trr1
Well-Known Member
I think its still at the park but not talked about
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DHS 25th Anniversary Rumors... Hat Removed?
- Thread starter Merlin0402
- Start date
I think its still at the park but not talked about
baymenxpac
Well-Known Member
i'm not going to go on a big diatribe here about the original spirit of the parks and what you perceive to be "disney" is only disney because disney tells you to view it as disney. instead i'll just say it this way:
there is room in the world for nuance. good themeing is obviously part of a good theme park. the main entrance of the studios are designed to be golden hollywood. a big hat doesn't not convey that message. it'd be like putting astro orbiter in frontierland. the theatre is gorgeous and it instantly transports you back in time. THAT is the kind of stuff that a lot of people on this board want to get back to: consistent themeing and subtle nuance that creates a certain atmosphere. it's also why people want less character overlays and more original stories in attractions. sometimes things aren't good just because they're old, but because they were done in a time where not EVERYTHING was about corporate fusion. or in other words: how can we can our characters into every single thing ever. just because it's disney doesn't mean you must be inundated with a character or an allusion to a character at every turn.
martin says it's history....so it's most likely going to be history. good stuff. let's restore the earful tower to its rightful place as the icon!
HMF
Well-Known Member
3WaltFans
Well-Known Member
Again, that is your opinion and you are rightfully entitled to it, as am I.
One thing we do share on this board is the love for Disney.
3WaltFans
Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Yes, but he offered up an explanation. Why don't you explain to us what constitutes "Disney" and why that applies to the Hat and not what came before.
cymbaldiva
Active Member
Couldn't say it any better if I tried - nicely done!
:ROFLOL::ROFLOL::ROFLOL:
Excellent question - ball in your court 3WaltFans...
DABIGCHEEZ
Well-Known Member
No matter what most folks here say... I still have no problems with the Hat where it is. 
I kow shocking, isn't it.
That being said I don't really care if they move it. I do not understand why some get their panties in a bunch over things like the wand or the hat. It is just silly to me.
BTW.. I never knew about that ariel photo of the Mickey face that seems ruined by the building...OMG how could they ruin such a thing??? They could have planeed that a but better.
I kow shocking, isn't it. That being said I don't really care if they move it. I do not understand why some get their panties in a bunch over things like the wand or the hat. It is just silly to me.
BTW.. I never knew about that ariel photo of the Mickey face that seems ruined by the building...OMG how could they ruin such a thing??? They could have planeed that a but better.
dorothy_l
New Member
I tend to agree....I loved the original backdrop.
NoChesterHester
Well-Known Member
I really don't understand why this is even a debate. I personally don't have a hatred for the hat, but no rational person can believe that it is placed properly.
The entry corridor of 1940's Hollywood created upon entry is lost. The most richly detailed area of the park is interrupted by a sparkly cartoonish hat.
I really like the effects the hat has at night and would love to see it moved outside the gates as an icon at park entry.
The entry corridor of 1940's Hollywood created upon entry is lost. The most richly detailed area of the park is interrupted by a sparkly cartoonish hat.
I really like the effects the hat has at night and would love to see it moved outside the gates as an icon at park entry.
figmentfanatic
Member
I completely agree. I might even be more inclined to like it if the hat sturcture was something other than a pin station.
baymenxpac
Well-Known Member
agreed.
nevertheless, i don't really mind the hat and think it has its place. just somewhere else in the park.
mickey2008.1
Well-Known Member
If the park icon is to be the water tower, then which one?
CJR
Well-Known Member
Let's think about this better, which icon sells merchandise better? A water tower to a closed studio or a hat that represents the icon of WDW, Mickey Mouse? Which one will result in more of those photo pass pictures taken at the park entrance? Which one is currently in a convenient location? Which one is more recognizable?
Answer those questions and then from a business stance, answer: which icon would be better for business?
I love the Hollywood feel and it (Hollywood Blvd) does fit the theme of the park by far, but I doubt we'll ever get the old view back. If they do anything to the hat, it'll probably be replaced with something else. WDW is all about money. Icons sell merchandise and some more than others. If I could rank icon merchandise sales I'd guess it's like this: Castle, SSE, Hat, ToL, ... Water Tower.
I'm not saying the hat won't go down, but I doubt they'll go back to the water tower as an icon. It's not a good business decision, IMO.
