We know a LOT of fun facts about Disney.
You can’t really help but learn a ridiculous amount of trivia when you’re in the parks as much as we are. Between that and watching decades of Disney movies, we’re pretty much experts. But since you’re here, we figure you’re pretty deep in the Disney lore too…and today we’re testing that theory!
We’re here to pose a Disney trivia question for you and see if you get it right. Are you ready?
Which Disney World attraction is the OLDEST?
The answer? It’s the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel in Magic Kingdom. Does that surprise you? If so, let’s take a step back in Disney history!
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel originally opened with Magic Kingdom Park on October 1st, 1971, but at that time, it was known as Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel, according to D23. So if it opened with several other attractions on Disney World’s first day, how is it the oldest?
Well, it turns out that the carrousel was originally built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Co. in 1917, and its original home was the Detroit Palace Garden Park. It was later moved to Maplewood Olympic Park in New Jersey in 1928. When it came time to build Disney World, Walt Disney wanted a carrousel that was bigger and better than the version residing in Disneyland…so he sent Imagineers on the hunt for a new design. And that’s when they found this one!
Thankfully, Imagineers came across the carrousel before it was demolished. It certainly fit Walt’s dream of “bigger” considering it was 60 feet in diameter and fitted with 72 maple hand-carved horses and four custom-built chariots. The carrousel was created by German and Italian craftsmen.
The carrousel had to be dismantled piece by piece and transported to Florida. There, Imagineers put it back together and renovated it, adding details from Cinderella and repainting it. Disney also bought more horses so that there would be 90 in total.
Each horse on the carrousel is different and artfully crafted. And Disney even brought in artists from Cinderella to hand-paint scenes from the film around the top of the ride on the panels.
Ultimately, the ride was rebranded as Prince Charming Regal Carrousel on June 1st, 2010. And today, it serves as an important icon of the park — you can even see it THROUGH Cinderella Castle from Main Street, U.S.A.
So there you go — the oldest attraction in Disney World dates back more than a century! Make sure to give it some love the next time you visit.
The Best and Worst Rides in Magic Kingdom — Click Here!
Do you ride the carrousel when you go to Disney World or do you skip it? Tell us in the comments!
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