Disneyland Paris says the Sleeping Beauty Castle bridge reopens Oct. 31 after nearly six months of renovation. The span leads to Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant and carries the daily foot traffic that funnels guests into the park icon.
The project rebuilt the structure that holds the decorative pieces rather than stopping at a surface refresh. Arches, corbels and decorative spandrels were reconstructed. Wooden balustrade posts were replaced and the drawbridge received a new tropical timber deck.
Stamped concrete on the walking surface gave way to granite paving laid in 2,735 pieces shaped to the bridge’s arch. Champagny limestone balusters were remade and sealed against fountain spray from the moat below.
Synthetic stone paste was sprayed onto metal frames under the arches then sculpted and hand painted in five tones to match the castle’s stone. New landscaping and patina work finish the package.
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A new natural stone compass rose with brass inlays sits at the center of the deck. Blue and red branches nod to Merryweather and Flora. A green arc for Fauna ties the two together. A brass medallion of Aurora’s crown and thorns sits in the middle and a brass fleur-de-lis marks north.
That north marker recalls the four brass cardinal letters that sat on the bridge when the park opened and were removed in a 2010 refresh. Brass pieces use three depth levels finished by hand for shine and relief.
The reopen lands on the castle’s 35th anniversary window. The château was unveiled to the press and Cast Members on Oct. 12, 1991 and has taken maintenance and detail upgrades across its life.
Granite Deck and Rebuilt Arches
Granite replaces stamped concrete for durability and guest comfort across the arched walk. The 2,735-piece layout follows the curve like a fitted puzzle rather than a flat pour. Waterproofed Champagny balusters face the moat fountains that wet the railings every operating day at Disneyland Park.
The drawbridge’s new tropical timber deck and fresh wooden posts reset the approach guests feel underfoot before they reach the castle gates. Rebuilt arches and spandrels put the decorative shell back on a rebuilt frame that Imagineering Paris said needed full structural work after years of daily load.
Three Fairies Compass Rose and Brass North Mark
The compass rose is the clearest new decorative beat on the finished span. Merryweather’s blue and Flora’s red point opposite ways and echo the dress color fight from the film. Fauna’s green arc bridges the quarrel across the center of the stone and brass inlay.
Aurora’s crown sits in brass at the hub with thorns around it. The fleur-de-lis north mark restores a cardinal cue removed in 2010. Stefano Servi of Walt Disney Imagineering Paris said the crew leaned on historic monument restoration trades so the bridge stays part of the castle for years.
Spring Outage Ends Oct. 31
The multi-month bridge outage that started in the spring ends with the Oct. 31 reopening. Thousands of people cross the span every day into Sleeping Beauty Castle so the rebuilt frame takes permanent daily load once that morning reopen lands.
Disney unveiled the castle at Rendez-Vous au Château, a gathering for press, Cast Members, and their families. Stefano Servi worked the rebuild as Stage Architect at Walt Disney Imagineering Paris and said the aim was to restore the bridge’s former glory while keeping the details that give it its character.
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