Inside the Cinderella Castle Suite at Disney World

No matter how many times you've been to Walt Disney World, there is one magical place in the park you've likely never seen. 

Originally meant to be Walt Disney's apartment when he and his family visited Orlando, the Cinderella Castle Suite was never intended to be seen by the public. Unfortunately, Walt died before it was completed, so for the next few decades, the suite became a storage space and workplace for Disney World phone operators. 

The suite officially opened as the Cinderella Suite in 2006 for the "Year of a Million Dreams" promotional campaign, during which Disney gave away a limited number of one-night stays.

Since then, it’s become Disney World’s best-kept secret. The Cinderella Castle Suite might just be Disney's most exclusive spot — and there is only one way you can win the proverbial lottery and spend the night in the magical bedchamber.

How much does the Cinderella Suite cost?

Unfortunately, this suite cannot be booked. Disney has allegedly declined bribes of up to $40,000 for just one night in the exclusive suite, so no amount of money will allow you to make Cinderella Castle Suite reservations.

How to stay in Cinderella’s Castle Suite

In the past, you could spend the night in the royal bedchamber by invitation (celebrities like Tom and Suri Cruise, Mariah Carey, and Kevin Jonas are known to have been given the honor). These days, however, the room is rarely used, and a stay can only be won through special promotions that are few and far between. Your best chance of getting on the guest list is through charity or social media contests in which an overnight might be auctioned off. In June 2022, a Disney cast member won a night in the suite for himself and his family through a sweepstakes program just for employees.

Can I tour the Cinderella Castle Suite?

The general public has not been able to tour the suite since 2007, but we've included photos of the magical accommodation to sate your curiosity. The 650-square-foot suite was inspired by a 17th-century French chateau, complete with coffered ceilings and stained glass windows.

The snug suite is by no means sprawling — but what it lacks in space it makes up for in details. It consists of a foyer, a salon, a bedchamber, and a bathroom, each with its own opulent touches and unique details chosen by the Imagineering team who built it for the Year of a Million Dreams. There’s 4-karat gold molding and a 200-year-old writing desk in addition to stained glass scenes from the Cinderella fairytale.  

To get there, guests must pass a grandfather clock with the minute and second hands forever stuck on "11:59 p.m." before hopping on an elevator to the fourth floor.

The elevator takes guests to a gorgeous foyer, which has a mosaic tile floor featuring Cinderella's pumpkin coach and her glass slipper on display. It's said that celebrities who stayed in the suite in the past were gifted their own glass slipper before they bid adieu.

In the parlor, there's a Victorian-style rotary phone, a 17th-century Dutch desk, books "borrowed from Belle," and six stained glass windows that face Fantasyland. If you are ever lucky enough to peer out of these windows, don't expect to see a great view of the Park: the windows are more decorative than anything else.

The bathroom has a luxurious spa tub for relaxing, complete with ambient mood lighting that can go from soft white to soothing green. Those who stay here can sit back and admire the surrounding mosaic scenes from Cinderella, or switch off the lights and gaze upon the starry night ceiling.

The bedchamber has two queen canopy beds (with Cinderella's royal crest on the headboards) and an antique fireplace. A portrait of Cinderella hanging above the fireplace also doubles as a flat-screen HDTV.

Although your chances of winning a night in the Cinderella Suite are slim, there are other ways you can get a glimpse inside Cinderella Castle. If you have children between the ages of three and 12, you can bring them to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for a fairy-tale makeover. Inside the ornate room, decked in Cinderella blue draperies, golden chandeliers, and fairytale frescoes, kids are treated by Fairy Godmother Apprentices to hair, nails, and even a costume fit for a princess or prince.   

But for the ultimate experience inside the castle, reserve a table at Cinderella's Royal Table and dine with Cinderella and the other Disney Princesses. Take a spiral staircase or gilded elevator from the castle’s grand hall to the banquet hall, where you’ll dine under stone archways and stained-glass windows. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with dishes ranging from caramel apple-stuffed french toast to beef tenderloin to coffee pots de creme. Just be sure to reserve your spot well in advance so you don't miss out on this incredible experience.