Disney is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a list of 30 landmarks across Europe, Middle East and Africa that have inspired its most beloved films including Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, The Walt Disney Company has opened its vaults to reveal a list of 30 locations across Europe, Middle East and Africa that have inspired its movies, parks and fan’s hearts over the last century. From Big Ben in London to the colourful province of Cinque Terre in Italy, the list of landmarks covers 13 countries and showcases the spots that have inspired some of Disney’s most famous stories.
1. Cruella (2021) / Liberty London
2. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)/ Regent’s Park, London
3. Peter Pan (1953) / Big Ben, London
4. Mary Poppins (1964) / St Paul’s Cathedral, London
5. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) / Skellig Michael, Ireland
6. Avengers: Endgame (2019) / St. Abbs Village, Berwickshire, Scotland
7. Winnie the Pooh (2011) / Ashdown Forest (Hundred Acre Wood), UK
8. Brave (2012)/ Calanais Standing Stones, Stornoway, Scotland
9. Alice in Wonderland (1951)/ Great Fosters, UK
10. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) / Notre Dame Cathedral, France
11. Ratatouille (2007) / Le Train Bleu, France
12. Tangled (2010) / Mont Saint-Michel, France
13. Beauty and the Beast (1991) / Chateau de Chambord, France
14. Sleeping Beauty (1959) / Château de Saumur, France
15. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) / Alcázar de Segovia, Spain
16. The Little Mermaid (1989) / Dubrovnik, Croatia
17. Black Panther (2018) / Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, South Africa
18. The Lion King (1994) / Masai Mara, Kenya
19. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) / The Black Forest, Germany
20. Pinocchio (1940)/ Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
21. Sleeping Beauty castle at Disneyland, USA / Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
22. Captain America: Civil War (2016) / Leipzig/ Halle Airport, Germany
23. Black Widow (2021) / Budapest, Hungary
24. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) / Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Iceland
25. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) / Forte di Bard, Italy
26. Disney and Pixar’s Luca (2021) / Cinque Terre, Italy
27. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) / Ear of Dionysius, Sicily, Italy
28. Hercules (1997)/ Mount Olympus, Greece
29. Frozen (2013) / Akershus Fortress, Norway
30. Aladdin (2019)/ Wadi Rum, JordanAs part of the celebrations, Disney has also recreated famous scenes from its 100-year history with exclusive photography, including locations such as Great Fosters, England where its topiary maze was said to have inspired a memorable scene in Alice in Wonderland.
Exclusive research, commissioned by The Walt Disney Company, found that when the nation was asked which locations in the UK they would like to see featured in future Disney films, the Lake District topped the list (14%), followed by Loch Ness (10%) and Edinburgh Castle (10%) in Scotland. The research also found that almost half of Brits would love to use a Disney location for a once-in-a-lifetime moment, with four in ten (41%) 16 – 44-year-olds saying they would select their dream wedding destination based on castles and locations that inspired Disney’s stories.
The research also found that two in five (42%) Brits are actually completely unaware that many Disney films and park attractions are based on real world locations. Indeed, three quarters (75%) of Brits were unaware that the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, with its fairy-tale architecture and picturesque setting, influenced the design for Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in California, USA. Elsewhere, less than 10% of Brits were aware that St. Abbs Village in Berwickshire, Scotland, was the location for the home of Thor in Marvel’s smash hit 2019 movie, Avengers: Endgame.
Elsewhere, the research showed the nation’s top three most memorable Disney film scenes include the iconic Lady and the Trampmoment where a plate of spaghetti is shared in a demure restaurant (16%), the magical scene in Mary Poppins as she flies out of London with her umbrella (14%), and the musical march of ‘Heigh Ho’ from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (14%).
Rebecca Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives, said: “Towards the end of his life, Walt Disney was honoured as the “Showman of the World”. It was a very apt honour, as he was fascinated and inspired by everything he experienced and saw, no matter where it was. As he once said himself, “Always, as you travel, assimilate the sounds and sights of the world.” And we have all benefited from his love of cultures the world over.”
Joining the Alice in Wonderland celebratory images are pictures shot at St Paul’s Cathedral, an iconic building featuring several times in Mary Poppins, the Calanais Standing Stones, Scotland, which inspired Pixar’s Brave movie, and a One Hundred and One Dalmatians animation inspired image.
Encouraging fans to join in its celebration, Disney is offering one lucky winner a once in a lifetime photoshoot with photographer, Linda Blacker, who will transform them to look like one of their favourite Disney characters. Fans gain a chance to win by recreating their own favourite Disney scene or moment in the most creative way possible and uploading the photo with the hashtag #Disney100TheLandmarks to Instagram, or through Disney UK’s Facebook page.
See full T&C’s on Disney UK’s Instagram @DisneyUK or Facebook page.
Star Wars and Indiana Jones Locations: –
UK and Ireland
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) / Skellig Michael, Ireland
Skellig Michael, located off the coast of Ireland, served as a filming location for this recent Star Wars blockbuster. The island’s isolation from the rest of Ireland, its unique landscape from the steep cliffs and its ancient monastery, served as inspiration for Star Wars: The Force Awakens where Luke lives in exile. Skellig Michael served as a monastic settlement for nearly 600 years, with the monks living a secluded and ascetic life. This secluded lifestyle has parallels to the Jedi Order, which is similarly isolated and contemplative.
Iceland
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) / Reynisbara Black Sand Beach, Iceland
Reynissara Black Beach is a real-world location in Iceland known for its striking black sand and dramatic rock formations. Aerial shots of this beach were utilized along with the black beach at Hjörleifshöfdi, and can be found at the beginning of the film.
Italy
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) / Ear of Dionysius, Sicily, Italy
In the 2023 film, Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny Ear of Dionysius was utilized as a filming location. The Ear of Dionysius, also known as “Orecchio di Dionisio” in Italian, is a famous limestone cave located in the Archaeological Park of Neapolis in Syracuse, Sicily, Italy. It is named after Dionysius I, an ancient Greek tyrant of Syracuse. The Ear of Dionysius is renowned for its remarkable acoustics. The cave has a unique shape, resembling a human ear, with a narrow entrance that opens up into a large chamber.
