Shouldn't Grauman's Theater be the Centerpiece again ?

[Lee]

OK. I know.. The re do the Chinese Theater to look like the mountain in Hollywood (with the sign) and put the rid inside the mountain

Not a new idea...but not in that spot. Didn't happen back then, ain't gonna happen now.
Anyway...that "mountain" the sign is on...not so big. Definately not grand enough to replicate for a theme park.

TRIVIA QUESTION: Who knows the name of the mountain the Hollywood sign sits on? Very cool mountain, by the way.

 

[MIDisneyFamily]

Does the fact thet the real Mann's / Grauman's is owned by both Paramount (Viacom) and Warner Bros. (TimeWarner) have any part to play in the Theaters demotion to back drop, instead of focal point?

 

[Lee]

Does the fact thet the real Mann's / Grauman's is owned by both Paramount (Viacom) and Warner Bros. (TimeWarner) have any part to play in the Theaters demotion to back drop, instead of focal point?

The fact that anyone but Disney owns it is a factor.

 

[kcnole]

I like the hat icon, I just wish they would have thought of something better than a pin shop for it.

I don't dislike the hat like I did the wand. I miss the old entry way but I can live with the hat but it needs to not be a pin shop. If it could host a character meet and greet or some kind of stage show then I'd be ok with it. I'd have much preferred for the hat to have been moved up further into the entry plaza instead of being so far back and blocking any good view of the theatre.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I don't dislike the hat like I did the wand. I miss the old entry way but I can live with the hat but it needs to not be a pin shop. If it could host a character meet and greet or some kind of stage show then I'd be ok with it. I'd have much preferred for the hat to have been moved up further into the entry plaza instead of being so far back and blocking any good view of the theatre.

I could have swore that there was a hat shop under the hat...:shrug:

 

[wickedfan07]

True, but what was so wrong with using the water tower as the symbol?

It doesn't necessarily does it have to be an attraction, or even an accessible place for that matter, it's just a symbol for the park.The symbol doesn't really define the park, it's just a visual representation.

If this is true, why does it matter that the theatre be the icon and not the hat? For that matter, why did it matter so much that the wand come down off of SSE? If an icon doesn't need to define the park, why are we even having this discussion?

I don't think the hat is an eyesore. It represents the magic of movies, and is uniquely Disney. The park needs an instantly recognizable symbol to associate the park with Walt Disney World, and Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat is a good choice. While the theatre is certainly recognized as a symbol of Hollywood, it is not a Disney image. If Disney hadn't gotten to it first, it may well have turned up at that studio park up the road. Though the Hat may not respresent all of Hollywood, it represents Disney's Hollywood, and as of January, the entire park is going to be set up to represent that, too. I don't see that Hat going anywhere. The wand was the changing of an icon for a celebration. (Its semi-permanence was only a side effect.) The Hat is a new icon, only blocking the direct view of an attraction's facade.

 

[Rayray]

Why not move Earful to the front of the park? To the left of the entrance, maybe?

 

[PlaneJane]

lee is a sexy man.. lol j/k

 

[unkadug]

If this is true, why does it matter that the theatre be the icon and not the hat?

That's not what I said.

For that matter, why did it matter so much that the wand come down off of SSE?

Because it detracted from an established icon.

If an icon doesn't need to define the park, why are we even having this discussion?

Because we are Disney fans and will pick anything apart. :wave:

I don't think the hat is an eyesore. It represents the magic of movies, and is uniquely Disney.

Agreed

The park needs an instantly recognizable symbol to associate the park with Walt Disney World, and Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat is a good choice. While the theatre is certainly recognized as a symbol of Hollywood, it is not a Disney image.

Agreed, however the water tower was a perfectly good symbol at the beginning of the studios history.

The icons are more or less a marketing tool for literature and advertising to identify the park with a symbol.

Martin brought up a good point earlier, which I agreed with, it wasn't accessible enough for the tourists who have seen the icon in the literature and advertising, so therefore want to photograph it.

If Disney hadn't gotten to it first, it may well have turned up at that studio park up the road. Though the Hat may not represent all of Hollywood, it represents Disney's Hollywood, and as of January, the entire park is going to be set up to represent that, too. I don't see that Hat going anywhere. The wand was the changing of an icon for a celebration. (Its semi-permanence was only a side effect.)

and procrastination

The Hat is a new icon, only blocking the direct view of an attraction's facade.

True, but we are Disney fans, so we will always "what if" because it's the Imagineer in all of us.

See..we don't really disagree

 

[Rufus T Firefly]

Not a new idea...but not in that spot. Didn't happen back then, ain't gonna happen now.
Anyway...that "mountain" the sign is on...not so big. Definately not grand enough to replicate for a theme park.

TRIVIA QUESTION: Who knows the name of the mountain the Hollywood sign sits on? Very cool mountain, by the way.

The Hollywood sign sits on Mt. Lee. Very cool indeed.

 

[dvitali]

I want to make a correction to my earlier post where I ask if the arch in the courtyard was a trademark of MGM. I was wrong I should said Paramount ( I should remember the one at Universal). I still think it should be remove when Pixar move in that area to make the flow of traffic of people move alot easier at the little mermaid / Brown Derby.

 

[Spyne]

The Chinese Theater was never the symbol for the park. It was just there to house The Great Movie Ride, not to serve as the symbol. Before the hat came along, the icon was always the Earful Tower.

I think mostly the reason to why the hat was built and where it was built is because the Studios didn't have an icon in the CENTER of the park like Magic Kingdom, Epcot (sort of) and Disney's Animal Kingdom do. But could they of moved the Earful Tower to the center of the park? Well they could of, but it wouldn't look right with the Chinese Theater in back.

