Disney Movie Locations in real life
Always wanted to go to those enchanting kingdoms and faraway lands of Disney movies? Well, you can do it! Disney animators have been taking inspiration from real-life places for decades, adding their own magical twist to it. Let’s take a look at some of the breathtaking real-life places which inspired iconic Disney Movie locations!
Sleeping Beauty – Germany and France
Sleeping Beauty’s Castle resembles the famous castle of Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Germany. The Château d’Ussé in France was the actual inspiration for the tale Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault. When visiting the castle, several scenes from the story are played out.
Cinderella – Germany and France
The castle in the movie Cinderella is a mix of the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany (which, coincidentally, also inspired the castle in the movie Sleeping Beauty), as well as Château de Chenonceau and Château de Chaumont. The Cinderella castle at Disney Land Orlando also took some influences from the Château de Saumur in France, Loire Valley.
The Little Mermaid – Switzerland
Prince Eric’s castle in The Little Mermaid resembles the Chateau De Chillon on Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
Beauty and the Beast – France & Germany
Beauty and the Beast take place in France, moreover the Alsace region with its charming little towns with their cobbled streets. In Alsace, Eguisheim is the inspiration for the village square in Beauty And The Beast. The Beast’s castle resembles the Château de Chambord in Loir-et-Cher. The library in the movie resembles the library of the UNESCO world heritage site in St. Gallen in Eastern Switzerland. In the movie, Belle also travels through a terrifying forest to search for her dad. The forest resembles Germany’s Black Forest.
Snow White – Spain
The Queen’s Castle in Snow White resembles the Alcazar Castle in Segovia, Spain. The Dwarfs Cottage inspiration came from The Storybook Cottages in Los Feliz, Los Angeles.
Frozen – Norway & Austria & Sweden
Anna and Elsa’s castle resembles the Akershus Fortress in Oslo, Norway. There are guided walking tours of the Fortress where you can learn all the stories of the 500-year-old castle. The real-life Arendelle however is inspired by two towns: Odda, Norway, and Hallstatt’s western shore in Austria’s mountainous Salzkammergut region. As for Elsa’s Ice Palace, the Hôtel de Glace in Québec City is an easy comparison. St. Olaf’s Church in Norway serves as the inspiration for the chapel in Elsa’s coronation. It even shares the name with our snowman!
In Frozen 2, the parents of Elza and Anna are kids and they are playing in a forest with blue flowers. Many believe that the makers got their inspiration from our famous Hallerbos also known as the Blue Forest in Belgium.
Encanto – Colombia
Encanto takes place in Colombia and has used influences from Bogota, Salento, Cartagena, Barichara, and some towns and villages near the Cocora Valley. However, Salento had the biggest match. Salento is a colorful town in the Cocora Valley, surrounded by the mountains and palm trees of the Los Nevados National Natural Park and famous for its coffee (which is mentioned in the opening song).
The best part? The Caño Cristales River is a real river that turns pink! You can see the river in its amazing red algae state between late May and late November, but the peak time is between July and October.
The Princess And The Frog – USA
Princess and the Frog take place in the French Quarter, New Orleans, USA; the jazz music, the beignets, and the Art Deco architecture are spot on! When Tiana and Prince Naveen tie the knot at the end of the movie it is also in front of the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana, the oldest cathedral in the United States. The bayou of New Orleans from Princess And The Frog resembles the swamps, lakes, marshes, and slow-moving rivers of the state of Louisiana.
Tangled – France & Thailand
The Kingdom of Corona in Tangled resembles the Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France. Experience the lantern spectacle in Thailand. Thailand’s light festival, Loy Krathong is a three-day festival that takes place on the evening of the full moon in November around the country’s waterways.
Brave – Scotland
The DunBroch family castle borrows visuals from Urquhar, on Loch Ness; Dunnottar, which perches precariously on a cliff by the sea; and the 13th-century Eilean Donan, which looks over a loch in one direction and the rolling highlands in another.
The mystical standing stones seen throughout the film are also based on reality: the Calanais Standing Stones, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. They are an ancient circle interpreted to be a lunar observatory that dates back to the Neolithic era.
Mulan – China
The Emperor’s home in Mulan resembles the Forbidden City in Beijing, China.
Moana – Hawaii, Samoa & French Polynesia
The movie Moana has been influenced by Hawaii, Samoa, and French Polynesia. There are notable elements of Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa, with Samoa being the main inspiration for Motunui.
