Disney films are often set in far-off lands in locations that usually aren’t real. (It’s part of the magic, after all.) But in many instances, there’s a direct connection between those fictional settings and real-world attractions. Several of the most popular Disney films feature buildings and landscapes designed to look like landmarks across nearly every continent. Even Walt Disney himself drew inspiration from places he visited, later immortalizing them in his feature films. Whether you’re a Disney fanatic or a casual fan, these bucket-list destinations are worth the visit so you can witness the similarities for yourself.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany – Sleeping Beauty

The castle seen in the 1959 film Sleeping Beauty is based on a 19th-century Bavarian palace commissioned by King Ludwig II. An architectural marvel, the castle was built beginning in 1869 and features more than 200 rooms. There’s even a subterranean grotto where the king enjoyed escaping from the public eye. 

The castle also inspired the Sleeping Beauty Castle located at Disneyland in Southern California. It all stemmed from a trip Walt Disney took with his wife to the Bavarian Alps, where he was struck by the beauty of this structure. The Sleeping Beauty Castle became one of the most indelible symbols in Disney history, with an animated version appearing in the opening credits for every Disney film produced between 1985 and 2006.

Hell’s Gate National Park, Kenya – The Lion King

During preproduction on 1994’s The Lion King, animators traveled to Hell’s Gate National Park in Kenya in search of inspiration. The moviemakers were taken by the varied wildlife and stunning scenery, both of which heavily influenced their animations in the years to come. 

One of the most notable landmarks in the park is Fischer’s Tower, a jagged outcropping that inspired the film’s Pride Rock, where the main characters live and where a newborn Simba is presented at the start of the movie. Animators also were able to study lions, wildebeests, gazelles, and other animals in their habitats, helping to add a sense of realism to the eventual animation.

Great Fosters, England – Alice in Wonderland

In 1935, Walt Disney visited the Great Fosters, a 16th-century Tudor mansion in Surrey, on the outskirts of London. The historic building was converted into a hotel in the 1930s and hosted many famous individuals, such as Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, and, of course, Disney himself. Some of the mansion’s most notable features include a royal crest of Queen Elizabeth I dating to 1598, as well as a lush, well-manicured topiary maze. 

It was this very maze that’s believed to have inspired Disney as he dreamt up the 1951 animated film Alice in Wonderland. According to the Walt Disney Company, Disney looked back to his time at Great Fosters for the scene in which Alice gets lost in the Queen of Hearts’ labyrinthine garden maze.

Dubrovnik, Croatia – The Little Mermaid

The 1989 animated classic The Little Mermaid was a slight deviation from the Hans Christian Andersen novel that inspired it. While Andersen based his story around locations throughout Denmark, Disney based parts of its movie on the shores of Dubrovnik, Croatia. 

Dubrovnik is a coastal wonder renowned for its medieval architecture and fortifications, as well as the stunning natural beauty of the Adriatic Sea. According to the Walt Disney Company, animators used Dubrovnik as inspiration when designing the shores that Ariel washed up on. However, that’s the only real-world connection here — Prince Eric’s castle is modeled after Château de Chillon, a medieval residence on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

Calanais Standing Stones, Scotland – Brave

The Calanais Standing Stones are a neolithic-era monument that predates even Stonehenge. This circular arrangement of tall, mysterious rocks is located on the Isle of Lewis in northern Scotland, among the Scottish Highlands. Despite their ancient history, these stones played a key role in inspiring animators on the modern 2012 Disney film Brave. 

Based on the story of a Scottish princess named Merida, Brave takes place in the very highlands where these stones are located. Disney animators visited Scotland in the mid-2000s for location scouting, and were particularly inspired by the Calanais Standing Stones. Producer Katherine Sarafian said of the stones, “[They] felt like the perfect setting for something important to happen in the story.”

Alcázar of Segovia, Spain – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

The Alcázar of Segovia played a key role in the creation of Disney’s first animated feature film: 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The castle was originally built in the 12th century as a military fortress atop a large rock in Segovia, a city in central Spain. Over the years, the castle served as the residence of many ruling Spanish kings, and even became a jail for some time. 

The castle’s beautiful Gothic architecture was long believed to be the inspiration for the castle seen in Snow White, though for many years it remained an urban legend, despite the uncanny resemblance. However, the Walt Disney Company finally confirmed the direct connection in 2023.

