Credit: DisneyStitch is back!
Related: Disney Sues YouTube, Accuses Competitor of Poaching Executive
This year is a big one for Disney, primarily for the company’s theme parks, which are set to receive some of their largest and most extensive upgrades ever.
Magic Kingdom, for example, is set to get its own area inspired by Pixar’s Cars franchise. This project will require the closure of Tom Sawyer Island and Magic Kingdom’s man-made waterways, the Rivers of America.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is also set to change in big ways soon, with the park’s Muppet*Vision 3D attraction closing permanently this summer. To replace this area, Hollywood Studios will be getting its own Pixar-inspired land, one based on Monsters Inc.
While fans are excited for the future, many have also been critical of Disney’s plans. Disney has faced intense backlash over its decision to close Muppet*Vision 3D, a fan-favorite attraction that Muppets creator Jim Henson himself helmed.
This year is a big one for Disney outside of the theme parks, too, with the company releasing several high-profile feature films in cinemas. This summer sees Disney drop its highly anticipated Lilo & Stitch live-action remake, a film that is destined to dominate the summer box office. In celebration of Lilo & Stitch‘s release, Disney has once again used Magic Kingdom’s iconic castle to promote Stitch.
Related: After Meeting With Trump, Bob Iger Tells Marvel To Get Politics Out of Its Movies
The official Walt Disney World Twitter/X account shared a video Friday morning celebrating the release of the new live-action Lilo & Stitch. The video shows Stitch once again wrapping toilet paper around the elegant castle, a callback to the time when the real Cinderella Castle was covered in bathroom tissue.
Caught in the act of almost turning the iconic Cinderella Castle into a roll of chaos. Don’t miss this troublemaker in #LiloAndStitch, now in theaters
Caught in the act of almost turning the iconic Cinderella Castle into a roll of chaos 😉🧻 Don’t miss this troublemaker in #LiloAndStitch, now in theaters! 🌺 pic.twitter.com/Shn5f43TQP
— Walt Disney World (@WaltDisneyWorld) May 23, 2025
Related: Calls for Disney To Change “Rough and Painful” Ride
On November 16, 2004, guests walking into the Magic Kingdom were greeted with a TP-covered castle, which was done as a fun way to promote the opening of Stitch’s now-defunct Magic Kingdom attraction, Stitch’s Great Escape.
The castle’s appearance in the new video seems to be directly lifted from/inspired by the time Stitch actually wrapped Cinderella Castle in toilet paper, even featuring the graffiti on the left-hand side. This original stunt was incredibly controversial, with fans criticizing Disney over the decision to deface Cinderella Castle, which for many is the highlight of a trip to the Magic Kingdom.
This was hardly the first time Disney had given its castles a makeover. In 1996, the company celebrated Magic Kingdom’s 25th anniversary by turning the castle into a candy-coated piece of cake. Like the Stitch stunt that came years after, this birthday makeover is still very controversial among the theme park community.
Disney’s new live-action Lilo & Stitch was released in theaters on May 23, 2025, and is estimated to be a slam dunk for the company. Disney’s CEO Bob Iger commented on the film earlier this year, saying estimations were very promising. This is good news as Disney’s previous big-ticket films, namely Captain America: Brave New World and Snow White, both came in well below box office expectations.
If all goes well for Disney, Stitch will likely rule the summer.
Are you seeing Disney’s new Lilo & Stitch in theaters?