16 December 2023 , 06:00
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Disneyland Paris is on most families' wishlists, thanks to the fun parades, thrilling rides and attractions, and of course getting those all-important photos in front of the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle at its Disneyland park.
While this castle may have been inspired by plenty of fairytale-worthy settlements in Europe, what most people don't realise is that it actually has a link to a small village in Lincolnshire; Norton Disney.
The picturesque village has a few shops, pubs and hotels for those who want to explore the surrounding countryside, but it's not a typical holiday hotspot. However, there's one famous visitor on whom it had quite the impression.
Disney historian Sebastien Durand told the BBC that Walt Disney himself took a trip to the small village, where he found traces of his family tree and even their coat of arms. In fact, in the village's St Peter's Church, he saw the 14th Century tomb of Sir William d'Isney on which there was the family crest, with three lions facing left, the symbol of Normandy.
St Peter's Church proved a fascinating visit for Walt Disney (Lincolnshire Echo)In 1965 when celebrating the 10th anniversary of Disneyland in California, the animator decided to add a coat of arms to the Sleeping Beauty castle, and was asked if there was a Disney crest - so he decided to reproduce the coat of arms he'd seen in Norton Disney.
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Mr Durand added: "So they took photographs of it and they reproduced it on the castle in Disney, California, and since then it is on every Disney castle in all Disney parks. It even appears now at the beginning of every Disney movie."
Of course the closest Disney castle for Brits is at the theme parks in France. In fact, the resort is one of Europe's most visited tourist attractions with millions of visitors every year; as such, its Sleeping Beauty Castle is actually one of the most visited castles in Europe!
If you're after a touch of extra Disney castle magic, then you may want to add Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle to your bucket list. It's widely credited as having been the inspiration for the gorgeous Disney castles in the theme parks, and it's not difficult to see why when you consider its high towers, intricate architecture and gorgeous surroundings. Even without Disney it boasts storybook credentials, as it was named after the Swan Knight from one of Wagner's operas! This 19th century castle was originally built to be a home for King Ludwig II, but he actually only spent a grand total of 11 nights in the castle.
Looking for more ideas for your next UK break? You may want to bookmark our UK holidays guide which we regularly update with the latest destination ideas, deals and travel tips that we think you'll want on your radar.
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