25 Wonderful Real-Life Places Inspiring Disney Movies That You Must Visit At Least Once
For many generations of audiences, classic Disney cartoons have presented a journey into dream worlds. They're frequently set in mythical countries where princesses have to overcome difficulties to find their happy life. In reality, you may never be able to see Halloween Town or the vast country of Arendelle, but you may visit real-life destinations inspired by Disney movies.
True! Even though the beautiful locales in our favorite Disney films are works of fiction, Disney's creative team often draws inspiration from real-life. From The Taj Mahal in India to The Hotel de Glace in Quebec (Canada), find out which of your favorite places from Disney movies you can visit around the world. Here are real life locations inspired by Disney movies!
#1 The Castle In 'Tangled' & Mont Saint-Michel In Normandy, France
Source: Tangled / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Source: Mathias Neveling / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
The Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay are two of France’s most stunning sights. The Mont-Saint-Michel is a picturesque island capped with a gravity-defying monastery topped by. Together with its gorgeous bay, this holy island is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.#2 Elsa's Ice Castle In 'Frozen' & The Hotel de Glace In Quebec, Canada
Source: Frozen / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Source: Matias Garabedian / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
The Hotel de Glace is the only ice accommodation in North America that opens every winter, from January to March. Made entirely of snow and ice, this architectural Marvel is a wonder to behold.#3 Sleeping Beauty's Castle & Neuschwanstein Castle In Germany
Source: Sleeping Beauty / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Source: Thomas Wolf / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 DE
Neuschwanstein Castle is a historic 19th-century palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwestern Bavaria, Germany. King Ludwig II of Bavaria commissioned the castle as a getaway residence and a tribute to Richard Wagner.#4 The Sultan's Palace In 'Aladdin' & The Taj Mahal In India
Source: Aladdin / Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Yann / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum complex in Agra, Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It is considered the best example of Mughal architecture (a blend of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles). Taj Mahal is also one of the most iconic monuments in the world, visited by millions of tourists every year. The complex was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.#5 The Black Forest In 'Beauty and the Beast' & The Black Forest Of Germany
Source: Beauty and the Beast / Buena Vista Pictures
Source: LepoRello / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
The Black Forest is a mountainous region in southwest Germany that was once completely covered by an ancient forest. It’s now home to some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe and provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventures.#6 The Royal Castle In 'Brave' & Dunnottar Castle In Scotland
Source: Brave / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Source: Eduardo Unda / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
The Castle was once home to some of the nation's greatest historical figures including William Wallace and Mary Queen of Scots. It is famous for its role in saving the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish Crown Jewels) from Oliver Cromwell's army in the 1650s.#7 Eric's Castle In 'The Little Mermaid' & Château de Chillon In Switzerland
Source: The Little Mermaid / Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Bolla Ugo / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Chillon Castle is an island castle located on Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), south of Veytaux in the canton of Vaud. Chillon is one of the most visited medieval castles in Switzerland and Europe and is classified as a National Significance of Cultural Property of Switzerland. The Fort de Chillon, its modern counterpart, is hidden in the mountainside.#8 The Evil Queen's Castle In 'Snow White' & Segovia Castle in Spain
Source: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs / RKO Radio Pictures
Source: Rafa Esteve / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
The Alcázar of Segovia ("Segovia Castle"), is located in the city of Segovia, Castile and León, Spain. It's one of the most famous medieval castles in the world dating from the early 12th century. Its impressive silhouette rises magnificently over the Eresma valley and is a symbol of the Old Town of Segovia, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.#9 The Chapel In 'Frozen' & St. Olaf's Stave Church In Norway
Source: Frozen / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Source: 3s / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
St. Olaf's Stave Church is an Anglican church in the village of Balestrand in Sogndal Municipality in the county of Vestland in Norway. The church was built in 1897 as a stave church imitation and has 95 seats.#10 Paradise Falls In 'Up' & Angel Falls In Venezuela
Source: Up / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Source: Paulo Capiotto / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
Is paradise falls real? Angel Falls is the world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, with a height of 979 meters (3,212 ft) and a depth of 807 m (2,648 ft). The waterfall drops over the edge of the Auyán-tepui mountain in the Canaima National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Canaima), a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State.#11 Beast's Castle In 'Beauty and the Beast' & France's Chateau du Chambord
Source: Beauty and the Beast / Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Benh LIEU SONG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
The Château de Chambord is located in Chambord, Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is one of the most recognizable castles in the world for its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures.#12 The Dwarfs' Cottage In 'Snow White' and The Storybook Cottages In Los Feliz, Los Angeles
Source: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs / RKO Radio Pictures
Source: Joe Wolf / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
The cottage is a component of the Hobbit Houses complex, which is one of the greatest surviving instances of a strange renaissance architectural offshoot. Known as the fairytale or storybook style, this place has drawn onlookers since its evolution in the 1920s.#13 The Cathedral As It Appears In 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' and The Actual Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France
