13 Destinations Where The Disney Princesses Actually Came From

Summary

• The Disney princess Raya, from Raya and the Last Dragon, is inspired by Southeast Asian cultures such as Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
• The upcoming animated film Wish features the princess Asha, who is of North African and South European descent, and the kingdom of Rosas is located in the Alboran Sea.
• Mirabel from Encanto is considered an unofficial Disney princess and is based in various locations in Colombia, such as Bogota, Cartagena, Barichara, and Salento.

While Cinderella Castle is the most famous spot in Disneyland — and it’s possible to spend a night in a suite in the castle, Disney’s magic can be found everywhere. Many of the settings brought to life through Disney animations may be fictional, but they are inspired by real places. So, when children ask where are the Disney Princesses from, parents can often give a real answer.

Finding Disney’s princess origins can be a fun activity for families when traveling, as they can discuss whether Sleeping Beauty comes from Germany or France. While the tales were initially based in European countries, later Disney brought stories based in South America and Asia.

While travelers might never be able to visit King Triton's underwater Kingdom or the sweeping land of Arendelle, they can check out these real-life destinations where all the Disney princesses came from. Keep reading to find out where they are!

UPDATE: 2023/11/05 22:03 EST BY REENA JAIN

More Destinations Where The Disney Princesses Actually Came From

Kids frequently inquire about Disney Princesses and their locations. Some of the questions they have are: Where does sleeping beauty take place? Where is Cinderella set? There are some real places to answer their queries. This list has been expanded to include two more such real places, as well as some useful information about all the places mentioned in the article.

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17 Raya, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia

Photo by Kim Eang Eng on Unsplash

The kingdom of Disney Princess Raya from Raya and the Last Dragon, Kumandra, was inspired by Southeast Asian cultures. The story unfolds the rich history and varied tales of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The film offers a rich and varied portrayal of the region's heritage and customs by incorporating elements of these countries' landscapes, structures, apparel, and folklore. Despite not being a physical location, Kumandra honors and symbolizes the richness and diversity of these countries.

• Raya and the Last Dragon: Raya's character is inspired by Southeast Asian cultures, particularly Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

16 Asha From Wish, North Africa, and South Europe

Credit: ---=XEON=---, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Asha, a 17-year-old princess from the Kingdom of Rosas, is the main character of Wish, an upcoming animated Disney film set to be released on November 22, 2023. The director of the film claims that the princess is of North African and South European descent. Additionally, South European and North African cultures have a strong influence on the costumes and architecture of the Kingdom of Rosas in the film. More specifically, the Kingdom of Rosas is situated on an island that lies south of the Iberian Peninsula. So, if Rosas existed, it would be somewhere in the Alboran Sea.

• Wish: Asha, the Disney princess in "Wish," is a fictional character of South European and North African descent.

15 Mirabel, Barichara, Cartagena and Salento (Colombia)

Photo by Alejandro Ortiz on Unsplash

Mirabel Madrigal can be considered an unofficial Disney Princess. While not part of a traditional royal family, the Madrigals hold an important position in their community, and Mirabel has all the qualities of a Disney princess. Many Colombian cities inspired Encanto, as Disney producers traveled to cities such as Bogota, Cartagena, Salento, and Barichada.

The Cocora Valley’s rolling terrain inspired the Madrigal’s house location, while the cobbled-stone streets, colonial architecture, and bougainvillea found in Barichara were recreated in the movie.

• Encanto: Mirabel, the unofficial Disney princess, is from Colombia in Encanto.

14 Anastasia, St. Petersburg (Russia)

Photo, by Yash Bhargava on Unsplash

Anastasia was originally produced by 20th Century Fox, which Disney acquired years later. The story was inspired by the legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, who reportedly wasn’t executed along with her family. The movie starts showing the magnificence of Russia’s palace and reproduces St. Petersburg during the winter.

