Is the clock ticking on the Sorcerer Mickey Hat icon at the Studios? YES!

[Macca250]

The Earful tower would have to be 'glamorized for it to really be the park icon. It's just a water tower with big Mickey ears. It could work as an icon, but then they'd have to do quite a bit to the hub area to make it work better...

...the Chinese theater. I personally like the recreation...though maybe if they Disney-fied it more itd be fine as an icon. Heck, Carthay works for DCA and that's nothing more than a recreated building, so what's so bad about the Chinese theater?

I don't really agree with the Carthay theatre as DCA's icon to be be honest as I think that represents Buena Vista Street rather than the entire park (i.e. what does it have to do with A Bugs Land/Cars Land etc.?) I think an icon should reflect everything a park has an offer rather than just the land that sits at the park entrance.

I agree with you a more Disney-fied version of the Chinese theatre is a good option, I'm just not a fan of real buildings serving as landmarks for any of the parks. My preference is still the tower, but that's probably because our options are really limited at the minute. (loving the Avatar by the way, one of Disney's finest )

 

[surfsupdon]

But the park is no longer a studio...not that it ever really was...

Right, we know it never really was, and definately is NOT now...but it has "Studio" in the title so for me it would work.

Anything to bring the Chinese Theater back into view, please!!!

 

[Sped2424]

More kids (including my own) recognize and link the hat to DHS. Most won't know what they are
at if it were just the Chinese theater again I just think Disney could spend the money better than removing the hat. That's all

That is a valid point I hope no one is beating you for it even though I disagree!

If there ever was a post to visually demonstrate how Disney (broadly speaking) has fallen from glory, it's this.

We've gone from quality movies and parks like Aladdin and Disney-MGM Studios, to weak offerings like Cars and Disney's Hollywood Studios.

but back on the parade quality I would say that for sure has gone down but I wouldn't say that the quality of the films has gone down. Wreck it ralph was amazing as was Princess and the frog and tangled all well on their way to becoming classics and the newer additions from pixar have been great too Up, Brave, and WALL-E. So if there is something that is lacking its the managers hopping on these great titles to fill the parades with. They used to celebrate new releases with these amazing day parades that's just something we haven't seen in awhile at the parks and its very upsetting its that there is no material to work with its that they aren't putting the funding to do so. How great would it have been if they did a mardi gras style float parade for princess and the frog at the studios in 2009? Anything would have been an improvement over the cars style parade they had.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

That is a valid point I hope no one is beating you for it even though I disagree!

but back on the parade quality I would say that for sure has gone down but I wouldn't say that the quality of the films has gone down. Wreck it ralph was amazing as was Princess and the frog and tangled all well on their way to becoming classics and the newer additions from pixar have been great too Up, Brave, WALL-E So if there is something that is lacking its the managers hoping on these great titles to fill the parades with. They used to celebrate new releases with these amazing day parades that's just something we haven't seen in awhile at the parks and its very upsetting.

Yeah, well, that's just like, your opinion man. Sorry, just had to say that Brave got mixed reviews from critics and I feel it's gonna fade out soon.

 

[HMF]

I don't really agree with the Carthay theatre as DCA's icon to be be honest as I think that represents Buena Vista Street rather than the entire park (i.e. what does it have to do with A Bugs Land/Cars Land etc.?)

How does the castle represent Adventureland,frontierland Liberty Square etc.

 

[HMF]

But how is the Chinese theater considered Disney?

When did loud and tacky become considered "Disney".

 

[Animaniac93-98]

When did loud and tacky become considered "Disney".

When lazy executive teams and gullible fans thought only anything with a proper Disney trademark on it was really "Disney".

 

[articos]

While we're at it...

Here's what the oldtimers are talking about when we decry slipping standards. Just look at that view! Just look at that parade! Awesome!

Cars and hat. Blegh.

This post just made me literally chuckle out loud. Truth, EL, truth.

 

[articos]

When did loud and tacky become considered "Disney".

I know you were answering someone else's post, but put in the form of a question, the answer is "Eisner". Mike had some great ideas for the properties, but he also had a penchant for loud and tacky, even when working with world class designers. Since then, even he has admitted some of his design decisions were huge mistakes.

 

[articos]

That might actually work. It would be offset enough that you may not see it when looking down Hollywood Blvd. You definitely wouldn't want it seen as part of that classic view.

The reason it's where it is, is because that's where studio water towers went back in the day....in the heart of the studio backlots. It doesn't really fit with anything in the front of the park, since those areas are themed to specific areas or eras of Hollywood.

This is part of the reasoning for the placement, yup.

It also makes some sort of sense, being placed where it is, when the park opened.

There was no ToT looming for kids to see and get excited about as parents drove up World Drive. It's positioning made it very visible as Guests drove in, so kids would ask to go visit the "mickey water tower park".

<shrug> Doubt that was the only reasoning, but I'm sure it factored into the discussion at some point.

This is the main reasoning for where the water tower was placed. Visibility from World Drive. Most people used World Drive as the primary entry access point to the property, and the tower was placed to give the most visibility to those cars heading to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot Center. The other reason it is where it is is simply practical: the first part of the studios to be up and running was the production center, and the tower is located in that original build-out, as part of the production facility. The rest of the park was still a construction site.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Because they are originals made by Disney as icons.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sbKZvQpKpt4/UHWMaBCQHRI/AAAAAAAABpM/EyljXU3W770/s400/Expo67_14.jpeg

I agree with you a more Disney-fied version of the Chinese theatre is a good option, I'm just not a fan of real buildings serving as landmarks for any of the parks. My preference is still the tower, but that's probably because our options are really limited at the minute. (loving the Avatar by the way, one of Disney's finest )

And what of Sleeping Beauty Castle?