Source: The Hunchback of Notre Dame / Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Peter Haas / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Notre-Dame de Paris is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages. It is distinguished for its size, antiquity, and architectural interest. Notre-Dame is located at the eastern end of the Île de la Cité and is built on the ruins of two earlier churches, which predate a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter.#14 Pacha's Village In 'The Emperor's New Groove' and The Ancient City Of Machu Picchu in Peru
Source: The Emperor's New Groove / Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Martin St-Amant / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
This Inca citadel dates back to the 15th century and is situated in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a 2,430-meter (7,970 ft) mountain ridge. Most contemporary archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as a residence for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). The "Lost City of the Incas" is the most well-known representation of the Inca civilization.#15 Beijing, China, As It Appears In 'Mulan' and Beijing, China, As It Appears In real life
Source: Mulan / Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Derzsi Elekes Andor / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Beijing is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world. It is home to many national monuments and museums and has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites—the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs, Zhoukoudian, and parts of the Great Wall and the Grand Canal—all of which are popular tourist locations. Siheyuans, the city's traditional housing style, and hutongs, the narrow alleys between siheyuans, are major tourist attractions and are common in urban Beijing.#16 The Cozy Cone Motel In 'Cars' and The Wigwam Motel In Arizona
Source: Cars / Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Source: Raleigh Muns / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
The Wigwam Motels often called "Wigwam Villages," is a motel chain in the United States that was constructed in the 1930s and 1940s. The rooms are built in the form of tipis, mistakenly referred to as wigwams. It originally had seven locations: two locations in Kentucky and one each in Alabama, Florida, Arizona, Louisiana, and California.#17 Arendelle's Surroundings In 'Frozen' and Nærøyfjord, Norway
Source: Frozen / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Source: Leif / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
The Naeroyfjord the wildest and most magnificent arm of the Sognefjord, is included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fjord excursions take place in a setting like no other, with craggy snow-capped mountains, waterfalls, and picturesque farms clinging to the slopes. The passage through Nærøyfjord is one of the most spectacular fjord trips in Europe.#18 Game Central Station In 'Wreck-It Ralph' and Grand Central Terminal In New York City
Source: Wreck-It Ralph / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Source: MTA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
Grand Central Terminal is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The distinctive architecture and interior design of Grand Central Terminal's station house have earned it several landmark designations, including as a National Historic Landmark.#19 Old New Orleans In 'The Princess and the Frog' and Modern New Orleans In Louisiana
Source: The Princess and the Frog / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Source: Chris Litherland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
The city of New Orleans is known for its unique music, Creole food, unusual touches, and annual festivals and celebrations, most notably Mardi Gras. The French Quarter, the city's historic core, is renowned for its Spanish and French Creole architecture and exciting nightlife on Bourbon Street. A big part of why the city is called "the most unique" in the United States is because of its multicultural and linguistic past. Additionally, due to its significant influence on the film industry and popular culture, New Orleans has been considered "Hollywood South".#20 Pinocchio's Village and Collodi Village In Italy
Source: Pinocchio / RKO Radio Pictures
Source: Sailko / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
It is a medieval village documented since the 12th century. The village has an ancient fortress and the aristocratic Villa Garzoni, which has a major garden. It is the hometown of Carlo Lorenzini, author of "The Adventure of Pinocchio".#21 The Darlings' Neighborhood In 'Peter Pan' and London's Bloomsbury Neighborhood
Source: Peter Pan / RKO Radio Pictures
Source: Chakchouka / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London. It is considered a fashionable residential area and is the location of numerous cultural, intellectual, and educational institutions like the British Museum, the largest museum in the United Kingdom; University College London; the New College of the Humanities, the University of Law, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, ...#22 Sherwood Forest In 'Robin Hood' and Sherwood Forest In Nottinghamshire, England
Source: Robin Hood / Buena Vista Distribution
Source: ntollervey / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Sherwood Forest is a landmark thousands of years in the making, alive with nature, history, and folklore. It is well-known as the home of Robin Hood and is rich in legends involving everything from the old oaks to the nation's most infamous bandit to the efforts of the RSPB and their collaborators. In addition, this is also a National Nature Reserve, with 420 hectares of beautiful, precious, and unique forest land, a place for you to explore, have fun and experience your own stories.#23 Belle's Village In 'Beauty and the Beast' and Alsace, France
Source: Beauty and the Beast / Buena Vista Pictures
Source: --sinava-- / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
Alsace is a picturesque region in North-West France. It has a blend of two cultures, French and German, which is evident in the names of various places and mainly in the beautiful pastoral architecture of the region. To portray the little town where Belle lives, the Beauty and the Beast producers traveled here.#24 Atlantis In 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire' and Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Source: Atlantis: The Lost Empire / Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Dennis Jarvis / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
Angkor Wat is a 12th-century temple complex in Angkor, Cambodia, near Simréab. One of the great cultural wonders of the world, Angkor Wat's huge religious complex includes more than a thousand structures. With a total area of 400 acres (160 ha), Angkor Wat is the world's largest sacred structure and the pinnacle of Khmer design.