Answer those questions and then from a business stance, answer: which icon would be better for business?
I love the Hollywood feel and it (Hollywood Blvd) does fit the theme of the park by far, but I doubt we'll ever get the old view back. If they do anything to the hat, it'll probably be replaced with something else. WDW is all about money. Icons sell merchandise and some more than others. If I could rank icon merchandise sales I'd guess it's like this: Castle, SSE, Hat, ToL, ... Water Tower.
I'm not saying the hat won't go down, but I doubt they'll go back to the water tower as an icon. It's not a good business decision, IMO.
mimitchi33
Well-Known Member
Then what would be the symbol of Hollywood Studios after the hat is removed? Hmmm....maybe a film reel with a Hidden Mickey in it?
What does that picture have to do with this thread?
The icon can still be the hat. However, it's a fallacy to say the hat is what you have to see down the walkway when you walk into a park. Think about Disney's Animal Kingdom. You don't see the Tree of Life when you walk in. You have to go through a good amount of walking to get to the tree. At Epcot, Spaceship Earth is right up front. So the hat can be moved, old view restored and everybody is happy.
CJR
Well-Known Member
Anything is possible when you use your imagination.
I personally think they'll stick with the hat since it's done rather well for them as an icon. I agree that it would be nice for it to be moved, but it doesn't make business sense to do it. If Disney owned the rights to the theater it would to an extent, but unfortunately, they don't. The money it would take to tear the hat down wouldn't be worth it unless it could somehow increase sales. I would take a new ride over any type of icon work. That's just me though.
One could argue they could switch the theater to something else like DCA is doing. Disney does own the El Capitan theater in Hollywood. It doesn't necessarily have to be a theater though, that's why I said that anything's possible with the imagination.
SSE was different in that people were already taking pictures of it anyway so it didn't really affect merchandise sales. I know people will argue that people took pictures of the theater, but the problem is that Disney doesn't own the theater's image like they do SSE so merchandise is more limited. The unfortunate truth is that merchandise sales for the hat > merchandise sales for the theater.
Again, I'm not saying it won't be moved, but the reason will be something other than the view at the end of the street or to just please old fans of the park.
I personally think they'll stick with the hat since it's done rather well for them as an icon. I agree that it would be nice for it to be moved, but it doesn't make business sense to do it. If Disney owned the rights to the theater it would to an extent, but unfortunately, they don't. The money it would take to tear the hat down wouldn't be worth it unless it could somehow increase sales. I would take a new ride over any type of icon work. That's just me though.
One could argue they could switch the theater to something else like DCA is doing. Disney does own the El Capitan theater in Hollywood. It doesn't necessarily have to be a theater though, that's why I said that anything's possible with the imagination.
I know you weren't saying that I said that, which I didn't, but I wanted to clarify it. I agree that it doesn't need to there. However, that is where it is right now. While fans of the old park would love to see it moved, it should benefit the company financially to move it. That's how the world operates, unfortunately. I'm not saying it should or shouldn't be moved, but that there needs to be a reason for it other than "so you can see a fake theater". It really won't affect most people's theme park experience enough to be worth the investment if it's only moved to change the view.
SSE was different in that people were already taking pictures of it anyway so it didn't really affect merchandise sales. I know people will argue that people took pictures of the theater, but the problem is that Disney doesn't own the theater's image like they do SSE so merchandise is more limited. The unfortunate truth is that merchandise sales for the hat > merchandise sales for the theater.
Again, I'm not saying it won't be moved, but the reason will be something other than the view at the end of the street or to just please old fans of the park.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
I think the lousy guest spending numbers show how Walt Disney World's generalization and homogenization of merchandise has not worked out the way they planned. People are willing to buy unique merchandise related to the actual parks, thus the success of retro items or expensive wands and robes over at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. People simply are not spending as much money on this generic merchandise, and while Disney long blamed other factors, I think their willingness to spend elsewhere shows that the issue has much more to do with lackluster merchandise offerings at Walt Disney World.
CJR
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't blame the hat for that either though since Mickey sorcerer hats are probably among the higher sold items at Disney. I don't know that for a fact, but I would imagine they're far better off than other things. I do agree with you though that WDW merchandise is too generic. There is little to no creativity in any of the merchandise currently available outside of the World Showcase.