4. Chateau De Chambord 

Chateau de Chambord
Image: Cristian Bortes, Flickr (license)

Inspired: Beast’s Castle, Magic Kingdom

Chateau De Chambord, a castle in Loir-Et-Cher, France, inspired Beast’s Castle in the original animated Beauty and the Beast. Construction on the chateau began in 1519 when Francois I commissioned the architectural masterpiece. Construction finished in the 17th century under the reign of Louis XIV. The elaborate exterior of the chateau closely resembles the castle drawn for the film. Its surrounding forest environment is similar to the setting used for the movie as well.

Beast's Castle
Image: Anna Fox, Flickr (license)

When Beast’s Castle came to the new Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom, it retained many of its original features, and includes turrets that still mimic the design of the French chateau, though Beast’s roofs are shaped slightly differently.

5. Hollywood Tower Apartments 

Hollywood Tower Apartments
Image: Loren Javier, Flickr (license)

Inspired: The Tower of Terror, Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The Hollywood Tower Apartments are widely credited with inspiring the architectural features of the Hollywood Tower Hotel that houses The Tower of Terror attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The apartment building was constructed in 1929 in Hollywood. Designed by Cramer & Wise, this historic building is considered a national treasure, and earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Disney's Tower of Terror
Image: Chad Sparkes, Flickr (license)

The similarities in the buildings is less obvious here than in some other Disney constructions. However, the towering design, eye-catching roof line, and glowing Hollywood Tower sign are in evidence on both buildings. Imagine the Hollywood Tower Apartments with a pinkish cast, and you’ll notice the resemblance even more.

6. Lamu, Kenya 

Lamu, Kenya
Image: Xiaojun Deng, Flickr (license)

Inspired: Harambe Market, Disney's Animal Kingdom

When Imagineers were designing the vibrant streets that would serve as Africa in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, they headed to Lamu, Kenya for inspiration. This seaside town has the perfect combination of weathered buildings and tourist charm. A Unesco World Heritage site, Swahili culture thrives here, giving it an authentic air that Disney would naturally want to mimic in its own African village. 

Harambe in Disney's Animal Kingdom
Image: Jeremy Thompson, Flickr (license)

You can see signs of Lamu in the architectural lines, building styles, and vibrant marketplace stalls that abound in Harambe Market in Animal Kingdom. It’s details like these that make Animal Kingdom so successful at giving guests the sense that they’re traveling around the world.

With a close eye for the architectural details in the parks, you’ll find many more areas that aren’t original to Disney, but are taken straight from the streets of locations around the world.