Anastasia starts in St. Petersburg, Russia when the Romanov family celebrates 300 years of ruling the country. Yet, most of the movie is set in Paris and follows Anastasia’s journey to find her grandmother.

• Anastasia: Russia is the country associated with Anastasia.

13 Aurora From Sleeping Beauty, France

Credit: Photo by: Guillaume Flament, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Disney's Sleeping Beauty doesn't expressly state that it's set in France; however, there are several clues throughout that allude to that fact, including the playing of the French national anthem and the presence of the French symbol fleur-de-lis. So, it's reasonable to assume that Princess Aurora comes from France.

Although there are plenty of French castles from the Medieval era that travelers can visit, including the Château De Chambord and Château De Haut-Koenigsbourg, they aren't related to the famous fairytale. However, Disney used the Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany, as an inspiration to create the famous Sleeping Beauty castle.

• Sleeping Beauty: Aurora, Disney's Sleeping Beauty, is based on France's culture.

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12 Mulan From Mulan, China

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

While it's debated whether Mulan ever really existed, we do know for a fact that the Disney version of the character comes from China. The film is set in the country's north during the Sui dynasty when the population was under attack from the invading Huns. Mulan also features a couple of famous Chinese landmarks.

Disney fans and non-Disney fans flock to the Great Wall when visiting China. Not only was this featured in the movie, but it's one of the most impressive manmade landmarks on the planet.

• Mulan: China is the origin of the Mulan Disney character.

11 Cinderella, France

Photo by Adrien Tutin na Unsplash

It's common knowledge that Cinderella is another Disney princess from France. We can tell from the château, where she lives with her stepmother and stepsisters before marrying the prince. Also, the film is adapted from the classic tale written by Frenchman Charles Perrault.

Perrault is also responsible for several other fairy tales popular today, some of which have also been turned into classic animations by Disney. He is credited with writing Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood, Little Tom Thumb, and a later version of Sleeping Beauty.

• Cinderella: Cinderella's story has origin in France.

RELATED: Disney: 10 Things To Know About Bavaria's Neuschwanstein Castle Before Going

10 Snow White, Germany

Photo by Max Böttinger on Unsplash

Most experts agree that Snow White comes from Germany, a classic story from the Brothers Grimm. In the original German tale, the evil Queen, Snow White's stepmother, is actually named Queen Grimhilde, giving away the story's German heritage. There are several differences between the Disney version and the original tale, so it's worth reading the original just to be surprised.

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Interestingly, travelers visiting Germany can see the real magic mirror at the local Spessart Museum. It's also possible to retrace the steps of Snow White, reportedly inspired by Maria Sophia Margaretha Catharina von Erthal.

• Snow White: Germany is the supposed origin of Snow White's fairy tale.

9 Merida, Scotland

Photo by Jörg Angeli on Unsplash

If there's one Disney princess who is very proud of where she comes from, it's Merida. The red-haired character is quite different from most other Disney princesses living in medieval Scotland. She's not looking for a prince, shoots her own arrows, and cares more about her relationship with her mom than boys.

Scotland is an excellent destination for travelers interested in seeing medieval castles, just like the one we see in Brave. The scenery in the movie is also dramatic, misty, and green. Visit the Scottish Highlands, and you'll see it for real!

• Brave: Scotland is considered the origin of Disney's Princess Merida.

8 Pocahontas, Virginia

Photo by lorimcm na Unsplash

Unlike other Disney characters, Pocahontas was a real person. She came from the Tidewater region of Virginia and is now associated with the colonial settlement at Jamestown. The village she was born in no longer exists but was located in Gloucester County. Although she came from Virginia, she was buried in England, in the ancient town of Gravesend.

Pocahontas may have been an actual figure, but the character we see in the Disney movie leads a very different life from her historical counterpart. Let's just say her story was Disney-fied to have a happy ending!

• Pocahontas: Pocahontas originates from Virginia, the United States.