Let’s Talk About Castles: Disney Dreams, Real History, and a Free Printable to Explore It All

Written By Holly Leary
Free Castles Printable

I’ve been thinking a lot about castles lately.

Maybe it’s because of where we live, and even getting to the eye doctor is fun because I can see the towers of Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom. I remember when my daughter was little, eating inside the castle at Cinderella’s Royal Table, watching the stained-glass windows glow and seeing her eyes light up as the princesses made their rounds. She’d asked Ariel if her dad was still mad and if she missed her tail. When we were new to Disney, I used the castle to navigate our way around the park. What’s funny, is that even now, when I am trying to avoid toll roads on the way home from someplace new, I can follow signs for the Magic Kingdom and find my way from there.

Soarin', Castles, and a Real-Life Disney Dream

If you’ve been on Soarin’, you probably know what I’m about to say. There’s this moment, right near the middle (ish), when you fly over a gorgeous castle perched on a mountain in Germany. It looks too magical to be real.

But it is.

That’s Neuschwanstein Castle, and not too long ago, our family got the chance to visit it in real life. And let me tell you, it really is that magical. The views of the Bavarian Alps are breathtaking. It’s perched above the village, and you can just imagine why King Ludwig II wanted to build something so grand there. He wanted it to feel like it belonged in a fairy tale, and it absolutely does.

A Copy of a Copy of a Castle

Here's the fun part I didn’t expect: Neuschwanstein wasn’t even a real medieval castle. It was built in the 1800s, long after castles were used for war or protection. Ludwig built it because he loved legends, knights, and, dragons. He wanted to live in a dream.

Then Walt Disney came along.

He saw Neuschwanstein when he visited Europe and fell in love with it. He brought the idea back to California and modeled Sleeping Beauty Castle after it. Later, Cinderella Castle in Florida and Tokyo took even more inspiration. So in a way, what we see in the parks today is a castle inspired by a castle inspired by castles. A dream built on top of another dream.

Honestly? I love that.

How We Turned a Castle Memory into Curiosity

After our trip, I wanted to keep the conversation going at home. Not as a formal homeschool lesson, but just as a way to explore the "why" behind the magic. We started flipping through Stephen Biesty’s Cross-Sections: Castle, which is this incredible book that peels back the layers of castle life. You can see where the kitchens were, how knights trained, where servants slept, and how food was stored. It’s fascinating, and even as an adult I enjoyed the illustrations and explanations.

We also explored the official history of Neuschwanstein Castle online. That led us into all kinds of little side discussions… about architecture, storytelling, even how buildings can reflect a person’s personality or dreams.

It wasn’t a planned lesson. It was just us following a spark.

A Free Castle Printable for Curious Kids

If your family loves castles, I made something I think you'll enjoy. It’s called “Copycat Castles,” and it’s a free printable designed for kids around 8–12. It's short, simple, and perfect for sparking a thoughtful conversation.

The printable includes:

  • Two pages explaining how Disney took inspiration from Neuschwanstein, and how Ludwig was inspired by medieval castles

  • An open-ended question that encourages kids to reflect on what castles symbolize

  • A focus on creativity, imagination, and how inspiration works across time

Click here to download the free Copycat Castles printable

We used it as a conversation starter while looking through trip photos and watching old Disney castle intros. It’s great for adding a little depth to your next theme park trip or even reflections of trips from the past.

Why We’re Still Drawn to Castles

There’s just something about castles.

They can mean power, safety, mystery, or magic. Sometimes they’re the home of a villain. Other times, they’re a reward for the hero. Even now, we build pretend castles in movies, games, and books. And when we visit a Disney park, the castle is still the heart of the experience.

For me, talking about castles is a way to talk about dreams, stories, and the way ideas grow. A king in the 1800s imagined something that would one day inspire a man in California, who would then inspire millions of people around the world. That’s the kind of learning that sticks with us.

Questions That Help Us Go Deeper

Here are a few of the questions we’ve talked about together after doing this printable. Maybe they’ll spark a great conversation at your table too:

  1. If we are all inspired by some THING, does originality exist?

  2. Why do we still care about castles when no one really uses them anymore?

More Ideas from Our Disney Homeschool Life

If you're looking for more Disney-inspired conversations and creative learning moments, here are a few other posts you might like:

If you use the printable, I’d love to hear how it sparks conversation in your homeschool. And if you ever get to visit Neuschwanstein or just fly over it on Soarin’, I hope it feels just as magical for you as it did for us.

Holly Leary

Holly Leary is the creator of DisneyHomeschool.com, where she blends expert homeschool strategies with the magic of Walt Disney World. A former teacher turned curriculum designer, Holly helps families turn theme park visits into unforgettable learning adventures.

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