Walt Disney Pictures Logo 1985-2006

Cinderella’s castle debuted in the Disney logo in 1985 and, just like the updated font, would stick around for the long term. It sat above the main “Walt Disney” wordmark and would be a chief part of the animated design as well, where an arch would create a half-circle behind it.

It was a simple design that was separated by horizontal lines that ran through its silhouette and was framed by a single black line arch. For this logo version, Disney’s designers opted to make the “Pictures” wordmark larger than the logos that were released in prior years. This castle was also a strategic decision to help the greater Disney brand because one look at the castle, and most of us associate it with the castle that stands in Magic Kingdom.

Disney’s logo is unique to the brand and something no other company can replicate. That’s because the logo is not only trademarked but also in Walt’s handwriting.

The swooping curves are playful and creative, evoking a child-like sensibility and charm. A modern font representation of the brand has been created, and many others play off it for humorous pop culture references.