Walt Disney World has officially shared an updated look at Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom, calling the repainting project “almost complete” in a post on Twitter. The photos offer an official glimpse at the classic grey, cream, blue, and gold color scheme that has replaced the rose pink look that has defined the castle since 2020.
Cinderella Castle’s Classic Color Scheme Is “Almost” Back at Magic Kingdom
In This Article
- What Disney Parks shared about the almost-complete Cinderella Castle repaint
- Background on the rose pink color scheme and why it was introduced
- Timeline of the 2026 repainting project from announcement to now
- What’s left before the project is officially complete
- What guests can expect when visiting Magic Kingdom now
What Disney Shared
Disney Parks posted photos of Cinderella Castle on Twitter with the caption “An updated look at the almost-complete Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom.” Separately, Walt Disney World shared the following photos and video.
The images show the Magic Kingdom icon largely transformed, with the classic grey and blue palette restored across the body and rooftops of the castle. The official acknowledgment that the project is “almost complete” aligns with recent on-the-ground reporting, which has indicated that painting work is done and the remaining task is refilling the drained moat.
VIDEO
Background: Why Was Cinderella Castle Pink?
A common misconception is that Cinderella Castle went pink for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. The rose pink color scheme actually predates that celebration entirely. As we reported, Disney announced a “Royal Makeover” for Cinderella Castle in February 2020, tied to the 70th anniversary of the animated Cinderella film. Work began in March 2020, continued through the COVID-19 park closure, and was complete when the parks reopened in July 2020.
When Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary celebration launched in October 2021, the pink castle was already in place and simply absorbed into the festivities, with a “50” medallion added over the clock face, among other decor. That medallion was removed after the 50th Anniversary concluded in March 2023, but the rose pink color scheme remained, lingering well beyond its welcome for many longtime fans.
The Road to a Classic Look: Project Timeline
August 2025, Destination D23: Disney announced the Cinderella Castle repainting during the “Beyond the Spires: An Insider Look at Disney Castles” panel at Destination D23. Imagineers revealed concept art showing the updated palette, featuring grays, creams, blues, and touches of gold, described as inspired by the classic and original look of the castle.
December 2025: Walt Disney World announced that guests would notice work around Cinderella Castle beginning in early January 2026. The project would start with the draining of the moat, followed by the arrival of high-reach cranes and lifts. Disney committed to retracting cranes by noon each day to preserve afternoon and evening photo opportunities.
January 28, 2026: As we first reported, the first grey paint was applied to a small section of Cinderella Castle, officially kicking off the transformation. Entertainment adjustments also took effect that day, including a modified “Let the Magic Begin” welcome show and shifted showtimes for “Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire.”
February 2026: Progress accelerated across the back half of the castle. As we noted at the time, early phases of the project moved forward notably without visible cranes, with crews painting accessible sections before the moat fully drained.
March 2026: By early March, the vast majority of the castle’s body had been repainted, with almost no pink remaining on the main structure.
April 2026: Crews shifted focus to the rooftops. Disney confirmed they use a high-performance automotive paint for hard-to-reach areas like the spires and rooftops, with subtle sheen variations playing a role in the final appearance. Stone surfaces were finished at a lower sheen to appear natural, while rooftops and gold accents were given a higher gloss. The rooftops were nearly all repainted in dark blue by early April, and the final section of rose pink paint was removed later that month. The high-reach cranes were removed from the moat shortly after.
May 2026: The project passed a widely anticipated completion date around May 10, the date tied to the return of normal “Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire” showtimes. Painting of the Castle appears to be done, but the moat remains drained with some equipment still in the basin. The refilling of the moat is expected to serve as the final signal that the project is truly complete.
What’s Left
The painting of the Castle itself is finished. What remains is cleanup and restoration of the moat area. Once the moat is refilled, the project will be officially done. Guests visiting Magic Kingdom now should have clean sightlines of the castle from Main Street, U.S.A., with no cranes in the frame.
Disney has not announced an official completion date beyond the original commitment to finish sometime in 2026.
Our Take
Cinderella Castle looks amazing now. Kudos to the teams that not only executed the repainting, but also whoever decided that this repainting needed to happen in the first place. Disney was all too happy to keep the rose pink look, with no plans to change it back, until someone somewhere said something.
Also, I’ve said it before, but it’s worth underlining again – Disney did the right thing by ensuring that the cranes were out of view by noon each day. The visual impact of the high-reach cranes was about as minimal as you could imagine. Yes, they were present for a few weeks, but the multi-month project has been mostly crane-less.
At first, I thought that the grey was perhaps a bit too dull, but the final product is excellent – especially in direct sunlight, something Florida has plenty of. Looking back on it, it’s surprising that the rose pink Castle was ever a thing, but now that’s in the past.
As a quick aside, I think that the reason that Disney shared that the Cinderella Castle repainting is “almost complete” now was to get ahead of an anticipated media event starting soon to promote Walt Disney World for the Summer. By handing out photos and video now, all of the national media down to local bloggers will have something to share when it comes to the highly-anticipated new look for Cinderella Castle.
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!