The Sorcerer's Hat Is Staying

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by JLW11Hi


Epcot and the Studios are two completely different places. Spaceship Earth is a ride, opposed to just a big landmark (or store in this case ). Spaceship Earth is the introduction to Future World, and I think the imagineers almost wanted most visitors to ride this right away before anything else, to give them a feel of what Epcot is all about.

Sorry to tell you SE is the Icon for EPCOT they just happened to have an attraction inside it since it is such a large structure

 

[MKingdom25]

Originally posted by cymbaldiva
But Spaceship Earth is right at the front of Epcot, and that's worked out ....

Oh yeah, and which Dallas suburb? I went to high school in those parts...I might have heard of it!

I think Spaceship Earth works in Epcot. I think the difference between SE and the proposed idea for the Hat is that the Hat would be outside the gates (at least the way I understood the prior post.)

 

[JLW11Hi]

Originally posted by jmarc63


Sorry to tell you SE is the Icon for EPCOT they just happened to have an attraction inside it since it is such a large structure

wha? I realize that. I'm not sure I get your point. I just meant that they wanted the ride (or icon ) at the entrance to the park before anything else.

 

[LRV3400]

How about puting the hat in the middle of the lagoon at the entrance? Or right on the edge of the lagoon. It may make friendship navigation a bit difficult but if you surround it with some fountains it could be quite nice. Heck maybe the boat dock could be relocated and be integrated with the hat!

 

[MKingdom25]

Originally posted by LRV3400
How about puting the hat in the middle of the lagoon at the entrance? Or right on the edge of the lagoon. It may make friendship navigation a bit difficult but if you surround it with some fountains it could be quite nice. Heck maybe the boat dock could be relocated and be integrated with the hat!

On a side note, I barely (if at all) remember the lagoon. I have been to WDW multiple times but we always uses buses, so I go straight from the bus stops to the entrance. I gotta start paying more attention. I need to make sure I go out of the way to check out the lagoon next time!

 

[wdwcrazy]

How about puting the hat in the middle of the lagoon at the entrance?

Nope, it's not going there.

Or right on the edge of the lagoon.

Let's see....not going there either.

Heck maybe the boat dock could be relocated and be integrated with the hat!

Guess what, it's not going there either! It's staying right where it is. Do you not believe anyone? :brick:

 

[spagmoid]

Originally posted by JLW11Hi


Well, you could look at it that way, but for a park that is based basically on the entertainment industry, which is highly diversified, it can be hard to make things "flow" properly. There
-clip-
Ok, Im done

Walt managed to make a park contain things as different as fantasy, frontier, and tomorrowland flow together fine. When you're in Tomorrowland you _don't_ see fairies or cowboys.

In MGM, Eisner's creation, you are bombarded by different themes from all sides. The sorcerer hat in front of the Chinese Theater is just the latest example of how clueless he is.
It's Eisner's insistence on doing things the wrong way that demoralizes the imagineers and has caused Disney's quality to plummet.

 

[stale32441]

The reason I heard the hat was put in front of the Chinese Theatre was because that s The "MGM" part of Disney-MGM Studios, and MGM will not be renwing their contrac when it comes up. So Disney decided to put a big "blocker" in front of their attraction. Although it still remains third on the tacky scale behind the arm and wand on Spaceship Earth (which was done well, but just doesn't belong, and the tackiest thng ever, that horrible, horrible, ugly pink castle!!!

 

[JLW11Hi]

Originally posted by spagmoid


Walt managed to make a park contain things as different as fantasy, frontier, and tomorrowland flow together fine. When you're in Tomorrowland you _don't_ see fairies or cowboys.

In MGM, Eisner's creation, you are bombarded by different themes from all sides. The sorcerer hat in front of the Chinese Theater is just the latest example of how clueless he is.
It's Eisner's insistence on doing things the wrong way that demoralizes the imagineers and has caused Disney's quality to plummet.

Well, its all in the way you look at things. In my mind, movie making has always been viewed this way. The idea that when you go on the backlot of a movie studio that you will see people dressed as cowboys, aliens, dancers, and all sorts of different costuming walking around. That is in a way what the studios tries to do. The Studios is not the Magic Kingdom. At the studios, they want people to see the stage lighting, the fakiness of the sets/props, etc. to give it a real "Hollwood" feel. Look at the Great Movie Ride. If you look up in almost any scene, you will plainly see the roof of the building, complete with lights and all to make it seem that you are on a movie set.

The biggest problems with the "Landscape" of the studios came when they opened much of the tram tour to the guests. Originally, the tour made up a ton of the park, going down New York Street and going through what is now Mickey Ave. Before, the layout was a lot like the Magic Kingdom, where at the end of Hollywood Blvd, you could choose to go to the different areas that fan out from the central hub. When it opened, there was just Echo Lake and the actual Disney Studios, where the studio tour first began. But once teh opened everything up, all the streets were arranged in no special order for the public, rather they were designed for the tour.