Angel Falls, Venezuela – Up

The 2009 animated adventure film Up tells the story of a young wilderness explorer named Russell and a curmudgeonly old man named Carl Fredricksen. In the film, the pair travel to a fictitious area called Paradise Falls in South America, based on the very real Angel Falls of Venezuela. 

At 3,212 feet tall, Angel Falls is the world’s tallest uninterrupted waterfall, making it a true spectacle to witness. The falls caught the eye of Disney producers around 2003, and director Pete Docter and others working on the film decided it would be the perfect backdrop for a new movie. The team traveled to Venezuela’s Canaima National Park, where Angel Falls is located, so they could further research the falls and witness their beauty firsthand.

Have you visited any of these locations? Or do you have any other favorites? Let us know in the comments!

Before you rent a car and hit the road in a foreign country, it’s essential to brush up on local driving laws and customs. Of course, that starts with which side of the road locals drive on. According to Statista, 174 countries around the world mandate driving on the right-hand side of the road, while 78 officially keep to the left. If you’re from the U.S., chances are you’re probably not very used to driving on the left, so here’s a primer on the major countries that follow this practice (and why).

Why Do Some Countries Drive on the Left?

No one knows for sure how choosing to drive on the right side of the road (or the left) became common practice, but some historians theorize that driving on the left side was a natural progression for those who had once ridden horses. Keeping to the left of a path would have enabled the rider to easily draw a sword with the right hand — usually the most dexterous — to ward off an attack.

Conversely, in places where large wagons were commonly used as transportation, it would have been easier to hold the reins with the left hand — leaving the whip hand free to control the horses. Sitting on the left side of the cart also made it easier to reach across the buggy, so keeping to the right side of the road meant that the driver was in the best position to ensure that the wheels on the wagon didn’t clash when another wagon approached

While we don’t know for sure how driving conventions differed over time, the current driving preferences across the world are easier to understand.

Europe

Only four countries in Europe drive on the left side of the road, and they are all islands: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus. 

At the height of the British Empire, the U.K. began to influence driving standards in other parts of the world. The custom of driving on the left in England was encouraged by the General Turnpike Act passed in 1773, though technically it was only a recommendation until the Highway Act of 1835 officially enforced the practice. Of course, there was far less traffic on the roads in those days, so this ambiguity didn’t cause the chaos you might expect. 

Interestingly, there’s a road in the heart of central London that does favor the right side of the road: Savoy Court, a private road leading to the Savoy Hotel, maintains this unusual practice. It enables taxis to drop off passengers at the adjacent theater and then move on to pick up their next fare without blocking access to the hotel.

After the construction of the Channel Tunnel connecting England to France, some speculated that Britain would switch sides to align with mainland Europe. After all, that’s exactly what Sweden did in 1967 and Iceland too, a year later. However, there’s never been sufficient popular support to follow suit. 

However, the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar switched to driving on the right side of the road in 1929. Since Gibraltar shares a land border with Spain, officials felt the change would improve road safety.

The Americas and the Caribbean

Interestingly, Brazil was actually once a split country when it came to its roads — some citizens drove on the left side and some drove on the right. But when Portugal began driving on the right side in 1928, the South American country followed suit, and all remaining regions switched sides, too. 

In Central America, British Honduras (which later became Belize) drove on the left side until 1961, 20 years before it gained its independence. The construction of the Pan-American Highway — the world’s longest road — significantly increased traffic within Central America. Though the highway bypassed Belize, it was still a prudent move for the country to fall in line with its neighbors and adopt driving on the right.

Today, only two nations in South America drive on the left: Suriname and Guyana. Geography, as well as politics, may help explain this.

Guyana was also a British colony and followed convention. There is little cross-border traffic with Guyana’s western neighbor, Venezuela, so it didn’t matter quite so much that the two countries adopted different systems. 

Guyana’s eastern border is with Suriname, which also drives on the left. Suriname’s border with right-favoring French Guiana is formed by major rivers, so cross-border driving isn’t much of an option there, either.

Then, there are a number of countries in the Caribbean that prefer to drive on the left. Among them are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. All of these island nations used to be part of the British Empire and retained the practice of driving on the left when they gained independence.

Particular care is required when driving in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The territory is the only part of the United States that officially drives on the left. The U.S. acquired the islands from Denmark in 1917 and it was thought best to keep the status quo. However, many vehicles today are imported from the U.S. and feature the driver’s seat on the left side. That can make things a little tricky for visiting drivers who might be disconcerted by sitting in their usual seat while they are driving on the “wrong” side of the road.

