10 Magical Photo Spots with Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World
There’s nothing more magical than walking into Magic Kingdom and seeing Cinderella Castle–an iconic structure shown so often in photos and videos of the vacation destination–right in front of you. This castle brings the magic of the classic Disney film–Cinderella–to life before our very eyes, filling guests with nostalgia and a feeling of magic. That being said, it is no surprise that Cinderella Castle is perhaps one of the most photographed landmarks, so how do you get the best photo with this regal castle when there are many other guests trying to do the exact same thing? This post breaks down 10 magical photo spots with Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World in Florida so that you can get the best photos.
A Brief Introduction to Cinderella Castle
Cinderella Castle is perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Walt Disney World. This grand castle, a staggering 189 feet tall, took 18 months to build and was inspired by several European castles, with the most well known being Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. Inside Cinderella Castle, guests can dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table, children can receive a makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, and at select times throughout the day, guests can walk over the drawbridge and through the castle, taking in the five impressive mosaics that took an astonishing 22 months to complete.
Cinderella Castle also holds another secret that only a few rare guests get to experience: a stay at the Cinderella Castle Suite. This space was originally planned to be an apartment for Walt Disney and his family before his passing in 1966 (with Walt Disney World opening in 1971) but eventually the space was transformed into a luxurious, invite-only suite in 2006.
Where to Take Photos with Cinderella Castle
As the most iconic structure in Magic Kingdom, a photo with Cinderella Castle is a must-do on any vacation to Walt Disney World. But as the most-visited theme park in the world (with over 17 million people visiting the park in 2022) how do you ensure you get a great photo with Cinderella Castle?
Thankfully, Magic Kingdom is designed with a hub and spoke design, with Cinderella Castle being in the hub. This means that there are several places around the park (not just along Main Street) where you can see and take photos with the iconic structure. This post will cover 10 of the best spots in Magic Kingdom where you can snap photos with Cinderella Castle.
Photo Spot 1: Balcony Overlook at the Main Street U.S.A. Train Station
As you enter Magic Kingdom, you are actually walking underneath the raised platform of the Main Street, U.S.A. station for the Walt Disney World Railroad. Instead of continuing down Main Street, turn and walk up the stairs to the train platform. This will bring you to a second floor balcony that overlooks Main Street, U.S.A. This balcony offers a unique perspective of Main Street and Cinderella Castle, providing a great spot for photos. If you time your photos on the balcony to the right time of day, you can also get photos as some daytime fireworks at the castle go off, which are part of Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire (as of November 2023).
Photo Spot 2: Main Street, U.S.A. and Central Plaza
Main Street, U.S.A. is, of course, the most common place to take photos with Cinderella Castle. After all, it is where you enter the park and get your first look at Cinderella Castle! As you walk down Main Street, there are plenty of PhotoPass photographers around to help capture perfect photos with the castle in the background. Main Street then moves into Central Plaza, which is the circular courtyard area that leads up to Cinderella Castle. Of course, there are plenty of PhotoPass photographers in this area too, helping you capture photos with every angle of the regal castle in the background. While there are plenty of opportunities for photos in this area, you can also work in some of Main Street’s architecture and the plaza’s foliage and fountains into your photos for a more unique look to your photo with Cinderella Castle.
Photo Spot 3: Castle Turrets next to Cinderella Castle
In 2015, additional turrets were added in front of Cinderella Castle as part of a Central Plaza enhancement in Magic Kingdom. This enhancement not only expanded the gorgeous castle architecture into the plaza, but it also provided an iconic spot for photos with Cinderella Castle. In the small area you can enter underneath each turret, walk next to the fencing for a gorgeous photo with Cinderella Castle at an angle. This view eliminates the majority of the crowds from your photos, while also hiding the raised platform of the castle stage.
Photo Spot 4: Partners Statue
The Partners Statue–which depicts Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse–was unveiled in 1995 and has become a popular spot for guests to take photos with Cinderella Castle in the background! Just like Main Street, there is often a PhotoPass photographer here to help assist with photos. Unlike Main Street, however, this is a great spot because the garden bed creates distance from other guests being in the immediate background of your photo.
