Mansion Butler
Active Member
I love Epcot for much more shallow reasons than I'd love my wife. :lol:
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It's official: Wand is GONE !!!!
- Thread starter Dr Albert Falls
- Start date
I love Epcot for much more shallow reasons than I'd love my wife. :lol:
COProgressFan
Well-Known Member
I completely agree -- of course no one is expecting that since the wand is coming down that all of a sudden all of WDWs problems will go away.
But as a symbolic gesture, this does have meaning. Even if nothing else changes (for the better) at Epcot or the whole resort, this is still a symbolic step in the right direction.
CoP
joel_maxwell
Permanent Resident of EPCOT
true... correcting problems takes one step in the right direction. with epcot, the attention to SSE (much needed) is one step. now, we need management to take a few more huge strides and fix 3 of the other major blunders in epcot. the wand wasnt actually one of the problems like the current condition of JIYI, WoL and Innovations.... but it coming down is icing on the cake. happy birthday epcot
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
No. You'd put a big sign over the top of it that said "Wife". :lookaroun
These are a few of my favorite pics in just the right area without the wand in view. Having been to WDW just about every year since Epcot opened, it will be great to once again see it the way it was intended - wandless!
Beautiful...I can't believe there are people on this earth that like gaudy cheap looking junk tacked onto beautiful futuristic simplistic architecture.
The wand was one of the many ways Disney's "executive vp's" of marketing and theme park management in the 90s wanted to make the disney experince indistinguishable from a local six flags amusment park.
Now hopefully new leaders at Disney will look in disgust at the leave a legacy tombstones, the hat at the studios, Dino-Rama (which im told Joe Rhode would love to see demolished), a retooling of Dinoland U.S.A. (the original concept was alot different see the DAK imagineering guide), upgrades to the stale still stuck in the 1970s Magic Kingdom, and prevent such silly stupidity from ever seeing the light of day again.
dxwwf3
Well-Known Member
Jeff Pepper just wrote a FANTASTIC article about this in his blog. I think his opinion pretty much sums up completely how I feel
http://2719hyperion.blogspot.com/2007/07/not-so-magic-wand.html
Here's one part of it that I think is pitch perfect:
"This seems to be the common mantra lately of those who seem intent on characterizing anyone who acknowledges and respects EPCOT’s original guiding principles as irrational, misguided “foamers.” Many of these folk wear their disdain for pre-21st century Epcot like a proud emblem, deeming anything associated with the park that is beyond their frames of reference as irrelevant and unimportant. They consider Epcot’s original themes of futurism, forward-thinking idealism, education and international community passé and old fashioned, yet are at a loss to describe what their current perception of Epcot is or what they believe it is evolving into."
http://2719hyperion.blogspot.com/2007/07/not-so-magic-wand.html
Here's one part of it that I think is pitch perfect:
"This seems to be the common mantra lately of those who seem intent on characterizing anyone who acknowledges and respects EPCOT’s original guiding principles as irrational, misguided “foamers.” Many of these folk wear their disdain for pre-21st century Epcot like a proud emblem, deeming anything associated with the park that is beyond their frames of reference as irrelevant and unimportant. They consider Epcot’s original themes of futurism, forward-thinking idealism, education and international community passé and old fashioned, yet are at a loss to describe what their current perception of Epcot is or what they believe it is evolving into."
sillyspook13
Well-Known Member
Could you translate that into English for me please?:lookaroun :veryconfu :lol:
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
They are just kids/newbies who never saw Epcot without the wand. :shrug:
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
Very interesting sentiment.
Basically, EPCOT Center is like "your parents' music". You refuse to listen to it because it's not "hip" or "cool." You don't know why yours is better (other than "it speaks to me" or "showcases my cool, teenage angst") and, when it comes down to it, you may (a) enjoy the "old" stuff and (b), when it comes down to it, with a little updating and creative liberties, you may find the "old" stuff and "new" stuff can be quite similar when done correctly. Unfortunately, EPCOT wasn't an artist that could reinvent itself. It had to leave its future to the Record Label who treated it somewhat like a dressed up pop icon. It tried to intentionally abandon the old for a shiny new image, but, as with so many pop artists, that could get passe quickly because it was hollow. It went with "new" instead of "improved" IMHO. That created factions instead of merely expanding the audience.
Here's to hoping they realize Epcot is more like a Billy Joel than a Britney Spears.
OK... enough analogy.
