Cinderella Castle Suite Tour & Photos
This photo tour showcases our visits to the Cinderella Castle Suite in Magic Kingdom–the most exclusive hotel room at Walt Disney World, and a popular spot for celebrities and what used to be an exclusive prize for promotional giveaway winners. (Updated January 11, 2021.)
Recently, there has been renewed interest in the Cinderella Castle Suite thanks to this viral video on the Disney Parks TikTok account, which has garnered 3 million views and counting. We’ve since been receiving a lot of questions about the royal room, which has largely gone unused by Walt Disney World for the last decade.
Our hope is that this new excitement will spark Disney to do something with the Cinderella Castle Suite. It’s such a lavish and regal room, but about the only use it has received recently is for occasional auction winners. (See what price those fetched in How Much Does a Night in the Cinderella Castle Suite Cost?) Now, let’s take a look inside and share some history of the Cinderella Castle Suite…
When Magic Kingdom opened and Cinderella Castle debuted in 1971, this was not built as a hotel room. It was pretty much the polar opposite, as the space that’s now Cinderella Castle Suite was originally a multi-purpose utility space. Some desks, phones, and storage.
It was converted by Walt Disney Imagineering, which completely decorated and upholstered the space as a ‘royal bedchamber’ in the process. The Cinderella Castle Suite can sleep up to six people, and opened for the Year of a Million Dreams, a promotional campaign that ran over decade ago (hard to believe it’s been that long!). During this contest, it was given away as a grand prize of sorts to one lucky family each day.
Since, the Cinderella Castle Suite has become the dream experience for some Disney fans. Along the way, this fan-desire has been spurred by Disney-forum accounts from the Suite by lucky guests who won stays in the Suite, podcast details of the Suite from travel agents, and everyone’s favorite, Samantha Brown Travel Channel special tours of the Suite.
In just a few short years, it has attained the cult-like status of exclusive Club 33 restaurant or Walt’s Apartment in Disneyland, and rightfully so, as it’s arguably more exclusive than either of those locations. The photos that follow throughout this post are some of our unique photos from our visits to the Cinderella Castle Suite.
Let’s start our photo tour of the Cinderella Castle Suite!
In recent years, there have been a few tours of the Cinderella Castle Suite offered. These tours are conducted by a Walt Disney World Guest Relations Cast Member–the same type of Cast Member who would serve as the overnight concierge for celebrities and giveaway winners who would stay in the Suite.
To call the Castle Suite opulent would be an understatement. Lavishly adorned with the full royal treatment, its “Beauty-Per-Square-Foot” Ratio is through the roof.
We have been in the Suite twice, via tours held during the D23 Magic & Merriment Event. Unfortunately, we haven’t had the opportunity to stay overnight…yet! 😉
Staying overnight inside Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is a dream of ours, but apparently we do not have the clout of Suri or Tom Cruise, Mariah Carey, and other recent celebrity guests. Oh well, perhaps after we get our own reality TV show on which we act like buffoons we’ll be invited.
The Cinderella Castle Suite cannot be booked, it’s by invite or via winning a contest, only.
There are rumors that Disney has turned down large sums of money ($40,000+ per night) to book the Suite.
$40,000 for a 1-night stay seems like an insane amount of money, but given that it could only be booked 365 times per year and also given that there are a lot of stupidly rich people in the world, it would probably fully book up well in advance at that price point or higher.
The high demand for the Suite versus the limited supply probably partly explains why Disney does not book the room.
Originally intended to be an apartment for Walt Disney and his family when they were in Florida, the space became an area for telephone operators after Walt died in 1966. The Suite is visible from the bridges to Liberty Square and Adventureland; it’s the small stained glass windows some distance above Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Cinderella’s Royal Table is one of Disney’s most popular restaurants; it’s a princess character meal that is popular because it’s actually inside Cinderella Castle, making it a popular restaurant for families. So popular that it often fully books up 180 days in advance. You can read about it and other Walt Disney World restaurants in our Disney Restaurant Reviews.
Any visit to the Suite begins by boarding its elevator activated by what else, but a Key to the World card. While quite small, the elevator’s look foreshadows what is to come, with its intricate design and beautiful details.
Upon exiting the elevator, guests find themselves in a small marble-floored foyer area before entering the main quarters.
This area is a veritable treasure trove of all things Cinderella, with the highlight being the fairytale pumpkin coach in the center of the floor. From the foyer, guests head to the Suite itself.
Upon entering the Cinderella Castle Suite itself, the first area visible is the bedchambers, where two lavishly adorned queen size beds sit opposite a fireplace.
Signs bearing the words “Show Ready” adorning chairs and beds provide a gentle reminder to Cast Members and guests just how nice their surroundings are.
I imagine the screening process for MouseKeepers who will be allowed to clean the room is a little greater than normal. Understandably so, as Disney probably doesn’t want someone like me in there, so filled with exuberance that it causes them to jump on the beds.
Behind this extravagant exterior lies 21st century technology. The ornately framed, 17th-century-style portrait of Cinderella above the regal fireplace in the bedchamber magically transforms into a flat-screen HDTV.
Likewise, in the den there is a mirror that can be turned on to reveal another HDTV. This isn’t your (fairy) godmother’s suite!
Lavish it is, but large it is not. The entire space is slightly larger than a Studio room at a Disney Vacation Club resort. It may look large from the photos, but it is quite compact (hence the need to use the fisheye lens to capture the space). Fortunately, it utilizes its space quite well.
The Suite itself contains a salon, bedchamber, and bathroom all befitting of royalty. In typical Walt Disney Imagineering form, the entire Suite looks like something straight out of a fairytale, or more likely, an authentic, Medieval Castle.
Also in typical Imagineering fashion, the Suite is bursting with details. These are a mix of nods to the film, plus the amenities expected of a luxurious hotel suite (despite its seldom use, it is a functional hotel room).
Disney has made efforts to ensure that the room is plausibly authentic as a suite in Cinderella Castle despite its modern conveniences.
The Cinderella Castle Suite carefully toes the line between modern and Medieval.
Each celebrity guest who stays in the Suite is given one of these glass slippers commemorating their stay (at one time, we were told that this slipper cost $18,000–there is considerable doubt that this is its actual cost/value…unless there’s some serious Disney mark-up going on!). This slipper was given to Mariah Carey, who elected not to take it.
Some of the stately details include two queen size beds draped by regal canopies, a gorgeously stitched parlor sofa, and those beautiful stained glass windows mentioned above.
Unfortunately, these windows don’t allow for much of a view of the park (it’s far from one of the Best Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Locations), but they’re pretty, nonetheless.
One question that often comes up when people hear that celebrities use the Cinderella Castle Suite or that it goes empty many nights is, “why isn’t Disney donating it to ‘Make A Wish’?” Unfortunately, given the size of the Suite, its accessibility limitations, etc., this simply is not a feasible option. I would suspect liability issues also have something to do with it. So, blame the lawyers and laws!
The most beautiful space, I think, is the bathroom and, more specifically, the bathtub itself.
With its walls covered in mosaics reminiscent of those lining the walls of the passageway from Main Street to Fantasyland below, and its star-covered ceiling, guests bathe in style in this royal tub.
Here’s a view from the bottom of the bathtub looking up at the ceiling, because, why not? So, now you have an answer to the pressing question “what would it be like for Gus Gus to view the tub?”
The ambient lighting in the bathtub is exceptional. Take a look as it goes from normal (above)…
…to moody green.
I think if I had the opportunity to stay overnight in the Suite, I would spend about 75% of my time in this resplendent tub. (Not that I’ve already allocated my time in such a hypothetical scenario or anything.)
The toilet, well…let’s just say there’s good reason to call this bad boy the “throne.”
The myriad of details in the Suite are such that you could spend hours poking around in there and still not discover everything. It is quite unfortunate that Disney hasn’t utilized this Suite more, as it presently is only used, on occasion, for visiting celebrities who supposedly make charitable donations for use of the Suite.
Tours of the Suite have not been offered to the public for several years, and often, the Suite goes months with nary a guest stepping foot inside.
Seeing the guest quarters is such a wonderful experience that it’s a travesty that park guests do not have the opportunity to see the inner chambers of the Cinderella Castle Suite. I know an overnight stay in the Castle Suite is in Sarah’s thoughts each time she stares longingly at the Castle on our Walt Disney World trips. I guess until the Year of a Million Dreams 3.0, that stay will only be once upon a dream!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? If you’re interested in learning more about hotels, our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page is a good place to start. For where to eat, try out our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews page. If you want to save money on tickets or determine which type you should get, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at unconventional things you should take on your trip. Once you arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World “Ride Guides” are great for determining what to do and when to do it. For overviews of all of these topics and so much more, the best place to start is our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
Your Thoughts…
What do you think of the Cinderella Castle Suite? Would you like to see the Cinderella Castle Suite used for charitable purposes? Do you wish you could spend a night here? Or would you rather stay at a larger Walt Disney World hotel? Share your thoughts or any questions about the Cinderella Castle Suite in the comments!