I personally like the Sorcerer's Hat, I have yet to see it in person but I think it serves the park well with how it is today. I also think it fits even better with the new name, Disney's Hollywood Studios. We do have to face facts, the hat is not going anywhere. They built that not just for the 100 Years of Magic Celebration but to stay there as the new permanent icon for the park. Then there's also these rumors of legal issues with the Chinese Theater but I'm not so sure if that's true or not.

But in closing, I don't know why people think the Chinese Theater was the central icon, it never officially was. It was first the Earful Tower, but now it's the Sorcerer's Hat and it will stay that way for quite a while.

 

[jt04]

The Chinese Theater was never the symbol for the park. It was just there to house The Great Movie Ride, not to serve as the symbol. Before the hat came along, the icon was always the Earful Tower.

I think mostly the reason to why the hat was built and where it was built is because the Studios didn't have an icon in the CENTER of the park like Magic Kingdom, Epcot (sort of) and Disney's Animal Kingdom do. But could they of moved the Earful Tower to the center of the park? Well they could of, but it wouldn't look right with the Chinese Theater in back.

I personally like the Sorcerer's Hat, I have yet to see it in person but I think it serves the park well with how it is today. I also think it fits even better with the new name, Disney's Hollywood Studios. We do have to face facts, the hat is not going anywhere. They built that not just for the 100 Years of Magic Celebration but to stay there as the new permanent icon for the park. Then there's also these rumors of legal issues with the Chinese Theater but I'm not so sure if that's true or not.

But in closing, I don't know why people think the Chinese Theater was the central icon, it never officially was. It was first the Earful Tower, but now it's the Sorcerer's Hat and it will stay that way for quite a while.

If you did see it in person you would understand what everyone is talking about. It's as if they put up a Christmas tree and left it up year round (which would be much better than the hat). The hat is out of place and destroys the original look and "magic" of the architecture. WHO CARES what the icon is for the park for marketing? The debate is about the look of the park. If the hat can't be removed for legal reasons there needs to be a "Plan B" (or Plan C in this case as "Plan B" is not working and was always temporary anyway) Thanks.

 

[kaylasmom]

Hat.... schmat

I for one, can't stand the hat. I was horrified when it was actually finished, because it felt to me like they were moving the hat somewhere with a crane, it fell off in front of the theater and Disney just said... "ah... leave it where it is, throw some pins inside it, it'll be fine". Just feels a bit out of place to me. J/M/O

I have a problem with the Studios as a whole though. My least favorite park to go to anymore is the Studios. I miss Superstar Television and the Monster Sound Stage. Those two big interactive shows were removed for mediocre replacements. Yes, I know... I sould like someone who doesn't like change. Well, that's just not true, I like change, but only when the change produces something better than the original!!! I remember back in the day when the Tower of Terror, Fantasmic, and Rock n' Roller Coaster were not there, and those were definitely changes for the better. But to each his own I guess.

These days, I just kind of visit this park for Christmas (the Osborne lights) and Star Wars Weekends. Other than that, I have little use for MGM anymore.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

If you did see it in person you would understand what everyone is talking about. It's as if they put up a Christmas tree and left it up year round (which would be much better than the hat). The hat is out of place and destroys the original look and "magic" of the architecture. WHO CARES what the icon is for the park for marketing? The debate is about the look of the park. If the hat can't be removed for legal reasons there needs to be a "Plan B" (or Plan C in this case as "Plan B" is not working and was always temporary anyway) Thanks.

Some people(me included) may think the look was improved by the hat. A replica of a Hollywood Icon does not make a Disney Icon. Just my POV.

 

[kcnole]

Like I've said before, the hat is not a horrible icon. I just don't like its location. Were it moved up a bit closer or put in a different location it wouldn't be bad at all. I just don't like how much the theatre is blocked because of it.

I think it actually represents the theme of DHS fairly well. This is "Disney's Hollywood Studios" and the hat represents all the magic that was created by Disney's studios. The rest of the park just represents the Hollywood that never was, Pixars area, and also it seems we will see a Lucasland as well. The Lucasland is the only part that doesn't fully fit within the theme of that name, but I'm surely not going to complain about that with as wonderful as his stuff can be.

 

[comics101]

I feel the hat is ok. I don't know. I wish it wasn't there, but the only other thing Disney could do is to change the theme of the theatre. I think they should go with that, but they won't so the Hat's Ok. I think in a small way it represents Fantasmic, which is probably Disney's most sucsessful show they've had on property. I know when my dad sees it that's what he thinks of, and I'd assume alot of guests who've seen Fantasmic and know it's got Sorcerer Mickey would probably think that too.

 

[cymbaldiva]

the past message or two just mentioned about the Christmas Tree I think.
Thats what I miss where the hat is! It was so great to have that tall tree in front of the chinese theater at the end of hollywood boulevard. Was really nice. Anyone else agree? Now they put it outside at the entrance to the park which just is ridiculous all becuase of that ridiculous vegas like tacky hat.
sorry but had to say it lol. Love the fact that there are hat lovers and hat haters here but I do miss it the way it use to be. I would be okay with the hat elsewhere. Kinda looks dumb right in front of the theater. One or the other needs to go. Okay dont yell at me please

OMG, I'd totally forgotten about the Christmas tree location back in the pre - hat days ...it was so beautiful!

One more reason for the hat to go! :animwink:

 

[RiversideBunny]

If you had a magic wand, you could make the hat disappear.
Anyone know where there's a wand?

 

[ag2000]

jjj