 

[Macca250]

How does the castle represent Adventureland,frontierland Liberty Square etc.

I think the castles of all the magic kingdom parks represent the overall fantasy theme of the park, all the lands are exaggerated representations of different time periods and themes; the castles just stand as the icon of Disney. The castle and Mickey Mouse are just the faces of the company and the magic kingdom/disneyland IS the theme of the park and they don't try to recreate anything. The magic kingdom's theme is the magic kingdom. And then look at how the tree of life and spaceship earth represent their parks and all the lands within them. My argument is just that a real building like the Chinese theatre dosent represent Hollywood studios as well as the other icons for the respective parks. I think it's theming is based around Hollywood and sunset boulevards rather than it representing the whole park. This is just my thoughts on it, I'd be happy with more focus on the water tower as long as it was moved to the central hub of the park, OR the Chinese theatre as long as it sits well with the other icons (where I prefer the water tower just saying!)

 

[dcibrando]

When did loud and tacky become considered "Disney".

If you want to see loud and tacky go to a value resort
Your opinion that the BAH is loud and tacky is just that... your opinion. While I think the pin trading store underneath is a little cheesy, the hat is a Mickey/movies/Fantasia icon that I think can represent the park well.

The theater to me doesn't stand out as an icon.. just another building...and most kids can't relate to it or even know what it is

 

[dcibrando]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sbKZvQpKpt4/UHWMaBCQHRI/AAAAAAAABpM/EyljXU3W770/s400/Expo67_14.jpeg

another ball... not a big deal...the spaceship earth is and always will be EPCOT's icon
I have trees in my yard too, that doesn't mean I feel like the tree of life isn't Animal Kingdom's icon
the chinese theater... just doesn't scream Disney

when going through photos... we ask our 3 year old daughter what park that is in (when she sees the castle, spaceship earth, the tree, and the hat)... if it were the castle, spaceship earth, the tree, and the chinese theater... the only thing that comes to mind is "one of these things are not like the other".

I'd rather they bring back the earful tower as the icon before the chinese theater but I think Disney Springs will have a water tower icon now

I bet if Disney had a choice to spend the money on fixing the yeti or removing the hat most of you would say the yeti (in all of it's barely 2 seconds of glory anyways).... well in my opinion... BOTH of these should be near the bottom of the list. Plently more things to worry about then a hat (which makes sense to me and a lot of kids) and the yeti (which the strobe affect isn't that big of a deal - I bet it doesn't turn people away from that "ride")

 

[G00fyDad]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sbKZvQpKpt4/UHWMaBCQHRI/AAAAAAAABpM/EyljXU3W770/s400/Expo67_14.jpeg

That's not a true geodesic sphere.

 

[G00fyDad]

another ball... not a big deal...the spaceship earth is and always will be EPCOT's icon
I have trees in my yard too, that doesn't mean I feel like the tree of life isn't Animal Kingdom's icon
the chinese theater... just doesn't scream Disney

when going through photos... we ask our 3 year old daughter what park that is in (when she sees the castle, spaceship earth, the tree, and the hat)... if it were the castle, spaceship earth, the tree, and the chinese theater... the only thing that comes to mind is "one of these things are not like the other".

I'd rather they bring back the earful tower as the icon before the chinese theater but I think Disney Springs will have a water tower icon now

I bet if Disney had a choice to spend the money on fixing the yeti or removing the hat most of you would say the yeti (in all of it's barely 2 seconds of glory anyways).... well in my opinion... BOTH of these should be near the bottom of the list. Plently more things to worry about then a hat (which makes sense to me and a lot of kids) and the yeti (which the strobe affect isn't that big of a deal - I bet it doesn't turn people away from that "ride")

I think it's just going to have a water tower.

 

[Beholder]

As stated by others, wether you like or dislike the hat is opinion, but I personally hate it's placement. Removing it would go a long way in restoring a sense of thematic cohesiveness. The park is a mess, it needs focus. The BAH is just disruptive to any efforts to tie things together. If they actually do build a Cars Land in DHS, then perhaps they could integrate the water tower into that. I really don't know, but if they can change the name of an entire park, then taking out that hat shouldn't be too much of an issue.

 

[lazyboy97o]

another ball... not a big deal...the spaceship earth is and always will be EPCOT's icon
I have trees in my yard too, that doesn't mean I feel like the tree of life isn't Animal Kingdom's icon
the chinese theater... just doesn't scream Disney

It's not just another ball. The whole concept is rather unique to one man whose name is not Walt Disney.

The Chinese Theater isn't supposed to scream "Disney" its supposed to scream "the Golden Age of Hollywood."

That's not a true geodesic sphere.

Neither is Spaceship Earth.

 

[G00fyDad]

Neither is Spaceship Earth.

How do you figure?

 

[celluloid]

Some are over analyzing this. It is not that the hat is NOT Disney at all. It is, but in the Pop Century or All Star giant prop sort of way. What it took away from was more Disney than that.

It was not just the Chinese Theater; looking down this Hollywood Blvd. of a Golden Age of Show Business was Disney because it is the kind of experiences that Disney theme parks can bring.