Won a nights stay in the castle suite. It was beyond anything I have ever seen.
i want go it look so fun plez tell me
My Wife Carol and I had the great fortune to be selected to stay in the castle suite in September of 2008 while visiting WDW for our honeymoon. I still carry my Cinderella Key to the World card in my wallet to show people who dont believe it when i tell them that we stayed there. It was an incredible afternoon, night and morning. The only thing that took a little shine off of it was that crews were putting lights on the castle for the holidays and it was a little noisy. And yes… since it was out honeymoon… we engaged in certian activities in every room and bed in the suite. Hey… it was a once in a lifetime deal!
Amazing pictures!!
Thanks!
Make A Wish (MAW) Children and their families do not stay in Disney, unless the wonderful Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) are full, then if it is an emergency situation the child and their guests can stay at a Disney resort, however it is not in Cinderella’s suite. This was explained to our family both before our child receiving her wish as well as at GKTW. Just so “rumors” get stopped before they are started. Thank you 🙂
Hi there! Thank you so much for the post. I was just curious about the inside of the castle, googled some pics and came across your blog. You mentioned that they havent offered tours since ’07. May I ask how you were granted the permission to go inside?? I’d love to go!
i want my wedding here and i wanna stay here too…
I had no idea this suite existed, thanks for giving me yet another thing to gush about to my friends who thought they’d heard everything Disneyland-related from me!
Amazing photo’s thanks so much for posting. How were you able to get a tour of the suite? I have always wanted to do a tour but I don’t know how.
Tom, I’m amazed each and every time I see your photos. Outstanding work. Thanks for sharing your gift.
How did you get this tour?
I just couldn’t go away your site before suggesting that I extremely loved the usual information an individual supply for your visitors? Is going to be back incessantly in order to check out new posts
Wonderful! Your pictures are gorgeous! I’d give my left foot for the chance to do this – maybe a few toes to have your lens, too!
These are AMAZING photos! Just an FYI though….The Make-A-Wish Foundation does NOT send wish families here!! That’s a huge myth that everyone needs to stop spreading. (I work for the Foundation, so I would know) Most wish families stay at a nearby non-profit call Give Kids The World. Disney is a great partner for Make-A-Wish but staying in the Castle Suite has never been, and probably never will be, an option. Would be really awesome though!
The author actually states that it is NOT used for Make A Wish due to many different circumstances. It’s a shame that such splendor and fairy tale surroundings aren’t utilized more often by every day folks. I would love to stay there, but would gladly give my turn up for a chance to see a sick child experience the magic!
Ahhh, so cool! Have seen the Samantha Brown Travel Channel special, but am glad to see photos and it talked about on a blog! What a dream to stay there!!
Wow great photos, how did u get to tour the suite? Also I love your blog and your trip reports are just awesome looking forward to the next one.
Awesome shots!
What kind of fish eye lens do you use?
I use the Rokinon (also called Pro-Optic, Bower, Samyang) 8mm manual focus fisheye.
This is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing Tom and Sarah! I love your blog and look forward to each new entry!!
It would be great if Disney offered some sort of tour for the suite, or went back to offering it as an overnight stay to random select people or as a contest again!! I would love love love to stay overnight in the suite!!
We totally agree. One of the disappointing things about the Suite is that it’s seldom-used. And that we haven’t won a stay up there! 🙂
Wowza! It really does look like a 17th century, spick and span awesome castle room. Gorgeous. Thanks for sharing the photos!
I was somewhat surprised that knight’s armor didn’t mysteriously come to life and start chasing us. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t quite that spooky, but it really did have quite the authentic medieval feel. Well, that is until the HDTV turned on!
This is the just beautiful!! I want to stay here. :0)
It would be a dream to stay at Cinderella’s Castle suite. I love Cinderella. It would be a dream to stay.
Sharon
Danville, Virginia