Magic Kingdom Tree Massacre

[EPCOT Explorer]

EE, I hate to pile on, but on this one I will (you can poison my lunch!)

You place things like optimal viewing a temporary pyro show over basic show quality, not to mention safety to some degree as shade is a very needed item in Central Florida.

You were never supposed to be able to see Cindy's Castle the way you can now, the Walmarted way. It wasn't supposed to overwhelm people, so much as beckon them to travel/explore further into the MK.

Making the castle a giant showpiece in Wishes is perhaps the show's biggest flaw (even worse than the syrupy score) because people feel they simply must be right in front. Gone are the days of viewing pyro from just outside the Mansion or Space Mountain. Operational issues are a continual issue with Steve's shows because he doesn't worry about the impact his shows will have on regular park functions. I love his work. He is incredibly talented, but this is ongoing. (WoC was just pushed back a second time in three months and I've been told that it wouldn't be surprising if the show doesn't debut until Memorial Day weekend with NO soft openings for guests ... TDA is already on damage control saying the big rain due in SoCal this week may delay things, but the reality is they're hoping for lots of rain because they haven't got the logistics down of handling all those APers who want to see the show, along with everyone else!)

Anyway, sorry for the tangent ... back to why EE needs to go hug a tree or two ...

Now, instead of a place to (again pardon the shameless pun) explore, Main Street is viewed as simply a road to travel as quickly as possible to get to that castle and the E-Tix (well, also to get folks to spend as much as possible on Disney crap, but that's for another post). Making the castle so imposing is a not-so-subtle hint to guests to get their arses off Main Street as there's nothing to see here, unless you're waiting for the fireworks.

I can handle the pile up, and pick your poison.


You make a good point, though. However...Overwhelm? I think the Castle HARDLY overwhelms. It entrances. It welcomes. It beckons. Why cover it? I hardly think that that is Wal-Marting. This has nothing to do with being generic or not.

Have you ever watched from Mansion? Or Tomorrowland? Or Fantasyland? I have. It's terrible. You don't catch anything, the "story" makes no sense without a visual focal point. Fantasyland music over a TL facade makes no sense. It's foolish NOT to have it over the castle, when it provides the perfect canvass and backdrop for this kind of show. No Castle in Wishes is akin to having the nightly pyro show for MGM in a theater with a fake island, not over the icon...Oh! Wait!

I think Mr. Davidson is perfectly warranted to change operational procedures in order for his work to be seen. If you are painting a mural on a wall, would you leave Trees in front of it? The same applies for the architecture of the Castle in the day time. Why hide that? The "Big Reveal" for the Castle is when you turn out of Town Square and look unobstructed down MSUSA for the first time. Why brace that view up and make for a anti climatic moment that will force people into the Hub? Hiding the Castle, will rush people, IMO. They want to see it. If you can already see it, why not take some time on MSUSA? And NOT go into the Hub? I know I don't...Center Street is a haunt of mine, and I usually take a left into Liberty Square.


Shame about WoC. Hope they don't pull a Murphy.


So, Spirit...Lunch, you say?

 

[WDW Vacationer]

Then you know what you do? You'll love this, it's really easy...






You walk past the trees, or otherwise stand somewhere where you can see every precious square inch of the castle!

That's a great idea! Never thought of that.


Then I guess if you want to see a tree,go to AL,there's a big one,some little ones too.

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

I don't think it's overwhelming so much as it's much more imposing than it should be. The trees made for something of an ethereal visual transition from looking down Main Street. Instead of you seeing the street ending and BAM CASTLE!, you have the trees there to ease that up, and almost make it look like the castle was floating on clouds or something. Now it just seems like some medieval power invaded turn-of-the-century America and is lording over Main Street.

