How many people REALLY stay in the Cinderella Suite?

FettFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It would have to be enough to justify not turning the space into a CM dressing room or a storage area.

Wouldn't surprise me if the thing stays booked 365 days a year (minus Coro19) from friends and family of Disney board members, or other VIPs (corporate sponsors, celebrities, etc.)
 

Rosanne

Active Member
I have heard they have a lottery system for staying there. You apply and they pick. I would imagine they must get hundreds of thousands of requests. It would be awesome to watch the fireworks from that room. And a very special Honeymoon for a lucky couple.
 

The Pho

Well-Known Member
Cinderella Castle Suite is used for VIP, Charity and special giveaways. There isn't a lottery or anything available to the general public.
Omaze does a public raffle for the castle suite fairly often.
 

Pepper's Ghost

Well-Known Member
My understanding (probably incorrect) is that you can't rent the room. They will not accept a payment, no matter the amount, for a stay in the room. You have to be Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, or someone else of that level of celebrity. I have heard of charities that have given a stay in the room away, perhaps a raffle that benefits a charity or something like that. I believe Disney will not allow Joe Schmoe, CEO of Vandelay Industries, to purchase a stay in the room for any price.
 

donsullivan

Premium Member
My understanding (probably incorrect) is that you can't rent the room. They will not accept a payment, no matter the amount, for a stay in the room. You have to be Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, or someone else of that level of celebrity. I have heard of charities that have given a stay in the room away, perhaps a raffle that benefits a charity or something like that. I believe Disney will not allow Joe Schmoe, CEO of Vandelay Industries, to purchase a stay in the room for any price.

The way it was described to me by Disney is they cannot legally rent the room to anyone at any price. The building and it's associated access do not meet the zoning requirements needed for a place of lodging and modifying it as such isn't going to happen. As a result it can only be made available as a 'gift' to the nightly guest.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
The way it was described to me by Disney is they cannot legally rent the room to anyone at any price. The building and it's associated access do not meet the zoning requirements needed for a place of lodging and modifying it as such isn't going to happen. As a result it can only be made available as a 'gift' to the nightly guest.
Zoning inside Walt Disney World is controlled by the Reedy Creek Improvement District and almost anywhere zoning variances are typically easy to acquire. Occupancy type under the EPCOT Building Code, Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code are defined by use, not a financial transaction. The castle is likely an Assembly occupancy which would generally be more restrictive than a Residential occupancy. Any changes to the occupancy type of the building had to occur beforehand to build the suite.
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member

thomas998

Well-Known Member
Zoning inside Walt Disney World is controlled by the Reedy Creek Improvement District and almost anywhere zoning variances are typically easy to acquire. Occupancy type under the EPCOT Building Code, Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code are defined by use, not a financial transaction. The castle is likely an Assembly occupancy which would generally be more restrictive than a Residential occupancy. Any changes to the occupancy type of the building had to occur beforehand to build the suite.
It wouldn't only be a matter of zoning which would be local laws. The biggest hurdle would likely be the federal laws, with the ADA any transformation of it into a place of commercial living would trigger all sorts of required changes that would have been cost prohibitive. If you suddenly decided to make it into a hotel room it would need a certain level of access that would probably been insanely expensive to implement.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
It wouldn't only be a matter of zoning which would be local laws. The biggest hurdle would likely be the federal laws, with the ADA any transformation of it into a place of commercial living would trigger all sorts of required changes that would have been cost prohibitive. If you suddenly decided to make it into a hotel room it would need a certain level of access that would probably been insanely expensive to implement.
The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are adopted locally as part of the EPCOT Accessibility Code and the Florida Building Code - Accessibility. Accessibility regulations include exemptions for existing structures based on difficulty and/or cost. And again, these accessibility requirements are based on use and not a financial transaction. The room exists, so it meets applicable codes and regulations as a built space.
 

thomas998

Well-Known Member
The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are adopted locally as part of the EPCOT Accessibility Code and the Florida Building Code - Accessibility. Accessibility regulations include exemptions for existing structures based on difficulty and/or cost. And again, these accessibility requirements are based on use and not a financial transaction. The room exists, so it meets applicable codes and regulations as a built space.
To begin with the ADA was passed in 1990, the suite in the castle was also completed prior to 2010... so I'm not sure why you bring up the 2010 ADA standards that were adopted for a different park, what does that have to do with the castle?

