As someone originally from Reno, Nevada, I suppose I should like huge tacky signs. However, I'm also someone who left Nevada, in part because of such gaudy displays. When I first encountered Spaceship Earth in 1996, I was blown away by the beauty of the structure. It was a bright, shining symbol of the future - a future of simple geometric designs. It represented to me what mankind could accomplish, as indeed did all of EPCOT.
Unfortunately, when I returned in 2000, I was sure whoever designed casinos had been let loose on EPCOT, regressing the Park to nothing more than yet another theme park. There were still some great attractions, but slowly the poison was sinking in, and EPCOT had become Epcot. Figment had been all but eliminated, the promise of Horizons was dead, people were more interested in cheap thrills from Test Track than from the wonderful pavilions that educated and entertained, and of course there was that big, dumb Wand. My faith in the Park has continued to diminish over time, as the stupidity grew. Wonders of Life is all but dead now, thanks to Disney's lack of willingness to provide it with the TLC it needed. The new Nemo attraction has no educational value until AFTER the ride is over. Soarin' lacks educational value, too. And the current Imagination is barely an improvement over the 2000 version. But at least Figment is back...even if his new voice is like nails on a chalkboard.
Ultimately, the Wand is a symbol of all that is wrong with Epcot. Tearing it down would be a wonderful first step in hopefully returning to something resembling the original vision. Some say EPCOT is dead; I prefer to believe it is like a phoenix, awaiting its moment to arise from the ashes of Epcot.
Oh, and the Hat and Tombstones need to go, too. Yet more bad 1990s thinking.
