25 Real Places That Inspired Disney Movies

A list of real life locations that inspired Disney animated movies, places that you can actually visit without taking a magic carpet ride. Because who doesn’t wish life could be more like a Disney movie, just without the whole Evil Queen thing? For anyone who grew up watching animated movies, the very mention of Disney conjures up tales of sweeping romance and adventure in fantastic settings.

As it turns out, not every fairy tale landscape that your favorite Disney characters frolicked through was invented purely by some animator at Disney Studios. You may be surprised to find that many of the stunning settings and imaginative landscapes in Disney movies were inspired by real life places to which you can actually travel. Yes, even some of the castles.

These real settings span the globe, but some Disney movie locations may even be based on locations you’ve driven past before. Many people assume that the Fairy Tale Houses scattered all over the Los Feliz neighborhood in Los Angeles are based on the Seven Dwarfs' house in Snow White, but it’s actually the other way around!

Bask in nostalgia and maybe even plan your next vacation with these unique real life places that served as the basis for iconic Disney buildings and landscapes.