Wand finally coming down?

[Baloo423]

Just read this over at Mousegeeks.com:


"Read about it in the eyes and ears and now I'm seeing it released in public so I figured you all on here started knowing more about this. When EPCOT hits the big 25 years Spaceship Earth will lose it's Mickey Wand. Yes you heard right no more mickey wand for Spaceship Earth. But here is some good news. The wand will return once EPCOT has ended it's 25 years of magic. But here is where stuff gets interesting! Once the wand is gone what will happen to spaceship earth? Will it stay bare? NO! Are you kidding!? Walt Disney World Resort leaving something bare!? What planet are you from!? If you are a Cast Member and you got the latest issue of the Eyes And Ears then you probably saw the latest pictures for the new design which will be put on there for EPCOT's 25 years, then once it's over the wand goes back."


If it's in E&E then its 99% truth! :sohappy:

 

[unkadug]

It's interesting that no other CAST MEMBER can verify that this was indeed in the Eyes & Ears.

 

[disney_nutter]

i like the wand, its a bit colour to a pretty grey symbol

 

[Urbish]

While I agree it adds a bit of color and DOES spruce up SSE a bit, I wish they picked something more in the theme of science and discovery rather than tack on Mickey. Honestly, how much creativity does it take for someone to say "oh, SSE looks like a crystal ball kinda...maybe we could have a magic wand or something around it....do we know anyone who uses a magic wand?"

As I mentioned in my earlier post, it kinda breaks the whole theme to the theme park. So I guess that just makes it a park. Or at least a half-hearted theme park. Would that make it a the park? Or maybe an eme park? Not an emo park, mind you. That'll be Dark Kingdom, when that gets built in 2064.

P.S. - I have access to the Eyes & Ears, but only the online archives (I'm a Disney Campus Rep)...my most recent available is Jan 4-17 2007. If I can get the February issue I'll make sure to let you know about the wand replacement.

 

[imagineer boy]

Well, I hope this is true, but please don't put the wand back when you're done!!!!

 

[phichi17]

Just read this over at Mousegeeks.com:


"Read about it in the eyes and ears and now I'm seeing it released in public so I figured you all on here started knowing more about this. When EPCOT hits the big 25 years Spaceship Earth will lose it's Mickey Wand. Yes you heard right no more mickey wand for Spaceship Earth. But here is some good news. The wand will return once EPCOT has ended it's 25 years of magic. But here is where stuff gets interesting! Once the wand is gone what will happen to spaceship earth? Will it stay bare? NO! Are you kidding!? Walt Disney World Resort leaving something bare!? What planet are you from!? If you are a Cast Member and you got the latest issue of the Eyes And Ears then you probably saw the latest pictures for the new design which will be put on there for EPCOT's 25 years, then once it's over the wand goes back."


If it's in E&E then its 99% truth! :sohappy:

I believe this is utter rubbish. Any CM's care to verify?

 

[Thelazer]

I didn't see it in E&E.... maybe the OP can scan it in for us?

 

[WDW Monorail]

Unfortunately, I see this as an opinion of an Imagineer. Especially the way SEE was depicted, I think that it was more of a joke or an opinion than a fact.But!...

watch me be wrong!

 

[wdwmagic]

Epcot doesn't have to appeal to a wider audience to survive. <a href="http://www.coastergrotto.com/theme-park-attendance.jsp">Epcot was the third most visited in the US in 2005</a>, and when the first official TEA/ERA Amusement Park Attendance Report comes out in April I'm sure it will still be near the top.
.

The figures you are talking about there are since Epcot HAS been trying to appeal to the wider audience. The addition of Mission Space, Soarin, Nemo, and yes, "the wand", have all done their part to popularise Epcot, and give the strong attendance figures you report from 2005.

 

[phichi17]

The figures you are talking about there are since Epcot HAS been trying to appeal to the wider audience. The addition of Mission Space, Soarin, Nemo, and yes, "the wand", have all done their part to popularise Epcot, and give the strong attendance figures you report from 2005.

Do you think the wand is a tourist draw? The attractions mentioned, absolutely. The wand, not so much. As I stated earlier, the wand is a device to enhance the weenie of EPCOT, nothing more. It was put in place initially to announce a specific celebration. I would think because of the cost involved, it stayed.

JMHO.

 

[dxwwf3]

The figures you are talking about there are since Epcot HAS been trying to appeal to the wider audience.

And I think they've done a great job. Sure if "I" could trade today's Epcot for a early 90's EPCOT Center, "I" would do it in a heartbeat, but the current attractions are fantastic and have served their purpose. It will be interesting to see what comes after this generation in the 3rd incarnation of Future World.

