Disney Hollywood Studios Hat

[ASteelersMidget]

The hat was built for a park anniversary and was only supposed to stand for a year or so. Later the decision was made that, like "magic" on the geodesic ball at Epcot, it was so expensive to put up that it should stay. However, it's completely out of scale for its location, it spoils the illusion of an old Hollywood street, and it blocks the view of the "weenie"--the Chinese theater--that was supposed to be the climax of the view down the street. Which is a fancy way to say: the suits kept it there to save money but it sucks.

lol sounds about right

 

[nytimez]

The hat was built for a park anniversary and was only supposed to stand for a year or so. Later the decision was made that, like "magic" on the geodesic ball at Epcot, it was so expensive to put up that it should stay. However, it's completely out of scale for its location, it spoils the illusion of an old Hollywood street, and it blocks the view of the "weenie"--the Chinese theater--that was supposed to be the climax of the view down the street. Which is a fancy way to say: the suits kept it there to save money but it sucks.

Wow -- "ball," "weenie" and "climax" in the same post. Instant classic. Bonus points for ending with "sucks."

 

[wmson2000]

Been to DHS before and after the hat.
Love it!
Hardly can remember pre-hat. But for me it's the "icon" of DHS.

 

[Florida Dreamin']

Like the hat, hate the location.

Maybe they could have;
• Placed in front of the park near the "Bag Check"
• Placed it where the grounded billboard is
• My favorite of all: removed it

 

[canopynut66]

I hate the hat...the whole set up to me has seemed like this giant hat fell out of the sky right in front of the Chinese Theater.

Agree--hat fine just wrong place for it. Blocks to much of theater

 

[dizney chick]

Every park needs a focal point. If not the hat, would you really want to go back to the old one?

 

[The Duck]

Every park needs a focal point. If not the hat, would you really want to go back to the old one?

So what's wrong with the Earful Tower? It was the park icon for about 13 years.

 

[Lecard]

If what I have heard around the parks is true then Disney planned ahead on re-branding away from just a celebration of the 30's and 40's film area so they wanted to put something in place of the theater (which is their MGM film centered attraction) as the main icon you saw when you entered the park.

I personally don't mind the hat but the Earful Tower will always be the icon in my heart haha

 

[ToddS]

Wow -- "ball," "weenie" and "climax" in the same post. Instant classic. Bonus points for ending with "sucks."

Nicely done, nytimez.

 

[ToddS]

I will repeat what I say every time this subject comes up: Move the hat!!

It's not bad looking, but it's in the wrong place. It spoils the sight-lines of the park as it was designed. If you ask me, it should be out on the plaza outside the turnstiles, where there is an arc-shaped seawall by the lake. It would be a perfect spot. And the hat could still be the "icon" of the park, as far as I'm concerned.

I always hear contradictions to this theory, but I am fairly sure that the hat was always intended to be permanent, and was placed there because of PhotoPass. I think the rights to the image of the Chinese Theater are owned by someone other than Disney, and that whenever Disney sells something with that image on it, they have to pay that owner. (This would also explain why the mouse-eared water tower, and not the Chinese Theater, was the original Studios icon -- so they didn't have to pay royalties on D/MGMS souvenirs that displayed images of the icon.) Needless to say, Disney sells countless photos shot down Hollywood Boulevard every day via PhotoPass, and to keep the Chinese Theater out of those photos, they built the hat. If I'm right, it won't be moved anytime soon for this reason.

 

[DizCaptain]

I dont care for it, but don't hate it. My opinion isn't that it should be rooted asap, but I won't cry if its gone. One thing I know for sure though is that I HATE that semi-permanent performance stage made of what looks like old metal stage rigging and spare clothe they installed in front of the hat for those God-awful shows. Great idea Disney let's mask a mask and make the view even uglier!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I love the hat for this reason. The Magic Kingdom has Cinderella's Castle, Epcot has Spaceship Earth and the Animal Kingdom has the Tree of Life, all of which are located in the center's of those parks and which everyone can see when they walk in. Plus those are all Disney icons that have to do with their movies and etc. So Hollywood Studios finally has their major Disney icon located in the center for everyone to see.

 

[queenpatricia]

I like the hat but not the location too. Think it should be more in the front of the park.

 

[fireflymedic]

I like or at least dont mind the hat what I dont like is what is in it. they need to make it bigger and put a ride in it

 

[JoShan1719]

I'm one of those who have been to DHS without the hat there (and when it was still MGM) and it was so cool to see the chinese theater at the end of the road, similar to the castle at the end of Main Street. The hat just blocks it, and it's a pointless structure. You walk alllll the way to the end of the road to find... a pin trading area? Lame.

 

[Josh Hendy]

The hat was built for a park anniversary and was only supposed to stand for a year or so. Later the decision was made that, like "magic" on the geodesic ball at Epcot, it was so expensive to put up that it should stay. However, it's completely out of scale for its location, it spoils the illusion of an old Hollywood street, and it blocks the view of the "weenie"--the Chinese theater--that was supposed to be the climax of the view down the street. Which is a fancy way to say: the suits kept it there to save money but it sucks.

I heard on one of the Disney podcasts that the owners of the original Chinese theater complained and wanted (more) money for the use of a likeness of their building as a weenie a.k.a. park icon, and apparently they were demanding so much money and/or acting so litigious about it, that Disney decided to cover it up with the hat.

Someone at Disney must've decided that by adding the hat they could make everything good - they would have their weenie and not have to redesign and rebuild the facade of the GMR.

I guess you can say that the hat reflects the design sensibilities of lawyers and accountants and not of imagineers or artists.

Incidentally, over at Universal Studios many people are also angry that they ruined the theming of their New York / 5th ave street by making the Rip Ride Rockit coaster intrude. Maybe Universal did it because they thought that a pure movie-making theme in that end of the park would not draw as many customers as a big, shiny, colorful thing.

Do really well-themed weenies actually fail, from an imagineering point of view, because they DON'T disrupt the sightlines and excite the visitor, but blend in too much and cause boredom? Maybe the definition of a Weenie is that it must be obtrusive and a little bit jarring ... like a fairy-tale castle looming over an American small town main street.

 

[sjs314]

I love the hat! To me it screams DISNEY and now that the Studios are no longer MGM but Disney Hollywood Studios I find it is the perfect icon for the park. I find it;s placement appropriate, no need to move it.

 

[nytimez]

I heard on one of the Disney podcasts that the owners of the original Chinese theater complained and wanted (more) money for the use of a likeness of their building as a weenie a.k.a. park icon, and apparently they were demanding so much money and/or acting so litigious about it, that Disney decided to cover it up with the hat.

Someone at Disney must've decided that by adding the hat they could make everything good - they would have their weenie and not have to redesign and rebuild the facade of the GMR.

urban legend

 

[Stitch#001]

I don't like the hat. I miss the when you first enter Hollywood Studios. I liked being able to see right down to the GMR. I wish that they would remove the hat. It looks so out of place.

 

[michelleiada]

I love the hat. I love Fantasmic and the sorcerer. I think its a great park icon.