Disney's Sleeping Beauty: Briar Rose Masquerade Ball

Aurora (A.K.A. Briar Rose) may be known as Sleeping Beauty, but she loves to party.

Walt Disney's visually stunning 1959 version of Sleeping Beauty was not a big hit when it was first released, but over the years it has become one of the most beloved animated films ever.

Aurora is ready for a Masquerade Party! She's joined by Cinderella, Ariel and Snow White.

Like her friend Snow White's film, Aurora's movie starts off with a look at a luxurious-looking book.
During the 1990s and first half of the 2000s, the Disney Catalog and Disney Store created a wide assortment of Sleeping Beauty merchandise, including high-end collectibles and items created for the Disney Princess brand.

Sleeping Beauty has a style all its own. Artist Eyvind Earle developed the film's unique look, with Disney legend Ken Anderson guiding the movie's production.

Everything in the world of Sleeping Beauty is stylized, including the characters, buildings and landscape.
Sleeping Beauty is #2 on my list of hand-drawn Disney films that I would like to see translated into a 3D CGI film (my #1 choice is Beauty and the Beast).

I'm thinking a CGI Sleeping Beauty could be a special 3D version---NOT a replacement of the original.
I'm curious to see what could be done with the Sleeping Beauty characters and settings in three dimensions. I think it could be very impressive.

Maleficent, animated by Marc Davis, is one of Disney's most popular villains.

A live action Maleficent movie has been rumored for years.

The world of Sleeping Beauty is enchanting, and perfectly suited for all things extravagant.

What's inside the Sleeping Beauty trinket box?

Madeline Beth accessories with "Aurora Borealis" crystals. Nice!

Sleeping Beauty is brought to life as a porcelain doll by artist Laura Cobabe.

Be careful! This is breakable. She's not meant to play with Barbie.

Also fragile is the Hourglass snowglobe.

King Stefan and Queen Leah could have saved everyone a lot of grief if they had just invited Maleficent to their party.

Prince Phillip must fight off Maleficent (as a Dragon) to protect Sleeping Beauty. He'll need a good weapon.
Be sure to wash the dragon guts off of the sword so it won't tarnish.

Here we have Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty Castle).

This may not be intended to represent the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris, but the dragon does look a little bit like the beast found in La Taniere du Dragon (The Dragon's Lair) found at the Fantasyland section in the French park, opened in 1992.

Look at your Sleeping Beauty watch and make sure you are on time to go to work at your job as a spinning wheel operator.
Later on, look at your Sleeping Beauty watch so you know when to go to bed.

Sleeping Beauty and Prince Phillip met each other in either a forest or once upon a dream.

Aurora and Phillip are among the most attractive Disney characters ever drawn.

Phillip and Aurora danced their way to a happy ending.

At Walt Disney World in Florida, Cinderella's Royal Table (the restaurant inside Cinderella Castle) used to be called King Stefan's Banquet Hall. Someone must have just liked the name, since King Stefan is Sleeping Beauty's father, not Cinderella's.

Disney's Sleeping Beauty debuted in 1959, but Sleeping Beauty Castle could be found at Disneyland when the Anaheim, California theme park opened in 1955. A Sleeping Beauty diorama could be found inside the Castle in 1957. There have been different versions of this walk-through experience over the years. A brand new, high tech version opened in 2008.

Olszewski's Disneyland Park replicas are highly detailed and quite popular.

A duplicate of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle can be found in Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in 2005.

Flora, Fauna and Merryweather are Sleeping Beauty's friends and guardians.

They are also in charge of Aurora's costume changes. Because of Aurora's involvement with the very popular Disney Princess brand, Sleeping Beauty has had an eclectic collection of outfits.

Winter Frost Sleeping Beauty is ready to make an appearance at a fancy Christmas party.

Aurora is in good company with the equally well-dressed Snow White.

Sleeping Beauty also can be found hanging out with Pocahontas.

Like all the Disney Princesses, they both enjoy chatting with their forest friends.

Pillow Fight! Sleeping Beauty is known for her wild slumber parties.

Of course, Aurora is usually the first to fall asleep. I would not be surprised to find out that Ariel puts her friends' hands in warm water while they are sleeping.

Sleeping Beauty and her friends love their ponies. This toy line could have been called "Disney Princesses: Their Small Ponies".

These were sold in the Disney Catalog in the early 2000s.

Disney Ponies was spun off into a line of stuffed animals available through the Disney Catalog.

There were multiple sizes available, representing Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Mulan and Sleeping Beauty.

I bet a Disney Ponies cartoon would have been a big hit.

Sleeping Beauty starred in her own McDonald's Happy Meal in September 1997 in the United States. This set was unique because the figures doubled as School Supplies. These were Mint In Package until I just opened them for this post, which I guess makes them worthless now.

Sleeping Beauty is a Pencil Topper and her Spinning Wheel is an eraser.

I'd like to see a new ride at one of the Disney Parks called "Sleeping Beauty's Spinning Wheel."

Prince Phillip has a sword that doubles as a paint brush. Images on watercolor paper sheets included with the toy can be painted and displayed on Phillip's blue shield.

It was worth opening these toys to finally see the great watercolor picture shields (and the instructions).

Flora is ready to give you a punch. Not a punch in the face! She's a paper punch toy.
I like the instructions included with this toy.

The Raven is a Clip. Maybe you can use him as a bookmark, too (especially when reading Shakespeare).
I was really sad as a kid when (SPOILER ALERT) the Raven was turned to stone.

Maleficent as a Dragon is a cool pen.

I was not able to get Toy #2, which was a Maleficent Figure with a Ruler and Stencil.

Luckily, Sleeping Beauty Lived Happily Ever After. Really, she's like one of the most popular Disney characters, especially with Disney fans.


For more Sleeping Beauty fun, check out Maleficent And The Disney Villains Are Fantasmic!