LONG-AWAITED changes are coming to a pair of Magic Kingdom icons!
Magic Kingdom Entrance
Back in August, Disney made numerous announcements at the 2025 Destination D23 event, touching on every corner of the company from films, television, and — our focus today — their theme parks. In fact, to a 30-year visitor to the Magic Kingdom like myself, the biggest announcements had to do with two changes I’ve been waiting ages for.
The Classic Cinderella Castle Color Scheme Returns
The Magic Kingdom’s centerpiece is returning to its roots. For the first five decades of its existence (give or take some time spent as a cake or covered in toilet paper… thanks, Stitch) the Magic Kingdom’s icon had a blue and grey color scheme, accented with gold.
It was definitely a sight to behold!
However, that changed in 2020 when the Castle was repainted with a new color scheme of dark blue roofs, a slight rose pink color, and gold trim accents on the castle. The changes, which proved somewhat controversial, were said to be in honor of the 70th anniversary of the release of Cinderella. However, they remained for the next five years with no sign of change… until Destination D23.
Magic Kingdom
At the event, Disney announced that the castle would be returning to a “timeless color combination: deep, handsome blues paired with radiant golds.” According to Disney, these colors were chosen to “reflect the Florida sunshine in a way that makes the castle shimmer from every angle.”
©Disney
No specific date was given for the changes, though we would expect work to begin somewhat soon. Judging by our readers’ reaction to the news, the overwhelming majority of fans support this change.
Carousel of Progress
While the Carousel of Progress might not be as visually iconic as Cinderella Castle, there’s no doubt that the attraction has been a cornerstone of Disney’s theme parks since it debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
Via AllEars.net
After a two-season stint at the Fair, the animatronic show – which followed an American family through the technological progress of the 20th century – had a stint at Disneyland before relocating to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in time for a 1975 opening.
During its time at the Magic Kingdom, the Carousel of Progress has received several updates. The current version of the show debuted 30 years ago in 1994. While the first three acts remain mostly unchanged, if updated slightly for the times, the finale was greatly altered, depicting the then-upcoming future of the year 2000 through the lens of 1994. Suffice to say, that totally 90s ending was feeling a bit out of date circa 2025, Flying Ace Grandma notwithstanding. After years of calls to update the attraction, Disney finally made the big announcement at Destination D23.
Look at Grandma Go!
At the event, it was announced that the Carousel of Progress is about to undergo a massive refurbishment and modernization that will “introduce the show to an entirely new generation of fans, showing them that a great big, beautiful tomorrow is just a dream away. “
Carousel of Progress
The most noteworthy addition will be a new opening scene featuring an animatronic of Walt Disney, similar to the show that currently runs in Disneyland. However, the Carousel of Progress version will be swapping Walt’s office set and suit for a costume and background more akin to Walt’s trips through the “Imagineering workshop” during episodes of the 1960s Disneyland television series.
©Disney
In addition, Disney said we’ll also find out what “John, Sarah, and the rest of the family are up to,” leading many to theorize that the newly reworked show will have a brand new, more up-to-date finale.
According to Kirsten Komoroske, Executive Director of the Walt Disney Family Museum, who worked with Disney on the addition, “The introduction of a new Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney in ‘Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress’ marks an exciting milestone in our shared mission to celebrate the story of the man behind the magic and inspire new generations with his innovations and vision for the future. We appreciate the continued efforts and meticulous care that Imagineering has taken to keep Walt’s legacy alive.”
Carousel of Progress
Two major changes are coming to iconic Magic Kingdom locations! Stay tuned to DFB for further updates on these projects.
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Which refurbishment are you more excited about: Cinderella Castle or Carousel of Progress? Let us know in the comments below.
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I like the castle now and I liked it in year one. I even liked the cupcake frosting castle! What I missed was when they stopped people from walking through it to see the beautiful storytelling tiles or stained glass so they could build that stage.
I love Carousel of Progress. Can’t wait to see the Walt intro….and hope they do a better job than Disneyland did of depicting him! Will be interesting to see how wdw designs the ending that looks into the future.
Let me dissent…
I love the vibrant present color scheme of the Castle. The new/retro colors look like worn out…
Great progress! Now, how about resurrecting the CoP story extender called Horizons!
Carousel of progress was never moved from Disneyland. In fact the building itself at Disneyland is still there and has been retrofitted for different attractions over the years.
Norma, you can still walk through the castle. They just close it during parts of the day. I just walked through it three weeks ago.
Carousel of Progress is my favorite. I’m coming to Disney World in December. Don’t close it before December.