News Walt Disney World's iconic Twilight Zone Tower of Terror billboard to be permanently removed

[LuvtheGoof]

Something Tomorrowland originally had (doesn't any longer) was a very kinetic environment. You had:
- The skyway
- The Peoplemover
- Monorail (DL)
- Autopia
- Astrojets (probably have that name wrong - Dumbo in the sky)

Umm, the only thing gone is the Skyway, and it's been gone for over 20 years.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Ah, so TheZach was in charge of this. I look forward to his Instagram reports on how this removal is exactly what Walt wanted with his original plans for EPCOT Center, along with several posts about the actual removal process and how things were chosen.

Gotta stay in the public's eye acting like everything they're doing is a positive change!

 

[LuvtheGoof]

View attachment 653130View attachment 653131 Two prime examples of that.

They both stuck around many years after they should have been removed. Thank goodness they are finally both gone.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Photos from this morning

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror billboard demolition

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror billboard demolition

www.wdwmagic.com

Now that is sad. I always thought that was a very clever and mood inducing display along World Drive. However, reality wise it will probably be missed by very few. When it was built, if I remember correctly, that was the primary entrance to WDW. They have added a few more since then.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Gotta stay in the public's eye acting like everything they're doing is a positive change!

"Whadda they know? They're tourists." - Bob/Josh. Maybe Rizzo.

You aren't wrong. Which is why I keep saying - Vote with your wallet. Too many people have the notion that they and/or their kids "deserve" a WDW vacation. Incorrect. Brilliant marketing, but it's built on nostalgia that they aren't building back.

 

[OceanBlue]

I've heard this is a common thing

Maybe there’s a YouTube video of it I can play on repeat next time.

 

[Goofyernmost]

You forgot the earful tower…

That was far worse, in my mind, then the Epcot wand. I kinda like the wand as a tool to let a whole lot of clueless people know that Epcot was still part of WDW. That Hat (unaffectionate known as that BAH), however, was a very welcome loss and the Earful Tower was another sad day. All those icons had no value physically, but that had a whole lot of value as warm fuzzy mood enhancers. Things with familiarity and sense of all is right with the world that you have entered and reality isn't in this locations dictionary. The ToT billboard, actually display, required more creativity and was actually built with the same care as an actual attraction.

 

[Bellhop97]

This is one of the most saddest things ever, I really am tearing up as I write this, I worked on the TOT back in 97, part of the college program, and over the years besides riding the ride, seeing that sign brought back so many memories of the time I lived there and the many visits afterwards. Seeing that sign on a daily basis was part of the magic, had to pinch myself .. saying .."wow, I work there"

 

[Disney Glimpses]

This is one of the most saddest things ever, I really am tearing up as I write this, I worked on the TOT back in 97, part of the college program, and over the years besides riding the ride, seeing that sign brought back so many memories of the time I lived there and the many visits afterwards. Seeing that sign on a daily basis was part of the magic, had to pinch myself .. saying .."wow, I work there"

I'm sorry I minimized the impact this is having on some people. As someone who frequently visits from the EPCOT resorts, it never became an intrinsic part of my experience.

This is becoming death by 1,000 cuts. Disney for so long was criticized for letting things get stale and doing nothing to change the property. It feels like overnight they are changing everything. It's really unsettling to not trust that the product you purchase today (AP, DVC) will be the same in even 6 months.

 

[fngoofy]

I don't think a TV channel is anything special, either. And I have plenty to complain about regarding Disney - park reservations, Genie+, loss of DME, the removal of half of CommuniCore in Epcot, etc.

Those things are far more impactful on the enjoyment of Disney than a billboard that I maybe see for 3.5 seconds... I'd hardly call that "boot-licking".

Well, we liked seeing the Stacy loop (and Krissa prior to her, and the Zip a Dee Do Da Tip of the day before her) because when we were in the room it kept day to day TV from creeping in (news, death, destruction, Sponge Bob, etc.)

It all adds up to a bizarre take on the 50th. "Come relive the magic" but:

• We've replaced all the things you've loved. RoE bring a tear to your eye back in the day? It's gone and replaced with cover tunes of your favorite music, not even the versions you love are there.
• How about a iridescent Castle for you?
• Like the MSEP? We will send it somewhere else to celebrate it's 50th. But we did bring in some "gold" characters and put them around the park.
• We somehow jacked up the Peoplemover so that after 46 yrs of continuous operation it now has difficulty making 1 loop.
• Like our Resort TV personality that's been doing the feed for like 16yrs? We got rid of her.
• Like a goofy sign we've had up for 28yrs? Gone
• Like the old kinetics of Rivers of America? We have the canoes in DL, but can't figure out how to put them in the MK OR to design a Keel Boat that would be safe, just too difficult, sorry (even though we still have the docks for those two attractions, too tough)
• Like experiencing out attractions? Forget you, pay me... more... more.
• Like parking at a resort you are paying $500 a night for? Forget you, pay me... more the more expensive your resort
• Have trouble in the park? Visit one of our MANY blue umbrellas where you will find you know more about the park than the CM working there
• Wanna use the park hopper pass you bought? Wait until 2pm (and soon book your hop, no changes to your plan please.)
• and on
• and on
• and on

 

[Bellhop97]

I'm sorry I minimized the impact this is having on some people. As someone who frequently visits from the EPCOT resorts, it never became an intrinsic part of my experience.

