Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

Prince Charming Regal Carousel (formerly Cinderella's Golden Carousel) is a carousel in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort. A similar attraction under a different name can be found at Tokyo Disneyland. It plays organ-based versions of Disney music during the two-minute ride period. Hand-painted scenes from Cinderella can be seen on the top; hence the name "Prince Charming".

Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Cinderella's Carousel at Hong Kong Disneyland
Magic Kingdom
AreaFantasyland
(Castle Courtyard)
StatusOperating
Opening dateOctober 1, 1971 (October 1, 1971)
Tokyo Disneyland
NameCastle Carousel
AreaFantasyland
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 15, 1983
Ride statistics
Attraction typeCarousel
ModelGrand Carrousel
ThemeCinderella
MusicDisney tunes
Vehicle typeHorses/chariot
Rows5 (Magic Kingdom)
4 (Tokyo Disneyland)
Riders per row1
ManufacturerPhiladelphia Toboggan Coasters in Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom version

The carousel was originally built by The Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1917. It was originally known as "The Liberty Carousel", (PTC #46) and delivered to Belle Isle Park in Detroit, Michigan.[1] Liberty originally had a 60-foot platform, 72 wooden horses, four chariots and sleighs, and seated 99 passengers, five abreast. It was moved to Olympic Park in Irvington, New Jersey, and in 1967 the Walt Disney Company purchased it.[2]

Arrow Development, in which Disney had purchased a 1/3 interest in 1960 and which had restored the King Arthur Carousel for Disneyland, produced new engineering drawings for the mechanism and horses. It was shipped to California, where the horses were stripped and each given a unique design. Molds were made of 18 horses to make fiberglass copies for a new Disney carousel being built for Tokyo Disneyland and also to serve as temporary stand-ins when original wood horses are taken down for repairs. Disney also added a 23 karat gold leaf, silver, and bronze to each of the horses and added scenes from Cinderella's story. The carousel was in place when the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, opened in 1971.[3]

While it was extensively refurbished and repainted in 1967 to match the Cinderella theme, maidens from the original design can still be seen on the top. All ninety horses are painted white because white horses are typically associated with heroes. All of the original horses were carved from maple. One chariot that was originally installed on "The Liberty" was lost during the refurbishment, but was rediscovered and installed in 1997. [1]

While the carousel was being installed at the Magic Kingdom, Roy Disney noticed that the placement was off center with the Cinderella Castle breezeway, and it was moved eight inches so it would be center.[1]

Cinderella's Horse

There are conflicting stories regarding whether one of the horses is "Cinderella's Horse". The horse in question is in the second rank, and is the only one that has a golden bow on its tail.

Cast Members have referred to it as Cinderella's as well as in various Disney publications.[4][5] Cinderella has been depicted as riding a horse in various pieces of collectable sculpture and artwork, such as a 2001 Limited Edition lithograph.[6]

However, in an interview with Isle Voght, a park employee responsible for restoring the carousel along with John Hench,[7] she gives her own reasons for doubting the veracity of the Cinderella's Horse story, namely that Cinderella would not have one on an inner row, and that it would be decorated much more elaborately than the others. Also, she states that Cinderella never rode one in the film.

The Disney Imagineers did not include the story of Cinderella's horse in the 2010 rewriting of the carousel backstory.

Name change

On June 1, 2010, the name was changed from Cinderella's Golden Carousel to Prince Charming Regal Carrousel.[8] The name change helps tell the rest of the Cinderella story that inspired the carousel. The official story as published on Disney Parks Blog is:[9]

Following their fairy-tale romance and happily-ever-after wedding, Cinderella and Prince Charming took up residence in Cinderella’s Castle. With peace throughout the kingdom, Prince Charming had time to practice for jousting tournaments. In the countryside near the castle, he built a training device of carved horses, on which he could practice the art of ring-spearing, a tournament event in which a knight rides his horse full speed, lance in hand, toward a small ring hanging from a tree limb, with the object of spearing the ring. This event was known by various names throughout the lands, but generally came to be called "carrousel." The carrousel device drew the attention of the villagers, who wanted to take a turn on this amazing spinning contraption. So Prince Charming had a second carrousel constructed closer to the Castle, where everyone could take a spin on this wondrous invention. Instead of a working knight’s training device, however, this new carrousel is more befitting its regal location in the Castle Courtyard – its rustic training horses replaced with ornately decorated prancing steeds adorned with golden helmets and shields, flower garlands, feathers, and other festoons. Prince Charming invites one and all to test their horsemanship skills and to enjoy their own happy ending.

Tokyo Disneyland version

In Tokyo, the attraction is known as the Castle Carrousel. It features 72 white horses, each uniquely adorned.[10] The carousel plays calliope music, but it does not have a genuine band organ. The carousel's make and origins are unknown.

  • In the Mickey Mouse episode "Potatoland", Mickey and Donald build a theme park called Potatoland to fulfill Goofy's lifelong dream to go to the park, even though it never existed. One of the attractions featured was a low-budget carousel, similar to the carousels at Disney theme parks, with Mickey playing the organ, while Donald cranked the ride.

Incidents
Main article: Incidents at Walt Disney World Resort § Magic Kingdom

See also

References
  1. Duncan, Gene (2010-10-20). "Prince Charming Regal Carrousel at Magic Kingdom Park". The Walt Disney Company - Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  2. "Rutgers University Press". Archived from the original on 2006-10-13. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
  3. Marlin, P. "Cinderella's Golden Carousel". Past Prologue. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  4. Alex Wright/Imagineers (8 December 2009), The Imagineering Field Guide to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Disney Editions, ISBN 978-1-4231-2468-9
  5. Magic Kingdom Park Guide, Disney Editions
  6. "Cinderella's Golden Carrousel Lithograph". Don "Ducky" Williams (artist). The Walt Disney Company.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. Sampson, Wade. "The Tale of Cinderella's Golden Carrousel". MousePlanet.
  8. "Magic Kingdom's Cinderella's Golden Carrousel – New Name". 26 May 2010.
  9. Smith, Thomas (25 May 2010). "Carrousel Name Change at Walt Disney World". Disney Parks Blog. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  10. "Castle Carrousel In Fantasyland At Tokyo Disneyland". Cocos Islands: Holiday Travel. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
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