Am I the only one that liked the Birthday Cake castle?

[durangojim]

I liked it enough to even buy a piece off eBay. I found it kind of chewy though

 

[bdearl41]

Yes.

Next question.

Seconded

 

[graphite1326]

Honestly I was kind of hoping they would do that again. I know there’s something wrong with me but this new decor doesn’t do it for me, I liked the paint job but these extra decorations are ruining it. Not only did I like the quirky birthday cake castle it’s something I wouldn’t mind seeing again and actually prefer it over this current look.

It was our first family trip to WDW. What a disappointment when we saw the castle.

 

[GrumpySue]

Hated It !!! It was like that on my Honeymoon, this year we are going back for our 25th Anniversary and I must say the Castle is looking WAY better !

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Honestly I was kind of hoping they would do that again. I know there’s something wrong with me but this new decor doesn’t do it for me, I liked the paint job but these extra decorations are ruining it. Not only did I like the quirky birthday cake castle it’s something I wouldn’t mind seeing again and actually prefer it over this current look.

We were there in March of 1997. So we saw it. It was weird. It didn't look real to me from a distance. I always thought it looked like a clown made it out of balloons that you would see at a kids' birthday party. Even then, all I could think about was Pepto Bismal.

 

[Archie123]

Honestly I was kind of hoping they would do that again. I know there’s something wrong with me but this new decor doesn’t do it for me, I liked the paint job but these extra decorations are ruining it. Not only did I like the quirky birthday cake castle it’s something I wouldn’t mind seeing again and actually prefer it over this current look.

I liked it for it's over the top-ness.

 

[rangerbob]

The cake castle was soooo bad they had to make a special stained glass panel to place at the wedding pavilion to hide it from the pictures.

 

[harryk]

It was really different when I first saw it. Kind of disappointed when I went out behind it and found that the covering did not go all around. But it did enable guests to see what it was beneath the blow-up cake and candles. Lost it's magic when the wind blew and the whole candle bent. Glad they did not do a 50th birthday cake.

 

[Monkee Girl]

Honestly I was kind of hoping they would do that again. I know there’s something wrong with me but this new decor doesn’t do it for me, I liked the paint job but these extra decorations are ruining it. Not only did I like the quirky birthday cake castle it’s something I wouldn’t mind seeing again and actually prefer it over this current look.

I completely get people's complaints about it especially when the castle is used, not only as an icon for the park, but for certain memorable photos like weddings. But I found it humorous and interesting. I liked it. I also thought the Stitch toilet paper design was fun too. Again, I can understand a first timer who may never get a chance to go to Disney again wouldn't want that in their photos. But come on...you have to admit it's fun.

My favorite design was the more classier gold trim from around 2005-2007 or so. with all the gold characters around it. i was sad when that went away.

 

[spock8113]

Sometimes ya just gotta change things up.
It felt like the game Candyland!
I don't care for the present paint job either, looks too Vegas like some of the new hotels.

 

[WinnieBear]

Having the castle look like a cake is cute on paper and I can’t help but admire the boldness and ambition of completely changing the appearance of WDW’s icon, but the execution looks incredibly gaudy and tacky and several design choices were very questionable. Even if it does have a certain charm to it TBH.

Should have taken notes from Disneyland Paris, which did a similar thing prior to WDW for it’s 1st anniversary, but pulled it off far better IMO

 

[GinaD613]

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

As so many have mentioned the birthday cake castle really was offensive. In my mind it's the equivalent of the Christmas overlay for the DL Haunted Mansion to NBC. I find both highly offensive. They are both Disney (if not American) icons which is a compliment to Disney. They should be treated with the proper dignity, and people should be able to expect the icons to be there when they visit. Now granted, I'm also one of those that was very upset when they changed Soarin', TT, and tons of other rides. I go back because I love it as is. I don't like when they minus the icons.

To me it's the equivalent of if someone decided to go to Washington DC in 2026 to see the seat of our government, and when they got to the White House, it had a birthday cake blow-up overlay for the 250 year anniversary of the constitution. It's not dignified.

 

[PreciselyPenny]

I took my daughter to WDW for her 16th birthday. It was her first trip. While entering the train tunnel I was so excited and told her that when we exited we would see the most glorious site in the world. Wait for it, wait for it... What!!! There it stood, the most horrible thing I've ever seen. I couldn't believe what they did to that beautiful castle. I took a picture to show everyone back at home, but now for some reason I have it as my computer wallpaper. I have grown to love it. Go figure. I sure don't want to relive it, but it's great to look at now.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

I took my daughter to WDW for her 16th birthday. It was her first trip. While entering the train tunnel I was so excited and told her that when we exited we would see the most glorious site in the world. Wait for it, wait for it... What!!! There it stood, the most horrible thing I've ever seen. I couldn't believe what they did to that beautiful castle. I took a picture to show everyone back at home, but now for some reason I have it as my computer wallpaper. I have grown to love it. Go figure. I sure don't want to relive it, but it's great to look at now.

