Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

Located right in the heart of Fantasyland is the gorgeous Prince Charming Regal Carrousel.

This attraction is so much more history than what meets the eye. If you are interested in not only Disney history, but history in general, buckle up and let’s go on this merry-go-round of information!

The Attraction

The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is located right behind Cinderella Castle, and is a real sight to see at night with almost 2,000 light bulbs lighting up this nostalgic treasure. Of course, this attraction is a family-friendly attraction with no height requirements. For those that cannot sit atop the horses, there are “nanny benches” to still enjoy the whimsy.

PRO TIP: You can find Cinderella’s personal horse on the carousel! Look for the white horse with a gold ribbon in its tail!

This is no ordinary carousel, which since it’s in Disney, this shouldn’t be a shock. The average carousel has a 25 foot diameter and has around 60 horses. The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel has a 60 foot diameter and 90 horses. Each of the 90 horses is hand carved and hand painted by artisans. What is even more impressive is that all of the horses are all unique and are accented with 24K gold!

The Queue

There is no real queue to speak of. The waiting area is completely outdoors and exposed to the sun. It is the most busy in the middle of the afternoon, which happens to be the hottest part of the day.

We recommend you save the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel for the end of the night so you can enjoy the beauty of the lights, and you can end your day with something both magical and whimsical.

The History

The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel recently celebrated its 100th birthday! Wait… Walt Disney World opened in 1971, more than 50 years after this carousel was built. Before it found its home in the Magic Kingdom, this carousel was named The Liberty, and located in another theme park in America. It was built in 1917 and was completely restored by Disney Imagineers after they purchased it for the Magic Kingdom.

Oops!

Speaking of its big move to the Magic Kingdom, let’s talk about a behind the scenes WHOOPS! When Roy Disney came out to Fantasyland to see the newly installed carousel behind the castle, he was displeased. In typical Disney fashion, Roy Disney did not settle for anything less than perfection. In this case, perfection required a move 8 inches over to the left. He felt that the carousel needed to be centered exactly to Cinderella Castle and insisted that Imagineers do everything necessary to correct the “issue”.

More History

A lot of people rush right past the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, or just use it as a stroller parking area, but it should be required for every visit to the Magic Kingdom. After all, we would not have a Disney Park without a carousel…

Sometime in the 1940s, Walt Disney was sparked by the idea of a clean, family-friendly park. He was a family man who believed in spending quality time with his children. Sundays were daddy days in the Disney home, and he would frequently take his daughters to the local carousel in the park while he would sit on the bench. It was on that bench that he asked himself why there aren’t quality places for adults and children to spend time together? The answer was simple, at least to him – It was because he hadn’t built it yet. The rest, as they say, is history.