disney cinderella castle mystery tour

• Extinct Attractions
• Disney Villains
• The Black Cauldron
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• Sleeping Beauty

Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour

• View history
• 6 References

Taking place inside Cinderella Castle , guests are supposed to take a tour of the Castle featuring the Gallery, Ball Room, Dining Room, Guest Room, and the Tower, with a Cast Member serving as their tour guide.

Upon entering the attraction, the tour guide leads the guests into the Gallery and begins talking about Disney's Heroes and Heroines, with paintings of Cinderella , Pinocchio , Aurora , Snow White , and Taran hanging on the walls nearby. Suddenly, the Magic Mirror appears, feeling insulted by the villains being put down and explains that no hero is complete without a villain. A glowing force of magic then transform the paintings into those depicting the following villains: Cinderella's painting becomes that of  Lady Tremaine , Pinocchio's painting becomes that of  Stromboli , Aurora's painting becomes Maleficent 's and  The Witch and the Horned King 's paintings morph from those of Snow White and Taran, respectively.

To see how strong the guests are in challenging the forces of evil, the Mirror opens a secret door containing a passage to a dark stairway that leads to a concealed underground area of the castle. The stairway winds past a prison area filled with howling bats staring at the guests. In the Witch's laboratory, a book with a recipe for a poison apple is found. Also, a magic potion is being brewed along with an assortment of experimental tools. Moreover, the crow from the film stands atop a skull with ceaseless cawing. The shadow of the Queen can also be seen on the walls.

There is a dark passage and dungeon that awaits guests who bypassed the laboratory to avoid being noticed by the Queen. However, guests are tricked by a random Magic Mirror that reflects directions inversely. Next, a mummified ghost appears from a dark area but its white reflection does not appear anywhere; rather, we can hear its footprints advancing. The guests also walk past prison cells with skeletons, coats of armor, enchanted chests, and a swinging axe.

A scene featuring Chernabog comes up next, utilizing footage from Fantasia to show him summoning the spirits at Bald Mountain . The score for this version of the sequence is the 1982 digital re-recording by Irwin Kostal. Going past Bald Mountain, guests come to a calm area with water flowing. Nothing seems to be happening, but Maleficent 's Goons appear around every corner, in the water and within the walls. The Goons eye and threaten the escaping guests, before angering Maleficent even further. Maleficent's castle on the Forbidden Mountains is then seen, with Maleficent herself sending lightning bolts down towards the guests, with the thorns reaching down to their level. Continuing down the dark passages, guests encounter a talking skull and crossbones, warning them of the perils ahead. Entering a cave of hidden jewels, the guests make their way through the treasure-filled cavern, only to encounter a massive sleeping dragon. Lightning strikes as the dragon stirs and awakens, but an escape opportunity presents itself with a special lift controlled by a Goon, which takes the guests and guide out of the cavern and up the castle.

Upon leaving the lift, the guests enter a room with some tapestries depicting the "Legend of the Black Cauldron" hanging on the walls. The guide explains, " Once upon a time, the world was ruled by evil. The Horned King, the evil lord, used the black cauldron (Satan's kiln) to manipulate and control the soldiers of death. Then the courageous and pure-minded hero, Taran, deprived the power of the great kiln using his sword of light. And peace was restored to the world. "

The Magic Mirror, in his final appearance, appears again to interrupt the guide and invite the guests to enter a back room next to the tapestries room as the doors close in. It is the Black Cauldron's room! " This is the final challenge. Will good win or evil prosper? The good will face this challenge with courage. The Black Cauldron is waiting to swallow you whole, " the Magic Mirror says as he disappears. A guest is chosen as the brave representative to carry the Sword of Light, sometimes a child, against the Horned King. Another door opens to an eerie hall that houses the Cauldron Born lying on the floor. The Sword of Light (Taran's sword) is to the right and the Black Cauldron is at the center atop a pedestal. Slowly, the Horned King appears and looks down to see that his enemy is still alive.

"(Evil laugh) Everyone welcome. In this Black Cauldron, everything in the world is controlled. Don't be afraid. It will all be over shortly. No one can escape from here and you'll be sacrificed to the Black Cauldron. Oh Satan's kiln... awaken and resurrect the soldiers of death! Rebuild an army without rivals! The Army of Death... rise! The devil's servants... go and capture them and throw them into the cauldron! Don't leave anyone behind! The Black Cauldron wants more bodies! I swear to the death! (Evil laugh) Nobody can destroy me...What's that!?! Capture those fools and gratify the Black Cauldron!"

The Horned King proceeds to awaken the Cauldron Born, threatening to kill the guests and use the cauldron to make them join his army. Just then, the special guest points the Sword of Light towards the Horned King and, using its power, defeats the villain and his army by blasting them with a powerful bolt of light and the hero's goodness triumphs! Leaving the chamber, the guests walk past a mural of the sword depicting the message "Good Conquers Evil". The tour guide then makes a special presentation to the new hero, giving them a special medal as a reward. "An official statement from Tokyo Disneyland. We pay honor to the bravery, sincerity, and pure-mindedness of the guest who received power from the sword of light. The guest is now proclaimed a knight of Fantasyland with a memorial medal as Sir (insert name here), the great hero of a great land! GOOD CONQUERS EVIL!"

