-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Rumor Dropping the "Walt" from "Walt Disney World"
- Thread starter VJ
- Start date
ppete1975
Well-Known Member
Would it prevent me from going ... no.
Would it anger me yes.
Especially from a historical POV. The reason Disney World was completed was Roy coming back to build his brothers dream. Same for Epcot. Although these were not touched by Walt, these were his dream and his plans (loosely).
You can look at Walt Disney World as being a memorial to the man after his passing.
Twenty-four days after the park opened, Roy O. Disney dedicated the property and declared that it would be known as "Walt Disney World", in his brother's honor. In his own words: "Everyone has heard of Ford cars. But have they all heard of Henry Ford, who started it all? Walt Disney World is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney World is here." After the dedication, Roy Disney asked Walt's widow, Lillian, what she thought of Walt Disney World. According to biographer Bob Thomas, she responded, "I think Walt would have approved." Roy Disney died at age 78 on December 20, 1971, less than three months after the property opened
Would it anger me yes.
Especially from a historical POV. The reason Disney World was completed was Roy coming back to build his brothers dream. Same for Epcot. Although these were not touched by Walt, these were his dream and his plans (loosely).
You can look at Walt Disney World as being a memorial to the man after his passing.
Twenty-four days after the park opened, Roy O. Disney dedicated the property and declared that it would be known as "Walt Disney World", in his brother's honor. In his own words: "Everyone has heard of Ford cars. But have they all heard of Henry Ford, who started it all? Walt Disney World is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney World is here." After the dedication, Roy Disney asked Walt's widow, Lillian, what she thought of Walt Disney World. According to biographer Bob Thomas, she responded, "I think Walt would have approved." Roy Disney died at age 78 on December 20, 1971, less than three months after the property opened
ppete1975
Well-Known Member
BTW BOTH DEDICATION PLAQUES OF DISNEY WORLD AND EPCOT DEDICATE THEM TO WALT!!
WALT DISNEY WORLD is a tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney… and to the talents, the dedication, and the loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney’s dream come true. May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place … a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn – together.
Dedicated this 25th day of October, 1971
Roy O. Disney
________________________________________
To all who come to this Place of Joy, Hope and Friendship
WELCOME
Epcot is inspired by Walt Disney’s creative vision. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, wonders of enterprise and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all.
May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire and, above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man’s ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.
____________________________________________________
Honestly Epcots might need a rewrite....
WALT DISNEY WORLD is a tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney… and to the talents, the dedication, and the loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney’s dream come true. May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place … a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn – together.
Dedicated this 25th day of October, 1971
Roy O. Disney
________________________________________
To all who come to this Place of Joy, Hope and Friendship
WELCOME
Epcot is inspired by Walt Disney’s creative vision. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, wonders of enterprise and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all.
May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire and, above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man’s ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.
____________________________________________________
Honestly Epcots might need a rewrite....
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
There are certain things that should not be messed with ---the name of Walt Disney World is one of them
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry but this is just BS. Yes, they removed "Walt Disney" from the castle title card but they added a Steamboat Willie card that says "Walt Disney Animation Studios."
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
They’re inconsistent. We all know this.
Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
They should replace Walt’s window on Main Street with a credit to Robin DiAngelo
Poseidon Quest
Well-Known Member
There's no realistic chance that this happens.
The company loves to use Walt's name on any stupid thing they can right now. Have you been to the parks and seen them selling some mass produced chili product as "Walt's chili"? Did we not pick up on Disney promoting this new Toontown expansion (a tree play area) as "inspired" by a tree Walt Disney would sit under. Is Cotino not set in a desert that "Walt Disney would explore" or something stupid like that? They're even putting his statue in Epcot, which is the ultimate form of disrespect as the original park represents the killing of his dream. Even if the park used to be fantastic, it has now devolved into a corporate shopping mall and certainly isn't something that he would endorse.
The company loves to use Walt's name on any stupid thing they can right now. Have you been to the parks and seen them selling some mass produced chili product as "Walt's chili"? Did we not pick up on Disney promoting this new Toontown expansion (a tree play area) as "inspired" by a tree Walt Disney would sit under. Is Cotino not set in a desert that "Walt Disney would explore" or something stupid like that? They're even putting his statue in Epcot, which is the ultimate form of disrespect as the original park represents the killing of his dream. Even if the park used to be fantastic, it has now devolved into a corporate shopping mall and certainly isn't something that he would endorse.
Mr. Moderate
Well-Known Member
I agree 100%!
I've been doing he same as you these past few years and I look back 20 + years ago when going to Disney and supporting the company meant so much to me and my family. At first I felt a little sadness at selling my DVC and stopping with the yearly AP's, etc, but the company has become a sad, greedy, joke. I believe Disney could care less about losing the long time customers like you and myself and in their mindset, think there's many more to replace us, but I do believe it starts to add up after a while. Once you lose a core of your dedicated customer base, as you mentioned, it's hard to get them back.
mightynine
Well-Known Member
"We are pleased to announce our new Disney Parks, Products and Experiences Orlando - headlined by our Walt Disney World Resort activation, which includes four sub-activation areas - Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney Hollywood Studios, and Disney Animal Kingdom Park. It also features retail activations from Disney Springs and numerous accommodation activations! Please have a magical activation!"
My god, they'll be crying in the aisles at D23 once they hear this!
My god, they'll be crying in the aisles at D23 once they hear this!
el_super
Well-Known Member
Somehow, I don't think building a copy of Disneyland in Florida was Walt's dream-come-true.
I don't know if this rumor is true or not, but if it does turn out to be true, it's either because they uncovered some terrible secret about Walt the person, or their legal team is pushing for some consistency in naming for some weird patent or trademark reason (like when they spent all that money to remove the apostrophes in California).
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
They have been removing apostrophes because of marketing and branding. Possessive trademarks weren’t negated.
el_super
Well-Known Member
Yeah but similar situation no? It's a lot of money to spend just on "branding..." when so few people would notice. It's not like the apostrophe was the problem with the name Disney's California Adventure.
ppete1975
Well-Known Member
I think its just a corporate synergy plan. They think its more modern and clean to be DISNEY instead of named after an old dead guy.
But the source is someone I dont trust on anything, so I dont believe its happening.
Well they certainly didn’t make him a big part of the 50th.
And nobody has explained yet why they didn’t play the opening day speech for the first time ever in Disneyland’s anniversary.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Yeah, they wasted money on something that worked just fine and people have not largely noticed. There was no legal reason that gave them years to slowly change the branding on some things.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Actuallly, someone did provide an explanation in another thread, but one that you obviously didn’t find satisfactory.
ETA: I jumped to conclusions by assuming that @drizgirl saw the post in question. I apologise for my snippy tone.
Last edited: