Castle Walk-thru

G2-4T · Post by **G2-4T** » Apr Sat 30, 2005 10:27 pm

Anyone remember the castle walking tour, the little self-guided story one where you entered one side, walked past some story windows and out the other? It closed a couple years ago, just curious if it ever reopened.

AlexLoup · Post by **AlexLoup** » May Sun 01, 2005 1:16 pm

I remember that, the Sleeping Beauty one. Sleeping Beauty was my fav. movie when I was a kid so that was the best to walk through.

I think They closed it for good because no one(execpt for a few) knew it was there, which is a shame. You can see one of the scenes in front of the Emporium.

disneydreamer58 · Post by **disneydreamer58** » May Sun 01, 2005 4:55 pm

I liked walking through it there was never anyone there and you could take your time and really look at the displays. It was a nice hidden treasure, but they should have done more to advertise it was there.

Gizmata · Post by **Gizmata** » May Mon 02, 2005 1:43 am

I remember it from way back when. The displays as I remember were spread out through the self guided walk-through. I don't remember the displays being all that great, and the walk-through was not very wide really. There were alot of stairs in it which took you up and over the main entrance of the castle and out near peter pan. It was never very busy when I went through it, and I would assume the times I did were during times when fantasyland was busy since we planned out mornings and evenings pretty well.

It was one of those secret things that was kinda cool. A darkend walkway without visible cameras or cast members and had decent decorations to make you feel you were walking through hidden passages in a castle. However once inside you had a decent walk ahead of you before getting to the exit.

I assume it was closed because of low attendance, difficulty in protecting everything from bad teenagers, and no chance of upgrading it to meet the requirements of the disabilities act. Though the biggest part of that I am sure was the inability to watch what kids were doing to the attraction.

Overall I don't see it as a big loss, it was somewhat cool, but the costs, and problems really didn't justify it in the more modern era.

DisneyManInSeattle · Post by **DisneyManInSeattle** » May Mon 02, 2005 4:50 pm

I assume it was closed because of low attendance...

I've heard that it was closed since 9/11 because it posed a threat that someone would go up in there and snipe people.

Apart from that I remember this walkthrough really well. It was cool feeling something like a walk-through haunted house, but the little displays looked really bad -- take your barbie dolls and put them in a simple diorama and you have it.

The music was cool though from what I recall.

-mark

kgmadorin · Post by **kgmadorin** » May Tue 03, 2005 11:24 am

DisneyManInSeattle wrote:
I assume it was closed because of low attendance...
I've heard that it was closed since 9/11 because it posed a threat that someone would go up in there and snipe people.

I heard the same thing, minus the sniper part. I heard it was because that area isn't monitored, and it would be too easy for someone to be up to no good inside the castle. Being the ultimate Disney icon all over the world, I think that was too large a risk to take.

Gizmata · Post by **Gizmata** » May Tue 03, 2005 6:26 pm

Found this link today.

http://www.mouseplanet.com/karl/sbcastle.htm

I also read someplace that it might reopen, but they said it was a rumor they had heard, and now I can't find it anymore. lol Maybe I was still asleep when I read it would reopen and they were bringing back the music kiosks too. The only reason I don't think it was a dream is I would have dreamed I read the lagoon was full again for the celebrations

Fantasrick · Post by **Fantasrick** » Sep Mon 26, 2005 1:04 pm

That must have been pretty neat!

soccermouse · Post by **soccermouse** » Sep Tue 27, 2005 10:11 am

I heard from a CM that it will not reopen. Too bac!

Post by **spaulo** » Sep Tue 27, 2005 10:37 am

The 9-11/terrorist threat/etc. rumors are all unfounded. The castle walk-through would be impossible to bring up to ADA standards without major, major renovations to the interior of the structure itself, and while I'm sure many diehard fans of the movie liked it, it certainly wasn't worth shutting the whole castle down and covering it in a tarp for two years to widen the walkways, install ramps and elevators, etc...

disneydreamer58 · Post by **disneydreamer58** » Sep Wed 28, 2005 11:12 am

My brother used to like to get ahead of us and jump out to scare us. Not that it was scary at all, and yes the displays were cheesy, but it was fun to pretend to be in a castle going up the narrow winding staircase. For a moment I was a princess..... and my brother was a toad! ha ha ha