles jokes are "jokes" and there isn't any "fuss."

 

--Robb "I don't really mind the castle, I just think it's funny!" Alvey

[arrowfanman]

I totally get that you're simply joking about it--and for the most part, my retaliation is light hearted! Trust me!

 

I just got serious for a moment to answer his question, in a temporary lapse of seriousness--Sorry Robb--wont happen again .

[robbalvey]

^ No harm, no foul. I just want to make sure that everyone knows that really, we don't have an issue with the castle...it's just "funny" to us!

 

--Robb

[cfc]

^From Sleeping Beauty: "Not good enough, sirrah! My honor demands satisfaction in Thunderdome! Lord Chuck, you must be my champion!"

 

Er, do you mean "Thunderdome" as in Vegas, or as in third Mad Max movie? And if you mean the latter, doesn't that involve chain saws, sldegehammers, bats with nails sticking out of them, and bungee cords? I'm afraid you're on your own, princess.

 

SB: "Oh, very well! I shall retire to my summer home in France to sulk in a most royal fashion. "