The Enchanted Storybook Castle

It is the icon of Shanghai Disneyland: the Enchanted Storybook Castle, the first Disney castle not dedicated to any singular princess, but rather to all of them.  The tallest and most expansive castle Disney has ever constructed, this beacon of the park is grand, bold, very regal.

When I first saw renderings of the castle, and even after the park opened, and photos started surfacing, I thought the castle seemed too blocky, too stiff and formal, as though it was trying to showcase all of its extravagance and lost its charm as a result.  Surprisingly, in person, the castle is actually very much beautiful and charming.  There's something about being able to discern the depth of the towers and features in three dimensions that really enhances it--something that even the best photo struggles to capture.  So though it still doesn't quite beat out Disneyland Paris' Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant as my favorite castle, I do like it a lot more now that I've visited Shanghai Disneyland then I did beforehand.  Just goes to show that you can never judge something without actually experiencing it.  Always give something a chance.

A brief moment of sunshine illuminates the Enchanted Storybook Castle in the afternoon.

A look at the front of the castle, with its copious amounts of show viewing area in the foreground.

The approach from the right side features this waterfall that adds a photogenic effect to the composition.

Turning around to the backside, as seen from "northeast" of the castle.

Looking up directly from the backside of the castle.

And again to the front, with a bit of afternoon golden hour.

Strolling through the main castle corridor.

Mosaics like this are found at four corners at the center crux of the castle ground floor.

The central space is a soaring and spectacular atrium.

One last long view of the front of the Enchanted Storybook Castle.