The running gag of Flora and Merryweather arguing about whether Aurora's dress should be pink or blue originated from the filmmakers' problem as to deciding just that.
In the German version of this fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, Sleeping Beauty is named Briar Rose. In the Tchaikovsky ballet, her name is Aurora. The film incorporates both names by having Princess Aurora use the name "Briar Rose" while in hiding. In the traditional Italian version of the story, the character's name is Princess Talia.
Eleanor Audley--one of Walt Disney's favorite voice artists, most memorably as Lady Tremaine in Cinderella (1950)--initially turned the part of Maleficent down, much to Disney's surprise. As it later transpired, Audley was in the midst of battling a bout of tuberculosis and did not want to tax her voice too much. Fortunately, she recovered and accepted the part.