Disney Springs to get new signs

[brb1006]

the green signs that you see near WDW are state or county maintained. They are not maintained by Disney. Only signs that are on property are maintained by Disney. They are still purple and they are updated frequently. I have seen several new Purple signs or parts of signs as they relate to Disney Springs, etc. being updated on property.

Way better than the old brown signs of the 1980's and before.

I wonder what year Disney decided to add the purple signs and entrance? 1991 or 1992 would have to be my first guest.

 

[brb1006]

Yes, a new color scheme is called for. With solar LEDS of some sort.

Maybe some animated billboards with LED technology would be nice. Except without the standard slideshow format.

 

[brb1006]

The purple way finding signage that you now see across the resort, while designed in the late 80s, still holds up quite well in my opinion. It certainly helps distinguish when you are or aren't on Disney property. And for the most part RCID (is that who actually oversees signage?) stays on top of it and updates it as needed.

Plus, as @WhatJaneSays noted, quite a bit of thought went into the final product. Sussman-Prejza were the design consultants. The color scheme was intended to be unique and pay homage to Mickey Mouse, and a whole hierarchy was developed to help guide guests across (what was then) a rapidly expanding resort. The whole package was designed to be memorable, but also legible and practical. And I think they pulled it off rather well...

http://www.sussmanprejza.com/sites/default/files/Disney Euro.pdf
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...9002183365_1_trendy-colors-mickey-mouse-signs

So then next time you're on property, remember that the road signs weren't done on a whim or only to be cute. A lot of effort went into them, and the fact that the same basic guidelines are still used nearly 30 years later is testament to how well they were designed.

What ever happened to the peeping Mickey Mouse one?

 

[LongLiveTheKing]

Not that I'm arguing with you but exactly how does purple black and red relate to Mickey Mouse? The sign option I made and posted earlier in this thread relates more to Mickey than purple.

It's just a different color to get you hyped since most signs are green. Kind of like when someone say "biscuit" and their dog gets excited and starts drooling.

 

[cmoliver68]

Let's not forget that green, blue, brown, orange, white and yellow are all national standards with meaning for each. Having different colors lets you know you are on private property and wouldn't be confusing. Someone mentioned white and blue, except that would indicate a hospital or medical facility. Brown would indicate a state or national park. Purple doesn't cause any confusion and is actually a regal color which would be perfect for a place built around the Magic "Kingdom."

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Not that I'm arguing with you but exactly how does purple black and red relate to Mickey Mouse? The sign option I made and posted earlier in this thread relates more to Mickey than purple.

Guesstimating here, as only the original designers know for sure their thinking...

Mickey's primary colors are white and black (body), red (shorts), and yellow (shoes). Purple is a complementary color to yellow, and green to red.

But since green is the color used for highway guide signs, using that as the main color for the WDW signs wouldn't have made them as distinctive. As @cmoliver68 notes, purple isn't part of any official sign conventions in the US so using that as the main body color sets WDW's apart from traditional road signs. And a green-red-yellow sign probably wouldn't look as good as the purple-red-yellow ones they went with.

In your example, one reason why that scheme wouldn't be preferred is because it's a negative contrast sign (dark text on a light background). In general, positive contrast (light text on a dark background) is preferred on signage for legibility reasons.

 

[Rob562]

I wonder what year Disney decided to add the purple signs and entrance? 1991 or 1992 would have to be my first guest.

The previously linked article from the Orlando Sentinel was from Feb 1990.

And Martin's video about the transportation and roadways of WDW says that the wayfinding project was started by Eisner in 1988.


-Rob

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

What ever happened to the peeping Mickey Mouse one?

I imagine maintenance/replacement costs caused them to be removed.

 

[Eddie Garrison]

I have to agree with the people saying it signifies you are on private (Disney) property. As others have already posted, it let you know you were "home"! I love the Purple signs, always have. I even made one in Jr. High in shop class for a project way back when

I know in some future they will be replaced/updated and it will be a part of my youth and past lost to change. Everything changes I understand. Still. Love those signs for whatever reason.

