Prince Charming Regal Carrousel: Remembering the Real Magic of Walt Disney
Carved horses gallop endlessly without lifting a hoof. Their manes are forever windblown, even when the air is peaceful and still. Their varnished eyes shine as if there is a soul within the wood, hearts beating beneath their painted chests. They have carried their riders with timeless reliability for over a century, traveling in an endless circle as time marches on.
The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel in Walt Disney World is more than just a circle of wooden horses. It represents an unbroken circle of familial love and cherished memories. Each generation has come in their turn to experience the simple pleasure and profound wonder of this magical carrousel. When sitting on the back of a lacquered stallion, watching the world go by, you begin to understand why Walt Disney himself held the carrousel so dear.
The Horses of Centuries Past
While Disney’s Carousel of Progress is meant to spin you into the future, the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is an experience from the past. Medieval past, to be exact.
In the 12th century, Arabian warriors played a game on horseback to increase their riding and coordination skills. They would toss around a clay, perfumed ball, and whoever dropped the ball not only lost the game but also shattered the ball, dousing themselves in its scent. (And if I had to guess, we’re probably not talking about a Bath & Body Works fragrance.)
When the Italians witnessed the game, they called the spectacle carosella, or “little war.” The “little war” game became a big deal, spreading all across Europe and reaching its peak in 1662 when King Louis XIV of France (who was pretty extra) turned it into a royal affair: Le Grande Carrousel.1
Le Grande Carrousel was the equivalent of a “little war” Super Bowl, so participants devised a way to practice before participating: they jousted from the backs of wooden horses which rotated around a pole, trying to nab a hanging ring with a lance.2
From “little war” practice, carrousels eventually evolved into fun turntables of beautifully decorated inanimate horses, sometimes with a “catch the brass ring” side quest. When the rides went from mule-powered to steam-powered, early reporters in 1863 were amazed “the daring riders are not shot off like cannon-ball, and driven half into the middle of next month!”3
However, the wonder for Walt Disney was not in the speed, artisanal design, or even the knightly history. For him, the wonder of the carousel beamed from the faces of his small daughters.
Walt’s Wonderful Carrousel
It was a Saturday evening in Los Angeles. Like any good parent, Walt had taken his girls to the park to play. But there was something special about Griffith Park, more than just swings and slides you see, for it had a fanciful carrousel. As he watched his daughters on the carrousel, I think Walt realized that he had had just as much fun seeing them happily riding as they had actually riding the painted steeds.
It was this evening, this moment of parental affection, that would be the spark to bring forth adventurous lands and magical kingdoms into existence.
“I felt there should be something built,” he later explained, “Some kind of an amusement enterprise. . .where the parents and the children could have fun together.”4
Walt’s first amusement enterprise was Disneyland, located in Anaheim, California. On opening day, in 1955, guests were invited to recreate the joy-filled experience Walt had shared with his own daughters by riding together on the King Arthur Carrousel. (A theme very much in keeping with the carrousel’s medieval origins!) Each carrousel horse Walt obtained was a bonafide antique, stitched together from different bygone carrousels searched for and located from across the country. A true carrousel which parents and children could enjoy together.
Of course, Walt would go on to expand his empire from California to Florida, building Walt Disney World in sunny Orlando. But he didn’t forget the origin of his magical idea, and plans were put in place to include a vintage carrousel even better than his first – one that would eventually become known as the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel – The centerpiece to Magic Kingdom‘s Fantasy Land!
Now compared to the intricate animatronics of It’s A Small World and the Hall of Presidents, the carrousel must have seemed like a rather simple attraction. However, Walt knew the secret to real magic is often found in simplicity when room is left for imagination, and the pace is slowed so good memories can sink in.
A Carrousel of Many Colors
The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel started off as the Liberty Carrousel in Detroit, Michigan. Built-in 1917, Liberty was the 46th carrousel hand-crafted by the famed Philadelphia Toboggan Company, who built 90 carrousels in total before the Great Depression.5
True to its name, Liberty was a display of patriotism, elaborately decorated with bald eagles and a red, white, and blue color scheme. (One wonders if this was a result of being built the year America entered World War One?) The prancing horses and chariots were illuminated by thousands of lights as an Italian band organ played a lively tune.6
In 1928, Liberty was refurbished and moved to Olympic Park in Maplewood, New Jersey, where it spun for 39 years. However, when Olympic park closed in 1967, it seemed the wooden horses were without a home. . .until the Walt Disney Company adopted the whole herd, of course!
Although Walt had passed away the year before, Imaginers were busy completing his vision for the Magic Kingdom. Work was still being faithfully carried out, and that included having a carrousel at its heart. It would be a testament of love to a father’s favorite memory of his daughters.
The Walt Disney Companies purchase of the old run-down amusement was the beginning of “happily ever after” for the Liberty Carrousel. However, something was a miss. Liberty needed a theme change before it could settle into its new home.
Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel
Before it became the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, Liberty was Cinderella‘s Golden Carrousel. A staple of Walt Disney World since opening day on October 1, 1971, the carrousel is technically the oldest attraction of Fantasyland; after all, it was already 54 years old on the Magic Kingdom‘s first birthday!7
Liberty was repainted to match the blue, pink, and purple Cinderella aesthetic, with actual scenes from the Cinderella story adorning the carrousel’s canopy. The 90 horses were refurbished, so no two were exactly alike; while each had a white coat (the signature color of heroic steeds), their reigns, saddles, tassels, feathers, and flowers were all completely different. Some accents were even painted with 23 karat gold leaf, silver, and bronze!8 This was a royal carrousel now, after all!