Africa

Prior to gaining independence from Britain, many countries in West Africa also drove on the left side of the road. But driving began to get confusing, since some British-controlled nations shared land borders with French colonies that drove on the opposite side of the road. 

To facilitate cross-border traffic and the import of vehicles, countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and the Gambia made the decision to follow other countries in the region and drive on the right side.

However, the converse is true in East Africa. If you travel to former British colonies, such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, you’ll find traffic sticks to the left-hand side of the road. The same can be said of Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Neighboring Rwanda and Burundi currently drive on the right side, but to simplify matters at the border, their governments are considering making a switch.

Sometimes, anomalies occur. Countries such as Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe, then under Portuguese rule, had to follow the European country’s lead when Portugal changed driving sides in 1928. 

But a few of Portugal’s overseas territories were granted an exemption. Mozambique is one of them. To this day, the African nation remains resolutely in the left camp and shows no sign of changing its ways, as the countries surrounding it all drive on the left side, too.

Oceania

As a result of British influence, both Australia and New Zealand drive on the left side as well. In 1770, Captain James Cook claimed the eastern portion of the continent and named it New South Wales. Australia became independent in 1901 but retained close ties to Great Britain. 

Cook landed in New Zealand in 1769. Though the first European immigrants crossed the Tasman Sea from Australia, subsequent travelers sailing directly from Britain and Ireland formed the bulk of incomers drawn by the promise of land and gold in the 19th century. New Zealanders remained British citizens until 1948, though they’d been self-governing since 1853.

The trend continues across the South Pacific. For instance, the island nations of Tuvalu, Tonga, Kiribati (all former British protectorates), and Fiji (once a British colony) also drive on the left side as a result of this historic connection.

Interestingly, the Pacific island of Samoa switched sides in 2009 — becoming the first country in many years to do so. Citizens of the island nation now drive on the left. The decision was influenced by the diaspora of roughly 170,000 Samoans who now live in Australia and New Zealand. 

Simple economics also played a part in the government’s decision. It’s cheaper for Samoa to import cars from its Australian neighbors than from more distant countries like the United States. The actual change took place over a two-day national holiday in the hope that there’d be less traffic on the roads, while a three-day ban on alcohol sales was also enforced to minimize the risk of accidents.

Asia

British influence can also explain left-side driving in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. 

Hong Kong, a special administrative region (SAR) of China since 1997, drives on the left, as it did when overseen by the U.K. That is likely to be the case until at least 2047, under the terms of the handover (known as the Basic Law), which require no significant change be made to the way of life in Hong Kong.

Macau, also a special administrative region of China, is another anomaly. The former Portuguese colony was an exception (as with Mozambique) to the 1928 shift to driving on the right. Drivers in Macau continue to drive on the left side of the road. China, however, drives on the right, so crossing the border requires considerable concentration on the part of drivers as they navigate specially designed interchanges built to ensure the traffic keeps flowing.

But what about Japan, which drives on the left, but was never part of the British Empire? 

Japanese citizens have habitually driven on the left side of the road for centuries. In 1872, the British provided technical support as Japan built their first railway. As the network expanded, trains kept to the left, and it was a natural progression to extend that concept to road traffic. Driving on the left side of the road officially became law in 1924. 

However, there was one interesting — if only temporary — exception. After World War II, the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa was administered by the United States for a time and began driving on the right. In 1978, the island reverted to the left side to align with the rest of Japan.

Incidentally, the Thai government also toyed with the idea of switching to right-hand side traffic in 2013. The country hoped to align with bordering nations that were part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), such as Laos and Cambodia. Although the government proposed making the switch by 2014, Thailand still drives on the left side, as do Malaysia and Singapore.

UNESCO — the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — has strict criteria for its World Heritage Sites, choosing landmarks with particular natural, scientific, historical, or cultural significance. Considering the list features the likes of Machu Picchu, Stonehenge, and the Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO’s standards are pretty high. Of the 1,121 World Heritage Sites spread across the world as of 2025, 26 are in the U.S. Here are the seven states that rank highest for the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

New York

New York state is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, both celebrated in their own right. The first of the two, the Statue of Liberty, serves as a national symbol for freedom and democracy and is a must-see tourist destination in New York Harbor, within New York City. A collaboration between sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and engineer Gustave Eiffel, the 305-foot sculpture was a gift from France to the United States in 1886.

