[MissDisney]

These and other articles can be found on wdwnews.com - Walt Disney World Resort. These describe the "Cinderella's Castle Suite" at WDW, and the "Mickey Mouse Penthouse" at DL... This is so cool!!! Sorry if this has already been posted on the site... I am just really pumped about these and wanted to share!

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Unused space originally envisioned as in-park accommodations for the Disney family is being transformed into Cinderella Castle Suite -- a place where lucky Walt Disney World guests will spend a dream-come-true night beginning in late January 2007.

Eligible guests will be selected as part of the unique Disney Dreams Giveaway, which began Oct. 1, 2006. For the castle stay, a Walt Disney World guest at a park or Downtown Disney will be selected randomly by early in the afternoon most days beginning in late January. The guest and up to five members of their party will begin their dream-come-true night that evening at Cinderella's Royal Table, the popular restaurant located in Cinderella Castle.

After the rest of the Magic Kingdom guests have headed home, these lucky guests can keep the castle lights burning brightly well into the night, wrapping themselves in the cozy comforts of their dream suite -- a parlor, bedroom and bathroom off of a private marble-floored lobby some four stories above the surrounding Magic Kingdom, replete with rich details befitting the 17th century fairytale and the French chateaus that inspired the design of Cinderella Castle:

Fluffy feather comforters beneath the regal canopy draping of two queen beds ... A cut-stone bedroom floor inspired by the mosaic art masterpiece that adorns the castle's breezeway entrance to Fantasyland ... A bedroom ceiling that twinkles with stars and fills wondering eyes with illusions of pixie dust ... A parlor sofa that invites kicking off the shoes and curling up to read a chapter beneath a vaulted ceiling ... Rich, wood-paneled walls, stained-glass windows, and glimpses of the familiar gray castle stone.

While the idea of having living quarters inside Cinderella Castle dates to the time when Walt Disney World Resort was being planned, until now the space has been a backstage area -- essentially a blank canvas for a creative team from Walt Disney Imagineering. In the fashion of a Disney attraction, Cinderella Castle Suite is emerging regally from their meticulous research and design skills.

"The architecture of the castle, the Cinderella story and the suite are all interwoven," said Stephen Silvestri, the Walt Disney Imagineering show producer/director who is leading a team of designers and craftsmen in the dream makeover. "We want our guests to feel as though they are inside our castle but also immersed within the fantasy realm of the Cinderella story."

In the lobby of the suite, guests will discover a design of the fairytale pumpkin coach in the marble floor inlay. A memorable artifact from the story -- perhaps the famous glass slipper -- will adorn a cove. And through the doorway, the bedchamber and salon are appointed with furnishings in the style of the era of "the Louies," as Silvestri refers to the French rulers of the period inspiring the castle and Cinderella story. Nooks showcase sculpted pieces, clocks and porcelain all befitting the period. Doors are richly detailed; the walls are covered with wood panels and wall coverings. In the bathroom, hand-decorated copper basins sit atop the vanity, recalling a time when fresh water was carried to the bedchamber.

Despite all the careful attention to centuries-old details, the amenities of the Cinderella Castle Suite are definitely 21st century. There's a lavish garden tub plus a shower. The elevator, the bathroom and everything in between are wheelchair accessible. As for a 17th-century-style painting above a regal fireplace: it frames a modern 21st-century flat-screen television.

"We want to balance the practical realities within the fantasy place to make the experience truly a dream-come-true for our guests," Silvestri said.


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ANAHEIM, Ca. -- Beginning Dec. 1, 2006, Disneyland Hotel at Disneyland Resort in Southern California will boast one of the most unique, and certainly one of the most "Disney," VIP lodging experiences in the world -- the all-new Mickey Mouse Penthouse. Designed for "Big Cheeses" of all ages, the penthouse offers spectacular views of the 500-acre resort (including Disneyland park, Disney's California Adventure park and the Downtown Disney District) via floor-to-ceiling windows in addition to a happy mixture of luxury, technology and whimsy featuring one-of-a-kind décor, artwork and magical touches that bring to life all the fun that Mickey represents.

Eligible guests and mail-in participants will be selected randomly as part of the unique Disney Dreams Giveaway promotion during "The Year of a Million Dreams" celebration at Disneyland Resort. An overnight stay in the over-the-top penthouse is one of the dream surprises awarded most days beginning Dec. 1 to a Disneyland guest at a park or at the Downtown Disney District randomly selected by early in the afternoon, (visit disneyparks.com/rules for more information). The eligible guest and members of his or her party -- up to a total of five people plus the lucky guest -- will continue all the magic of their Disneyland Resort visit by receiving an overnight stay that night in Mickey's new digs. Mail-in winners will receive a prize of comparable value.

The swanky penthouse, featuring an interior design of bold "Mickey" colors of black, white, red and yellow, occupies an expansive 1600 square feet and includes an open living room, dining and kitchen area, 2.5 baths and two bedrooms. Classic Mickey Mouse imagery and three-dimensional artwork dominate the design scheme throughout the penthouse.

Following dinner at the famed Blue Bayou Restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland park (and other special activities such as being grand marshals of a Disneyland parade), and as "The Happiest Place on Earth" slowly winds down to slumber, it will be a night of immersion in fantasy and fun when the special guests walk into the Mickey Mouse Penthouse.

As guests enter, Mickey will magically appear inside a foyer Magic Mirror, personally welcoming them to his one-of-a-kind penthouse. Upon entering the living room, guests will encounter very stylized contemporary décor featuring eclectic furnishings and motifs of Mickey with a primary color palette of red, black and yellow. Hardwood floors and colorful area rugs accent the living room while the formal dining area seats eight guests. A built-in media wall is the focal point of the living room and features multiple flat screen TVs and a state-of-the-art home theater system worthy of Mickey's status as one of Hollywood's brightest stars.

The master bedroom features a number of luxury amenities including a king-size bed, lounge chairs, a 37" flat panel TV and a DVD player, and is decorated with animation maquettes of Mickey Mouse in many of his most famous film roles. (Maquettes are three-dimensional models used by Disney animators to effectively render a character in two dimensions and are highly sought-after collectibles.) The master bath includes a steam shower, Jacuzzi tub and a double vanity with a built-in TV in the mirror.

The second bedroom has a more playful feel and is the perfect setting for little ones who wish to have the locale double as a playroom. The main "conversation piece" in the room is a vintage animator's desk that will add to the Mickey Mouse- and animation-inspired storyline for the penthouse. The bedroom also features a stylized built-in armoire with a flat panel TV, DVD player and video games.

"These special guests will feel extremely pampered in this unique, magical interior environment," said Wing Chao, executive vice president, Master Planning, Architecture and Design, Walt Disney Imagineering. "We want guests to walk away saying, 'This was a dream come true.' "


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[Dana]

I want to stay in cindy's castle....If I win, I'm not bringing anyone...lol

[daisyd]

Originally Posted by Dana

I want to stay in cindy's castle....If I win, I'm not bringing anyone...lol

OMG, you are so funny!

I think it would be creepy to stay in the castle, and I've never seen it in person before That would be a looooooong night.

[Soundgod]

After last year's Wilma related disaster wedding vow renewal, we truly deserve a night in the castle, if only to make it up to us.

[Dana]

Originally Posted by Soundgod

After last year's Wilma related disaster wedding vow renewal, we truly deserve a night in the castle, if only to make it up to us.

Yes, you definately did for sure.

Daisy -
Are you kidding me? creepy? A night alone with no kids, no job and in Cinderella's castle? OM ...I think that may be heaven..lol