 

[Sherm00]

again just got back from the world. The hat is really cool. The "Hollywood studio" theme still works well and the hat mad it feel more like a Disney studio. I was impressed with it and kinda hope it stays. it was really fun. And I really liked the pink castle to it wasn't tacky it was fun. but the castle cake though cool I am lad they changed it back. The hat on the other hand is awesome and cool, and I hope it stays. as for the wand in epcot, I have mixed feelings, my wife liked it, me I didn't like you could see the beams holding it up. I hope they take it down after the celebration , if not atleast take off the word epcot and make the hand 3D. then it would be ok.

 

[gjpjtj]

I have to agree that the Hat is pretty cool. It definitely blocks the view of the GMR, but it makes the whole park feel more "Disney".

 

[cymbaldiva]

I haven't actually witnessed the hat for myself yet, but I'm afraid I'm really not going to like it ...In all of the photos I've seen it looks really huge and like it's blocking the view of everything else. I haven't seen it in person though, so guess I'll have to wait and see!

 

[CO806]

The hat rules...big improvement to the look of MGM Studios.....

 

[cymbaldiva]

Thanks for the pic, but it really doesn't help my opinion - the hat still looks like it's blocking the view!

 

[JTinCT]

Originally posted by Sherm00
again just got back from the world. The hat is really cool. The "Hollywood studio" theme still works well and the hat mad it feel more like a Disney studio. I was impressed with it and kinda hope it stays. it was really fun. And I really liked the pink castle to it wasn't tacky it was fun.

Obviously if you thought the CAKE wasnt tacky, then you would enjoy the giant paper weight at the Studios... i think its horrible, i loved walking down Hollywood and seeing the chinese theatre at the end...it felt more like a Studio and Hollywoodish than seeing a Giant hat at the end.... i understand WHY they're doing it... but i just wish it wasnt blocking the theatre.... or AT LEAST make it silver and not gold... blegh!:hurl:

 

[cymbaldiva]

Originally posted by JTinCT


Obviously if you thought the CAKE wasnt tacky, then you would enjoy the giant paper weight at the Studios... i think its horrible, i loved walking down Hollywood and seeing the chinese theatre at the end...it felt more like a Studio and Hollywoodish than seeing a Giant hat at the end.... i understand WHY they're doing it... but i just wish it wasnt blocking the theatre.... or AT LEAST make it silver and not gold... blegh!:hurl:

Dude! While I agree with what you're saying, the avatar doesn't help much....

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by spagmoid


Walt managed to make a park contain things as different as fantasy, frontier, and tomorrowland flow together fine. When you're in Tomorrowland you _don't_ see fairies or cowboys.

In MGM, Eisner's creation, you are bombarded by different themes from all sides. The sorcerer hat in front of the Chinese Theater is just the latest example of how clueless he is.
It's Eisner's insistence on doing things the wrong way that demoralizes the imagineers and has caused Disney's quality to plummet.

another thing I would like to add is that since the "Nine Old Men" are retired or not with us any longer and since Eisner is contracting Imangineers now on a per project basis, Disney is loosing the ideas and concepts of what made Disney the inovators in the Theam park Bussiness


also some have mentioned about SE and the Icon for EPCOT. First you have to remember that SE was designed to fit in with the overal design of the entrance to EPCOT, the hat was just ploped in to the middle of the courtyard and I think it makes the area looked a bit crowed. Remember Less Is More!!

 

[JTinCT]

Also... yeah i know the avatar doesnt match my opinions but i have a HUGE liking of sorcerer mickey..... anyway! since the hat has been there... the worlds largest hidden mickey has been taken away!!!!!!

 

[cymbaldiva]

It is a really kewl avatar... I know, let ditch the actual hat, and keep all the neat snaps of it! :lol:

 

[STGRhost]

Walt managed to make a park contain things as different as fantasy, frontier, and tomorrowland flow together fine. When you're in Tomorrowland you _don't_ see fairies or cowboys.

Well, its all in the way you look at things. In my mind, movie making has always been viewed this way. The idea that when you go on the backlot of a movie studio that you will see people dressed as cowboys, aliens, dancers, and all sorts of different costuming walking around. That is in a way what the studios tries to do. The Studios is not the Magic Kingdom. At the studios, they want people to see the stage lighting, the fakiness of the sets/props,etc. to give it a real "Hollwood" feel. Look at the Great Movie Ride. If you look up in almost any scene, you will plainly see the roof of the building, complete with lights and all to make it seem that you are on a movie set.

Oh,JLW11Hi, I love you! I don't have to even take the time to re-explain what you said, only that it's EXACTLY what we teach (as trainers) in On With the Show (the Studios training) and other classes...