BACKSTORY (JULY 17, 1955—Present): Opened July 17, 1955, the castle is the oldest of all Disney castles. Though it reaches a height of only 77', it was designed to appear taller via forced perspective; design elements are larger at the foundation and smaller at the turrets. Sometimes swans will swim in the moat, so the WDI workers lined the moat with junipers. Swans will not eat junipers. The castle initially featured an empty upper level that was never intended to house an attraction, but Walt Disney was not satisfied with what he viewed as wasted space, and challenged his Imagineers to find some use for it. Beginning April 29, 1957, visitors were able to walk through the castle and view several dioramas depicting the story of Sleeping Beauty. The original dioramas were designed in the style of Eyvind Earle, production designer for Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty, and were then redone in 1977 to resemble the window displays on Main Street, U.S.A.. The walkthrough was closed in October 2001; some say the 9/11 and the potential danger that followed were the main reason. On December 5, 2008, the diorama was re-opened to the public, restored to more closely resemble the original 1957 version.