Photo Spot 5: Castle Entrance
Have your wide angle lens ready? At select times during the day, park guests can walk up the ramp and through Cinderella Castle into Fantasyland. This arching entrance of course provides a stunning and unique look at Cinderella Castle, so be sure to grab a photo in front of the castle entrance (and even on the ramp leading up to the castle!) as you walk through!
Bonus Tip: As you walk through the castle entrance, you can also find five beautiful mosaic walls that are one of the popular Disney Instagram walls, and depict Cinderella’s story!
Photo Spot 6: Backside of the Castle
Whether you walk through Cinderella Castle or take one of the other paths that lead into Fantasyland, there’s no doubt that the back of Cinderella Castle is just as majestic as the front. The immediate area behind the castle is also a popular spot for photos, especially for children who recently had their makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
Photos here are a great spot, but if you go further into Fantasyland, you can also work Prince Charming Regal Carrousel and other Fantasyland buildings’ medieval architecture into your photos with Cinderella Castle in the background.
Photo Spot 7: Liberty Square Bridge
Referring back to the “hub and spoke design” that Magic Kingdom is designed off of, the bridge to Liberty Square serves as one of the spokes from the “hub” (Central Plaza) where Cinderella Castle is located. However, as you walk over the bridge, you get an additional unique aspect that can’t be photographed from the standard photo spots along Main Street: the moat.
This moat makes the Liberty Square Bridge a great spot to take photos with Cinderella Castle, especially with the reflection of the castle on the water, making photos feel even more whimsical.
In addition to Liberty Square Bridge, there is a small stone wall (next to the bridge and in front of Sleepy Hollow Tavern) that also serves as a great spot for photos with Cinderella Castle and the moat in the background.
Photo Spot 8: Path to Fantasyland
Between Liberty Square and Fantasyland is a small path that connects to two lands, which curves along the moat. Similar to the photo spot on Liberty Square Bridge, this path offers a unique photo spot with the side profile of Cinderella Castle and the moat, but perhaps even more so because it also offers a clearer view of the drawbridge going across the moat. Needless to say, it’s a great spot for photos with Cinderella Castle!
Photo Spot 9: Bridge to Tomorrowland
The bridge to Tomorrowland offers a side profile of Cinderella Castle similar to the path from Liberty Square to Fantasyland, but on the other side. From here, photos will capture not only Cinderella Castle, but the moat, drawbridge, and foliage that lines the moat. Unlike the Fantasyland path, however, there is often a PhotoPass photographer here to help snap photos at this location.
Photo Spot 10: Cinderella Wishing Well
Cinderella Wishing Well is located on the path between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. Because of its location, it is perhaps the best “hidden” photo spot for photos with Cinderella Castle. The fountain’s whimsical carvings and ribbon-adorned archway offers a fanciful feature for photos with Cinderella Castle in the background. Because of the fountain’s positioning and a tree that borders this area, you may have to angle your photos slightly in order to get more of Cinderella Castle in the background. Nonetheless, it’s a great spot for photos!
Tips for Taking Photos with Cinderella Castle
As one of (if not the most) popular photo spots in Magic Kingdom, there will be numerous guests wanting their photo taken with Cinderella Castle. Because of this, I highly recommend arriving at Magic Kingdom early in the morning (before opening) so that you can be one of the first guests in the park for the day; this will mean that less people will be in the park (versus later in the day), making it easier to take photos. In fact, guests staying at Disney resorts receive 30-minute early entry into the parks each day, which can make a huge difference in crowd levels in your photos; if you’re staying at a Disney resort during your vacation, I highly recommend taking advantage of this benefit!
Furthermore, some of these photo spots will have PhotoPass photographers to assist with photos. However, some locations will not have a photographer nearby to assist with photos. In these instances, you could ask another guest, or you can come prepared with a tripod (view Disney’s official rules here) to use a self-timer to take photos.
Final Thoughts on Photo Spots with Cinderella Castle
Cinderella Castle is an iconic spot for photos during a trip to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, yet so many guests bypass some of the best photo spots in the park! During your next trip to Magic Kingdom, be sure to utilize this guide to try out some of the best photo spots with Cinderella Castle, and also check out my photo guide to Magic Kingdom for some of the other great photo spots located throughout the park!