• The Tokyo Disneyland version of the attraction is featured in the Japanese Super Famicom game Mickey no Tokyo Disneyland Daibōken .
• Opening with the attraction, a limited time show called “Mystery of Cinderella Castle“ played in front of Cinderella Castle from July 11, 1986 to July 25, 1986.
• La Tanière du Dragon
• The Nightmare Experiment
• Once Upon a Time Adventure
• 1 Bradley Uppercrust III
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Extinct Attractions – Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour

Welcome to Extinct Attractions. This week, we’ll be going back in time and looking at one the spookiest Disney attractions to ever exist as we close out the spoopy season.

The Halloween season has been going on at the Disney Parks since the middle of August, so to see them finally coming to a close is relieving in a way. The burnout is definitely real, and we are finally at the final weekend before it’s time to move on to Christmas, which all gets its two month time in the park. But before we move on, let’s take a look at one of the spookiest attractions in Disney Parks history.

Via Orlando Sentinel  

Our story today starts with The Black Cauldron , the infamous 1985 Disney film that was the first Disney animated film to receive a rating of PG. The film is known for butchering its source material to create a lacking story that was simply too scary for many children to enjoy the film. The Black Cauldron  was a major flop and basically the last film that you would expect to get representation in a Disney Park.

Via Disney Parks Wiki  

But here’s the thing, the Tokyo Disney Parks are just built differently. The Oriental Land Company is much more willing to take risks on attractions and ready to put money into anything that they think might be successful.

With that in mind, Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983 and for the first few years, the interior of its castle sat empty. Its counterparts in Disneyland and Magic Kingdom had a walkthrough and restaurant respectively, so the powers that be at Tokyo Disneyland eventually decided on a tour of the castle as the centerpiece, but this wasn’t your grandparents’ castle tour.

Via Disney Wiki  

The Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour opened on July 11, 1986 and what made this attraction so gutsy was that there was no type of warning that guests were about to experience a thrilling tour that was chock full of Disney villains and downright terrifying at points. Yes, there was a little Maleficent on the marquee, but it still wasn’t enough to necessarily convince people that this was going to be a normal tour.

Let me tell you, this attraction freaking rocked. The basic premise was that you were going on a tour of Cinderella Castle with a cast member guiding guests through the whole trip. It started in a nice foyer that celebrated some heroes from movies like Snow White and Seven Dwarfs , Sleeping Beauty  and The Black Cauldron . But then all of a sudden, the lights changed and all of the portraits were switched to the villains from the films and a path to the dungeon opened up.

From there, guests journeyed deeper and deeper into the dungeons, stumbling across the lairs of some famous villains along with plenty of their henchmen. The attraction used an Eastern type of scares by simply making guests feel uncomfortable and uneasy the whole way through. Most Western fears are driven by jump scares and loud noises, but much of Eastern culture relies on making you feel tense, and the Mystery Tour certainly succeeded in that regard.

At its core, the Mystery Tour was a classic battle of good versus evil. The tour guide did their best to impart that message to guests (though it could be tough to understand in the video, since it was all in Japanese). Speaking of which, the tour guide was another key to the attraction because a guide with great energy could really make the experience amazing, just like Jungle Cruise or The Great Movie Ride. They could amp up the pressure, but also reassure guests and really bring everything full circle.

But anyway, that battle between good and evil really came to a head in the thrilling finale when guests came face to face with The Black Cauldron ’s Horned King.

Via All Ears

Again, Tokyo Disneyland is just so different from the American parks. They took this villain from a movie no one saw and brought him to life in the most terrifying way possible. For the mid 80s, the animatronic was incredibly life-like with some really great range of moments. But even scarier was his dialogue. He talked about how he was going to bring all the souls of the audience into The Black Cauldron and use them to help him take over the world. It’s hard to get much scarier than that, especially with an incredibly realistic looking animatronic saying it. But again, pure awesomeness.

Unfortunately, there is no clear reason when an attraction as cool and unprecedented as this ended up closing, especially when it would get waits of two to three hours on occasion. Some commonly proposed reasons revolve around an earthquake that occurred around the time as well as the appeal for scares fading away, but regardless, the Cinderella Mystery Tour lasted for nearly twenty years before finally closing on April 5, 2006. An attraction like this would never even be part of a Halloween party event at the domestic parks, so the fact that it lasted for so long is a true testament to its legacy. Plus, it paved the way for larger-scale experiences in castles like the dragon in Disneyland Paris on the entire Storybook Castle experience in Shanghai Disneyland, so its legacy lives on to this day. In its place, we got the Cinderella Fairytale Hall experience, which makes a lot more sense for the castle, but also isn’t nearly as cool as one of the most thrilling Disney attractions of all-time.

Via Build a Better Mousetrip  

As always, don’t forget to check out my interactive maps of the Disney Parks throughout the years  where you can watch or learn more about all the attractions from every Disney park around the world.

Thanks for reading and have a magical day!

A Tribute Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour

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Unlike most theme park "rides," Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour was a walk-through attraction, with a tour guide as your escort. Both the mood and the lighting were dark, with villains from several prominent (and one not so prominent) Disney movies taking center stage. The tour guides were famous for their animated dialog, and helped keep the mood spooky without ever completely abandoning the lightheartedness you expect at a Disney theme park.

