Iconic Purple Directional Signs Being Replaced

JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Waiting to see the first purple signage directing our way onto Disney property was always a treat and got me excited for what was coming. I will miss seeing what was once the trigger for getting my adrenaline rushing. I'm sure by the time we drive down again I'll forget about the color change and will still be looking for the purple. The color change on a sign is the least of the items that I will waste my Disney frustration on.
 
cmb5002

cmb5002

Well-Known Member
FerretAfros said:
Most directional signage is actually green, per the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (though street name signs often vary by jurisdiction, with blue and brown also being relatively common).

Although there are a handful of exceptions, each color represents a different type of signage with a different purpose. While drivers may not consciously notice the entire color pattern, most are familiar enough to be able to quickly decipher whether they need to read a sign at a particular moment, without actually having to read it.
  • Green: Wayfinding & directional signage
  • Blue: Expressway services (gas stations, restaurants, attractions, etc.) & Accessibility-related signage
  • White: Regulatory (speed limits, HOV restrictions, parking restrictions, etc.)
  • Yellow: Warning (tight curves, steep grades, animal crossings, etc.)
  • Orange: Temporary traffic control (typically construction-related)
  • Brown: Recreation
  • Lime green: Schools & pedestrian crossings
  • Red: "Stop" & "Do not enter"
  • Purple: Typically associated with toll roads (though not exclusively)
While jurisdictions and private landowners are allowed to create their own standards, these are generally what is accepted and recognized throughout the US. If and when different designs are created, they should be done purposefully, and with consideration to legibility, clarity, and simplicity. WDW's old(?) signs did this very well, using a bight colors and bold fonts that could be easily read from a distance, and distinguished them from the public roads. Prior to that, most of WDW's signs had been brown, similar to the MUTCD standard for recreation purposes.

The two different shades of blue on the new sign are perplexing, as they're too similar to one another to really stand out. The arrows also seem difficult to read; they appear to be based on the MUTCD's "down" arrow that's typically used to designate specific lanes from an overhead sign, but are being used as directional arrows to point outward. The fat arrow and narrow tail just don't read clearly in this context. The shapes and colors remind me more of a webpage or mobile app design than something that would be used for a physical sign.

The design of these signs is odd: they're unique enough that they don't comply with the MUTCD, but similar enough that they don't really "feel" any different. They also aren't as clear and easy to read as either the standard signs or the old ones. This seems to be a great example of how something isn't necessarily better just because it's new and/or custom-designed; sometimes existing elements or standard features actually work better.
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Yeah, the arrows for lanes are pretty confusing compared to standard designs, but the old ones were pretty similar.

My money is on this being a change for color, not an actual upgrade. I'm thinking the signs (and their support structures) would have to be up sized to accommodate a true upgrade.
 
Horizons '83

Horizons '83

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
To be expected with the entrance gates being painted the same scheme. Don't like it, but alas, they are just signs and I wouldn't really call them iconic.
 
Sirwalterraleigh

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
HauntedPirate said:
Apparently all the rich people and 20/30-somethings that are spending copious amounts of money at WDW demanded this change. 🤷‍♂️
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Guest satisfaction surveys…the way to make it more magical is blue signs and $14 to get into the line for the 47 year old space mountain👍🏻
lazyboy97o said:
There’s a reason it’s called plebeian purple.
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Nice try but purple was the Patrician color
 
Mac Tonight

Mac Tonight

Well-Known Member
Welp... that's it! No more WDW visits for me anymore!

giphy.gif


Honestly though, I'm shocked that the original signs were even still there when I went last November. It definitely brought a tear to my eye to see them in their original glory... but leave it to the Chapek era to even tear that down... Buncha morons.
 
Disney Analyst

Disney Analyst

Well-Known Member
The new signs look better 🤷🏻‍♂️

I also found the old colour scheme to scream tacky 90s. With this, the new entrance colours, and painted TTA, the experience feels a bit more fresh, a bit more upscale, a lot less tacky.

I would prefer TTA got a full redo however. It could be a very cool modern transportation hub.
 
Kamikaze

Kamikaze

Well-Known Member
Mac Tonight said:
Welp... that's it! No more WDW visits for me anymore!

giphy.gif


Honestly though, I'm shocked that the original signs were even still there when I went last November. It definitely brought a tear to my eye to see them in their original glory... but leave it to the Chapek era to even tear that down... Buncha morons.
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The purple signs weren't 'original' to anything.
 

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