And yes exemptions have always existed for the ADA for anything that was in existence prior to a new ADA rule. In general it just means that when a new standard for meeting the ADA comes into being that you don't have to meet it until such time that you start making modifications to your existing place or business... that's a typical grandfather clause for most building codes and rules.

I'm sure the suite meets the rules that were in place when it was completed... but if it wasn't designed as a hotel room, which it wasn't when it was completed then it wouldn't need to meet any of the new regulations for a hotel room today unless Disney were to turn it into a hotel room which they will not do since doing so would require them to meet the current rules.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
To begin with the ADA was passed in 1990, the suite in the castle was also completed prior to 2010... so I'm not sure why you bring up the 2010 ADA standards that were adopted for a different park, what does that have to do with the castle?

And yes exemptions have always existed for the ADA for anything that was in existence prior to a new ADA rule. In general it just means that when a new standard for meeting the ADA comes into being that you don't have to meet it until such time that you start making modifications to your existing place or business... that's a typical grandfather clause for most building codes and rules.

I'm sure the suite meets the rules that were in place when it was completed... but if it wasn't designed as a hotel room, which it wasn't when it was completed then it wouldn't need to meet any of the new regulations for a hotel room today unless Disney were to turn it into a hotel room which they will not do since doing so would require them to meet the current rules.
I had the date wrong, but the ADA Standards for Accessible Design are the design requirements that are adopted by local building codes. The ADA design requirements applied to the suite when it was built. The ADA is a non-issue.

Again, for the third time, a built space is defined by its use and not a financial transaction. It was built for transient guests and the transient nature of its users is what drives the requirements for the space. The EPCOT Building Code defines a hotel as a “Building having facilities accommodating four or more transient guests with rooms intended or designed to be rented or used for sleeping.” Even if you argue it down to a lodging house, you’re just moving from a Residential R-1 occupancy to an R-2 occupancy, which is not going to be a radical change or changed by consistently offering the room. It is most definitely not a permanent residence, so it will not qualify as an R-3. There is nothing else for it to be considered. It’s not an Assembly space, but the other areas of the building likely impose more restrictive Assembly requirements. It’s also not an Amusement Ride Structure, Commercial Business, Detention and Hospitalization, Educational, Hazardous, Industrial or Satellite Structure. There is nothing else for it to be classified as being.
 

rreading

Well-Known Member
I do wonder what the answer to the OP's question is. 10/yr? 10/month? I understand that it's definitely not configured appropriately to be a hotel room (I've heard that you're "locked in" for the night since clearly wandering after hours would not be allowed though there must be a way out in case of fire?)
 

Uncle Scrooge

New Member
Last time I visited WDW was during the elongated Year of a Million Dreams (summer 2008) and you could win a stay in the Castle as a spot prize, simply by being picked at random - The best I managed was a fastpass lanyard which had a FP for all FP rides in that park so you could ride with virtually no wait times.

 

Driver

Well-Known Member
There is in fact a " lottery" system available to CM's only. If you win you are allowed up to six guest. The CM must be in attendance for the stay. As you can imagine many apply, few are chosen. Also it is offered on a limited basis. I have signed up for years in hopes of being chosen. I know of one CM friend that won it. She said it was a wonderful experience, having dinner in the grand room overlooking the carousel and enjoying the fireworks. In the past celebrities were allowed to stay there however this has been stopped for some time now. CM's only! If I win someday I'll let you know, anyone interested?
 

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
I don't know why anyone would want to stay? I have looked at YouTube videos and it's very dark and depressing. And I bet they have cameras all up in through there.
 

Driver

Well-Known Member
I don't know why anyone would want to stay? I have looked at YouTube videos and it's very dark and depressing. And I bet they have cameras all up in through there.
Hmmm I don't know what videos you saw but all the pictures we have backstage are remarkable! It's very well appointed. The rooms are beautiful. But everyone has their opinion, and that's ok.
 

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