 After a group of about 30 guests assembled in the entry hall, you embarked on a walking tour which wound through halls and caverns inside and underneath Cinderella Castle. Stops along the tour depicted scenes featuring famous villains from Disney movies. A recurring character (and sort of a secondary tour guide) was the Magic Mirror from the movie Snow White , appearing in the entry hall and at several points throughout the attraction.

 For the grand finale, your group joined a second tour group in a large, dark hall. The hall recreated a scene from the all-but-forgotten Disney movie The Black Cauldron , and did so in dramatic fashion. One lucky member of the audience was chosen, taken to a special platform and given a "magic" sword. As the monster in the center of the room reared its evil head, the audience member pointed the sword in the direction of the monster, a light shot out from the point of the sword, and the monster was destroyed. At the end of the tour the lucky audience member was presented with a medallion as a souvenir remembrance of their adventure.

Postscript: The area formerly occupied by Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour is now the Cinderella's Fairy Tale Hall attraction, which opened in 2011.

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Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour

Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour Attraction in Fantasyland at Tokyo Disneyland, opened July 11, 1986, and closed April 5, 2006.

• Cast & crew

The History of Disney's Scariest Attraction, Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour

• Episode aired Oct 25, 2018

Kevin travels to Japan to discuss the history of Tokyo Disneyland's Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour, a terrifying creation. He also provides a short history of the Black Cauldron, so there's ... Read all Kevin travels to Japan to discuss the history of Tokyo Disneyland's Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour, a terrifying creation. He also provides a short history of the Black Cauldron, so there's that. Kevin travels to Japan to discuss the history of Tokyo Disneyland's Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour, a terrifying creation. He also provides a short history of the Black Cauldron, so there's that.

• Kevin Perjurer
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• October 25, 2018 (United States)
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Cinderella Castle

A Fairytale Come to Life

Cinderella Castle welcomes you to a magical world where dreams come true. The 189-foot landmark boasts lofty spires and ornate turrets and is the gateway to Fantasyland.

Surrounded by a tranquil moat, the grounds offer an array of picture-perfect photo ops. Explore lush lawns, gardens and Cinderella’s own wishing well. 

Inside the Castle

View exquisite handcrafted glass mosaics that tell the classic story of Cinderella’s rise from orphan to princess.

Then, enjoy an elegant meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Be sure to reserve a table in advance for this one-of-a-kind dining experience.

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Taking the Royal Tour: A Look at Disney Parks Castles Around the World

When it comes to visual icons of the Disney Parks around the world, nothing stands out quite as majestically as the Parks’ castles.

Today we take a look at the crown jewel of the Disney Parks around the world: their distinctive and beautiful castles.

We’ll start where it all began .

Sleeping beauty castle — disneyland.

Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Park was the Park’s centerpiece when it opened on July 17, 1955. It stands 77 feet tall. Starting in 1957, could walk through the Castle to see the details up close. Sleeping Beauty Castle is one of the shortest Disney Castles. And this was the only Parks castle overseen by Walt Disney himself.

Cinderella Castle — Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

Right in the center of the spoke-and-wheel design in Magic Kingdom is the most iconic of the Disney castles. In 1971, Walt Disney World’s Cinderella Castle opened standing an impressive 189 feet tall. In Cinderella Castle guests can dine in the popular restaurant Cinderella’s Royal Table , where they enjoy meeting a handful of Disney princesses. There is even a secret suite in the top of the castle that has only been inhabited by a lucky few.

Cinderella Castle — Tokyo Disneyland

Opening in 1983, Cinderella Castle in Tokyo Disneyland is similar to the one in Magic Kingdom in terms of styling, but there are a few minor differences. The castle is slightly shorter than its sister castle in Orlando at only 168 feet tall, and some of the details are in starker contrast. Cinderella Castle in Tokyo used to have a walk through attraction called Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour that involved the villains taking over and ended with a terrifying Horned King animatronic. And this Castle, like many others, has also featured some seasonal or celebratory overlays.

Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant — Disneyland Paris

If you aren’t fluent in French,  Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant  means the Castle of the Beauty in a Sleeping Wood. Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Paris is 167 feet tall and sits atop a hill straight out of the animated film. It even has those splendid square trees. Beneath the castle is a short walk through attraction with a sleeping dragon that occasionally wakes up and breathes smoke. In the top of the castle there are mosaics and stained glass windows that tell the story of Sleeping Beauty. We think the hill detail really makes this a stand-out.

Sleeping Beauty Castle/Castle of Magical Dreams — Hong Kong Disneyland

From 2005 until 2018 Sleeping Beauty Castle stood in the heart of Hong Kong Disneyland. The castle was almost an exact copy of the one in Disneyland, with just subtle differences in color. In preparation for Hong Kong Disneyland’s 15th anniversary, the castle was closed to be completely re-done. The castle was then replaced by the Castle of Magical Dreams, which pays tribute to 13 different princesses, including classic ones like Snow White and Cinderella alongside newer heroines like Moana and Tiana.

Enchanted Storybook Castle — Shanghai Disneyland

Other than the not-yet-completed Castle of Magical Dreams, this is the newest of the Disney castles. The Enchanted Storybook Castle is the tallest of the Disney castles at 200 feet. It also features homages to all the Disney princesses and isn’t just modeled after one, like the majority of the Disney castles are. The castle has a similar profile to the others, but it features a little more realism in the design.

