1997's Cinderella Cake Castle

[rufio]

I was working there then and had to hear complaints every single day about it...and I didn't even work in MK. I had relatives who had their first visit that year and their little girls actually cried when they saw it because they wanted to see their very first castle - not a cake.

Brides were LIVID when they found out that they would not have castle photos. They ended up having to basically green screen photos so they could have the castle into their pics.

Seeing it day after day it got more annoying for me as time went on. At first I thought it was kind of neat but I know what the castle looked like so I completely understand that for people's first (and perhaps only) visit that it could have been a huge disappointment.

I could DEFINITELY see that being an issue! I'm getting married in December and can't have a photo shoot at MK due to the holidays and I was pretty PO'd about that. Instead, we're having photos at the GF so the castle will be in the background. I can imagine I would be steaming if it were a cake...

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

I could DEFINITELY see that being an issue! I'm getting married in December and can't have a photo shoot at MK due to the holidays and I was pretty PO'd about that. Instead, we're having photos at the GF so the castle will be in the background. I can imagine I would be steaming if it were a cake...

Oh yeah brides were quite PO'd to find that "cake thing" when they got there especially when castle photos were included in a package and I know at least some (if not all) of them were not informed what it looked like.

I'm not sure what they did exactly but I think they either green screened some shots or had to make a castle backdrop a la Walmart portrait studio...would you like your wedding photos in front of the beach scene, the woods scene or the castle that doesn't look like a cake scene?

 

[rufio]

Oh yeah brides were quite PO'd to find that "cake thing" when they got there especially when castle photos were included in a package and I know at least some (if not all) of them were not informed what it looked like.

I'm not sure what they did exactly but I think they either green screened some shots or had to make a castle backdrop a la Walmart portrait studio...would you like your wedding photos in front of the beach scene, the woods scene or the castle that doesn't look like a cake scene?

The worst part is they don't really have anything set up to make it up to the bride. For example, I'm getting married in December and every single park is blocked for photo shoots. I had no idea we wouldn't be able to have pictures taken in any of the parks when I planned the wedding. The only thing I was told was basically, "sorry, but you could always come back and do it later." So I can pay to take an extra trip just for pictures (we still pay the same price, no discounts or perks for inconvenience) or I can wait until my next trip in a year or two to finally get my wedding photos. I'm sure the brides during the "cake era" were met with a similar scenario.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

This is who I feel the worst for: wedding parties who came to Disney when that horrible cake was up. Their pictures are ruined.

Though, with digital imaging today, a talented Photoshop artist could go in and replace the ugly castle for the nice one using stock images. People who don't remember the ugly cake being up wold look at your wedding picture and ask "what the heck is that?".

I know this because when I show people my family's Disney pics sometimes people ask, "What the heck is that?" when they see pics from 1997-1998. They don't know that TDO did this to the castle and they think it's hideous. It's the worst thing that Disney ever deliberately did to the park in all its history.

Yep - that's how I felt too. DH & I looked into have a Disney wedding, and ended up having a Disney themed wedding at home. But I had been paired up with a wedding planner who was telling me about the horror stories of angry brides, and weddings or photoshoots being cancelled. While I didn't mind the castle cake, we did do our engagement photos in MK. If I had gotten down there, and that had been there instead of the regular castle - I think I would have moved the shoot to Epcot or a resort.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Look at it this way - if I was getting married in Disney, I would also have loved to have a uniquely decorated castle in all my pictures. A special wedding cake. Just this one year when I marry there, just for that occasion.

It's just a matter of thinking positive! 'Cakerella Castle' is at once both ridiculous and awesome, depending on what you want to see.

 

[luvtink]

We lived in Florida at the time of the Birthday Cake Castle and took my daughter to MK for her first Disney trip for her 4th Birthday. That was the first trip of many with our FL residents discount. The first time we went back with the real castle, she was very upset since it was not a cake! I had to keep in reminding her that it is Cinderella's Castle and not a big cake! She loved it though as her first image of MK!

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

I like it because it was a wacky thing you don't see at Disney World every day. It was only a year and for one event, if it was there forever I wouldnt be very happy but I wouldn't be surprised if Eisner mentioned something about keeping it for ever.

 

[flynnibus]

I liked it due to it's scale.. uniqueness... and that is was temporary and that the park undertook something of that scale for a temporary decoration.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

I was only 10 in 1997, but I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. To this day, it impresses me. The sheer scale of the transformation is incredible.

 

[Demeter Tess]

I thought it was adorable when I was a kid! Looking back on it now, I really wouldn't mind the castle being "done up" for a future celebration, although I do think I'd prefer something a little less eye-popping and cartoony. Make it classy!

 

[rkelly42]

That was one of the most out of place eyesores I have ever seen.

 

[captainkidd]

Hated it, but it's not as bad in pictures as it was in person. Then again, I applaud Disney for taking the time and money to do something so different.

However, I've always been very anti castle change. The castle IS Disney World. Just leave it alone. Fix it up when needed, but don't change anything about it.

 

[graphite1326]

This was up during our first family trip ever to WDW. I was really disappointed that we didn't see the castle the asy it should have been. voted "hated it"

 

[Mickey_777]

Never saw it in person. Funny thing is, this was during the fabled "golden era" of WDW.

 

[flynnibus]

Never saw it in person. Funny thing is, this was during the fabled "golden era" of WDW.

Nope.. late nineties was already well on the slide. The mid nineties saw expansion and new attractions, but the focus and direction had already been lost. The blunders of UoE had already started... Imagination was about to be murdered... Innovations was already a disaster. etc

 

[tracyandalex]

I liked it for what it was, but I certainly wasn't sad to see it go and I won't be sad if they never ever ever do that again!

 

[jmorri26]

I never understood the deep seeded hatred for the cake castle. I remember going that year and it was VERY different, but I loved it. We all knew going in it wasn't permanent, just for the year, and it was fun! If we're on the topic though, I loved the Happiest Celebration on Earth decorations but HATED the giant magic mirror front and center on the castle. The golden characters were really nice additions and then you had this big gawdy cheap looking stained glass mirror covering a ton of the front.

People put up with the horrible EPCOT hand for so so much longer! (So glad that is gone though)

 

[WannaBWendy]

I do remember it took a long time to see it. There was so much going on there. It took a while to take it all in. I also remember being disappointed that my castle view for that year was going to be THAT....

 

[CaptainShortty]

Some food for thought on the cake (no pun intended)...Many people complained about the cake and asked WHY they would do that to the castle. The reason behind it was rather simple. When they asked hundreds of children to draw a picture of how they should celebrate Walt Disney World's birthday almost all of them included a giant cake. The entire thing is modeled off of those children's drawing.

It may not make you like the cake anymore but at least you can know why Disney decided to do it that way. =/

 

[GoalieGirl16]

The rumor among Cast Members at the time (at least those in my low end of the totem pole environment) was that the PeptoBismol Castle Cake abomination was Eisner's wife's idea. Take that with more than a grain of salt.