The Lion King – Kenya
No surprise here, but the plains of Africa are the inspiration for Lion King. To be more precise, it was the landscape of Kenya that offered the most inspiration: think of the Kilimanjaro that can be seen from Kenya and even a real-life Pride Rock. Disney animators stayed at the Borana Lodge in Laikipia so they could go on safari drives and get up close to some of the fascinating creatures. The Kenyan saying Hakuna Matata really means no worries in Kenian.
Coco – Mexico
The church if Santa Cecilia drew inspiration from the town of Guanajuato. Guanajuato also pays tribute to a musical legend just like the movie does.
Fun Fact: Visit the place as close to the Day of the Dead as possible to really be in the movie! 😉
Up – Venezuela
The Angel Falls in Venezuela, the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall, is the inspiration for the Paradise Falls in Up.
The Emperor’s New Groove – Peru
Pacha’s village In The Emperor’s New Groove resembles Machu Picchu in Cusco, Peru. The emperor even has the same name as the area.
Aladdin – India & Jordan
Agrabah in Aladdin resembles the breathtaking Taj Mahal in India. However, in the 2019 live-action remake the deserts of Jordan were shown.
Hunchback of Notre Dame – Notre Dame
This one is obvious I think? Notre Dame is one of those iconic landmarks you need to see if you’re visiting Paris.
Wreck-It Ralph – USA
Game Central Station in Wreck-It Ralph is the actual Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
Cars – USA
Explore Route 66 and Monument Valley with your own car! Don’t chase the same speed as Lightning McQueen of course. 😉 On top of that, Ramone’s House of Body Art in Cars was inspired by U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire – Cambodia
The city of Atlantis in Atlantis: The Lost Empire was inspired by Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Pinocchio in Tuscany
The author of Pinocchio, Carlo “Collodi” Lorenzini, grew up in Collodi in rural Tuscany which is also the setting of the story. Visit Pinocchio’s Park and Garzoni Garden in Collodi, two of the most beautiful gardens in Europe. Easy day trip from Florence.
Ratatouille – Paris, France
Ratatouille takes place in Paris but the restaurant Gusteau’s takes its inspiration from La Tour d’Argent: a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris, France. The kitchen at Gusteau’s is a direct model of the kitchen at Yountville’s French Laundry where the chef Thomas Keller was a consultant for the film.
Finding Nemo – Australia
The harbor of Sydney is so recognizable with Harbour Bridge and Opera House. On top of that the “Sea Turtle Highway” in the movie happens every year! Each year the Eastern Australian Current in the Great Barrier Reef speeds up the water flow!
101 Dalmatians – England
The movie drew inspiration from Primrose Hill in London, England, an area with colored Victorian homes overlooking Regency Park. These two locations are shown in the movie. The pink townhouse on Primrose Hill sparked the entire idea for 101 Dalmatians.
Peter Pan – England
Go check out Big Ben for yourself!
Mary Poppins – England
The first adaptation was filmed in the studios in the USA however, the second adaptation used some real-life locations in England! Go check out Buckingham Palace, The Bank of England and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Luca – Italy
The seaside town of Portorosso in the movie Luca drew inspiration from the most famous Italian vacation destination: Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre is a string of five towns along the Italian Riviera, known for its colorful buildings into the cliffs of the coast.
Lilo and Stitch – Hawaii
Lilo and Stitch take place in Hawaii. The island of Kauai was the inspiration for the island of Lilo and Stitch, and Kokaua Town from the movie resembles the real town of Hanapepe! Fun
Fact: Hanapepe even has a Lilo & Stitch mural.
Inside Out – California
Inside Out takes place in San Francisco, California where we see some famous buildings such as the Golden Gate Bridge, and Lombard Street (the World’s Most Crooked with 8 hairpin turns Street).
Hercules – Greece
A lot of Greek islands have a logical influence in this movie. Phil’s Island is Rhodes Island (as you can see the Colossus of Rhodes ruins in the movie). We can also see some places from the mainland: the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus (Epidaurus), the Acropolis (Athens), and the Temple of Zeus (Athens).
Oliver & Company – USA
Oliver & Company opens and closes with aerial shots of Lower Manhattan (1988: so you can see the Twin Towers as well). Other scenes take you to Times Square, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, and Fifth Avenue. I’m also a personal fan of the opening song: Once Upon a Time in New York City.
Soul – USA
We see the city streets of NYC in the movie Soul as well as the West Village Jazz Scene!
Hocus Pocus – USA
Salem is the film location of the movie. The park, cemetery, the Town Hall where the Sanderson Sisters put a spell on everyone, the historical village where Thackery Binx lived, the houses of Max and Dani, and the house of Allison!
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