The Best Wand Update "Hands Down" - 7/31

[Spyne]

Thanks for the picture update!

Wow, it really is happening quicker than I thought it would.

 

[Figment1986]

Thanks for the update, hope the weather wasn't bad.

Is it just me or does it look like Mickey's flipping the bird?

Yes, but he's doing it with style :ROFLOL:

 

[diddy_mouse]

Hooray! :sohappy: I'm glad to see at least one side is sans-hand!! I'm definitely going to keep an eye-peeled for more updates as the week goes on.

 

[Space Mountain]

beat me to the update

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

I'm really very amazed at how fast this is going...I mean, it's pretty much nearly gone in a little over 3 weeks! And I'm sure there's going to be a bit more work than just taking everything down...like fixer-upper stuff...but...I'm really just amazed! And GLAD! I can't wait to see the icon return to its former glory! It's so close I can taste it! :slurp: Mmmmmmmm!!!

 

[the-reason14]

dawg, when I said they werent playing, they were/are not playing. Keep up the good work disney.

 

[elle72688]

Thanks for the update

 

[Hoop Raeb]

Thanks for the update, hope the weather wasn't bad.

I thought I'd be taking pictures from the car with the weather we had yesterday. But it stopped raining just long enough for me to walk in the park, take some photos and get out. It never even sprinkled while I was in the park. More Disney magic! :hammer:

 

[gman2]

Thanks for the pics

 

[joel_maxwell]

looking good.

any word on the progress inside SSE?

 

[maui2k7]

Any word if there was work done overnight? Do they work on the evenings that Epcot has Extra Magic Hours? Also heard it was raining pretty hard yesterday so I am not sure if they got the night off or not. Either way, progress is moving along swiftly in just 3 weeks of work!

 

[Stitch69]

love the updates thanks for the pix.

 

[WhyteAL]

I was just laughing to myself...:lol:

imagine this...

I just showed this picture to my 6 year old daughter. She asked me why did they do that!? She seems to appreciate the wand...more than most of us albeit. So think 10 years ahead, I wonder if there will be a new thread asking for the return of the wand on wdwmagic.com?!

I just realized there is a whole generation of children ages 2-13 that grew up with that wand. And to them that is part of Epcot's charm.

Go figure we are fighting for the nostalgia of our childhood while these children are creating there memories. How will we combat the future generations nostalgia with that wand and an increased demand for it to return for Epcot's 35th anniversary? :dazzle:

What tangled web we weave.

LOL

*edit
Sorry I forgot to say thanx for the update...

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I was just laughing to myself...:lol:

imagine this...

I just showed this picture to my 6 year old daughter. She asked me why did they do that!? She seems to appreciate the wand...more than most of us albeit. So think 10 years ahead, I wonder if there will be a new thread asking for the return of the wand on wdwmagic.com?!

I just realized there is a whole generation of children ages 2-13 that grew up with that wand. And to them that is part of Epcot's charm.

Go figure we are fighting for the nostalgia of our childhood while these children are creating there memories. How will we combat the future generations nostalgia with that wand and an increased demand for it to return for Epcot's 35th anniversary? :dazzle:

What tangled web we weave.

LOL

*edit
Sorry I forgot to say thanx for the update...

Unfortunately, I think that's the cost of making potentialy polarizing decisions. They become the "norm" for a new generation just as the old was the "norm" for the old generation(s). I even find myself noticing that SSE looks a bit naked right now (but that will change - I will make sure of that! ha ha). While I know the company likes the grow and rebrand, I thought WDW had some pretty strong things going for it. I've always said, as very difficult as it is, finding ways to preserve the old theme yet upgrade to be relevant to a new generation is the only way to make everyone happy. I firmly believe Disney is a company able to do so, and they've proved their abilities to do so in the past. I think most people went to Disney for that feeling; that attention to detail and immersive environments. So, changes and upgrades are very possible, but that attention to the old feel is a necessary part because it is (or at least should) be a part of the new. It's not the idea that grows old; it's the execution IMHO.

 

[brianplace]

(haven't chimed in for a little while)

I think people who say "we'll miss the wand" or "my daughter will miss the wand" are overly dismissive of the reason why it was so bad that it was left up for so long: objectively speaking, the aesthetics completely clash with the rest of the look of the park as it was originally built and seriously detract from the park's intended message.

If the wand was tastefully done in the first place--bigger budget, wasn't made to look so "temporary"--there might be a bigger reason to keep it. But when it was first built it was known that it was just a "decoration" and had no real long term substantial value or meaning--which is why it was so painful to hardcore EPCOT fans to watch it stay up year after year.

Everyone will quickly get used to a "wandless" Spaceship Earth, no matter how attached they were to the wand--the sphere on its own has a sense of dignity that was completely destroyed by that thing, and will once again look imposing yet inviting--a true signpost of "progress."


(wow, I just said very little with a lot of words, apparently that's what diet Pepsi Max does to me.)

 

[jt04]

I would think just the fact that 8 track tapes and Captain EO are coming back would keep everyone happy. Some ideas are so cheesy, there is no chance they will come back. None, zero, nada!

 

[cb3k]

Looks good so far...I'm predicting that the other side of the arm and wand will be down by next monday...Heres to hoping for a bald SSE by Aug.18th.

 

[michaelcostella]

Both arguments on the wand are so strong, i cant decide if im happy to see it go or wish it were to stay.

 

[WhyteAL]

(haven't chimed in for a little while)

I think people who say "we'll miss the wand" or "my daughter will miss the wand" are overly dismissive of the reason why it was so bad that it was left up for so long: objectively speaking, the aesthetics completely clash with the rest of the look of the park as it was originally built and seriously detract from the park's intended message.

Yeah...
I am not sure about your kids or even if you have any,but aesthetics is not something most kids think about...

If the wand was tastefully done in the first place--bigger budget, wasn't made to look so "temporary"--there might be a bigger reason to keep it. But when it was first built it was known that it was just a "decoration" and had no real long term substantial value or meaning--which is why it was so painful to hardcore EPCOT fans to watch it stay up year after year.

I agree...

Everyone will quickly get used to a "wandless" Spaceship Earth, no matter how attached they were to the wand--the sphere on its own has a sense of dignity that was completely destroyed by that thing, and will once again look imposing yet inviting--a true signpost of "progress."


(wow, I just said very little with a lot of words, apparently that's what diet Pepsi Max does to me.)

That is the irony, it was ment to be a temporary thing...but they left it much longer. In turn making a whole generation of people (kids and 1st timers) seem that the wand is the norm, hence the nostialga of it returning 10 years from now. Only "temporary" of course creating a perpetiual 10-15 year cycle of mickey's hand being raised and then coming back down. Raised...and then back down...Raised...and then back down. :lol: It is kinda funny when you think of it.

(don't worry I have the same problem with Mountain Dew and Starbucks Grande White Chocolate Mocha Triple Shot :slurp: )

*edit
You know what if!? they are just bringing down mickeys right arm and putting up his left arm? J/K

 

[jmvd20]

The wand was *NEVER* meant or designed by WDW to be temporary. Originally it was planned to stay up until at least 2009 to defer construction costs and indefinitely after that.

The only reason it is coming down right now is because the fine people at Siemens did not like it.