Magical Disney Movie Locations You Can Visit in Real Life

When the creative masterminds at Disney set out to bring a fairytale to life, they travel as far as Southeast Asia, Bavaria and Venezuela for inspiration. Their goal? To make each Disney movie, whether animated, 3D or live-action, as magical and memorable as possible. 

You could say it all started with Walt Disney when he traveled to Europe and discovered the enchanting Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, a landmark that influenced the castles in two of Disney’s most iconic movies, “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty.” Since then, animators and location scouts have routinely globe-trotted around the world to select the perfect places to inspire their fantastical settings.

And the incredibly cool part? Whether you’re a diehard Disney fan or just a curious traveler, you can visit many of these historic landmarks and awe-inspiring locations yourself.

From “Cinderella” to “Coco,” the following Disney films might lead you to an enchanting destination you’ve never considered before.

In Disney’s 1991 animated version of “Beauty and the Beast,” Belle’s “poor provincial town” was inspired by the cobbled streets and timbered houses of Riquewihr, a quaint medieval village tucked away in the eastern region of France. 

In 2017, when Disney released the live-action version of the iconic fairytale, the creative team instead modeled Belle’s village after Conques, a town in the south of France. 

Fans of both “Beauty and the Beast” versions will be happy to know that the towns of Riquewihr and Conques are only a quick eight-hour drive away from each other. So if you’re keen on exploring both, we recommend booking an extended vacation. 

Beginning around the eighth century BCE, the Monte Albán, located in current-day Oaxaca, Mexico, was the cultural center of the Zapotec and Mixtec people. In 2017, the remains of this once vast complex of tombs, plazas and square-topped pyramids served as the blueprint for the Land of the Dead, the mystical world featured in Disney/Pixar’s hit film “Coco.” 

During the film’s production, director and co-director Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina traveled to Oaxaca to gather inspiration for the film. “Families welcomed us into their homes and taught us about the foods they enjoy, the music they listen to, their livelihoods and their traditions,” Unkrich said. “Most importantly, we witnessed the importance they place on family.”

Through research and extensive study, animators created a spectacular, magical, brightly colored version of the ancient complex, while emphasizing its significance to Mexican culture.

When rebellious mermaid Ariel has her wish for freedom granted, she meets and falls in love with Prince Eric, whose fairytale castle was inspired by the Chateau De Chillon on Lake Geneva in Switzerland. 

Animators mimicked not only the chateau’s setting on a rocky islet, overlooking the water, but design details like the colorful flags atop its towers.  

In its heyday during the 12th century,  the Chillon castle played a crucial role in controlling trade in the region. These days, it reigns as the most visited historic monument in all of Switzerland. Not only is the castle accessible from both Geneva and Lausanne, but it is also known for being a family-friendly destination. 

Carl Fredricksen’s childhood sweetheart and wife Ellie had dreamed of traveling to South America to live on Paradise Falls. After her death, 78-year-old Carl decided it was time to make her dream come true. So he tied 20,000 multi-colored balloons to the roof of his house and headed for South America. 

The ups and downs of that journey are featured in the 2009 Pixar/Disney film “Up” — aka the kids movie that made millions of grown adults openly weep.  

Ellie’s Paradise Falls was inspired by the real-life Angel Falls located in Venezuela. After trekking through the South American jungle, director Pete Docter and his team of animators agreed that Angel Falls, the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world, flanked by spectacular tabletop mountains, was the perfect model for the aspirational falls featured in the film. 

Getting the falls just right on film required considerable commitment. Co-director/writer Bob Peterson recalled that the six- to seven-hour climb to Angel Falls was “like your worst nightmare.”