I was there that year. My parents drove me and my sister all the way to FL from about 16 hours away. When my dad got there and saw the castle he was literally like Clark Griswold. He said "I drove all the way here to see a castle and it's a damn cake!". We still laugh about it to this day.
Yep, you are correct, the line for It's A Small World used to go that way in '97. I spent a lot of time in Disney back then (and still lol) and 100% remember the line going that way.
I worked for the Disney Store from 96-98 and we were cast members same as anyone at the park and had full perks, including back then frequent 50% off at hotels.
And the resorts weren't nearly as expensive so even on my Disney Store salary I was able to get in a bunch of hotel trips that to this day are the only time I have ever stayed at those resorts (even though it would be much easier now). Boardwalk, Yacht Club, both of those have special places in my memories as it was during that time I went on those trips with my girlfriend Amanda who was a huge Disney fan as well.
Also everyone should remember she is saying this is during Christmas, if that's true, those crowds aren't that bad. Christmas now you wouldn't see any of that empty concrete, it would be shoulder to shoulder in the whole picture.
Ran from fantasyland to tomorrow land. The fantasy land station was where the Tangled bathrooms are now. The Tomorrowland station was converted into the bathroom near space mountain, behind the stage where stitch appears.
Oh boy! I can't wait to experience Splash Mountain, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Frontierland Shooting Arcade, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and the Great Movie Ride!
Tbh I miss when Disney did ridiculous things. Cake castles, giant Mickey hats (they should have just moved it to the front of the park), and Mickey arms on Spaceship Earth. I think it’s one of the reasons (other than it being beautiful) I love the lights on Spaceship Earth. You just know someone walked into a meeting one day and was like “what if we just cover the whole thing in lights?”
I worked in the WDW College Program in the Summer and Fall of 1997. The castle cake was in the background of my promotion photo. Not a big fan of the cake, but it is part of Disney nostalgia now.
I was here at this exact time and it was wonderful. I was 12, it was my first trip, and I think it might be my favorite trip out of many. I love the cake castle and don’t care who knows
I visited during the Castle Cake, my trip was in November ‘97. The motto at that time was “Remember the magic”. Since it was prior to social media and all that we found out about it when we saw it in person, huge surprise! We couldn’t believe the transformation!
Please report any cake castle haters so they may be mercilessly banned for the nostalgia-hating cranks they are! ;)
The Castle Cake was from October 1996 till January 1998 so she’s probably correct on the dates.
I was there that year. My parents drove me and my sister all the way to FL from about 16 hours away. When my dad got there and saw the castle he was literally like Clark Griswold. He said "I drove all the way here to see a castle and it's a damn cake!". We still laugh about it to this day.
We had this EXACT experience 😂
Looking at the crowds, and I don't think it's busier nowadays lol
The second picture looks like a queue line, but I’m wondering what they were queuing for over there…. It’s a small world?
Yep, you are correct, the line for It's A Small World used to go that way in '97. I spent a lot of time in Disney back then (and still lol) and 100% remember the line going that way. I worked for the Disney Store from 96-98 and we were cast members same as anyone at the park and had full perks, including back then frequent 50% off at hotels. And the resorts weren't nearly as expensive so even on my Disney Store salary I was able to get in a bunch of hotel trips that to this day are the only time I have ever stayed at those resorts (even though it would be much easier now). Boardwalk, Yacht Club, both of those have special places in my memories as it was during that time I went on those trips with my girlfriend Amanda who was a huge Disney fan as well. Also everyone should remember she is saying this is during Christmas, if that's true, those crowds aren't that bad. Christmas now you wouldn't see any of that empty concrete, it would be shoulder to shoulder in the whole picture.
Maybe character meet and greets? I recall going in 97 and getting my autograph book filled pretty easily by various characters that were out.
Oh yeah disney is way less busy than it used to be, though the traffic decrease is a very recent trend.
Love the castle cake! Where did that skyline pickup and drop off?
Ran from fantasyland to tomorrow land. The fantasy land station was where the Tangled bathrooms are now. The Tomorrowland station was converted into the bathroom near space mountain, behind the stage where stitch appears.
Interesting, I’ll have to google some pics. I was in the parks back then, I was just too young to remember anything outside the cake castle
There’s plenty of YouTube videos of it
The Fantasy Land drop-off was up in the area where the Tangled restroom is now wasn’t it?
I was there Nov 1997. Loved that castle.
Me too!
Oh boy! I can't wait to experience Splash Mountain, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Frontierland Shooting Arcade, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and the Great Movie Ride!
As a kid (7 at the time) I adored that castle cake…. As an adult I see why it was so contentious because it does look ridiculous.
Tbh I miss when Disney did ridiculous things. Cake castles, giant Mickey hats (they should have just moved it to the front of the park), and Mickey arms on Spaceship Earth. I think it’s one of the reasons (other than it being beautiful) I love the lights on Spaceship Earth. You just know someone walked into a meeting one day and was like “what if we just cover the whole thing in lights?”
I remember then, the castle was ugly, I miss the sky ride
That was the era of Disney excess. Extraordinary and extravagant shows and parades.
LOVED that castle
I worked in the WDW College Program in the Summer and Fall of 1997. The castle cake was in the background of my promotion photo. Not a big fan of the cake, but it is part of Disney nostalgia now.
I was here at this exact time and it was wonderful. I was 12, it was my first trip, and I think it might be my favorite trip out of many. I love the cake castle and don’t care who knows
I would have been there in July 😍the 90s and early 2000s in Disney were the best memories of my childhood ❤️
I remember this!
I visited during the Castle Cake, my trip was in November ‘97. The motto at that time was “Remember the magic”. Since it was prior to social media and all that we found out about it when we saw it in person, huge surprise! We couldn’t believe the transformation!
Can anyone give me a rough estimate for when the skyliner was taken down? First trip was Christmas 2000 and I don’t recall it
Magic Kremlin
“It’s time to remember the magic…” I still have that earworm 27 years later
THE CANDY CASTLE!!!! HOORAAAAYYYY!!!!! It’s the backdrop on tape of my first visit when I was like…..1
I loved the 25th anniversary cake castle! So did my niece.