This is becoming death by 1,000 cuts. Disney for so long was criticized for letting things get stale and doing nothing to change the property. It feels like overnight they are changing everything. It's really unsettling to not trust that the product you purchase today (AP, DVC) will be the same in even 6 months.

It feels like out with the old and in with the new, seems like Disney is catering to a new generation, and pushing aside the older one, I get that they have to keep up with the times, but not so fast, not all at once. There is still a generation that appreciates what was there.

 

[Bud]

"Cheapek's Race to the Bottom" could be a new theme for the attraction.

 

[WDWTrojan]

View attachment 653130View attachment 653131 Two prime examples of that.

The hat was originally intended to stay for 11 years from Day 1. Stayed a bit longer than that though.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Don't cry about every change is my stance. Cry about whats actually important.

If the fanbase didn't explode with outrage over every little single thing, then Disney might actually listen if it complained about something.

If the complainers let unimportant things like this sign go without it being a rage inducing moment, then they might listen if you had a large amount of complaints against something like changing Splash Mountain. But since every single thing gets the same level of complaints, they listen to exactly none of it.

So now here's something that's important to remember - there's no hivemind about what is important. Clearly, a number of people thought there was some level of importance to this sign. I haven't posted my opinion on it yet, but if given the choice between keeping the sign and watching the space become an empty lot, I would certainly prefer they keep the sign. It's one of those fun, unique things that used to be scattered around the resort, and I can't think of any good reason the guests would be better off without it than with it.

But this idea that everyone cries out about every change is silly. There are simply lots of people here who have lots of different priorities, and when you get enough people in one space there will likely be a large enough amount who will speak up about any particular change because that's the one that happens to be important to them. It's not like the list of people who complained in the thread about The Great Movie Ride's Closure are all the exact same people speaking up now in this thread. You make it sound as if there's a finite amount of devout pessimists who are ruining everything for the rest of us, and that just isn't the truth.

Not to mention, I really don't see a lot of raging over this - I see "Boooooo" and "What a shame" and "Seriously?" and "Bummer" and "But why?" and "Another detail stripped by Disney", but I'd hardly call any of those reactions outsized. One or two that are in all caps that seem easy enough to brush aside as one person taking things too seriously. But it seems like your reaction might be mischaracterizing the general reaction here.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Not angry, but disappointed.

But... Now how will I know that I'm at WDW without all of these visual cues telling me that I'm at WDW???? I hope a dozen more flat, static billboards are erected to replace this 3D billboard. That plus characters and character images everywhere are the only way I know where I am. /s

Maybe if we’re lucky they’ll tear down those arches over the entrances next… no reason to have things like that letting us know we’re at Disney either. We don’t need details like that to know where we are, we have maps for that. /s

 

[Disney Analyst]

As is the challenge with a lot of Disney's offerings, JuniorExec A approves a great "temporary" offering, meant to last only a couple of years. JuniorExec A leaves before the end of that period. JuniorExec B comes in, realizes this item's demolition/replacement costs vs maintenance costs ROI would be negative for their anticipated tenure, so temporary item stays. Rinse and repeat, until this temporary item becomes ingrained in the nostalgia of WDW. Finally, maintenance costs are so high, the ROI flips positive during JuniorExec X's tenure, and the item comes down. Much gnashing teeth in the Disney community ensues.

Great post.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Maybe if we’re lucky they’ll tear down those arches over the entrances next… no reason to have things like that letting us know we’re at Disney either. We don’t need details like that to know where we are, we have maps for that. /s

In all seriousness, the de-theming has to end at some point or Disney is going to be generic and boring.

Every time they touch a resort it feels less Disney and more like a generic Holiday Inn. They used to build mountains to hide rides, now they just build a big box and paint it blue… losing a channel alone isn’t a big deal, neither is losing a billboard, but when you combine those lost details with lost bed runners, lost resort specific details, lost shop specific merch in shops, lost resort specific merch at resorts, lost boats, lost specialized music, lost streetmosphere, lost free FP, lost free parking, lost magical express, etc, etc… it’s just too much. The Disney we all know and love for its attention to the details is becoming more generic and boring by the day and it’s sad to see the way it’s going.

 

[brb1006]

In memoriam

 

[DisneyCane]

That was fast. If it was where I remembered it there was a pile of mangled steel today.

 

[brb1006]

Both of those being removed were a plus. The billboard not so much. I think its exciting driving up to the front gates and seeing billboards and other things to get you excited about YOURE ALMOST THERE!!! Its part of the Disney bubble. Id like to see more of the old school topiaries also on the way in. And signs with donald and mickey... maybe ones that tell a story as you drive (not obnoxious but like 3-5)

Don't forget the TTC having toparies

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