Does The Drawbridge Of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle Work?

Gracing the top of Main Street U.S.A., Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle is the most iconic image of the park. But, hiding under its arched entrance is a feature few guests ever see in motion. We're talking about its drawbridge — the classic fairy tale castle security system. Though it remains open, welcoming guests at the entrance to Fantasyland, its mechanics aren't just decorative. 

According to SFGate, during the 2025 D23 "Beyond the Spires: An Insider Look at Disney Castles" panel, Imagineer Wyatt Winter revealed that despite being permanently lowered, the drawbridge still functions. "We actually reached out to Disneyland partners and asked them about it," Winter said. "And they were willing to lift up some of the rails and test it and show us today that it still works and functions, if you wanted to." While there's no hint from Disney that the drawbridge will be raised again anytime soon, Disney superfans can only hope we'll see it in action for a future celebration.

Disney insiders note that the drawbridge's mechanics have only ever been put to use twice. On July 17, 1955, the bridge lowered dramatically at the park's opening so children could pour through into Fantasyland. This staged scene aired live in a special called "Dateline: Disneyland," with around 90 million people eagerly watching. Decades later, when Fantasyland reopened in May 1983 after a major renovation, the drawbridge was again featured with a white dove ceremony — and some of the park's first guests to cross the bridge at the 1955 opening returned to celebrate the moment. Since then, the bridge has remained fixed in place. Though it's technically out of service, the fact that it still functions shows just how the park carefully preserves the roots of Disney magic, even for features we rarely see in action.

Disney fans who'd like to see the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle only need to visit the many stunning medieval castles scattered throughout Europe. However, Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle is said to be Europe's grandest fairy tale castle that inspired Walt Disney and his vision for the miniature version located in the iconic family-friendly city of Anaheim, California.

Interestingly, the smaller scale of Sleeping Beauty Castle was very much an intentional creative choice, according to D23. As the Official Disney Fan Club explains, Walt Disney "recalled that the tyrants in Europe built huge, imposing castles in order to intimidate the peasants." Since Walt Disney wanted his version to be inviting and "friendly," it rises only 77 feet from the moat. "The faux building stones give a forced perspective, making the castle seem larger than it is, with larger ones at the bottom and smaller ones above."

And while we can't confirm the factual accuracy of the story, one person claiming to have worked security for Disney for many years shared another interesting anecdote. Redditor Fred, posting as u/Disneyland1959, explained that Walt Disney intentionally left one of the castle's spires unpainted as a symbol that the park would always be a work in progress. But then, in 2004, the spire was painted in a renovation. Whether it was intentional or not, we can only speculate. But, as luck — or perhaps kismet — would have it, Fred said the very same spire broke off during the castle's big reveal because of some logistical difficulties. "I call this Walt's omen, or you don't mess with Walt's stuff!!!" he said. With such rich history and pure creativity surrounding Disneyland, it's no wonder they call it the "happiest place on Earth."