This quintessential Disney icon, with its royal blue turrets, gold spires, and glistening white towers, was inspired by the castle built by the mad Bavarian king Ludwig II at Neuschwanstein, as well as by drawings prepared for Disney's animated film of the French fairy tale. Although often confused with Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle, at 180 feet this castle is more than 100 feet taller; and with its elongated towers and lacy fretwork, it's immeasurably more graceful. It's easy to miss the elaborate murals on the walls of the archway as you rush toward Fantasyland from the Hub, but they're worth a stop. The five panels, measuring some 15 feet high and 10 feet wide, were designed by Disney artist Dorothea Redmond and created from a million bits of multicolor Italian glass, silver, and 14-karat gold by mosaicist Hanns-Joachim Scharff. Following the images drawn for the Disney film, the mosaics tell the story of the little cinder girl as she goes from pumpkin to prince to happily ever after.

The fantasy castle has feet, if not of clay, then of solid steel beams, Fiberglass, and 500 gallons of paint. Instead of dungeons, there are service tunnels for the Magic Kingdom's less-than-magical quotidian operations, such as Makeup and Costuming. These are the same tunnels that honeycomb the ground under much of the park. And upstairs doesn't hold, as rumor has it, a casket containing the cryogenically preserved body of Walt Disney. Within the castle's archway is the King's Gallery, one of the Magic Kingdom's priciest shops. Here you'll find exquisite hand-painted models of carousel horses and Disney animated characters, delicate crystal castles, and other symbols of fairy-tale magic, including Cinderella's glass slipper in many colors and sizes.

If you have reservations to dine at Cinderella's Royal Table, you enter the castle by way of an ascending spiral staircase where costumed waiters attend to your meal. Cinderella, her Fairy Godmother, and other princesses join you at what is one of the most popular character-greeting experiences offered at Walt Disney World. Call 180 days ahead, or as soon as you can, to reserve the character breakfast or lunch.