The MGM Hat

[KDM31091]

Sorry to make 2 threads so close together...but I noticed the epcot wand thread.

I'm so glad the wand is gone personally. It was cute enough for 2000 but it basically remained out of laziness, and should've been dismantled in 2001, not 2007, but at least it's gone.

Anyways, that makes me think of the MGM hat. What's the story behind it? Was it intended as permanent from it's inception or will it come down eventually?

 

[Alztybrn]

The BAH is not going anywhere anytime soon. It is there in part to block the view of the facade to the Great Movie Ride due to legal reasons. (or so, this is one of the rumors I have heard...)

 

[Mecha Figment]

the hat is a hard instillation. it's not going anywhere. It isn't as cheaply(in relative terms) constructed as the wand was. it's more solid and is now the icon of the park. I honestly like it. it adds some needed flair and it will go well with the parks new name.

 

[CThaddeus]

Like the name Disney-MGM Studios, I would be very happy if that wretched Hat went away come January 2008. It hides the best attraction in the whole Park - The Great Movie Ride. Many threads have been started about this, and no doubt many more will be. Ultimately, it's up to Disney whether that thing stays or goes. Personally, I'm okay with them keeping it, just put it somewhere it actually makes sense (ie. as the new entrance to the Animation Courtyard). It is the cheapest-looking Icon of the four (and the least detailed), so to see them move the Hat, then rework the facade of GMR to be an attractive and detailed Icon that also FITS into the 20s and 30s decor of Hollywood Boulevard would be what I consider the best solution. Yes, it might cost a few dollars, but in the end, I think it would be truly worth it...and I might like taking pictures down Hollywood Boulevard again.

 

[disneypearl]

I like the hat and I believe it is there to hide the Great Movie Ride for legal reasons. I have always thought it was perfect for this park.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

You'd think after they do this huge DCA Fix up they'd at least do the same for the facade of GMR. I do love the Chinese Theater but it's such a dissapointment to block it due to legal Hoo-Ha..

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Can anyone be more specific as to the obscure "legal reasons" the hat needs to be there?

If it was some sort of copyright issue, why are they allowed to reproduce the theatre at all? And why was it allowed to stand without the hat for so long?

Not that I really mind the hat itself, but find something better to do with it than to sell tacky souviners under it. What a waste of a possible landmark! :brick:

 

[MattyFresh]

I think the hat will be there until disney desides to do something to the run down, outdated, disgrace that has become the Great Movie Ride. Once they figure out how to update it, the hat will be moved. You know, out of sight out of mind. The hat will be moved and everyone will all of the sudden want to actually ride the GMR and not just take pictures of the theatre and pass it by.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

As has been referenced already, the legal issue is use of the facility as the park official "weenie" or "icon". As each park has one, castle, tree, SSE and....

MGM has had some difficulty with this...is it the Chinese Theater? Well, that is a privately owned facility, and if Disney uses it as one of it's Icons...then the legal and royalty issues creep in. Kind of tried to use the earful tower, but that is obscured off to the side...so they had to invent one.

Yea, it kind of looks like an afterthought, but short of replacing the Theater with a proper icon, the hat is there to stay. Removal of the whole icon is much different than removal of an accent piece (ie wand) from an icon.

 

[PaisleyMF]

From Wiki: "An exact replica of the Chinese Theatre acted as the centerpiece and architectural icon of the Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World in Florida from its opening in 1989 until 2001. At that time a giant Sorcerer's Hat was erected in front of the theatre, effectively blocking the view of the theatre from the street, and replacing it as the park's official icon. This is apparently due to a licencing and copyright disagreement between the theater's current owners and Disney. It is still there, however, and continues to serve as the entrance to the park's centerpiece attraction, The Great Movie Ride."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grauman's_Chinese_Theatre

 

[JWG]

I believe that some great redo of the Chinese Theater has to be in the works in the next 5 years or so (or sooner).
1) It requires too many cast members. While I love having a personal cast member tour guide as Living with the Land used to, Disney can't staff enough people and this is an easy place to cut heads with an automated track and audio sequence
2) It needs an updating, the ride hasn't changed much since 1989 and 20 years is a long-time for any ride. Have they done anything other than edit the movie clips at the end?
3) It's too nice of a street front to be hidden forver (that's just my opinion I guess).