We love all the Disney Parks castles, one more than the others (Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant). We can’t wait to see what the new Castle of Magical Dreams looks like when it is completed.

What is your favorite castle in the Disney parks around the world? Let us know in the comments.

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One Reply to “Taking the Royal Tour: A Look at Disney Parks Castles Around the World”

My favorite is probably the Shanghai Disney castle. Also, though it was not finished at the time of this post, Belle’s castle in Tokyo, is a legitimate Disney princess castle, and deserves to be included if you make a new updated post about this.

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Cinderella Castle Suite Tour

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The Cinderella Castle Suite Tour is one of the least known of the exclusive private tours offered at Walt Disney World.

It actually gets you a look inside Disney Cinderella Castle.

How Can You See Inside Cinderella Castle Suite?

Most Disney World fans dream of seeing inside Cinderella Castle. However, it is an opportunity which only a few people will ever get.

However, there is a way. An expensive way, but all magic comes at a price!

The World of Dreams Tour is the ultimate Walt Disney World VIP Tour.

This exclusive Disney World Tour offers you and a maximum of six guests a tour around almost anywhere in the Walt Disney World universe that they choose.

This includes an exclusive Cinderella Castle Suite tour in the Magic Kingdom. This is a place that few have ever seen and this is the only Disney VIP tour that allows access to Cinderella Castle Suite.

Cinderella Castle is one of the most photographed landmarks in the world, but it is very rare to get a glimpse inside.

The Cinderella Castle Suite wasn’t created until 2006 in celebration of the Year of a Million Dreams.

Disney wanted something special to give away as a prize so they created a suite fit for a Princess.

As you would expect, the Disney Cinderella Suite is opulently decorated in rich golds and using lavish materials.

Dark wood and rich fabrics make the suite fit for a Disney Princess.

The style is reminiscent of the 17th-century French chateaus which is how the style of the exterior of Cinderella Castle was designed.

Unfortunately, if you go on this Cinderella Castle Suite tour you are not allowed to stay overnight.

That is reserved for prize winners and occasional VIP stays. It would be amazing if Disney announced that they were giving away stays in Cinderella Castle for the 50th Anniversary celebrations – but nothing has been revealed.

The bathroom is lavishly decorated with beautiful pictures of the Castle displayed on the walls.

Surprisingly, the Cinderella Castle Suite does not offer a good view of the Magic Kingdom park. The windows are all stained glass so you cannot really see through them very well.

The World of Dreams does not just offer access to Cinderella’s Castle Suite. You get all of the usual VIP perks including bypassing all the lines for all the Disney World attractions.

Disney World of Dreams Tour

Those on the World of Dreams tour will use the backstage entrances which are used for celebrity tours which allow you to get on the rides ahead of everyone else. You can feel like a celebrity for a day on this tour!

World of Dreams Tour participants can choose any experience which is available in any of the four Walt Disney World parks. You will also have reserved seating at any show or nighttime spectacular that you want to attend.

This Disney World Tour really is the ultimate experience that money can buy in the parks. It is completely customizable to what experiences you want to have.

This Disney World Tour also includes three meals. Guests have access to any Walt Disney World Restaurant that they choose.

Unfortunately, all magic comes at a price. The World of Dreams Tour costs $12,000.

If you haven’t had enough with one day you can add extra days for $10,000.

Even though you will be paying a considerable amount for this Tour, you still have to purchase Walt Disney World park tickets.

What would you choose to do on the Disney World of Dreams Tour?

All Photos By Disney

Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando.  In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 45 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 200,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.

Christine B Herron

Saturday 15th of January 2022

Well I can't really say I was that special to be able to go on the tour, however, just the little view on the computer was out of this world.Ever since I was a very little girl I had set my standards very high. You see I thought anyone could be a Princess and then become a Queen. I loved to watch all thse wonderful ol movies.I was so disappointed when I accepted the fact I could only dream the dream I sure did and still do. I loved dressing up like a Queen and I taught my GrandDaughters about Royalty. I still will watch any show, movie, play of the dream of a lifetime. In fact my home has alot of Queen decore and I have a Knight in Shiny Armour. Thanks for the sneak look at the castle, and if EVER you get the privelege to open the castle please call me and I would love to step foot inside my dream. Oh my gosh my day would sure be speechless!!!!!!!! C Christine Im just a Email away

Monday 28th of June 2021

My son adopted two daughters from his girlfriend’s ex. They now have a daughter and son of their own. Son was in special Ed all his life and didn’t go to college because he was ashamed of a scribe having to read to him in class. He fixes truck motors for a living and provides a pretty good life for the six of them. Thank God.

How would they be able to stay in the castle for a night?

Diana Ligier

Sunday 16th of May 2021

How do you register to win a free night my dream to take my 2 great grandaughters to the magic Kingdom 5 an 6 yrs old

How Do You Get to Stay in Disney's Cinderella Castle Suite? - EverythingMouse Guide To Disney

Tuesday 10th of March 2020

[…] If you just want to take a peek inside you can also take a Cinderella Castle Tour […]

The Terrifying Cinderella Tour at Tokyo Disney

Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour wins the gold medal for the scariest and darkest attraction in Disney history. If you had anything else in mind when thinking of “Disney’s Scariest Attraction Ever,” think again.

