Surprising Disney Spelling Mistakes Even the Biggest Fans Make

Disney’s unique magic extends beyond the parks and films, even into language. From reimagining words to creating exclusive terminology, Disney often breaks from conventional grammar rules, leaving even seasoned fans confused.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common “Disneyisms” and grammar quirks that fans and park visitors often miss.

The Castles

One of the biggest mistakes Disney fans make is adding an apostrophe where it doesn’t belong—specifically with Disney Castles. It’s Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, not “Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.” Similarly, at Walt Disney World, it’s Cinderella Castle, not “Cinderella’s Castle.” The same goes for locations like The Pinocchio Village Haus and Tom Sawyer Island—no apostrophe “s.”

However, Davy Crockett’s Canoes does get the apostrophe, so be mindful of these small distinctions when referring to these beloved landmarks.

Common Character Name Misspellings

Even the most well-known Disney characters can fall victim to common misspellings. Here are a few that fans often get wrong:

• Tinker Bell – People often spell it as “Tinkerbell” or “Tinker Belle,” but the correct spelling is Tinker Bell (two words, no “e” at the end).
• Belle – The heroine from Beauty and the Beast sometimes gets her name spelled as “Bell,” but it’s simply Belle.
• Winnie the Pooh – A classic example of a name that’s often misspelled as “Winnie the Poo.” Make sure to keep that extra “h” in Pooh!
• Pumbaa – One of the most beloved characters from The Lion King, but his name is often written as “Pumba.” The correct spelling is Pumbaa, with two a’s at the end.
• Ariel – The mermaid princess from The Little Mermaid is frequently misspelled as “Arielle.” It’s Ariel, no extra letters needed.
• Pocahontas – There’s no shortage of creative misspellings here, such as “Pocohontus” or “Pocohantas.” The correct spelling is Pocahontas.

Even newer characters fall victim to this, such as Isabela from Encanto, whose name is often mistakenly written as “Isabella.” Keep these in mind next time you write about your favorite Disney characters!

‘Land’ Usage

The use of “land” at Disney Parks can also trip up even the most careful writer. At Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom Park, lands like Fantasyland, Adventureland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland are all compound words—no spaces in between. Meanwhile, Disney California Adventure Park has Hollywood Land and Cars Land, which are written as two separate words.

This inconsistency can cause confusion, but it’s important to remember that Disneyland and Walt Disney World follow their own rules, so terms like Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios remain separate words.

U.S.A. Locations

You’ll also want to be cautious about punctuation when referring to Main Street, U.S.A. Unlike DinoLand U.S.A., which forgoes a comma, Main Street, U.S.A. always includes a comma before U.S.A. This might seem like a small detail, but it’s part of Disney’s official naming conventions and essential for correct usage.

Attraction Name Errors

Attraction names are often shortened or misused in conversation, but the full names can be lengthy and intricate. Here are a few:

• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover – Often called “The People Mover,” but its full title is Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Many shorten this to “Thunder Mountain,” but remember the full name is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
• “it’s a small world” – The correct format includes lowercase letters and quotation marks: “it’s a small world”.
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic – Be careful with capitalization here; it’s Mickey’s PhilharMagic (not “PhilHarmagic” or “Philharmagic”).
• Fantasmic! – Don’t forget the exclamation point at the end of Fantasmic!.
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – Most people shorten it to Expedition Everest, but the full title includes the subtitle.

These attractions deserve their proper titles, especially when writing or talking about them with fellow Disney fans!

House, Haus, or Hus?

Another common grammar challenge is dealing with foreign terms or themed names at Disney. For example, The Pinocchio Village Haus is often mistakenly written as “Pinocchio’s Village Haus” or “Pinocchio Village House.” Likewise, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in EPCOT’s Norway Pavilion is frequently misspelled as “Akershouse” or “Akers House.” Don’t forget to use the correct foreign spelling—haus for Pinocchio and hus for Akershus.

Even Royal Sommerhus in EPCOT falls prey to misspellings, such as “summerhus” or “summerhaus,” but the correct spelling is Sommerhus. Similarly, Sommerfest in the Germany Pavilion follows the same rules. Be mindful of these foreign words in your Disney vocabulary.

Restaurant Name Mistakes

Some of Disney’s top dining locations have names that are often misspelled or mixed up. For instance, Cítricos in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is sometimes written as “Citrico’s” (with an extra apostrophe s), and Narcoossee’s is occasionally spelled as “Narcoossee” without the apostrophe. If you want to impress fellow Disney fans, make sure you’re getting these names right.

When Magic Isn’t Magical

Lastly, let’s talk about the word “magic.” Disney often opts to use the word “magic” as a noun rather than the adjective “magical.” This is why we have Magic Kingdom Park, not “Magical Kingdom.” It might seem more intuitive to say “magical,” but Magic is the Disney-preferred term. This extends to MagicBands, too—it’s not “Magical Bands” or “Magic Band,” but rather MagicBands (one word, capitalized).

Conclusion

Navigating Disney’s grammar rules might seem tricky, but it’s part of what makes the Disney experience unique. From character names to attractions and even themed lands, Disney’s approach to language reflects their creativity and attention to detail.

By keeping these rules and quirks in mind, you can ensure you’re speaking (and writing) like a true Disney fan!