Fact check: Is Disney World’s Cinderella Castle burned to the ground? Viral article debunked

Cinderella Castle is the symbol of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and the entire resort. However, according to a recent report by Mouse Trap News, the castle caught fire on Friday night, February 23, 2024, and was destroyed.

The initial Instagram publication of the article was made by the same source. It had posted a video of Cinderella Castle at Disney World catching fire.

The moment the video was uploaded, it quickly gained popularity on social media. As per Times Now, it was stated by Mouse Trap News that early on Friday, the castle caught fire and "sent smoke pouring throughout the Magic Kingdom." However, authorities have not released a statement regarding any fire incidents.

Mouse Trap News touts itself as a "satire news" website, which is what sites like Times Now have claimed while tracking all the facts and stories.

Therefore, the castle fire story is a hoax, according to the same source. Disney World’s Cinderella Castle isn't burned to the ground.

---

No, Disney World’s Cinderella Castle isn’t burned to the ground

The rumor of Disney World’s Cinderella Castle being burned down is false (Images via Pexels/Leah Newhouse and juan mendez)

One of Disney's most famous landmarks, Cinderella Castle, rises to a height of 189 feet and is distinguished by its façade, spires, and turrets that combine several architectural styles. The park debuted in 1971, and the iconic building has been there ever since.

However, a viral video that appeared to be showing smoke rising from the castle made Disney fans very uneasy and gave many people the impression that the castle had burned down.

It has been established that the satirical website, Mouse Trap News, was responsible for fabricating the news. The false information then quickly went viral on the internet.

Mouse Trap News was the first to post the news on Instagram. However, if read further into their narrative, one can understand that they playfully claim that although Disney intended to move the castle, fans resisted, so they purposefully lit it on fire to dismantle it and replace it with a Spirit Halloween or Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated store.

Regarding the alleged "fire," Mouse Trap News also shared information on the original website. Nevertheless, several people have debunked the rumor and marked the report as untrue in the comments section.

As per Times Now, it is very evident from the website's bio that it is "the world's best satire and parody site." It further reads:

"We write fake stories about Disney Parks stuff. From Disney Park announcements to Disney Hotel and resort news to made-up Disney partnerships, you can be assured that anything you read here is not true, real, or accurate, but it is fun."

Furthermore, to make the story more believable, Mouse Trap News also uploaded the same on their website. The story reads:

“It took nearly an hour for firefighters to respond and start battling the flames. However, by that time it was too late. Cinderella Castle was already fully engulfed in flames.”

It further said:

“They did everything they could to save the castle and prevent as much damage as possible. However, the castle ended up burning to the ground and is unsalvagable.”

It continued:

“A lot of people are speculating that Disney intentionally started this fire. That would allow them to burn Cinderella Castle down, but make it look like an accident. In fact, this is the most promising and likely theory."

The source concluded:

"Disney has long wanted to get rid of Cinderella Castle and replace it with something more iconic and profitable like Spirit Halloween, Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated, or Elsa’s Castle.”

However, shortly after this, the news was refuted by sources like Times Now. Many people on social media and workers at Disney World also disputed the false information, pointing out how unreliable the source was.