The hat, for whatever reason, doesn't bother me. I think of Disney's Hollywood and I think of Mickey Mouse. It makes sense to me. I think it's too bad it is where it is and blocks what it does, but we all know that's for a reason.

 

[MichWolv]

I believe that some great redo of the Chinese Theater has to be in the works in the next 5 years or so (or sooner).
1) It requires too many cast members. While I love having a personal cast member tour guide as Living with the Land used to, Disney can't staff enough people and this is an easy place to cut heads with an automated track and audio sequence
2) It needs an updating, the ride hasn't changed much since 1989 and 20 years is a long-time for any ride. Have they done anything other than edit the movie clips at the end?
3) It's too nice of a street front to be hidden forver (that's just my opinion I guess).

The hat, for whatever reason, doesn't bother me. I think of Disney's Hollywood and I think of Mickey Mouse. It makes sense to me. I think it's too bad it is where it is and blocks what it does, but we all know that's for a reason.

I like the way the hat is designed, and I think it'd make a great ticket booth or information area at the front of the park. Imagine it at the TTC, for example.

In the center of the Studios, it just blocks everything. That area of the park used to be very calming, despite being at the center of things, because of the relatively open views in each direction. Now the hat just blocks it all. It also looks ridiculous when viewed from the upper level of the LMA theater.

As for GMR, I agree with JWG's comments. It needs updating, and will probably lose the live cast member guide when it happens, although I hope it doesn't. Were I writing plans for the update, I'd keep Marry Poppins, Casablanca, Indy, and Wizard of Oz, add something besides fans and a movie projection to the Fantasia scene (maybe some audio-animatronic brooms seeming to toss water on the vehicle), and swap out the rest of the scenes. Adding something from Star Wars seems obvious (I'd go with Luke and Leia swinging across the room overhead, followed by Darth Vader taking out Obi-Wan). Others are less obvious, but Titanic comes to mind (who has the rights to that, anyways?), as does Gone with the Wind (again, don't know if Disney has those rights or could get them), 20,000 Leagues, etc.

I hope that a big update of GMR is in the works for the Studios 25th anniversary.

 

[Mad Stitch]

When was the Chinese Theater ever used as the park icon? Before the hat the Earful Tower was used to represent the park.

 

[DisneyGigi]

When was the Chinese Theater ever used as the park icon? Before the hat the Earful Tower was used to represent the park.

I think that the main problem is the photos and video shots that showed the theater looking down Hollywood Boulevard.
I don't mind the hat and understand what they are trying to do by the placement but to me the icon is still the Water tower.

 

[Eyorefan]

When was the Chinese Theater ever used as the park icon? Before the hat the Earful Tower was used to represent the park.

I think that the main problem is the photos and video shots that showed the theater looking down Hollywood Boulevard.
I don't mind the hat and understand what they are trying to do by the placement but to me the icon is still the Water tower.

I think the Hat, and all the discussion that goes with it, is just a great example of our poorly thought out and executed the entire park was/is. There should never be any confusion over what a parks icon is/was. It's just sad.

MGM needs a DCA type make over, and it needs a real weenie/icon, not a gift shop.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I think the Hat, and all the discussion that goes with it, is just a great example of our poorly thought out and executed the entire park was/is. There should never be any confusion over what a parks icon is/was. It's just sad.

MGM needs a DCA type make over, and it needs a real weenie/icon, not a gift shop.

I'm not sure anything needs a DCA makeover...

But it certainly was a well-thought out park when it opened. Recent history has left it dated and cut to nothing.

When MGM opened, the concept made sense, and many of the rides made you understand about making movies and being a part of them as the park was intened to.