 

[No Name]

The purple signs in general are tired and 90s leftovers.

Awww. I like the purple signs. I've never thought of them as 90s, I think of them as Disney. Though I can see where you're coming from.

If they are to ever redesign the signs, well first of all, they need to replace them all. Don't repeat the Epcot problem of replacing half of the 90s feel and leaving them rest. And the street signs must not look like regular street signs.

I think the signs work well. Just my opinion.

True. They should update ALL of these signs across the property. Get ride of the old purple ones. Something like this would be nice...

View attachment 160055

Ewww. What, am I supposed to go to a theme park or watch out for dangerous chemicals?

 

[LongLiveTheKing]

What ever happened to the peeping Mickey Mouse one?

They removed it because the heavy breathing coming from the sign was incredibly unsettling to all those highway travelers.

I think that design is awesome, even if it is arguably creepy stalker Mickey, however. It's very cute, creative and unique and it immedietely communicates the message "you're in Disney World, bro"

 

[G00fyDad]

Ewww. What, am I supposed to go to a theme park or watch out for dangerous chemicals?

Mickey colors.

 

[mikeymouse]

I still love the animated billboard for "Tower Of Terror".

Yeah I'm surprised that and the other 2 animated ones haven't been taken down.

 

[ABQ]

Maybe some animated billboards with LED technology would be nice. Except without the standard slideshow format.

Ugh, no please, as my whole metro area at home is cluttered with such garbage, it would detract from any feeling of vacation and just make me think I was on the way to work.

 

[JohnD]

True. They should update ALL of these signs across the property. Get ride of the old purple ones. Something like this would be nice...

View attachment 160055

To each their own. That sign is jarring.

Not that I'm arguing with you but exactly how does purple black and red relate to Mickey Mouse? The sign option I made and posted earlier in this thread relates more to Mickey than purple.

Too glaring for my tastes. As a poster above stated, a lot of thought and effort went into those signs at all Disney properties.

 

[JohnD]

I would imagine some of the signs to be themed to a certain park and resort.

MK - Blue/White

AK - Dark green,Brown like the coloring for the Tree Of Life, or light green with wooden text and leaves

Epcot - Various shapes like Spaceship Earth

Nice thought but they would be confused with state/federal signs without the feeling of being on Disney property:

• Blue/white: Services (rest areas, hotels, gas stations, restaurants)
• Green: Directional signs
• Brown: Federal/state parks

I like the consistency of the purple signs everywhere, along with the very large arrows. You know that you're on Disney property.

 

[G00fyDad]

Too glaring for my tastes. As a poster above stated, a lot of thought and effort went into those signs at all Disney properties.

A lot of effort has gone into a lot of things on Disney property that has been changed.

 

[JohnD]

A lot of effort has gone into a lot of things on Disney property that has been changed.

Sure. I agree with another poster that your version looks like something warning about a chemical spill. Besides, yellow is the supposed to be the universal symbol to slow down. While not a bad thing to do anywhere, I don't a bright yellow should be on every sign.

 

[OliveMcFly]

I liked the purple signs in the 90s but now I think an updated color scheme to match Disney Springs would be nice. Something that's still unique to the resort though...no green. I think the new shopping area is beautiful and signs to match would be nice.

 

[radiohost]

Disney has Purple signs based off of a test done in the early 90's across Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

The test was different color pieces of paper were spread across areas of the parks. As guests left the park, Disney employees at the exits conducted a survey asking if they had remembered seeing colored pieces of paper during there visit...

Purple was the overwhelming color remembered by guests. This concluded that this color was the one guests eyes would turn to and remember.

This is why we have and will always have purple signs.

Footnote: I learned this while training at the Magic Kingdom during my college program in 2006.