However, I HIGHLY doubt that the wand has anything whatsoever to do with the crowd increase. Epcot should always be the 3rd highest attended park in the US simply because it is the only non-Magic Kingdom style park that is a household name. Most people have heard about Epcot even if they have no clue about what it is. When someone travels to central Florida, they are much more likely to go to Epcot because they've heard of it before.

 

[phichi17]

And I think they've done a great job. Sure if "I" could trade today's Epcot for a early 90's EPCOT Center, "I" would do it in a heartbeat, but the current attractions are fantastic and have served their purpose. It will be interesting to see what comes after this generation in the 3rd incarnation of Future World.

However, I HIGHLY doubt that the wand has anything whatsoever to do with the crowd increase. Epcot should always be the 3rd highest attended park in the US simply because it is the only non-Magic Kingdom style park that is a household name. Most people have heard about Epcot even if they have no clue about what it is. When someone travels to central Florida, they are much more likely to go to Epcot because they've heard of it before.

What he said!:lol: That was what I was trying to say, albeit much less eloquent.

 

[wdwmagic]

However, I HIGHLY doubt that the wand has anything whatsoever to do with the crowd increase. Epcot should always be the 3rd highest attended park in the US simply because it is the only non-Magic Kingdom style park that is a household name. Most people have heard about Epcot even if they have no clue about what it is. When someone travels to central Florida, they are much more likely to go to Epcot because they've heard of it before.

While I dont give the wand alone credit for helping Epcot, I do give the whole Epcot Millennium event a lot of credit for the turn around, which of course the wand was a part of.

 

[wdwmagic]

Do you think the wand is a tourist draw? The attractions mentioned, absolutely. The wand, not so much. As I stated earlier, the wand is a device to enhance the weenie of EPCOT, nothing more. It was put in place initially to announce a specific celebration. I would think because of the cost involved, it stayed.

JMHO.

Agreed, its a giant weenie, which I think works very well. Regular (not hardcore fans), get a kick out of seeing the wand. It adds to the wow factor of arriving at Epcot.

 

[dxwwf3]

While I dont give the wand alone credit for helping Epcot, I do give the whole Epcot Millennium event a lot of credit for the turn around, which of course the wand was a part of.

The Millennium Celebration is one of the best times in Epcot history, IMO. While I didn't care much for Tapestry of Nations or Reflections of Earth very much after the celebration, they both fit perfectly for the event and gave the whole park a very special environment for that time. It was an excellent year for Epcot. Heck I even enjoyed the wand for that year.

 

[dxwwf3]

Agreed, its a giant weenie, which I think works very well. Regular (not hardcore fans), get a kick out of seeing the wand. It adds to the wow factor of arriving at Epcot.

Just because someone isn't a fan, doesn't mean they automatically like the wand though. I know you weren't trying to say that, but I feel that generalization gets used too often around here. When we spent NYE at Epcot a little over a month ago, we went with a newlywed couple and they didn't think too much of the wand when they saw it. They liked the park overall, but the male didn't like it as much as MGM when he was there for a previous college football bowl game a few years back.

 

[wdwmagic]

Just because someone isn't a fan, doesn't mean they automatically like the wand though. I know you weren't trying to say that, but I feel that generalization gets used too often around here. When we spent NYE at Epcot a little over a month ago, we went with a newlywed couple and they didn't think too much of the wand when they saw it. They liked the park overall, but the male didn't like it as much as MGM when he was there for a previous college football bowl game a few years back.

Right of course they dont all automatically like it. However, I do think that the fan community see things very differently to the millions of regular guests. That was my point.

 

[phichi17]

Right of course they dont all automatically like it. However, I do think that the fan community see things very differently to the millions of regular guests. That was my point.

That is a true statement. My wife (and ex wife) are huge fans of the wand and are not in our fan community. We fans ( grammar notwithstanding) can be very critical of every little detail.

 

[marni1971]

It`s a sign of the times if walking beneath an 180ft Geosphere - with attraction inside - that rests on 6 legs isn`t enough to get a `wow` factor from regular guests. In this context, the sign has merit; cantilevered over another building, freestanding yet hurricane proof. However next to SSE it pales in significance.There again, it`s no surprise really that a cheap sign makes a regular guest get excited when it seems the same guest - on average - can only cope with 5 minutes of attraction before needing to move onto the next. EPCOT Center is dead. As, on a whole, are the types of people who enjoyed it.

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

What really bothers me is when I see a Guest look up at the wand and say wow, instead of look up at Spaceship Earth and say wow. That's not right, no matter what justification there is for Disney branding. I think taking over half of CommuniCore with pure Disney merchandise and Disney character greeting should be more than enough for that.