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

HauntedPirate

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
el_super said:
I honestly don't recall any at Disneyland. Disneyland's window displays are probably the most unique since most of them were installed with Walt's blessing and paid tribute to a lot of people outside of Disney (ABC and such).

Of course there were other tributes at Disneyland to Walt... some going back to his time like the initials in the balcony of the gallery. Maybe Walt was just a big fan of subtlety.
Click to expand...

I just realized I was talking about MK and you were talking about DL. 🤦‍♂️

Walt’s apartment is the only tribute I recall there. I’d love to know about others.
 
el_super

el_super

Well-Known Member
HauntedPirate said:
I just realized I was talking about MK and you were talking about DL. 🤦‍♂️

Walt’s apartment is the only tribute I recall there. I’d love to know about others.
Click to expand...

Yep ... at Disneyland. Which again is kind of a unique situation because Walt was actually there and got to dictate a lot of what went into the park, so to a degree it makes sense that there woudn't be any overt tributes to the man while he was around.

The wrought iron lettering in the balcony of his new apartment/Disney Gallery is an interesting example, because it's contemporary to Walt. There are actual photos of it and Walt together:

1659467228117.png


One of the other tributes to Walt, was the addition of the Disney Coat of Arms above Sleeping Beauty Castle. I don't recall seeing a picture of Walt with the Coat of Arms, but since there are literally hundreds of photos of the Castle, we can guess that it was added sometime around the summer of 1965, but after the Disneyland Tencennial was filmed:

1659467534104.png


So those might be two contemporary Walt tributes that Walt sanctioned in the park.... but again they were pretty subtle.

After he passed of course, he got his own attraction... the Walt Disney Story, which cemented his name on the Main Street Opera House up until 2001 (or maybe 2009?).

1659468139681.png



Those were all in place by the time the partners statue was added in 1993. Even the lamp, above the Fire Station came about before 1993. Actually thinking back, there might have been some additional tributes to Walt in Toontown (along the hills) that also technically pre-dated the partners statue being added.
 
LSLS

LSLS

Well-Known Member
Kamikaze said:
It would be absolutely insane to make an announcement at a fan convention of this. It can only go badly. There is no way you'd get a 'good' reaction from that crowd of dropping 'Walt'.

I can certainly see it in the possibility of something they would do, but if they want the least possible backlash and reaction, it should be a Friday afternoon press release about 'rebranding', not an 'announcement' at D23.
Click to expand...

I said awhile back, but I'll reiterate. What makes sense to me is the directive was for speakers to leave the Walt part off as a part of a long rebrand where Walt only remains on the front of the gates and nowhere else. Then translation down to insiders it got muddled into "They are going to eliminate Walt from all signs."
 
Tony the Tigger

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
In a few more generations, no one will have a sentimental attachment to Walt any more than to whomever built Universal or Legoland.

Gen X are the last to watch him on weekends (after he passed.)

So there will come a time when there would be a muted reaction to removing his name. It will be like changing Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC.
 
Kamikaze

Kamikaze

Well-Known Member
Tony the Tigger said:
In a few more generations, no one will have a sentimental attachment to Walt any more than to whomever built Universal or Legoland.

Gen X are the last to watch him on weekends (after he passed.)

So there will come a time when there would be a muted reaction to removing his name. It will be like changing Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC.
Click to expand...
But there isn't a 'Bob Universal' or 'Jake Legoland'. And the company is 'The Walt Disney Company'.

But in 'a few generations' we'll all be dead anyway.
 
Kamikaze

Kamikaze

Well-Known Member
LSLS said:
I said awhile back, but I'll reiterate. What makes sense to me is the directive was for speakers to leave the Walt part off as a part of a long rebrand where Walt only remains on the front of the gates and nowhere else. Then translation down to insiders it got muddled into "They are going to eliminate Walt from all signs."
Click to expand...
Its a lot more than just signs you're talking about if you're going to drop his first name.

I understand the branding aspect, but the making a formal announcement part is just lunacy.
 
larryz

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
Joel said:
Maybe, but Colonel Sanders is still very much a part of the KFC brand.
Click to expand...
KFC was very prescient in getting the word "Kentucky" out of their brand name. Why they hang on to that old Southern Colonel spokesman is a mystery to me...
 
C

celluloid

Well-Known Member
The dude did not mind his show being called Walt Disney Presents while he was around.

And Roy put the name in place for a reason.

Fools and wasters of funds to rebrand if they change it.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom