Epcot wand?

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
I`m back up with a new graphics card :D

Here`s the original Spaceship Earth, circa 1977-8. Note no legs; this was a Geodisic dome (3/4 of a ball) which purely housed the finale planetarium (with large spacecraft), also note the main ride building where Earthstation was finally built.
 

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marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
It looks more like an egg to me. Is that part of the geosphere behind the structure that is standing?:confused:
The shape is due to the pic being taken off angled concept art; this is the `shopped version. You should have seen the original!

I don`t get your second question; the structure that is standing is the geosphere. Early Communicore designs are behind it. Or do you mean the right hand area below SSE? In this image, it looks as if the west leg is actually attached to Communicore.
 

PintoColvig

Active Member
The shape is due to the pic being taken off angled concept art; this is the `shopped version. You should have seen the original!

I don`t get your second question; the structure that is standing is the geosphere. Early Communicore designs are behind it. Or do you mean the right hand area below SSE? In this image, it looks as if the west leg is actually attached to Communicore.
Just behind the gold SSE there is a partial circular shape that sort of gives me the impression that it is the back side of SSE that has been pulled away and down from the rest of the structure. At least that's one way to see it.
 

Expo_Seeker40

Well-Known Member
Interesting.....it seems that most women prefer the wand and hat..and most men prefer a wandless spaceship earth and a hat not block the chinese theatre/and or as the symbol of the studios. :animwink:

When I went to the Magic Kingdom yesterday, I forced myself to go inside the enchanted tiki room under bad management because I wanted to see the birds "breathe" and the poly influence in the interiors.

While watching part of the show, I noticed most men seemed embarassed, disturbed, and/or bored to be in there, as were a few senior citizens who probably recalled the original show. Of the many children that were in there, most of the boys were also embarassed or dumbfounded by the show, and yet a few women and girls were enjoying the show.

It seems that of the wide range of Disney freaks in this world. There is one category of Disney freaks that feel the more magic the better/and or disney can do no wrong or little wrong.

It seems to me that the Imagineers who were creating spaceship earth, and MGM spent great time and care into creating special and unique scenes or settings. The Disney company, atleast in theory back then, strove to do so many new and unique things that branched out away from the magic kingdom atmosphere and mickey mouse franchise. Walt Disney himself did this!

To ruin the world's first geodesicsphere with a seemingly permanent and tacky structure with little glittery stars hanging off of the sphere, while wripping out palm trees, flowers, and other plants, only to replace most of them with "pay for a tiny poor quality negative type image of yourself" , and obscuring the pleasent and detailed setting of hollywood boulevard and the chinese theatre with "look its a giant hat and we got pins"....this tells you of the direction not so much the disney company has done...but the imagineering department. I believe the same man who is responsible for the epcot wand is also responsible for the mgm hat.

However you have one or two imagineers, and sometimes more who are responsible or atleast influence the elements of "branching out" or "cleansing" such as the repaint of tomorrowland at disneyland in white and blue...and the new tomorrowland terrace structure that gives influence and homage of the old Rolly Crump structure.

There is hope out there!!! :wave:

As for me personally, one thing that attracted me to WDW as a youngster were the old commercials of Mickey standing on top of SSE, or the video footage of the monorail passing by SSE, the old entrance plaza, and the elegant palm trees gracing the sides of SSE. It attracted me because it was unique and not more mickey mouse disney stereotypical magic. The magic was new and bolder magic created by imagineers that chose to branch out.

Perhaps one should place a wand over cinderella castle and the tree of life and say "Magic Kingdom" or "Animal Kingdom" and see how much these wand and hat lovers would like that. Some would! :p Some wouldn't. :animwink:
 

Expo_Seeker40

Well-Known Member
I hope this works. This is the picture I took of SSE this past thursday. Perhaps it can help show how beautiful SSE is without the wand.

l_cea96e374d9f55bd0d6c62e16d1fa746.jpg
 

Hummer1676

New Member
I have to agree with everyone that it looks much better without the wand. Look at the colors and different shades in that picture. I mean come on. If they really want to make it look good they should throw the magic hat on top! (JK)
 

PintoColvig

Active Member
To ruin the world's first geodesicsphere with a seemingly permanent and tacky structure with little glittery stars hanging off of the sphere....
You strike a chord with this statement. The Imagineers back then knew that it would be EPCOT's icon--its "castle". It was designed with great forethought and care. To come back later and give it a permanent addition is to say that the original design is either flawed or no longer relevant. I'm a middle-ground kind of Disney person when it comes to the plussing. I have fond memories of the "old school" attractions but also realize that sometimes older attractions need re-visioning or even replaced. I just don't see how SSE was in need of "plussing". I've stood before SSE dozens and dozens of times. I still look at it with awe. What an engineering marvel. What a beautiful structure. What a turd standing next to it. :lookaroun
 

Expo_Seeker40

Well-Known Member
Well the Imagineer...I forget his name...who got the whole concept rolling for the wand and stars over SSE....helped influence it because the Mellenium Celebration was going to be an all out over the top celebration, even more than what was done for the 25th anniversary of WDW and the MK in 1996.

I'm not sure who is responsible for the entire redo of the entrance with leave a legacy, but haven't we talked on these boards and others before that the epcot wand can only last until 2010 or so without a huge retrofit?

I truly do think the Epcot wand and stars will come down. They cost money to be maintained and when 2010 comes around and when/if the Epcot wand needs to be retrofited to last another ten years or *gasp* even permanent, I highly doubt Disney will spend the money to repair it, and will simply take it down.

They are still using old wandless spaceship earth footage on and off.

The wand was such an expensive structure to build that it would be very expensive to put it up and dismantle it within two years.

I mean taking down "2000" and replacing it with "Epcot" tells one the lack of creativity gone into what to do with the sign post 2000 when so many people know Epcot is associated with the "golfball".

Perhaps the wand and stars will come down by October 1, 2007...perhaps "25" will replace "Epcot", but regaurdless I think if not now, then around 2010 if that is the correct year, then we can expect the wand and stars to finally come down.
 

FantasMickeyM

New Member
I mean taking down "2000" and replacing it with "Epcot" tells one the lack of creativity gone into what to do with the sign post 2000 (...)


I think a lack of creativity would be to take the whole thing down.

Wand or no wand is just a matter of taste. Not as in "good" or "bad" taste, just that people like different things. I think hat/wands add to the magic. The wand does not ruin the beauty of Spaceship earth, it just adds something to that side of it.
 

Tomcat47

Member
When I was there in December I recall hearing a CM say the Imagineers were looking into taking it down. I believe the delay is that putting it up was alot easier than taking it down. They were still trying to decide how to do it. I would assume however and whenever it would have to happen overnight and without damaging anything around it. I don't know the wand has never bothered me. I don't see it coming down until they are done celebrating the Epcot 25th birthday though.
 

Expo_Seeker40

Well-Known Member
...and bird droppings all over one side of a brand new car does not ruin the beauty of the car, it just adds something to wherever on the car the bird droppings landed? :rolleyes:

Walt Disney World has provided guests over the years with different degrees of "magic". Even Walt Disney himself branched out from disney animated characters,etc when he was making EPCOT/Progress City the main focus of "Disney World" much more than the Magic Kingdom.

The magic to me is walking down a very well themed Hollywood Blvd and seeing the Chinese Theatre at the end....something you can't do in hollywood. Or seeing the world's first geosphere standing tall with graceful palm trees leading up to it, while rows of flowers and smaller trees lead up to it as well. Something unique only to WDW.

The "magic" became too commericialized and too stereotypical when the mysterious Godzilla Mickey was killed and they placed his hat in front of the chinese theatre and placed his arm still holding the wand next to spaceship earth. :lol:

And yes the wand does detract from the beauty of SSE when you have tacky glittery stars dotting parts of it, it also makes SSE look smaller, and throws the geometric layout of the entrance and plaza off with the wand off centering the view. It also clashes with the SSE area.

To really enjoy the beauty of SSE, one must go to the wandless side, where the last of the palm trees are from opening day, and can sit on the benches there and look up and see how colossal SSE looks and how modern simplicity works better than a second rate las vegas sign.
 

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