Very true, Fantasia was a huge milestone both in Disney and filmmaking history, and that is what the hat is saluting probably. You just swayed me on the hat
I think it should stay.The Hat Coming Down
- Thread starter Dr. Emmett Brown
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Very true, Fantasia was a huge milestone both in Disney and filmmaking history, and that is what the hat is saluting probably. You just swayed me on the hat
I think it should stay.
The park was already Disney enough before the hat. The idea of the WDC is that it's supposed to be the power of imagination itself. The way the Hollywood Boulevard was designed originally was brilliant. Like the idea of the park is supposed to be, we are being taken into the Golden Age of Hollywood and overall the Hollywood that never was, but always will be in our minds. Seeing a huge cartoonish hat popping up out of nowhere right in front of the Chinese Theater not only kills the illusion itself, but also makes feels less imaginative and overall less Disney.
jtsalien said:
Another problem with the hat is that it simply salutes Disney too much. The park is supposed to be a tribute to the old Hollywood and old Disney that inspired the entertainment industry as we see today. Having the hat at the center of the park simply creates an over-emphasis on Disney, IMO.
I personally don't believe a park can be "too" Disney. The hat changes none of the brilliance of the parks entrance. It still is a representation of old Hollywood. The hat at the end doesn't change the experience in the street. Sure, if you stare at it, you will lose sight of where you are, but that's not the point. DHS isn't a picture perfect studio anymore. It's turning into a Disney park. And IMHO, Disney's Hollywood Studios could use a little more Disney.
The Hollywood Boulevard was never meant to be a part of the studio area (unless I'm reading you wrong). It's supposed to be like stepping into the real thing. If you can find a Golden Age Hollywood street that has a huge cartoon hat at the end of it, I will get you a meowing dog.
The thing is also that the Chinese Theater symbolizes the Hollywood Golden Age and movies overall much better than the hat ever will. The Earful Tower made much more sense as an icon because it represented the combo of Hollywood and Disney by having mouse ears on a studio water tower.
On top of that, with TOT anchoring the Sunset Boulevard area, it makes sense for the Chinese Theater to anchor the Hollywood Boulevard area as well. The cartoonish look of the hat throws off all of the realistic feel of the Hollywood Boulevard. It's essentially the equivalent of putting giant Mickey shoes in front of Cinderella's Castle, putting giant red Mickey pants on the Tree of Life, and putting a giant wand on Spaceship Earth. (which unfortunately happened and remained for about seven years)
Making the park focus more on Disney's works only plunges it more into the theme schizophrenia its had since the actual production was removed.
It's a Disney theme park. Not a museum. There is only so many things that can be done to make it seem real. And they don't own the Chinese Theater. So why would they want to have a park icon that they don't own?
Yes. And they don't own trees either. And they don't own geodesic spheres. But none of those are owned and operated by non-Disney companies.
I'm aware of that. But that doesn't justify how they turned a once realistic and magical-feeling street into a tacky and confused mess. (IMO)
I was saying that the Earful Tower needs to be the icon again and I described why it works better than the Hat. The Chinese Theater is merely a secondary icon.
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Tacky and confused is a bit harsh. I still find the theme on average better than most areas of Universal Studios. No it's not perfect. But tacky is way too harsh.
The problem is the Earful Tower isn't always visible. It isn't in a prominent place in the park. Disney wants you to know you're in a Disney park as soon as you pass through the gates. And in order to follow the hub and spoke model, your weenie is smack dab in the center of the park.
:doh:
The Chinese Theater is a real place that existed before Hollywood Studios was made and Disney does not own it because they did not create it. Cinderella Castle, as convincing as it may look, was not a real castle. Disney created it for the Magic Kingdom, therefore they own that "castle".
I don't know what point you're trying to make. They can make it anyway they want, but Disney still won't own the rights to the Chinese Theater.
This is disney they could own anything if they really want too they bought one of the biggest Comic Book companies of all time if they can buy that they can buy anything.
That's exactly how you run a company into the ground. You can't just buy up everything. Marvel wasn't what it used to be either. That's why it was for sale. Not everything has a price tag. And Disney doesn't have a mountain of money to play with. If they can use their own talent and properties they will.
Nope Marvel's bigger but Quesada has ruined iot in many ways but still just hsowing an example the company which owns a small tourist attraction is not going to be that expensive.
- Feb 10, 2010
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If I remember correctly, it's the architect's plans for the building which were subject to the copyright/no-more-theater issue with DHS, not the company that owns the Grauman's Chinese Theater...
The Chinese Theater was the weenie. It wasn't the icon of the entire park but it was the weenie you describe nonetheless. Both it and the Earful Tower described the two sections of the park. Chinese Theater was the basic icon of the Hollywood area, and the Earful Tower was the basic icon of the Studios. It may not have been in perfect sight, but that's simply the way the Imagineers designed it. Also, to add to that, Spaceship Earth is at the entrance to EPCOT Center, not in the center.
Plus, how does the hat represent the Golden Age of Disney and Hollywood other then being something that has Imagination and Magic associated with it?
Each of the four parks' icons have the meaning of each right on them.
Cinderella's Castle represents the timeless dreams we experience as humans, and timelessness is a theme that is all throughout the park (Fantasy, Past, Future, and Adventure are all timeless themes). The castle also represents how those dreams come true.
Spaceship Earth is a futuristic looking Earth, combining both themes of Future World and World Showcase. It also an homage to the centerpieces of the 1967 Montreal Expo and the 1939 New York World's Fair, and EPCOT Center itself, is supposed to be a "permanent World's Fair".
The Tree of Life represents a ton of things. It symbolizes how trees are the towers of life, and it also references the "world tree". On top of that, it also serves as an image from the Lion King.
The Hat just doesn't tell the story of DHS/MGM and it's Golden Hollywood themes as well as the Chinese Theater and the Earful Tower did.
Also to add, The Sorcerer's Hat doesn't hold anything special inside of it like the other icons do. Cinderella's Castle has a mural, a restaurant, and several unique shops. (and also the Dream Suite, but I'm not sure if they are using it for anything anymore). Spaceship Earth has, well, the Spaceship Earth attraction which does a great job at capturing the growth of humans, bringing the Future World and World Showcase together as one. The Tree of Life has it's tough to be a bug. (Although I admittingy would have preferred if they had a nature based show in there as originally planned, Eisner put ITTBAB in there just so it could market and advertise the movie, which at the time, had not been released yet). All the Sorcerer's Hat has is a pin shop. The Chinese Theater has the Great Movie Ride which perfectly captures the magic of movies. The Earful Tower has the Backlot Tour going around it, which used to be the heart of the Studios section of the park. (I admit this isn't a really important criticism, just something I wanted to bring up)
As for the tacky argument, I guess it's just the matter of opinion. That's just how I honestly feel about it.
That is exactly what the park it about. The magic and imagination of Hollywood. It's not like Universal, where you are supposed to see how the movies are made, or ride them. DHS is about the magic movies have and how they spark our imagination. The hat is a perfect representation of that magic. This isn't the Disney MGM Studios anymore. Its the Disney Hollywood Studios. The park is different. The icon is different. And the spirit is different.
Also, Epcot doesn't follow the hub and spoke model. But DHS is very close. So it makes sense for the Hat to be considered the icon.
