Disney has announced that a new color palette will be coming to Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World.
The announcement was made during a panel at the company’s D23 fan event in Florida on Aug. 31.
According to Disney Parks Blog, the updated paint job will feature grays, creams and blues as well as touches of gold to “enhance the castle’s architecture.”
Walt Disney Imagineering also released a rendering of the new color palette, posted on Instagram.
“While the project team is still putting the finishing touches on the paint design process, we wanted to share the incredible amount of research and care that goes into this project,” stated the announcement, per USA Today.
These changes to the color palette are “inspired by the classic and original look of the castle,” per People.
Disney has not yet released a timeline of the changes.
Cinderella Castle in Florida is one of six Disney castles around the world that serve as the “heart” of the theme parks, per People.
These castles are “the landmarks that draw guests in, the backdrop of cherished family photos, and the icons that represent the magic of Disney around the world,” according to Disney Parks Blog.
The blue and gold colors used in Cinderella Castle are meant to “to reflect the Florida sunshine in a way that makes the castle shimmer from every angle,” per Disney Parks Blog.
According to People, the castle in Walt Disney World currently features pale gray walls along the base with a light pink color high up on the building. The multiple roofs are blue and the topmost turret is gold.
In order to ensure the longevity of the castle’s appearance, Disney uses accelerated UV and weather testing to simulate years of sun exposure. To cover hard-to-reach areas, such as the roofs, they use durable long-lasting and high-performance paint used for cars, per People.
For all of Disney’s castles around the globe, Imagineers use traditional castles as inspiration. But, the structures in the parks require extra durability so Disney uses concrete, steel, cement, fiberglass and plaster, instead of stone for the castles.
Online reactions to the new color palette
After the announcement was made over the weekend, there were many people who posted on social media about it. Most people who were talking about the change online were excited about the change back to the original color palette.
Here’s a look at some of these social media posts: