The Little Mermaid is one of the most popular Disney films and rightly so! Who hasn't related to feisty Ariel at one point or another in their teenage years? Read on as I take you to the castle that Prince Eric's home is based upon: the beautiful Château de Chillon in Switzerland!

What was the inspiration for Prince Eric's castle?

INSPIRATION: Chateau de Chillon in Lake Geneva, Switzerland

This historic monument dates back to the twelfth century and is thought to be the inspiration for Prince Eric's Castle, given its lakeside location.

Where is Prince Eric's castle supposed to be?

The magnificent cliffs of the Sardinian coastline are home to the fictional palace of Prince Eric, up high above the sea. “It was important to find a location that could provide the epic setting that the story needs,” Rob Marshall told a press conference.

Where is The Little Mermaid castle real life?

The cast and crew of The Little Mermaid also shot some scenes in the town of Castelsardo in Sardinia, Italy, which is where Prince Eric's castle was located. The castle itself was created with CGI, so Jonah Hauer-King and other actors did not film those scenes in an actual castle on the island.

What real life castle inspired Disney?

Castle Neuschwanstein – Disney Inspiration

The castle is based on the real-life Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, and was the first castle built at a Disney park. The Sleeping Beauty Castle is a beautiful sight to behold, and it's no wonder it's one of the most popular attractions at Disneyland.

Why Does Ariel Love the Land? | Disney Princess

What castle is Rapunzel based off of?

Mont-Saint-Michel

Corona Castle in Tangled is “an excellent example of incorporating a structure into the story,” Cohen says. Disney's animation is based of off Mont-Saint-Michel, where, originally, there was a Benedictine abbey on a little island off of Normandy in France.

What is Belle's castle based on?

I discovered the closest thing at Château de Chambord. This is the real castle from Beauty and the Beast. When I say 'real', I don't mean there is an actual beast lurking in the West Wing; this is what the animators of the original 1991 Oscar-nominated film based the fictional castle on.

Are Ursula and Triton siblings?

Ursula was played by Melissa McCarthy in the 2023 live action remake of The Little Mermaid, directed by Rob Marshall. In this version, like with the Broadway musical, Ursula is the estranged younger sister of King Triton (played by Javier Bardem), thus making her the paternal aunt to Ariel and her sisters in this film.

Why is Ursula not a mermaid?

There, before Ursula is fully evil, she actually chooses to have octopus tentacles instead of the usual fishtails that mermaids have, and Triton betrays her because of her choice, banishing her from the kingdom.

What happened to Ariel's mother?

While it is known that her mother perished, there is no story attached to the event. However, much later, in 2008, an animated The Little Mermaid prequel revealed that Ariel's mother was crushed by a pirate ship during an altercation between humans and merpeople.

What time period is The Little Mermaid set in?

The story of "The Little Mermaid" takes in the mid-1800s, predominantly, in three different locations: the underwater kingdom, the Prince's palace, and the sea witch's dwelling. The little mermaid travels between these three places throughout the story.

What sea does Ariel represent?

Does anyone need any explanation for Ariel representing the Red Sea? Like Arista/Karina, the fan theory for Ariel has been associated with her hair for decades. The Little Mermaid premieres in theatres on May 26th!

Where does the 1989 Little mermaid take place?

The Little Mermaid action takes place under the sea, in the kingdom of Atlantica that is supposedly located in Denmark, where Hans Christian Andersen is from.

What Princess is the Disney castle based on?

Inspired by the castle in the Disney film Cinderella, this enchanting edifice is the symbol of Magic Kingdom park.

What is Prince Eric's backstory?

It's revealed early on in the film that Prince Eric was not born a prince. Instead, it turns out, he was rescued from a shipwreck (the one that killed his birth parents) and adopted by the island's Queen (played by Noma Dumezweni).

Where is Prince Eric's father?

It is explained through dialogue that Eric's father has passed away, and it is Grimsby's duty to help Eric find a bride, so he can return to the throne properly, despite Eric's affinity for exploring the seas.

Who killed Ursula in the original Little mermaid?

Ariel kills the Sea Witch at the end of the movie.

At the end of the 1989 animated film, Eric saves the day and kills Ursula. But in the new movie, Ariel is no longer the damsel in distress. She takes matters into her own hands and kills Ursula herself.

Why did Ursula hate Ariel?

Ariel makes this deal because she falls in love with Prince Eric and desires to be with him. Ursula specifically targets Ariel because she sees an opportunity to exploit her curiosity about the human world and her fascination with Prince Eric.

Is Ursula really Ariel's Aunt?

In the animated film, Ursula was a villain who enjoyed messing with people and getting what she wanted. In The Little Mermaid live-action, however, Ursula's backstory gets an adjustment — she is upgraded to Triton's sister and Ariel's aunt, making her revenge and motivations all the more sinister.

Did Ursula have a child?

Description. Meet Uma, fierce leader of the high seas, daughter of Ursula, the sea witch, and the newest villainess-in-training in Disney's Descendants 2!

Who is older Triton or Ursula?

Melissa McCarthy's version of Ursula is revealed to be King Triton's sister. The sea witch was banished and wanted power and revenge on her older brother, as well as his trident.

Did they make Scuttle a girl?

In The Little Mermaid remake, Scuttle plays a bigger role than in the original. Instead of Scuttle being a male seagull, Scuttle is a northern gannet which is a female seabird. This allowed Scuttle to be included in the underwater scenes which ends up being an important change from the original movie.

Why can't Belle leave the castle?

Belle's decision to stay in the Beast's castle in exchange for her father's life makes Belle a prisoner in the Beast's castle. She is not allowed to leave and thus must make the best of her new life.

What is Beast's castle called?

Well, allow me to clarify: Château de Chambord was the inspiration behind Prince Adam's/ Beast's enchanted castle in the film Beauty and the Beast. It's no surprise as for the reason; the spectacular building, commissioned in 1519 by Francis I, blends the best of French Renaissance and Medieval structures.

What town is Beauty and the Beast based off of?

The Beauty and the Beast, the village – Alsace

If you look into it, it's not hard to see that the Eastern region of Alsace with its many small rural towns with timber houses has been a huge inspiration for Disney.