Cinderella Castle Is Causing Problems in Magic Kingdom — But It's NOT Her Fault

When we think of the #1 must-do for a Disney World vacation, one very popular thing comes to mind…

…taking a photo in front of Cinderella Castle! It’s one of the most photographed spots in the world because SO many families snap pics here on their vacations. It’s the most iconic of all the park icons, so why wouldn’t you take a picture for posterity?! Well, those photos are causing some chaos in the park.

If you’ve ever been to Magic Kingdom in the morning, then you know that the crowds on Main Street, U.S.A., can get OVERWHELMING. It’s what you embark on as soon as you step into the park, and it’s a straight path to the castle and the rest of the park.

And as you step onto Main Street, you also get your first glimpse of the beloved Cinderella Castle in all her glory. After ooh-ing and ahh-ing, the first thing many people want to do is snap a picture of the park icon. Disney knows this, and thus, PhotoPass photographers are stationed all along Main Street, U.S.A. to take group and solo shots for your family.

Sage and JP at one of these PhotoPass spots

But the problem with that is that the PhotoPass photographers along the street can get looooong lines in the morning. And some people? They don’t want to wait the extra 10 minutes for a family photo, so they stop on the left and right sides of the street to take a selfie or have other people snap pics. This means we often end up with photo-grabbing crowds all the way across the street…and that makes the park harder to navigate.

We’ve been trapped by these crowds many times while visiting the park, and it can definitely slow you down if you’re trying to rope drop a ride or rush to a breakfast reservation. The frustrating thing is that these people don’t know that they’re actually getting one of the WORST versions of a Cinderella Castle picture — there are much better places to pose!

If you head further up Main Street, U.S.A. toward the castle, you’ll find more PhotoPass photographers in the hub area, many of whom will have much shorter lines and better angles of Cinderella Castle. We’re particularly partial to the shots you can get from the hub grass and from in front of the Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse “Partners” statue.

And if you want a photo with NO people in the background, try heading to one of the bridges on the left and right sides of the castle. There are often PhotoPass photographers in these locations, and they have some incredible angles with stunning scenery. Much better than the shot from Main Street with dozens of strangers in the background.