As my family and I prepare for a major home addition and remodel, I started thinking about paint and how I can make our investment last as long as possible. And then I started to think back to 2013 when Kendra and I toured Disneyland’s Fantasy Faire before it opened to the public. It was a really unique look behind the scenes while this new area of the park was created. I remember noting at the time that they used paints I had not heart of and went through my photo archives to dig up the photos we took that day.

While on our tour, we noticed that Disney and its contractors were using two types of paints: Modern Master’s Theme Park Paint and Sherwin Williams Resilience Exterior Paint. We also noticed that EVERYTHING is painted, even the things you might not realize are painted on first glance–like brick and “wood.”

Modern Masters is a paint company that specializes in very special paints like those that mimic stone and metals and most notably, Theme Paint used at Disney Parks and Resorts and other tourist attractions and commercial buildings. This water-based paint is formulated to be highly fade resistant paint and comes in finishes that include color washes for rock work and bold colors for places like Mickey’s Toontown. If you are looking for “entry level” modern masters, they have a recently developed “front door paint,” that might be a good place to start.

Sherwin Williams Resilience is regarded as one of the premium exterior paints on the market and is widely used in both commercial and residential exteriors. It is known for adhering well to vinyl and for its superior ability to hide and dry quickly even in damp or humid conditions. Considering work goes on behind the scenes around the clock (often overnight), the fact that this paint dries even in the damp morning is a real benefit to places Disney Parks.

So there you have it! If you are thinking about premium paints for your home, I figure there are no places that get more wear and tear on their painted surfaces than Disney Parks and Resorts. The question is, would you spend the premium price of these paints for long lasting performance. Our house faces west and I know that I am strongly considering them to help reduce the fading we get from those beautiful So Cal sunsets.