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If you are a Disney fan looking for new destinations to visit, today is your lucky day! To celebrate 100 years, The Walt Disney Company has shared secret locations that inspired 30 iconic Disney movies that range from animated The Little Mermaid to Avengers.

Down below, you will find 30 images comparing side-by-side the inspirational real-life pictures with the adaptations to see the resemblance. The locations are spread throughout 13 countries across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

So, without further ado, we invite you to explore these locations and create a travel wish list while you are at it!

More info: Instagram | Facebook | Instagram

#1

Sleeping Beauty Castle At Disneyland

Castle from the Sleeping Beauty at Disneyland vs it's inspiration Neuschwanstein castle, Germany

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To learn more about this announcement from the perspective of a Disney fan, Bored Panda reached out to Brina, a personal blogger who shares all her adventures regarding Disney, travel, and magic on her Instagram account brina_and_the_wonderland.

First of all, we were curious about the inspiration behind Brina’s Disney-inspired account. She shared: “I know not everyone understands this passion. But for me, there are so many emotions behind Disney and especially behind the parks. So, I put this passion into my Instagram account.

If you love Disney, besides being familiar with all of their iconic movies, you must have been to at least one of the amusement parks. In the case of Brina, she shared how many parks she has visited and which was her favorite.

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“I have actually been to all the Disney parks worldwide. My home park is Paris, and my favorite is Hong Kong. This may surprise some, but I evaluate everything on such a trip... Price, performance, arrival, booking, and, of course, the experiences on site. In Hong Kong, everything has fit, small but perfect."

#4

Luca (2021)

Setting from the movie Luca vs it's inspiration Cinque Terre, Italy

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HF
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the real village is Vernazza, which is one of the five villages in Cinque Terre

#5

Brave (2012)

Setting from the movie Brave vs it's inspiration Calanais standing stones, Scotland, UK

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LokisLilButterknife
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are a wonderful site to see and it is really powerful to be able to walk between the stones and place your hands on them. The Calanais standing stones predate Stonehenge. If you are visiting the Isle of Lewis I also recommend Lews Castle, the Gearanna Blackhouse Village, and Rubha Rohanais (Butt of Lewis).

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We asked Brina to share what is her favorite Disney movie within this list and why. Brina responded: “From the list, it is Beauty and the Beast. I still find this movie so beautiful and emotional after all these years.”

We were wondering if any of these locations got Brina's interest in visiting them.

“In general, I find all the locations impressive. I love to travel and if you can find a bit of Disney there, it’s even more impressive for me. From the list it is Neuschwanstein Castle, even though I live in Germany, I have unfortunately never made it there,” shared Brina.

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#7

The Little Mermaid (1989)

Castle from the movie The Little Mermaid 1989 vs it's inspiration in Dubrovnik, Croatia

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Fred L.
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dubrovnik also was a filming location for King's Landing in Game of Thrones.

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And lastly, Brina added: “I think we should all listen to our inner child more often and not always take everything so seriously. 100 years of Disney means 100 years of magic for big and small.”

#8

Winnie The Pooh (2011)

Setting from the movie Winnie The Pooh vs it's inspiration Ashdown forest, UK

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Huddo's sister
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We used to play 'pooh sticks' on a bridge like this every time we went to our caravan

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#9

Alice In Wonderland (1951)

Setting from the movie Alice In Wonderland vs it's inspiration Great Fosters, UK

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#10

The Lion King (1994)

Setting from the movie The Lion King vs it's inspiration Masai Mara, Kenya

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RamiRudolph
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who would've guessed that the Lion King was inspired by Africa? Incredible...

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#11

Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

Setting from the movie Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015) vs it's inspiration Forte Di Bard, Italy

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#12

Star Wars: Force Awakens (2015)

Setting from the movie Star Wars: Force Awakens (2015) vs it's inspiration Skellig Michael, Ireland

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Mariele Scherzinger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not an "inspiration", this is the actual place where the scenes were shot (Luke Skywalker's exile).

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#13

Ratatouille (2007)

Setting from the movie Ratatouille vs it's inspiration Le Train Bleu, France

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Jojo_hobkin
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Funny thing is, as the name suggest, this two michelin star restaurant is located in a train station.

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#15

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1996)

Setting from the movie The Hunchback Of Notre Dame vs it's inspiration Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, France

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#16

Frozen (2013)

Setting from the Frozen (2013) vs it's inspiration Akershus Fortress, Norway

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#17

Peter Pan (1953)

Setting from the movie Peter Pan (1953) vs it's inspiration Big Ben, London, UK

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#18

Mary Poppins (1964)

Setting from the movie Mary Poppins (1964) vs it's inspiration St. Paul's Cathedral, London, UK

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#19

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny (2023)

Setting from the movie Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny (2023) vs it's inspiration Ear of Dionysius, Sicily, Italy

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AltBren
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This list should probably say 'inspiration or filming location"!

#20

Aladdin (2019)

Setting from the movie Aladdin (2019) vs it's inspiration Wadi Rum, Jordan

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RamiRudolph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So a movie located in the desert was inspired by... the desert? What a surprise.

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#21

Hercules (1997)

Setting from the movie Hercules vs it's inspiration Mount Olympus, Greece

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AltBren
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another pointless 1.. so mount Olympus was inspired by mount Olympus. Who'd have thought.

#22

One Hundred And One Dalmatians (1961)

Setting from the One Hundred And One Dalmatians (1961) vs it's inspiration The Regent's Park, London, UK

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#23

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Castle from the Sleeping Beauty (1959) vs it's inspiration Chateau De Saumur, France

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The Original Bruno
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

... with definite shades of Neuschweiansdhetschetshein mixed in. (Did I spell that correctly?)

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#25

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Setting from the movie Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937) vs it's inspiration The Black Forrest, Germany

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RamiRudolph
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Doesn't look the same at all. Where are the frolicking animals?

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#26

Beauty And The Beast (1991)

Castle from the Beauty And The Beast (1991) vs it's inspiration Chateau de Chambord, France

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Mariele Scherzinger
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The architectural style is similar, but the structures don't look remotely alike.

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#27

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Setting from the movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) vs it's inspiration Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Iceland

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Elsker
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they don't appear that similar imo, but i DEFINITELY have to update my bucketlist to include visiting Iceland <3

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#28

Black Panther (2018)

Setting from the movie Black Panther (2018) vs it's inspiration Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, South Africa

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Cee Grant
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Does anybody at Disney even remotely confirm these supposed inspiration locations? Or, even, filming locations?

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#29

Black Widow (2021)

Setting from the movie Black Widow (2021) vs it's inspiration Budapest, Hungary

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RamiRudolph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again, not inspired, since Budapest is a real location. It was just the shooting location, nothing more.

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#30

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Setting from the movie Captain America: Civil War (2016) vs it's inspiration Leipzig/Halle, Airport, Germany

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Mariele Scherzinger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are you kidding???? A small random airport was the inspiration for an airport shooting location?

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