Musings & Blog

Grab my FREE guide to the real places that inspired Disney's castles and palaces.

A majestic castle with blue spires set against a bright blue sky. Crowds gather below, adding to the lively and enchanting atmosphere.

The Real Places Behind Disney's Castles and Palaces

Disney castles. If you've ever watched a Disney animated movie or walked into a Disney Park, you know the castle is the icon we associate most with Disney besides a talking mouse. In many films, castles and royal palaces lend so much to the story, evoking distant, fantastical pasts. They feel both magical and timeless, yet their designs draw on real places.

Mar 201 min read

Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wearing Maya earspools and pectoral

Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ancient Maya Rulers

See how elements of Classic Maya art and rulership influenced Namor's look in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Sep 24, 20254 min read

Mulan is written on the opening credits of a movie screeshot with clouds in the background

Mulan and Art History: Opening Credits and Traditional Chinese Ink Painting

Disney artists borrowed from traditional Chinese ink painting to begin Mulan.

Sep 3, 20251 min read

A painting of a flat-bottomed boats on water with trees in the background

Mary Blair in Mexico: A Closer Look at Her Saludos Amigos Watercolor

Mary Blair's journey through Latin America inspired a body of work that blended her distinctive modernist style with the textures, colors, and patterns she encountered. One of my personal favorites comes from her time in Mexico, created as concept art for Disney’s 1943 film Saludos Amigos.

Aug 12, 20252 min read