Alexa Erekson

Alexa Erekson was born on February 28, 1996, in Las Vegas. Disneyland has always been her favorite place. She discovered her love for Disneyland facts as a teenager.

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Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour wins the gold medal for the scariest and darkest attraction in Disney history. If you had anything else in mind when thinking of “Disney’s Scariest Attraction Ever,” think again. We will admit that you would be completely justified in guessing ExtraTERRORestrial, but that was nothing compared to this. Never heard of Mystery Tour before? That might be because it belonged to the Cinderella Castle in Tokyo Disneyland, not the Magic Kingdom. Still, the eerie walk-through is infamous among those who know about it.

In 1971, The Walt Disney Company purchased the rights to adapt Lloyd Alexander’s The Chronicles of Prydain into a feature film. The company was still only five years past the death of Walt Disney and was trying to get back on its feet. If you have never heard of a Disney movie called “Chronicles of Prydain,” that’s probably because the name of the final movie became The Black Cauldron . Still not ringing a bell? Maybe that is because the movie was a complete flop.

The Black Cauldron was considered pretty dark and gloomy for a Disney movie at the time. In fact, it was the first ever Disney movie to receive a PG rating. Filmmakers chose to make this film dark because they tried to emulate what they thought Walt would have wanted, and he loved to push boundaries. To make matters worse, it was the most expensive animated film to date. Needless to say, The Walt Disney Company lost a lot of money on the project. The blow was so bad that executives even considered only making live-action Disney films from then on. Since then, the company and fans alike have kind of repressed the existence of this film, except at Tokyo Disney.

Tokyo Disneyland was the first theme park built at the Tokyo Disney Resort and opened on April 15, 1983. Constructed in a partnership between the Walt Disney Company and a Japanese corporation called The Oriental Land Company, Tokyo Disneyland was almost identical to the Magic Kingdom. The main difference between the two parks was that Cinderella Castle in Tokyo did not house a restaurant as the Magic Kingdom one does, but instead, a walk-through attraction called Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour. At least that was the plan upon opening of the park; the tour would not open until July 1986.

Tokyo Disneyland was extremely popular right out of the gate. It was arguably the most successful opening for an international Disney Park ever. In fact, it was the first Disney expansion made to international locations. The final cost of Tokyo Disneyland was about 180 billion yen, which was 80 billion yen more than the expected cost of 100 billion yen.

The Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour was a creepy walkthrough attraction inside Cinderella Castle at Tokyo Disneyland. Inside, guests visited the underground dungeons and barely escaped with their lives after scary encounters with notorious Disney villains. The attraction was partially inspired by Japanese Ghost Houses . These are like Haunted Houses in the United States but much creepier, more immersive, and probably more popular.

Mystery Tour was a D-Ticket attraction, which meant it was a favoured attraction, but not as thrilling as the E-ticket one. Since it was an unusually dark attraction, it was the perfect location to incorporate Disney’s darkest film: The Black Cauldron . Mystery Tour is still the only Disney attraction in the world that prominently references the film.

On the Mystery Tour, if you did not understand any Japanese, you would not know what was happening around you – as there is no English in the attraction. This is especially confusing since the signs outside the attraction can be found written in English. These signs all portrayed the walkthrough as a lighthearted, child-friendly adventure. However, once inside, things go terribly wrong and take a really dark turn. If you do not understand the language spoken by the tour guide, which is Japanese, you, and especially your kids, will likely find yourselves in a stressful situation.

Your tour guide follows a script, similar to Jungle Cruise Skippers, which starts out happy and exciting. She (usually it is a female) takes you to the library. Guests see beautiful portraits of Aurora, Snow White, Pinnochio, and Taran (from Black Cauldron ). She praises their hard work in defeating villains, and all of a sudden, the Magic Mirror comes to life. He is very angry that the tour guide is demeaning the Disney villains. He replaces the portraits of heroes with portraits of their respective villains: Maleficent, The Old Hag, Stromboli, and the Horned King. The Magic Mirror opens a hidden door in the wall and challenges guests to venture inside.

The tour guide is hesitant but takes guests through anyway. Guests first enter a room that resembles the Old Hag’s evil lair. On the side is a recipe book opened to a page on how to make poisoned apples. Other villains and their minions make sudden appearances. Maleficent’s minions can be seen hiding underwater. Guests encounter her dragon, which is identical to the one under the castle in Disneyland Paris.

Finally, guests come face-to-face with a massive and terrifying animatronic of the Horned King from The Black Cauldron . While he is giving his creepy monologue, your tour guide finds the “Chosen One” from the audience. The Chosen One was generally a child young enough to enjoy the experience, but old enough not to be too afraid to participate. The guide and the Chosen One would hold the Sword of Light, which was discovered earlier in the tour. Flashes of light would project toward the animatronic as he was slowly destroyed.

Once the Horned King is gone, the room gets a little brighter and another door appears. Written on the door is the only English phrase in the entire attraction. It says, “Good Conquers Evil.” The tour guide thanks everyone for their help in defeating evil, giving the Chosen One a gold medal to keep.

Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour closed on April 5, 2006. In the final days, every guest on the tour received a gold medal for completing the tour; not just the Chosen One.