These changes are still reflected in the carrousel’s appearance today. Ensuring each horse was unique makes it extra special for smiling girls and boys (or us adults for that matter!) to pick a favorite friend to ride on again and again. Although the choice is a difficult one – each of these royal steeds is nearly as beautiful as Florida’s real-life Gypsy Vanner horses!
Speaking of special steeds, rumor has it the horse with the golden ribbon on its tail is Cinderella‘s personal pony. Disney has never confirmed this, but it is the only horse with a tail ribbon, and the ride’s name used to be Cinderella‘s Golden Carrousel
. . .can we really draw any other conclusion?
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
In 2010, the name of the ride was changed to Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, and it was given a fun, fictional backstory based upon factual carrousel history.
The new lore states that after the royal wedding, Cinderella‘s kingdom was so peaceful Prince Charming decided to take up a new hobby: jousting! However, he needed to practice before the tournament, so a contraption with spinning, wooden horses was built to help him train. When the villagers saw Prince Charming’s training device, they thought it looked like fun. Not wanting to leave anyone out, the prince built another carrousel in the Castle Courtyard, decorating it to fit in with the surrounding splendor. Now every villager – and you! – are invited to take a spin!9
What To Know For Your Regal Ride
With a 60 foot diameter, the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is one of the largest carrousels in North America. There are eighteen rows of horses with five horses per row – save the row with the lone chariot. This ornate, original chariot was lost in refurbishment but rediscovered and added back onto the carrousel in 1997; it seats two to three guests and is an ideal spot if you don’t want to move up and down while you spin!10
The smallest horses – good for the little kiddos – are on the inside rows, while the largest horses (for the big kids like you and me) are on the outside. There are no height restrictions for this gentle ride, so even your tiniest Mouseketeer can participate! Parents are welcome to stand next to their little one’s horse during the ride, and safety belts also provided an added measure of protection against any bucking broncos.
While suitable for munchkins, those of us who are prone to motion sickness may still want to consider a Dramamine before mounting one of the horses!
Once the ride begins, the carrousel will play a classic Disney song in vintage, street-organ style. Gallop along to “Be Our Guest,” “Colors of the Wind,” or “Hakuna Matata!” Each ride lasts around two minutes. With the cheerful music, the breeze in your hair, and the rush of nostalgia, we wouldn’t blame you for getting right back in line! (With 90 horses, it may also take quite a few rides to decide on your favorite equine!)
In fact, you may want to be intentional about planning multiple rides, specifically a daytime ride and a nighttime ride. At night, the carrousel twinkles with over 2,000 lights, giving it an especially enchanted feel! It’s also fun to observe the rest of Fantasyland, all aglow, as you whizz past. Cinderella’s Castle is especially beautiful after sunset!
The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is an excellent stop no matter the time of day and no matter the weather: the canopy provides protection from both rain and the beating sun.
Of course, it’s also a great spot for a photo-op! A quick selfie with your favorite horse is a must for your Disney scrapbook or Instagram feed. And for those with little ones, nothing is sweeter than a snapshot of their first “horseback ride.” If you come back to Walt Disney World on a regular basis, or even just every once and in a while, taking photos of your kiddo and “their” horse is a super cute way to scrapbook them growing up! From 2 to 12 to 21, you will never regret making memories that will last a lifetime.
The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is considered a “minor attraction,” but we think it’s more extraordinary than minor. In fact, we’d argue that herein lies the very soul of Walt Disney World: a family-oriented pastime, enchanting yet simple, and brimming with joy. From the vibrant pose of each horse to every note of the happy jingles that tinkle through the air, the carrousel is a callback to the bygone days when our imaginations were free to roam wherever they pleased.
A few things in life are certain: time passes, people change, and the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel keeps on spinning.
A Few Extra Fun Facts
- When Cinderella‘s Golden Carrousel was being installed in Walt Disney World, Roy O. Disney (Walt’s brother) took one look at it and announced that it was off-center. . .by 8 inches. Adamant that it should line up exactly with the Cinderella Castle breezeway, the gigantic carrousel was moved 8 inches over.11 Nit picky? Maybe. But Roy wanted the park bearing his brother’s name to be practically perfect in every way – moving the carrousel was surely difficult but none the less a labor of love!
- You may have noticed the spelling of “carrousel” throughout this article has included two R’s. It’s not a typo! This is both the Disney spelling and French spelling of the word. Because Cinderella is a French-inspired fairytale, it only seems right to keep the extra ‘R’ in the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel!
- This carrousel is well-loved both by riders and Disney staff. It undergoes constant care and upkeep to keep it shining like new. Gold leaf embellishments, vignettes, and horses are refurbished as needed. In fact the four golden eagles on the inner canopy were touched up just this summer.12
For Walt, the carrousel was the beating heart of his amusement parks, and today, the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is a reminder of what Walt Disney World is all about: bringing families and friends together. Giving people the opportunity to laugh, bond, and love in the happiest place on earth.
The horses of the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel continue to carry the happy memories of generations past, just as they carry new riders and make new memories every single day.
I think if Walt were able to visit his Magic Kingdom, his first stop would definitely be the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel. His thoughts would be of his daughters.
His horse. . .well, I have a feeling he would pick the one with the golden bow.
But maybe that’s just me.
Do you have a favorite horse on the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel? Let us know in the comments below!
Cover Image
Photo: Theme Park Tourist via Flickr
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