Expo_Seeker40
Well-Known Member
....yeah because we don't need Figment shaving his head. :lookaroun
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
I, for one, am very upset. I really love the wand and the stars.
I understand, I was in the minority on wanting to keep alot of the gold embellishments on Cinderella castle.
sillyspook13
Well-Known Member
Very interesting sentiment.
Basically, EPCOT Center is like "your parents' music". You refuse to listen to it because it's not "hip" or "cool." You don't know why yours is better (other than "it speaks to me" or "showcases my cool, teenage angst") and, when it comes down to it, you may (a) enjoy the "old" stuff and (b), when it comes down to it, with a little updating and creative liberties, you may find the "old" stuff and "new" stuff can be quite similar when done correctly. Unfortunately, EPCOT wasn't an artist that could reinvent itself. It had to leave its future to the Record Label who treated it somewhat like a dressed up pop icon. It tried to intentionally abandon the old for a shiny new image, but, as with so many pop artists, that could get passe quickly because it was hollow. It went with "new" instead of "improved" IMHO. That created factions instead of merely expanding the audience.
Here's to hoping they realize Epcot is more like a Billy Joel than a Britney Spears.
OK... enough analogy.
Got it. I'll take Billy Joel over Britney Spears any day!
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
Hmmm... SSE as Figment's shaved head...
I should work in Disney marketing. :hurl:
tirian
Well-Known Member
Excellent quote. Those of us that are thrilled to see the wand leave aren't ignorant. We know that removing the structure will not magically make everything better overnight. Only an immature, unintelligent person would think so.
But removing the wand indicates that someone in executive management has finally realized that the structure was unnecessary and gaudy. As a temporary addition for the Millennium celebration, the wand was acceptable; but it was not intended to remain permanent, a fact that was obvious to anyone who walked beneath the steel.
Upon realizing that people are thrilled to see the wand dismantled, Disney has begun spinning the story this way: "We left it up to re-brand Epcot as a family park, and now that it's no longer needed, we're taking it down." That's nonsense. Disney has branded Epcot as an adult park since 1982, and it has continued to do so with the Food and Wine Festival, the Flower and Garden Fest, and other events that primarily appeal to guests over 16 years old. Even after the wand, Epcot still felt like a "grown-up" park, and that's why many people couldn't understand why the wand was there. The "Adults Only" misconception has only changed because of the new Seas with Nemo pavilion.
Finally, here is my answer for internet trolls who have popped up just to make obnoxious comments about the "foamers" that are happy about the wand's destruction: Epcot must change to remain current, but the only beneficial changes will be those that preserve the original emphasis on futurism and wonder. A Las Vegas, Elton John-inspired cardboard cutout would look awful in the Magic Kingdom. Why should it be in Epcot?
brkgnews
Well-Known Member
I'd further add that if EPCOT was really aimed at kids, they wouldn't have run like hell to tack on "Kidcot" stations. "We just paid $60 to make a mask out of construction paper and magic markers."
Yes, there's stuff there for kids, but just as it would be asinine to presume every single thing at MK should appeal to adults as equally as it does to kids, it's equally ridiculous to do the inverse at EPCOT.
Yes, Walt wanted Disney parks to be places where parents and kids could have fun together, but I feel it's safe to make certain areas geared toward certain ages, while still making all ages feel welcome.
And for those who feel SSE will be "naked" once it loses the wand, don't forget the alucobond triangles add a lot of depth and interest to it. If it was just a big old concrete ball (Google "perisphere" from the 1939 NYWF), it WOULD be a bit boring. But grandiose nonetheless.
Yes, there's stuff there for kids, but just as it would be asinine to presume every single thing at MK should appeal to adults as equally as it does to kids, it's equally ridiculous to do the inverse at EPCOT.
Yes, Walt wanted Disney parks to be places where parents and kids could have fun together, but I feel it's safe to make certain areas geared toward certain ages, while still making all ages feel welcome.
And for those who feel SSE will be "naked" once it loses the wand, don't forget the alucobond triangles add a lot of depth and interest to it. If it was just a big old concrete ball (Google "perisphere" from the 1939 NYWF), it WOULD be a bit boring. But grandiose nonetheless.
mousermerf
Account Suspended
You know, there's nothing that really designates it as Mickey's hand. It very well could be someone else's hand, who just happens to be wearing a red sleeved shirt.
DarkMeasures
New Member
It's my hand. Ready to destory spaceship Earth with giant glowly stars.