The reason behind the closure was never officially announced by Disney or The Oriental Land Company. Although, that has never stopped people from speculating. Even today, rumours still abound. Many believe the attraction closed due to practical reasons. These include high costs, limited guest capacity, or a decrease in popularity. Some think it was closed because it was too secluded and too scary. It was also not structurally strong enough to withstand an earthquake or tsunami. In reality, it was likely a combination of all of the above. The Mystery Tour was replaced by Cinderella’s Fairytale Hall.

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Restaurant Review: Friar’s Nook at Magic Kingdom

As the most popular theme park at Walt Disney World with the highest attendance in the entire world, there isn’t much at Magic Kingdom that can properly be called a “hidden gem” or “secret spot.” That’s doubly true in Fantasyland, which is surely the busiest section of the park.

To that end, “underrated” or “sleeper” restaurant might be more apt, but still not entirely accurate given that tens of thousands of guests walk past here on a daily basis and hundreds–if not thousands–dine here out of convenience. Still, Magic Kingdom has an infamously weak counter service restaurant lineup…so we have to savor the small victories where we can.

For this review, we’re talking about the Friar’s Nook quick-service window in Fantasyland, which is located behind Cinderella Castle right next door to the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh–previously inhabited by one J. Thaddeus Toad Esq. This not-so-secret spot is only part of the equation, as the food here is combined with an actual hidden gem to make for a memorable meal. Allow us to take you on a wild ride through the Magic Kingdom, past and present…

Since the Friar’s Nook is simply a walk-up window and thus doesn’t have a lot going on in terms of themed design or atmosphere, we’ll instead begin with history. Despite its straightforward appearance, the background here actually is fascinating, with a lot of unique restaurants occupying this space since Magic Kingdom opened in 1971.

Back on opening day, the restaurant was known as Lancer’s Inn, and served pizza. It was replaced by Gurgi’s Munchies and Crunchies, with a menu of chicken, cheeses, and hot dogs.

This was one of the few prominent references to The Black Cauldron in the parks; it’s named after Gurgi, who is a gopher wood troll sorta critter. Gurgi was animated by Glen Keane and John Lasseter, and loved apples. Gurgi’s Munchies and Crunchies did not sell apples (it might’ve served apple juice).

For the 99% of you who haven’t seen  The Black Cauldron , don’t feel bad. That animated movie was described by its own production manager as when Walt Disney Animation Studios hit “rock bottom” before the Disney Renaissance.

Interestingly, that was not  the  most prominent reference to  The Black Cauldron . Tokyo Disneyland “wins” that dubious distinction for the walk-through attraction, Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour. If all of this talk of  The Black Cauldron  is tempting you to watch that film…don’t. Check out  Waking Sleeping Beauty   (now on Disney+) or Defunctland’s Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour video instead. Both are much more interesting than the movie itself.

Despite that animated movie flopping hard, the location (miraculously?) retained its connection to The Black Cauldron until February 13, 1993. (If you’re sensing this history section is simply an excuse to mention  The Black Cauldron  and those documentaries…you are correct.)

After poor Gurgi crunched his last munchie, the walk-up window became Lumiere’s Kitchen, named after the popular character from The Beauty and the Beast.  Much more logical, but also less interesting. In operated seasonally throughout the 1990s before reopening as the Village Fry Shoppe on May 1, 2006 as part of Disney’s corporate alliance with McDonald’s–one of two McDonald’s locations in Magic Kingdom.

That global partnership unraveled in fascinating fashion, but I’ve already devoted my “off-topic rambling quota” to The Black Cauldron , so we’ll have to save that topic for another day and another unrelated post.

In any case, the Friar’s Nook replaced the Village Fry Shoppe on March 26, 2009. Since we’ve been visiting Walt Disney World as adults, the Friar’s Nook has gone through many menus and inventive items. Some great, some…not so great. There’s really no sense in recapping everything, but the commonality pretty much all of these have shared is an emphasis on macaroni, cheese, bacon, and potatoes.

The current menu at the Friar’s Nook continues to play these hits, but with a new emphasis on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary…

The main menu item at the Friar’s Nook for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary is the The Wild Toad Brat Burger served with Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle, American Cheese, topped with Olive Skewer Eyes served with Tater Bites.

From my perspective, this wins the award for best culinary concoction of the World’s Most Magical Celebration. It has a certain understated stupidity to it, and I mean that in the best way possible. Whoever dreamed up this Mr. Toad burger deserves a raise–and Disney should do more weird, goofy, and fun stuff like this.

As for how the Wild Toad Brat Burger tastes, it’s pretty good. There’s a pronounced brat flavor to the burger, and it’s juicier and more flavorful than an average patty at Cosmic Ray’s or other counter service restaurants.

With that said, the patty is not juicy or flavorful enough to “carry” this as an ordinary counter service burger. There’s a reason that Walt Disney World often offers burgers with heaping helpings of novelty toppings–it’s to mask the dry and underwhelming flavor of the normal burger. This doesn’t quite have that issue, but could use just a bit more seasoning or porkiness for this to work.

With that said, if you want a no-frills normal burger, this is your best option in Magic Kingdom. It beats what’s currently being served at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe.

Continuing with the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary menu, the Friar’s Nook serves up the Mr. Toad Dome Cake for dessert. This decadent dish consists of Peanut Cake, Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse, and Salty Caramel Center.

