Featured Attractions

Monday, March 30, 2015

Strange But True: Sleeping Beauty "Cat-sle"


When DISNEYLAND was under construction, money was tight. Walt Disney didn't want to skimp on anything that his guests would actually see, so the centerpiece of the Magic Kingdom was constructed as planned except for the inside, which remained unfinished. The inside of Sleeping Beauty Castle became a place where the various construction crews stored piles of junk. 

The inside of the castle neglected, a family of mangy, feral cats took residence in the regal looking building. When the film Sleeping Beauty was ready to be released, Mr. Disney decided that Princess Aurora should finally take residence in her royal palace. He and his staff took a tour of the building to see what shape it was in and what would be required to bring the Sleeping Beauty Walk-Through attraction to life.

Walt was dismayed when he saw the condition of the castle's inner chambers. As he hastily lifted an old construction tarp to see what was underneath, he was confronted by the angry cats and a cloud of fleas overtook him and his staff. Mr. Disney retreated, but decreed that this "Cat-sle" needed to become just as magical on the inside as it was on the outside.  And it did. The Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through remains a magical experience enjoyed by millions of DISNEYLAND guests every year.