Walt Disney World has announced that the repainting project of Cinderella Castle will begin in early January 2026. The work is expected to continue into late 2026, with Disney planning on creating minimal impact on the guest experience throughout the work. Here’s the latest!
Cinderella Castle Repainting Begins in January
Walt Disney World has announced that guests will notice work around Cinderella Castle beginning in early January. The work will begin with the draining of the moat to allow for high-reach cranes and lifts to begin the work of repainting Cinderella Castle back to its original color scheme. Once the moat is drained, the cranes will arrive.
Critically, Walt Disney World says that it is working to create a minimal impact on guests. While guests will see cranes during the morning hours, the cranes will be lowered out of sight by noon each and every day, creating picture-perfect views of the iconic castle in the afternoons and evenings.
Walt Disney World encourages guests to enjoy everything that the park has to offer in the morning, and to return in the afternoons and evenings for photos with Cinderella Castle.
Starting January 28th, there will be temporary adjustments to entertainment, including a modified Let the Magic Begin welcome show. It is expected that Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire will continue to be available with minor adjustments.
The nightly Happily Ever After fireworks show will also continue to be presented with minor adjustments.
Disney says that the new color scheme will debut “later in 2026”. An exact end date has not yet been announced, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye on the work as it continues!
Walt Disney World announced the Cinderella Castle repainting project back in August 2025. For more than 50 years, Cinderella Castle has welcomed guests down Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom. During the “Beyond the Spires: An Insider Look at Disney Castles” panel at Destination D23, Imagineers looked back at the various overlays and color schemes for Cinderella Castle over the years. Imagineers also shared a rendering for the new Cinderella Castle color palette, which is inspired by the classic and original look of the castle.
The updated paint will feature grays, creams, blues, and touches of gold, aiming to enhance the castle’s architecture.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
“We can just revert back to normal, like it never even happened!” – Some Whimsy 1900s Movie Out There Somewhere