Disney does a lot of mousse desserts like this now, to the point that we’ve grown tired of them. Despite the oversaturation, we absolutely love this one. The variety of textures and flavors really hits the spot, making this far from the one-note dessert that is commonly the case with these mousses.

My only complaint is that the Mr. Toad Dome Cake costs $8. No matter how good, it’s impossible for me to overlook that price tag, and enthusiastically recommend an $8 mousse from a counter service restaurant. If you’re not concerned with the cost, go for it, but know that there are better ways to spend $8 on food in Magic Kingdom.

Finally, we have the Creamy Bacon Macaroni & Cheese Tots.

These are not a recent addition for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary–they’ve been a mainstay of the Friar’s Nook menu for the last several years. I’ve ordered them before as a cost-effective meal in Magic Kingdom, as they are quite filling.

This is a bowl of mac & cheese topped with tater tots, plus a pile of bacon and dollops of sour cream garnished with green onions on all of that. It’s a heavy, creamy, delicious mess of ingredients. It’s also absolutely a “what you see is what you get” type of deals.

If this slew of rich indulgences doesn’t sound appealing to you, it won’t be. However, if you’re after a heaping helping of carbs, cheese, and bacon, you’re in luck–this will satisfy. There are no surprises here, for better or worse. (It’s the kind of entree that garners very different reviews from Sarah versus me, even when tasting the exact same dish.)

The third act of this wild ride about The Black Cauldron  and Mr. Toad cuisine covers where to eat these dishes. For that, we head over to Pinocchio Village Haus.

Enter through the archway that’s closest to the Friar’s Nook and take a right at the fountain outdoors. There, you should see a stairway that ( hopefully ) is not roped off…

Head up the stairs and relax in an outdoor balcony that is typically devoid of other guests. Both times I’ve eaten here in Summer 2022, I was the only one up here. However, to achieve this result, you should walk up discreetly, as one person going up the steps sometimes results in several  people following.

Longtime readers might be familiar with this balcony, as we’ve recommended eating here many times in the past. However, we removed it from our itineraries and other posts during the phased reopening since it was frequently closed all day. We’ve noticed that it’s now typically open for lunch and closes later in the day. (Unfortunately, we’ve yet to have any success watching the Disney Enchantment fireworks from up here, but you might be luckier.)

If you’d rather dine indoors, take that same stairway to the outdoor balcony, then open the door and head inside Pinocchio Village Haus. I prefer to eat my meal with a view of Cinderella Castle, so I don’t do this, but I always poke my head in to check out the crowd situation, and they’re usually nonexistent.

We’re mentioning these seemingly unrelated seating areas in a review of the Friar’s Nook because the seating situation there leaves a lot to be desired. The tables right by the restaurant are limited and usually all occupied; even if you manage to secure a spot, the quarters are cramped and it doesn’t make for a super pleasant dining experience. By contrast, if you make the short walk over to Pinocchio Village Haus, you can have a peaceful meal with a great view.

Ultimately, we hope you enjoyed with wild ride reviewing Mr. Toad food, a secluded seating area above Pinocchio Village Haus, and weird history about  The Black Cauldron  appearing in Disney theme parks. Although it’s an eclectic mix of topics, it should’ve provided some useful tips & tricks for eating in Magic Kingdom.

Plus totally useless info about  The Black Cauldron that you can use to impress your friends…assuming your friends are among the 1,839 people on earth who are part of The Black Cauldron Fan Community .

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews . To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, 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 clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

Your Thoughts

Are you one of the 1,839 fans of The Black Cauldron? Glad to finally see it get the overdue respect it deserves on this blog? Have you tried the Mr. Toad food at the Friar’s Nook? Sat in the secluded seating area at Pinocchio Village Haus overlooking Cinderella Castle and Fantasyland? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Written by Tom Bricker

I haven’t seen the movie, but the entire book series The Tales Of Prydain which includes The Black Cauldron is fantastic. We’ve often enjoyed eating upstairs at Columbia Harbor House.

I give the Black Cauldron a 4 on a scale of 10. Waaaay better than most crap on streaming.

I just tried this place a couple days ago and the food SUCKED and the employers were lazy like Lazy from Snow White. I will NEVER go back and will NEVER suggest this place to any one of my friends or family because it deserves to be torn down and burned to the ground because it is a waste (to me). 0 out of 5 stars imo.

There are some truly spectacular sequences in The Black Cauldron, but you can tell the scenes that were finished before Don Bluth led the talent walk-out and the ones that had to be finished with just out of art-school graduates. Eionwy deserves her spot in the Princess line. She saved herself and helped Taran defeat the Horned King. She’s one of my favorites.

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Disney World Opens Cinderella Castle Suite to Public

in Walt Disney World

The Disney World Resort is giving away Cinderella Castle , its most iconic attraction, for a free vacation to some lucky fans. Even better, it’s raffling off the chance to stay in the castle for an actually philanthropic cause, making the Disney magic all that much more important.

Cinderella Castle (which prominently features at both Disney World in Orlando and Tokyo Disney Resort) is the flagship attraction of the world’s most popular theme park , making a stay in its ultra-exclusive suite one of the rarest experiences for a Disney fan. Reportedly, the Walt Disney Company has refused cash offers of up to $40,000 for a single night in the castle and does not accept reservations for the 650-square-foot suite, which features 4-karat gold molding, a 200-year-old writing desk, and a grandfather clock permanently stuck on “11:59 p.m.”

