arch of Cinderella ’ s Castle , it ’ s an iconic landmark : classic and yet an invention all its own , all at the same time . The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel ( and no , that ’ s not a typo — we ’ ll cover the extra “ r ” in a minute !) is a beloved centerpiece of Magic Kingdom and a must-visit for each and every Walt Disney World guest .
But this ride offers more than a simple thrill and a laid-back view of Fantasyland . When riding this car ( r ) ousel , you ’ re actually participating in a bit of history yourself . Given that it ’ s more than 100 years old , this stunning merry-go-round has quite a few secrets hidden among its fleet of hand-crafted horses . Here ’ s some insider info to consider next time you take one of those ponies for a spin .
ONCE UPON A TIME … Amazingly , the story of the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel actually starts on the other end of the country , on a day when Walt Disney himself took his daughters to Griffith Park in Los Angeles . As his daughters laughed and spun on the park ’ s small carousel , Walt sat on a park bench and watched … and started scheming .
Why , he wondered , wasn ’ t there a place where the parents could get in on the action , too ? He wanted to do more than sit on the sidelines . This idea of a larger , truly family-friendly gathering place was one of the first inspirations behind the creation of the Disney theme parks — and highlights exactly how important that carousel really is as part of the Walt