Is the Infamous Birthday Cake Castle Coming Back?

Today is Walt Disney World’s 52nd anniversary, and Goofy surprised everyone this morning. Walt Disney World made a cute video featuring all our favorite friends to celebrate the big anniversary. The video shows a throwback to the infamous birthday cake castle that took over Cinderella Castle during Walt Disney World’s 25th anniversary.

The video shows Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and Goofy preparing for a big celebration. According to the checklist, Goofy is in charge of the cake.

Today we’re celebrating our 52nd anniversary and it looks like Goofy’s throwback surprise takes the cake! Stay for a slice and share a sweet memory in the comments ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/zJKwNO1ajM

— Walt Disney World (@WaltDisneyWorld) October 1, 2023

In true Goofy fashion, a little silliness and humor are brought to the celebration. The cake that Goofy got is a replica of the 25th-anniversary birthday cake that covered Cinderella Castle throughout the 25th-anniversary celebration at Walt Disney World.

Goofy switches the numbers around, taking the 25 to a 52 in the video. The reaction of Mickey and his friends indicates how many guests felt and continue to feel about the castle cake from years ago.

Credit: Becky Burkett

52 Magical Years

Walt Disney World opened to guests on October 1, 1971. Magic Kingdom, the Transportation and Ticket Center, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort were all part of the magical opening day celebrations.

Many classic rides we still love today welcomed guests on that first day. Country Bear Jamboree, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Haunted Mansion, “it’s a small world”, Jungle Cruise, and Prince Charming Regal Carrousel were some of the first rides to welcome guests on board in Walt Disney World.

Many guests assume that the beloved and iconic Peter Pan’s Flight was an opening day attraction; however, this isn’t the case. Peter Pan’s Flight didn’t open until October 3, 1971, two days after the park’s grand opening.

Credit: Disneydining

Celebration Plans

Walt Disney World has been celebrating 50 years since October 1, 2021. We have seen many celebrations throughout Magic Kingdom in the last few years. Mickey and his friends got an updated wardrobe at Earidescent in their costumes. During this time, guests could meet Mickey and Minnie in the Town Square Theatre in Magic Kingdom.

Throughout all four Disney parks, guests could discover the golden sculptures featuring their favorite Disney and Pixar characters. Disney placed 50 statues throughout the parks that interacted with MagicBand+. These statues continue to be out and are a fun addition to the parks.

The 50th-anniversary celebration also saw new decorations, merchandise, and snacks. The 50th anniversary celebration officially wrapped up in March of 2023; however, some remaining magic can still be found in the celebration.

Since the 50th-anniversary celebration was such a big deal, we haven’t heard much about the birthday celebration this year.

Credit: Walt Disney World via X

Castle Cake Controversy

So, where did Goofy find this crazy castle cake that we see in the birthday video? As part of the 25th anniversary celebration in Magic Kingdom, Disney transformed Cinderella Castle into a large, pink birthday cake.

The transformation took place from October 1996 through January 1998. This birthday cake received a lot of hate from guests who wanted to experience the beauty of Cinderella Castle during their visit to Walt Disney World.

Even though the castle cake was not well received, it continues to pop up in Walt Disney World marketing like we saw today. Although we are still not a fan of the castle cake, we enjoy that Disney can acknowledge that turning their iconic castle into a large, very pink cake wasn’t their best marketing plan- or was it?

We are grateful that the cake hasn’t made another appearance except on marketing items throughout Walt Disney World. We hope that it stays that way!