Related: Walt Disney World Needs Help, and Guests Can Fix It

Now, Disney World is raffling off a one-night stay in Cinderella Castle (via ALLTROO ), with all charitable proceeds going to the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation , which is part of the National Basketball Association team’s organization. The prize package includes:

• one-night stay at the Cinderella Castle Suite in Magic Kingdom® Park at Walt Disney World® Resort for up to four guests
• two-night resort stay in a standard room at a Deluxe Resort for up to four guests
• Breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Up to four, three-day Theme Park Tickets with Park Hopper® Option
• Private seven-hour VIP Tour Experience including:
• A completely customized experience based on your preferences
• Ability to enjoy favorite attractions efficiently through most Lightning Lane entrances
• Shared insight from a highly knowledgeable VIP Tour Guide throughout the tour
• Round-trip flights for four

The Orlando Magic Youth Foundation describes itself as:

At the heart of the Magic’s charitable efforts is the work done by the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), which is committed to helping children in Central Florida realize their full potential, especially those most at-risk, by supporting nonprofit organizations offering youth-based programs in the areas of arts, education, health and wellness, and homelessness.

Related: Classic Magic Kingdom Land To Be “Modernized” After 53 Years

Remarkably, the Walt Disney World vacation package being raffled off is free to enter. However, cash donations will gain you multiple entries in the raffle; a $10 donation gets you 40 entries, $25 gets 150 entries, and so forth, up to the max of 8,000 entries for a $500 donation.

There is likely no better way to get a chance to stay in the most exclusive of Disney World attractions for a charitable cause, no less. You can enter the raffle here and good luck!

Which do you prefer, Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty Castle? Tell us in the comments below!

Win Inside the Magic's Spring Giveaway

$150 value!

Disney Lovers Have a Rare Opportunity To Win a Stay at Cinderella Castle

The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.

The Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom is easily the single-most recognizable Disney World landmark, even beating out Spaceship Earth (aka the giant Epcot ball). What not everybody knows, however, is that you can technically stay inside the iconic castle in its ornate "Cinderella Suite." I say "technically" because very, very few guests have ever actually had the privilege to stay here. This room cannot be booked for any price; it's reserved only for invited VIP guests or a tiny handful of contest winners.

Still, as small as the odds of staying there are, they aren't non-existent. Once more, Disney lovers are getting the rare chance to win a coveted night's stay inside Cinderella Castle, and they have the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation to thank for the opportunity!

Related: Disney World Just Dropped 4 New Promotions People Won't Want to Miss

The Orlando Magic Youth Foundation's Raffle

As the name implies, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, or OMYF, is a charitable organization connected to the NBA's Orlando Magic. According to the OMYF's website, the foundation supports Central Florida's youth (particularly those most at-risk) by " supporting nonprofit organizations offering youth-based programs in the areas of arts, education, health and wellness, and homelessness."

So what does all of this have to do with Disney World ? Well, right now, the OMYF has teamed up with Alltroo.com to host a fundraising raffle for their organization. The winner of this charitable raffle will score the incredibly rare prize of a night's stay inside the exclusive Cinderella Suite , along with tons of other amazing perks!

About the Cinderella Castle Grand Prize

According to the raffle's Alltroo page , the grand prize is a 1-night stay inside Cinderella Castle for up to four guests. Winners also get to have breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table, a 2-night stay in a standard room at a Disney World deluxe resort for up to four guests, and up to four 3-day theme park tickets with the Parkhopper option. Oh wait, there's still more: a private, completely-customized 7-hour VIP Tour Experience (which also gives winners Lightning Lane access during the tour), and round-trip flights for four. Woof. The total estimated value of this grand prize is a staggering $13,320!

So, not only do you win a stay at Disney World's most exclusive suite, but you basically get an entire deluxe Disney World vacation for you and your family or friends for free (well, beyond any money you potentially put into the raffle). Plus, any money you might donate will go to a great cause, so it's a win-win no matter what happens.

Raffle Details

Applicants must enter the contest through the raffle's official Alltroo page (linked above). Raffle entries can be obtained through tiered donations, with $10 earning you 40 entries, $25 earning 150 entries, and so on all the way up to the $500 tier, which earns you 8,000 entries. Donations or payments aren't required to enter or win, though: Alltroo also has a free mail-in entry form  as a no-purchase alternative. If you do choose to donate, however, your donation is tax deductible. 

This sweepstake is open to residents of the United States and Canada who are of legal age. The sweepstakes ends at 11:59 pm Central Time on May 24, 2024, and a potential winner will be notified by phone or email around noon Central Time on June 5, 2024. If the potential winner doesn't acknowledge acceptance of their prize within 24 hours, they forfeit, and a new winner is drawn. The winner's travel package must be completed by March 31, 2025. Also, the airfare portion of the prize will be forfeited if the winner lives within 250 miles of Orlando International Airport .

The entirety of the details and instructions can be found on the raffle's Alltroo page. You don't even have to spend any money to enter, but if you do, it all goes toward helping youth in Central Florida through the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation. So little for a chance to go where few other Disney guests have gone before!

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