Repainting of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom started in early January 2026. Disney announced the project through the My Disney Experience app and its website, describing it as a “magical transformation.”
Walt Disney World has announced that work has begun to update Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom.
Cinderella Castle is being updated with some exciting new features! You can find details about the changes on the Disney Parks Blog.
— Drew Smith (@DrewDisneyDude) January 5, 2026
The castle is getting a fresh coat of paint with a color scheme inspired by its original look when the park first opened. The new colors – grays, creams, blues, and gold – will replace the lighter, pinkish tones that were added for the resort’s 50th anniversary.
Renovation Details
Painting preparations began on January 5, 2026. As a first step, workers started draining the castle moat to reach the lower parts of the building’s exterior. This drainage also makes it possible to set up equipment like scaffolding and lifts right next to the castle walls.
According to park officials, Disney will use cranes and other heavy machinery to work on the taller parts of the castle. To minimize how much guests see the construction, Disney promises to lower and hide the cranes each day by noon.
Because of painting work near Cinderella Castle, some of the shows in that area might be a little different. This could affect performances like Let the Magic Begin, Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire, and the Happily Ever After fireworks, potentially with small changes to where they happen or when they’re scheduled.
Even with ongoing work, the shows will go on, and guests can still see the castle from Main Street, U.S.A. and the nearby paths.
The repainting is expected to be finished sometime in 2026, though a specific date hasn’t been announced. This work is likely being done in preparation for Walt Disney World’s 55th anniversary celebration on October 1, 2026.
Previous Paintjobs
As a longtime fan of Disney World, I remember when Cinderella Castle first debuted with the Magic Kingdom back in 1971. Of course, keeping a landmark like that looking pristine in the Florida weather is a constant job – it gets repainted and maintained regularly to shield it from the heat, rain, and humidity. But one refresh really stands out in my memory: for the resort’s 25th anniversary, they transformed the entire castle into a massive, incredibly detailed pink birthday cake! It was a truly magical sight.
Similar to other painting projects at theme parks, this one is being done in stages to keep the park looking its best and avoid disrupting guests. Visitors might occasionally see equipment, scaffolding, or areas of the moat temporarily emptied, but crews are working to keep any inconvenience to a minimum.
Repainting Cinderella Castle will be one of the biggest updates guests see at Walt Disney World this year. Disney has stated that, aside from some minor changes to shows in the central plaza, the repainting shouldn’t cause any major closures or disruptions to the park’s normal operations.
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2026-01-09 19:56