In 2019, New York City’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum was also added to the illustrious list, as part of the 20th Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. This UNESCO Site includes eight of Wright’s most famous works, constructed over the course of five decades. The Guggenheim is not only an architectural marvel with its spiral design, but also a cultural landmark that features work from legendary artists such as Jackson Pollock and Pablo Picasso.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin contains two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, both designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House was finished in 1937 in Madison, Wisconsin, as a private home for a journalist and his wife. Before construction, Jacobs dared Wright to build a modest-sized home for $5,000, the equivalent of about $110,000 in today’s currency. Never one to skirt a challenge, Wright produced his first Usonian structure, a term used to describe his vision for affordable American architecture.

Nearby, in Spring Green, Taliesin is one of Wright’s most famous masterpieces, built as the personal home and retreat of the architect himself. Construction on Taliesin began in 1911 and was never fully finished due to continual renovations. Destroyed twice by separate fires, Taliesin was marked by tragedy, but its innovative design of interconnected buildings and landscaped gardens make it a worthy stop in central Wisconsin.

Arizona

Arizona is another state with two UNESCO sites, but only one of them belongs to Frank Lloyd Wright. During the last two decades of his life, before his death in 1959, Wright decamped to Scottsdale annually to stay in Taliesin West, his winter home. Wright invited his students to join him in the desert city, where they tested out design ideas and construction techniques, including Taliesin West’s original canvas roofing. Today, the midcentury modern building remains an architecture school and is open for tours.

Arizona’s other UNESCO World Heritage Site is the first natural phenomenon on this list. The Grand Canyon is often considered the most impressive natural wonder in the country, if not the world. Carved by the Colorado River over the course of 2 billion years, the massive canyon features sheer heights, beautiful formations, and diverse ecosystems that make it a true showstopper.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s three World Heritage Sites include a transnational site. Located in the small town of Bethlehem, the Moravian Church comprises four early Protestant settlements throughout four countries — the U.K., Germany, Denmark, and the U.S. — all of which display magnificent urban design and remain open for worship. 

In nearby Philadelphia, Independence Hall was chosen by UNESCO due to its historical and cultural significance. As the site where both the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were drafted and signed — in 1776 and 1787, respectively — it’s where American democracy was born and it continues to play an important role in our nation today.

In the Western half of the state, Fallingwater is another stunning achievement by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Fallingwater’s one-of-a-kind design is integrated with a naturally occurring waterfall. The result is a unified sense between the indoors and outdoors, a characteristic that defines Wright’s work.

Illinois

Illinois is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Unity Temple, and the Frederick C. Robie House. The latter two showcase Wright’s earlier work in Chicago, where he began his career. Both buildings are celebrated as early examples of the architect’s signature style, which employed innovative materials and clean lines to create interior space and allow for ample light.

Farther south, Cahokia Mounds was once a settlement of a group of prehistoric Indigenous peoples called the Native Americans of the Mississippian. As the largest pre-Columbian site north of Mexico, Cahokia still contains 70 of the original 120 earthen mounds that were built by these ancient peoples, including Emerald Mound, which is now accessible via stairs. At interpretive galleries and a museum, visitors to this UNESCO site can learn more about the lives of the people who lived in the region around 1200 BCE.

California

The Golden State also features three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Completed in 1921 in Los Angeles, Hollyhock House is an earlier example of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work. Named for the hollyhock flower, a feature employed in the landscaped gardens and architectural designs, Wright’s design used reinforced concrete to create a modern, light-filled, and open space.

When Yosemite National Park was designated a UNESCO site in 1984, it had already been a national park for almost 100 years. Located in the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite is known for its staggering landmarks, including El Capitan and Half Dome.

Farther north, Redwood National Park showcases the state’s breadth of natural beauty, thanks to the flora that thrives in California’s coastal climate. The park is home to the tallest trees in the world — centuries-old behemoths that stretch as high as 350 feet and up to 14 feet wide.

New Mexico 

Finally, New Mexico also has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but not a single one belongs to Frank Lloyd Wright. Renowned for their architectural, cultural, and historical significance, the traditional adobe buildings at Taos Pueblo have been inhabited by Ancestral Puebloans and their descendants for over 1,000 years. In northwestern New Mexico, Chaco Canyon was a hub of Ancestral Puebloan culture between 850 and 1250, and today the Chaco Culture National Historical Park preserves their remarkable ceremonial ruins.

In the southeastern corner of the state, the caves within Carlsbad Caverns National Park date back approximately 250 million years, and are also believed to have been used by the Ancestral Puebloans. In addition to limestone formations creating stalagmites and stalactites, Carlsbad is famous for its colony of bats — 400,000 in total — who make an appearance every day around dusk.