LOS ANGELES — The castle is immaculate, its gold etching regal and its towers a bold shade of sky blue. The band at its gates plays no real instruments, but the musicians look dapper and at the ready.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Dave Sheegog pitched his wife the idea of creating a miniature model of Disneyland in his backyard as an educational tool for his kids. "As the years went by, it became very obvious ...