So, I was gonna welcome you to the boards, but you've been a member since 2015. So I guess.... welcome back? I appreciate this insight though. I realize that opinions change. That goes for me too, but I gotta say... birthday cake castle? No thanks.

 

[Goofyernmost]

What would Disney be without fun and creative whimsy. Why must folks take their theme park so seriously. Don't we go there to escape reality? Shouldn't that escape have a wide variety of area for movement. I liked it, others didn't and the only thing I can derive for the anger towards the efforts to be exciting and different is that they don't do anything like that anymore. It seems to me we have all lost due to the constant upheaval about the cake, the hat (which I didn't like either because of placement) and the hand and wand which I understood was for an identity thing as well as Y2K celebrations.

As so many have mentioned the birthday cake castle really was offensive. In my mind it's the equivalent of the Christmas overlay for the DL Haunted Mansion to NBC. I find both highly offensive. They are both Disney (if not American) icons which is a compliment to Disney. They should be treated with the proper dignity, and people should be able to expect the icons to be there when they visit. Now granted, I'm also one of those that was very upset when they changed Soarin', TT, and tons of other rides. I go back because I love it as is. I don't like when they minus the icons.

To me it's the equivalent of if someone decided to go to Washington DC in 2026 to see the seat of our government, and when they got to the White House, it had a birthday cake blow-up overlay for the 250 year anniversary of the constitution. It's not dignified.

I understand that you feel that way, but how can you compare the seat of our government with a plastic castle in a theme park that is meant to be lighthearted and fun.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

I understand that you feel that way, but how can you compare the seat of our government with a plastic castle in a theme park that is meant to be lighthearted and fun.

Very true, and many of us take the parks too seriously. We nit-pick the heck out of everything.

Regarding the castle, every time I visit MK, and honestly it hasn't been that many times and not in years, but one of my favorite things is turning the corner on Main St. and seeing the triumphant castle at the end. I don't even care about Disney cartoons. I can't explain it. I never saw the birthday cake in person, but had I turned the corner and seen that puffy thing at the end it would've been such a let down. It's an icon.

That said, it's just a comparison. I get that Disney is full of make-believe and whimsy and our seat of government isn't.... well, I guess that can be debated now-a-days, but it really was just a comparison of icons.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Very true, and many of us take the parks too seriously. We nit-pick the heck out of everything.

Regarding the castle, every time I visit MK, and honestly it hasn't been that many times and not in years, but one of my favorite things is turning the corner on Main St. and seeing the triumphant castle at the end. I don't even care about Disney cartoons. I can't explain it. I never saw the birthday cake in person, but had I turned the corner and seen that puffy thing at the end it would've been such a let down. It's an icon.

That said, it's just a comparison. I get that Disney is full of make-believe and whimsy and our seat of government isn't.... well, I guess that can be debated now-a-days, but it really was just a comparison of icons.

It looked a lot different up close when all the detail was visible. I never thought it was nicer then the castle but I knew it was just temporary and the fact that Disney went to so much expense and engineering, not to mention the manufacturing and instillation of the pieces that made up that gigantic cake was far more impressive then the castle itself. Out of the past 50 years it has only been that way for a little over a year. The rest of the time it has just been the castle that you loved to see. When compared to the Haunted Mansion overlay that they do every damn year at Disneyland and it takes up close to six months of shut down, overlay and re-establishing the original. Far more detrimental then the one time cake. I look at the picture of the cake and all I can see is the massive detail, effort and creativity that went into it for a one time celebration. I really is massively impressive, colorful and fun.

I will agree that the last few years in DC have been packed with clowns.

 

[WondersOfLife]

I like It better than Stitch’s makeover.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

It looked a lot different up close when all the detail was visible. I never thought it was nicer then the castle but I knew it was just temporary and the fact that Disney went to so much expense and engineering, not to mention the manufacturing and instillation of the pieces that made up that gigantic cake was far more impressive then the castle itself. Out of the past 50 years it has only been that way for a little over a year. The rest of the time it has just been the castle that you loved to see. When compared to the Haunted Mansion overlay that they do every damn year at Disneyland and it takes up close to six months of shut down, overlay and re-establishing the original. Far more detrimental then the one time cake. I look at the picture of the cake and all I can see is the massive detail, effort and creativity that went into it for a one time celebration. I really is massively impressive, colorful and fun.

I will agree that the last few years in DC have been packed with clowns.

I can appreciate detail of the cake, etc., but I'd probably have loved it as a separate feature, I dunno, maybe out front of the park.

Regarding the NBC overlay of the HM... It's absolutely horrid. I'm a HUGE Halloween fan, but it's just awful, and to have the ride shut down for any length of time to do it is sacrilege.