A quick update to share tonight…our antique carrousel ride in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom Park – Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel – is officially changing its name to Prince Charming Regal Carrousel. The name change takes effect June 1.
The name change helps tell the rest of the Cinderella story that inspired the carrousel. Here’s the official story behind it:
Following their fairy-tale romance and happily-ever-after wedding, Cinderella and Prince Charming took up residence in Cinderella’s Castle. With peace throughout the kingdom, Prince Charming had time to practice for jousting tournaments. In the countryside near the castle, he built a training device of carved horses, on which he could practice the art of ring-spearing, a tournament event in which a knight rides his horse full speed, lance in hand, toward a small ring hanging from a tree limb, with the object of spearing the ring. This event was known by various names throughout the lands, but generally came to be called “carrousel.”
The carrousel device drew the attention of the villagers, who wanted to take a turn on this amazing spinning contraption. So Prince Charming had a second carrousel constructed closer to the Castle, where everyone could take a spin on this wondrous invention. Instead of a working knight’s training device, however, this new carrousel is more befitting its regal location in the Castle Courtyard – its rustic training horses replaced with ornately decorated prancing steeds adorned with golden helmets and shields, flower garlands, feathers and other festoons. Prince Charming invites one and all to test their horsemanship skills and to enjoy their own happy ending.
Comments
Here is is June 16th and the name has not changed on the disneyworld.com… can anyone confirm the name has been changed?
I think some are reading way too much into this. Nowhere does it say they are making the carrousel more “boy themed”. Remember, Fantasyland is getting a multi-million dollar makeover. There will be some tweaking to storylines, there will be retheming, there will be changes. Stories will be made more cohesive, look at what they did with Pooh’s tree. Wait to see how the full storyline plays out, this may fit in quite a bit better with the planned finished product. (Besides, how many here REALLY say “Let’s go ride Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel!”? Or do you actually just say “Let’s go ride the merry-go-round!”?)
I don’t think the name change is awful, it could always be worse, like they could have just removed the whole thing. But I do think if anything it should be renamed to something to do with Mary Poppins
I thought Carousel was spelled with only one r… why two?
I trust there is a good reason for this change. It seems a little arbitrary, but we don’t know everything involved with this decision. I am not completely surprised by the number of negative comments so far. Disney fans don’t do well with change.
crazy bad branding mistake
I agree with Joshua and Tyler. I was so hopeful about the changes to Fantasy Land, now I’m not so sure.
For David in VA: Cast Members do actually still choose a ‘King’ of the land during random acts called Magical Moments. During this mini-ceremony, children are able to lift the sword from the stone, thus dubbing them ‘King’ of the land.
The Carousel is the oldest ride in the park. It was built by the Philadelphia Tobbogan Co.in 1917 and was re-located from Olympic Park in Maplewood, New Jersey. It deserves better treatment than a stupid name change. I’m sure most park visiter simply refer to it as “The Carrousel” anyways.
My sistter will be happy
I think it’s a creative story, but The Imagineers should make a boys restraunt. What about a dine with pirates. Little Boys and Some girls would love it!
From what I’ve read on other Disney World related blogs, there have been some concerns about the Fantasyland expansion being too “girl-centered.” So, I’m wondering if this is their attempt to have something to attract the boys. I’m a first grade teacher, and I can tell you that unless they redesign the whole ride – getting rid of pastel colors, ribbons, flowers, etc. it will still attract the same crowd it always has. As for me, I think it’s a beautiful attraction. I don’t care what they call it as long as it always looks the same!
Do Imagineers always have to change things we like as they are?
An absolutely terrible idea. Why change a name that everyone else identifies as Cinderella’s Carousel?
this ride has a special place in our family.. My wife’s father, as a young teen, worked on the ride in it’s home before going to Magic Kingdom.
Jeff, I love that post… The ride doesn’t change, just the name. I was feeling a little blue because so much of our beloved fantasyland is changing (yes, I know for the better… but still… change), and when I read this post it made me smile. Our kids don’t care what it’s called, it’s just pure magic- especially at night.
Thank you for the perspective! I wasn’t sure what I thought about the new name and now I have decided it doesn’t matter what they call it. 🙂
…Of course, I still refer to the TTA as the people mover. LOL
It’s funny that this is the last ride we go on before leaving Magic Kingdom each time, but I never knew the name of the ride, we just called it the carrousel.
It’s our little tradition.
Thanks for the history lesson
I’m partial to the classics, and the classic names, however, if you Wiki “carousel” the new back story is dead on and gives some credence to the Magic Kingdom – you know we all believe it’s real.
i really don’t see the big deal…it’s jut a name change, nothing to get all worked up about…did they really need to change it? no, but is it sumthing to get worked up about? no…it doesn’t matter what it’s called the same age groups r still going to ride it no matter what.
I’m with those who say they don’t mind. I’ll be in the parks in June after the name change. It won’t stop me from riding it nor will I care about a new name. I’m going to ride the carousel regardless. My only regret is that Fantasyland won’t be done when I get there! I hope that I can make a trip back when it’s done! My son won’t care if it’s Cinderella or Prince Charming.. he just wants to ride the “horsies!”
Don’t change the name I think that it is a disgrace after all these years to cinderella… I think that if you want boys to be more excited about the park they should have planned for something really cool in the new design of fantasy land. Personally as a mother of a 4 year old he loves Disney and doesn’t really care that there is a carousel that is named after cinderella but for the rest of us that have adored it for many years, why do you have to change the legacy!!!! Who cares what the story said. What is the point after all these years of changing it now!
I don’t mind the name change, even though it is a mouthful. It is still the same attraction so why get all bent up over a name.
Really? This is the problem you decided to fix? Maybe you can move the carrousel to The Animal Kingdom and put it near Countdown To Extinction, or Gorilla Falls, or maybe over by Tiger Rapids Run.
Personally, I don’t like it. The back story seems too contrived, as if it were even a struggle to come up with something.
Come on, Disney, you don’t need to change the name of the ride. Didn’t Walt Disney create the Magic Kingdom because he wanted a place for entire families to have fun after watching his daughters on a carrousel? This ride has so much meaning to it, you can’t just change the name to fit another storyline. You have to preserve Walt’s memory, otherwise you change what makes your park unique, a man with a dream.
I’ve got to say that I agree with most everyone on here – this change is in no way an improvement. It doesn’t plus anything; it doesn’t accomplish anything.
I know Disney perceives a lack of interest in the parks from boys, but changing a ‘girl’ attraction to a ‘boy’ attraction isn’t accomplished with a name change and a story that won’t be readily apparent in the park itself. If they want more boys to be excited about the parks, focus on plussing the Tom Sawyer Island experience or something like that. A park with places like Frontierland, Adventureland, and Tomorrowland has plenty to offer boys, if they just focus on what they already have and plus those experiences.
Looks like a swing and a miss. It is a carousel, how boyish can it be?
Why does it need a name change, what’s next renaming Pirates of the Caribbean.
Jenny, you’ve got it backwards. Snow White’s is the prince that had no name.
To Brian,
Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel is the old name and thats possive. What tribute, read the back story. It is HIS invention therefore it is HIS carrousel so it should be Charming’s. By the way the examples you listed are not relevant. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel doesn’t flow like Cinderella Castle. 🙂
Yeah. Couldn’t they find something better for us to get excited about?
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