Rumor Dropping the "Walt" from "Walt Disney World"

[Goofyernmost]

I agree. This statue is weird, given his dream never came to fruition. What exactly is he looking at?

WDW seems to have a habit of disingenuously attaching itself to Walt Disney, almost in a similar fashion to the way DL is actually attached to Walt Disney, instead of embracing its own history.

Case in point…this shirt… What?

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Roy made that statement when WDW was dedicated, echoing the words that Walt used when Disneyland opened. Since the resort was named after the person that engineered the land purchase in Florida and also was aware that Magic Kingdom was going to be built first to give him the money to build EPCOT, there is enough connection there to at least make him responsible for its existence. Without Walt there would be no Walt Disney World. The Worse case scenario would be that he is sitting there wondering what in the hell he is looking at. It certainly wasn't his vision of EPCOT, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be represented there. It never would exist in its present form without his drive to create something that no one else thought was a good idea.

 

[mikejs78]

 

[Californian Elitist]

Roy made that statement when WDW was dedicated, echoing the words that Walt used when Disneyland opened. Since the resort was named after the person that engineered the land purchase in Florida and also was aware that Magic Kingdom was going to be built first to give him the money to build EPCOT, there is enough connection there to at least make him responsible for its existence. Without Walt there would be no Walt Disney World. The Worse case scenario would be that he is sitting there wondering what in the hell he is looking at. It certainly wasn't his vision of EPCOT, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be represented there. It never would exist in its present form without his drive to create something that no one else thought was a good idea.

Well, without Walt Disney, none of the Disney theme parks around the world would exist. And to be fair, I don’t believe a Walt statue should exist at DL either.

Yes, the quote is directly taken from Disneyland’s opening speech, with Magic Kingdom in the background. Even if Roy did mention the exact words, they are still in reference to DL, suggesting that MK has been living in DL’s shadows since it opened. That shirt doesn’t help.

I think WDW should focus more on the people that actually did contribute to its creation. The reality is Walt Disney wasn’t one of those people. Not directly at least.

 

[disneyfireman]

Next thing they’ll want to re theme splash mountain…….oh wait some mind numb person already thought of that.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think WDW should focus more on the people that actually did contribute to its creation. The reality is Walt Disney wasn’t one of those people. Not directly at least.

Acquiring all of the land and developing the site plan that placed the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Center seems like a pretty direct contribution.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Acquiring all of the land and developing the site plan that placed the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Center seems like a pretty direct contribution.

Yep, I would agree. And that’s where it ends.

I neglected to mention choosing the land. In terms of construction, he wasn’t there, as we all know.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Roy made that statement when WDW was dedicated, echoing the words that Walt used when Disneyland opened. Since the resort was named after the person that engineered the land purchase in Florida and also was aware that Magic Kingdom was going to be built first to give him the money to build EPCOT, there is enough connection there to at least make him responsible for its existence. Without Walt there would be no Walt Disney World. The Worse case scenario would be that he is sitting there wondering what in the hell he is looking at. It certainly wasn't his vision of EPCOT, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be represented there. It never would exist in its present form without his drive to create something that no one else thought was a good idea.

Yet it was called the "Disney World Project" before his first name was placed on it in tribute to him even shown in the EPCOT presentation..

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

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[Joel]

Which is why IMO is not a smart idea putting a statue of him in a place that isn't what he invisioned...There better be a small plaque at the bottom stating "Where's My City?"

This is the statue of Walt waiting for them to bring back Horizons and the original Imagination.

 

[larryz]

This is the statue of Walt waiting for them to bring back Horizons and the original Imagination.

And how, exactly, would he know about either of those?

 

[Joel]

And how, exactly, would he know about either of those?

He's watched Martin's videos like everybody else.

 

[Kamikaze]

Well, without Walt Disney, none of the Disney theme parks around the world would exist. And to be fair, I don’t believe a Walt statue should exist at DL either.

Yes, the quote is directly taken from Disneyland’s opening speech, with Magic Kingdom in the background. Even if Roy did mention the exact words, they are still in reference to DL, suggesting that MK has been living in DL’s shadows since it opened. That shirt doesn’t help.

I think WDW should focus more on the people that actually did contribute to its creation. The reality is Walt Disney wasn’t one of those people. Not directly at least.

Wut.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

And to be fair, I don’t believe a Walt statue should exist at DL either..

I can accept the Partners statue at DL, MK and corporate office in Legends plaza.
Where it doesn't....Walt Disney Studios Park in front of ToT..Who thought that was a good idea?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I can accept the Partners statue at DL, MK and corporate office in Legends plaza.
Where it doesn't....Walt Disney Studios Park in front of ToT..Who thought that was a good idea?

It’s a great demonstration of how the statues went from genuine tribute and concern about the content in the parks to object intended to distract criticism.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

It’s a great demonstration of how the statues went from genuine tribute and concern about the content in the parks to object intended to distract criticism.

That’s Chappie squeezing every $$ out of the molds!! Probably had extra metal left over too…

 

[Californian Elitist]

Wut.

I explained this in another thread. Walt Disney was not the type of person to have been keen on a statue of him in his park, kinda similar in the way that he apparently didn’t want his Florida project to have his first name in it. The Partners statue came decades after DL opened. I’m not saying they should get rid of it, as I’m used to seeing it, but I wouldn’t care if it disappeared.

Storytellers in DCA can definitely go.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I can accept the Partners statue at DL, MK and corporate office in Legends plaza.
Where it doesn't....Walt Disney Studios Park in front of ToT..Who thought that was a good idea?

I actually had no idea that Partners existed abroad. Very, very strange.

 

[Kamikaze]

I explained this in another thread. Walt Disney was not the type of person to have been keen on a statue of him in his park, kinda similar in the way that he apparently didn’t want his Florida project to have his first name in it. The Partners statue came decades after DL opened. I’m not saying they should get rid of it, as I’m used to seeing it, but I wouldn’t care if it disappeared.

Storytellers in DCA can definitely go.

I don't know where you got this idea that Walt didn't like promoting himself.

All of his companies had his name in it. He didn't keep the name 'Mickey Mouse Park', now did he? They changed from 'Disney Bros' to 'Walt Disney' in what, 1926?

He knew there was value in himself, his name, his likeness. Would he have allowed a statue of himself while he was alive? Almost certainly not. But one to honor him, even in places he never went, is hardly some sort of reach to understand.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I don't know where you got this idea that Walt didn't like promoting himself.

All of his companies had his name in it. He didn't keep the name 'Mickey Mouse Park', now did he? They changed from 'Disney Bros' to 'Walt Disney' in what, 1926?

He knew there was value in himself, his name, his likeness. Would he have allowed a statue of himself while he was alive? Almost certainly not. But one to honor him, even in places he never went, is hardly some sort of reach to understand.

I didn’t say Walt “didn’t like promoting himself.” I said he wasn’t the kind of person to have wanted a statue of himself in his park. That’s it. I also said nothing about me finding it hard to understand why he would want to be honored. I said I’m used to the statue at this point.

 

[Kamikaze]

I didn’t say Walt “didn’t like promoting himself.” I said he wasn’t the kind of person to have wanted a statue of himself in his park. That’s it. I also said nothing about me finding it hard to understand why he would want to be honored. I said I’m used to the statue at this point.

And as I said, I don't think this is an accurate statement. He was fine with using his name and likeness to promote himself everywhere (including the very name of the park), so I don't think he would have a problem with a statue as a remembrance and tribute to him in the parks he started & inspired. Like I said, he wouldn't have allowed it while he was alive because thats a bit narcissistic, but I don't think he would have objected to a posthumous honor of a statue in his parks.