 

[Kath-n-me]

Possibly the trees were removed, not for aesthetic purposes, but for other reasons. Tree root systems cover more area than one might expect - usually extending out in an irregular pattern 2 to 3 times larger than the crown area. Potential root intrusion into the utilidors, drainage, electrical or other sub-structures are causes for removal. Just an opinion. It's also harder to prune or trim the root system as opposed to the crown.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I don't think it's overwhelming so much as it's much more imposing than it should be. The trees made for something of an ethereal visual transition from looking down Main Street. Instead of you seeing the street ending and BAM CASTLE!, you have the trees there to ease that up, and almost make it look like the castle was floating on clouds or something. Now it just seems like some medieval power invaded turn-of-the-century America and is lording over Main Street.[/size][/font]

Have you ever read "Since The World Began"? In it, it makes reference to the fact that CCastle is supposed to roughly "fit" with MSUSA as if it were a library or some grand civic center. It's still the focal point, even if it's not in that land with the same architecture.

Trees don't make it float...they brace it up. It looks 2 dimensional that way. Without trees, you get a better scene of the the scope, seeing you can see the Hub, Partners, and the area around the Castle.

 

[_Scar]

I like how people are saying that the MK is now souless and industrial without these trees. These trees must really make or break the park. rofl

I think the castle looks much bigger now then it did when I was little. And when I went when I was little the trees were there. Just sayin...

 

[unkadug]

The park was better when the trees were there.

End of story....Take it as you will.

 

[surfsupdon]

The trees broke the areas up, and made the castle, at least to me, really look like a fairytale castle. You know, like the palace front yard, or the castle emering from an enchanted forest.

The castle remains looking great.

But now it looks almost odd, just plopped at the end of a barren street. The castle looked so much better with some trees in front of it, currently it stands and looks chintzy.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

After all this talk, I'll never look at Trees or the Castle in MK the same way, ever, ever again.:ROFLOL::lookaroun

 

[WDW1974]

After all this talk, I'll never look at Trees or the Castle in MK the same way, ever, ever again.:ROFLOL::lookaroun

You have to look at the castle in a different way ... as something amazing ... tantalizing ... alluring ... something beckoning you inside to explore ... to explore all sorts of regions and places ... in almost a sensual nature.

With the trees, there's some aspect of suspense as to what's there ... and beyond.



The trees leave some mystery ... the current look is so wide open and in your face.

It may not be bad, hell it may be good. But after a while you become so desensitized that the thrill is gone, there's nothin special. It's like looking at naughty pictures ... it all looks the same.

I'll take some mystery!

 

[xdan0920]

I like trees, trees are good. Concrete is less pretty then trees.

 

[janoimagine]

As much as the photographer in me likes the ability to get shots like the one I took below without the trees, put me in the camp that want's them back. It kind of killed the illusion for me the first time I saw the hub sans tree's. I loved the canopy they had on the hub, loved them at night with the twinkeling lights, and loved how they added depth to the MK. That is just my opinion.

 

[everest-dude]

What happened to all the TREES?!?!

 

[kerrie]

as I agree the trees do seem to make a diffrence but yet if removing them was because they may have been a danger, or where not deseased. and thats why they had to get rid of them.

 

[Figment632]

I like how people are saying that the MK is now souless and industrial without these trees. These trees must really make or break the park. rofl

I think the castle looks much bigger now then it did when I was little. And when I went when I was little the trees were there. Just sayin...

Agreed!

 

[basas]

I like how people are saying that the MK is now souless and industrial without these trees. These trees must really make or break the park. rofl

I think the castle looks much bigger now then it did when I was little. And when I went when I was little the trees were there. Just sayin...

I don't think anyone is saying the trees "make or break" the park...but cutting down the trees+elimination of Center St+turning Main St into an outlet mall+eliminating the hub curbs, etc, etc...well, eventually it all starts to add up!

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I don't think anyone is saying the trees "make or break" the park...but cutting down the trees+elimination of Center St+turning Main St into an outlet mall+eliminating the hub curbs, etc, etc...well, eventually it all starts to add up!

Yeah, that is true.


Maybe they should have just TRIMMED the trees? :lookaroun :lol:

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Or build a viewing platform that can rise out of the landscape like something from Thunderbirds

 

[janoimagine]

Or build a viewing platform that can rise out of the landscape like something from Thunderbirds

I like how you think sir! :ROFLOL:

 

[Exprcoofto]

Or build a viewing platform that can rise out of the landscape like something from Thunderbirds

or opposite of that, the trees lower under ground removing them from those who might want to see half of some special effect.