What should HS's icon be?

[Pepper's Ghost]

As much as i hated that hat, it really did suit the park as a better icon.

This... exactly. I really did hate the hat too, but now I realize it was better than NOTHING. IMO, the HTH is just a ride, not anything that represents the entire park or all Disney movies. Same with the Chinese Theater. It just doesn't make sense. The water tower is just that... a water tower. That would be the most lame park icon ever. I'm not saying it shouldn't be somewhere in the park, and an endearing sight. I'm just saying it's not in any way representative of the park. And the archway? I mean... it's an archway.

I didn't vote for anything, because I didn't see a choice that was good enough. I don't have a great idea for an icon, but it wasn't any of those. Btw, I'm not saying I don't like or even love any of those landmarks, especially Eisner's toe, but when discussing a new icon, not so much.

Why not add the Star Wars Deathstar to the list? As much as I'm a SW fan, the Deathstar as an icon makes just as much sense as the rest.

 

[WondersOfLife]

the HTH is just a ride, not anything that represents the entire park or all Disney movies. Same with the Chinese Theater. It just doesn't make sense.

The Chinese Theater makes just as much sense as Spaceship Earth and Tree of Life if you're talking about icons with rides inside of them.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

The Chinese Theater makes just as much sense as Spaceship Earth and Tree of Life if you're talking about icons with rides inside of them.

I could be wrong here, but here's my understanding... The Chinese Theater is something that actually exists out there as in Grauman's Chinese Theater. I've always assumed it was a representation of that given the hand/foot prints in the cement, etc. Grauman's is not anything specific to Disney, so it's a representation of something distinctly NOT Disney-specific. I agree that the Tree of Life and Spaceship Earth are not exactly representative of the parks, but they are at least Disney innovations.

Btw, I thought Spaceship Earth is supposed to be representative of the entire earth as sort of a gateway to the World Showcase. It also ties in the future of communications which ties to Future World. Come to think of it, it actually does work far better than the Chinese Theater.

Tree of Life on the other hand is only representative of the park on the outside with all the "carvings" in the tree which represent the rest of the park. The show inside isn't exactly representative in that it's about bugs, but I guess they do tie in how bugs are essential to all life on the planet, as well as Pandora per references in the movie of the importance of all living creatures.

The Chinese Theater externally is representative of all of Hollywood which isn't distinctly Disney. On the inside, it's now a runaway train or something. Haven't seen it yet, so I can't judge on that front. I'd say that if they'd have kept The Great Movie Ride, the Chinese Theater might work a little better as an icon... maybe. Or, I might still just be bitter about them ripping out a fave.

I dunno. I've already burned too many brain cells on this one. I don't feel so strongly about this one that I'd debate it extensively. I could be just as easily shoved to back your position too.

 

[LaughingGravy]

What's the choice representing a half day park?

 

[Heppenheimer]

What's the choice representing a half day park?

A slightly less empty wallet?

 

[AshaNeOmah]

My heart says Chinese Theater, but my brain and vote goes with HTH.

HTH is unique and doesn't exist elsewhere (well, Paris), where the Chinese theater, as a replica, will never scream Disney! to most guests.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

Dumb question... When I think of the park icon, I think of something at either the entrance, or at the hub of the park. If this is true, and only if, how could HTH be the icon? It's tucked away in the corner of the park. I thought the icon should be front or center?

If by icon you mean only that it's the main point of representation in photos, on t-shirts, etc. then I guess it doesn't really matter.

 

[WondersOfLife]

I could be wrong here, but here's my understanding... The Chinese Theater is something that actually exists out there as in Grauman's Chinese Theater. I've always assumed it was a representation of that given the hand/foot prints in the cement, etc. Grauman's is not anything specific to Disney, so it's a representation of something distinctly NOT Disney-specific. I agree that the Tree of Life and Spaceship Earth are not exactly representative of the parks, but they are at least Disney innovations.

Btw, I thought Spaceship Earth is supposed to be representative of the entire earth as sort of a gateway to the World Showcase. It also ties in the future of communications which ties to Future World. Come to think of it, it actually does work far better than the Chinese Theater.

Tree of Life on the other hand is only representative of the park on the outside with all the "carvings" in the tree which represent the rest of the park. The show inside isn't exactly representative in that it's about bugs, but I guess they do tie in how bugs are essential to all life on the planet, as well as Pandora per references in the movie of the importance of all living creatures.

The Chinese Theater externally is representative of all of Hollywood which isn't distinctly Disney. On the inside, it's now a runaway train or something. Haven't seen it yet, so I can't judge on that front. I'd say that if they'd have kept The Great Movie Ride, the Chinese Theater might work a little better as an icon... maybe. Or, I might still just be bitter about them ripping out a fave.

I dunno. I've already burned too many brain cells on this one. I don't feel so strongly about this one that I'd debate it extensively. I could be just as easily shoved to back your position too.

I was just responding to your ride in an icon claim.

 

[Brer Penguin]

Despite the legal ramifications of using the Theater as the icon (I think the current owner of the real Chinese Theater would have issue with it, or at a minimum would demand heftier license payments), it really would make the most sense. Now that the park is become less about visiting a working studio, and more about entering the world of the movies (Galaxy's Edge, Toy Story Land, etc), then having a movie theater as the icon makes a lot of sense, as that is the way we have been entering the world of the movies for years now.

But that makes too much sense, so let's just put the largest building on all the merchandise and call it a day....

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

I was just responding to your ride in an icon claim.

I hear ya. It might seem like semantics, but my meaning was a little different then how it must've come across. To me there's no issue with making a ride out of the icon like Spaceship Earth. It has an visual meaning that represents what the park is which is furthered by the ride built inside. My meaning was just taking the icon of an existing ride and saying, "there, that's your park icon".

Taking an existing ride's show building, and calling it the park icon only because it's one of the most recognizable and best rides in the park doesn't make it an appropriate park icon IMO. It'd be like taking the Everest show building and saying, "there, a mountain represents Animal Kingdom". It doesn't make sense IMO. At face value HTH is supposed to be a hotel. How does that represent the Hollywood studios park as a whole.

Now, had they built the Mickey Hat with a ride in it, not that it was big enough, but if they had I'd have no issues with that in general. Again, I didn't particularly like the hat, but at least it represented something truly Disney. Geez, now after all this talk about what should be, I'm beginning to lament of what was. I now I long for a stupid Sorcerer's hat I never liked. Just goes to show you. Just when you think that Disney has screwed something up enough, the plummet to a new low.

 

[Lilofan]

What's the choice representing a half day park?

A half constructed icon with walls built around it for the photo op.

 

[TheDuke]

I will say Tower of Terror. I might have said the Chinese Theater when GMR was still there but it is not quite the same. GMR kind of summed up the whole park whereas Mickey doesn't.

 

[cookiee_munster]

Could that not be considered as the parks Icon?