Disney has replaced the Sorcerer Hat with Tower of Terror on My Disney Experience

[jakej15]

Hello everyone!

I am writing to confirm that Disney has taken the Sorcerers Hat with a new Tower of Terror logo on My Disney Experience. I believe the hat only remains on the park maps on Disney's web page. What does everyone think of the Tower of Terror logo? Will the Tower of Terror be the icon over the Earful Tower?

Photos of the change can be seen at: s1382.photobucket.com/user/guitarppersonakej15/library/?sort=3&page=1

 

[rteetz]

Hello everyone! I am writing to confirm that Disney has taken the Sorcerers Hat with a new Tower of Terror logo on My Disney Experience. I believe the hat only remains on the park maps on Disney's web page. What does everyone think of the Tower of Terror logo? Will the Tower of Terror be the icon over the Earful Tower? Photos of the change can be seen at: s1382.photobucket.com/user/guitarppersonakej15/library/?sort=3&page=1

The tower of terror is in three resorts. It's far from the symbol of DHS. I think the earful tower which is already on a ton of merchandise will be the park icon.

 

[LeeAndRobin]

The tower of terror is in three resorts. It's far from the symbol of DHS. I think the earful tower which is already on a ton of merchandise will be the park icon.

Yep, but by that logic, there is an Earful Tower at Disneyland Paris...

 

[PACVII]

Just one point. The "tower" is not really a tower it sits on top of short legs on a top of a building. It's a dwarf tower.

 

[DDLand]

The tower of terror is in three resorts. It's far from the symbol of DHS. I think the earful tower which is already on a ton of merchandise will be the park icon.

The original problem still exists with the tower. It's not centrally located. Now only compounded by the fact Back Lot Tour is closed.

You can't see the darn thing without seeking it out. That's a serious problem for a park icon. Chinese theatre and TOT are both good possibilities because of their central/visible locations. Oh, what about Gertie? (I feel like we should have a make Gertie the Dinosaur the icon of HS movement.)

Also, if they do expand Pixar Place there's the added problem that it would not fit in thematically.

 

[rteetz]

The original problem still exists with the tower. It's not centrally located. Now only compounded by the fact Back Lot Tour is closed. You can't see the darn thing without seeking it out. That's a serious problem for a park icon. Chinese theatre and TOT are both good possibilities because of their central/visible locations. Oh, what about Gertie? (I feel like we should have a make Gertie the Dinosaur the icon of HS movement.) Also, if they do expand Pixar Place there's the added problem that it would not fit in thematically.

actually a lot of the construction photos show if you look to the right of the hat when standing next to it you can see the earful tower. A lot of rumors involve the tower moving. Chinese theater is not going to be represented on merch because of licensing issues. Gertie is most likely getting destroyed when Star Wars comes in. Echo Lake is the most likely spot for a Star Wars expansion. Nothing in DHS really fits thematically anymore. Does Pixar place as it is today really fit in with the rest of DHS I don't think so.

 

[DDLand]

actually a lot of the construction photos show if you look to the right of the hat when standing next to it you can see the earful tower. A lot of rumors involve the tower moving. Chinese theater is not going to be represented on merch because of licensing issues. Gertie is most likely getting destroyed when Star Wars comes in. Echo Lake is the most likely spot for a Star Wars expansion. Nothing in DHS really fits thematically anymore. Does Pixar place as it is today really fit in with the rest of DHS I don't think so.

Yep, you have to seek it out. That's a problem. I like the tower moving idea. Where to? I'm fairly certain theatre licensing thing has been proven bogus.

Scratch that. Save the Gertie movement must begin!

Yep, I'm aware of the plans on SW location.

No, like Disney California Adventure it will need to be rededicated. However while Disney obviously doesn't care about lands fitting together to fit the stated mission of the park, could you imagine the Hub Cap in the middle of Cars Land? That would be outrageous. Disney's MO is to put together a mish mash of IP themed lands into an existing park. But as soon as you enter that land you are inside and escape the world.

 

[DDLand]

Does Pixar place as it is today really fit in with the rest of DHS I don't think so.

I thought about it and I realized I made a mistake. While Pixar Studios is ironically not based in Hollywood, it is a movie studio so we'll let that slide. Pixar Place is an idealistic version of their headquarters. They studied the different components of the headquarters excessively. Imagineers even got the exact same color of bricks as the Steve Jobs Building. Basically it's Pixar Studios recreated with the fun spilling out of the building. That's how many would like to imagine Pixar. A content producer that's more then just a movie studio, but a place where the characters are real and alive and the world of Pixar collides with reality. Disney MGM's (HS) dedication reads "We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was- and always will be." Pixar never was and will never be inhabited by their characters, but that doesn't matter. The imaginations of millions will continue to make it real. Pixar Place is perhaps one of the best examples of the theme of the park anywhere.

Now the ride inside the building is a little bit random...

 

[rteetz]

I thought about it and I realized I made a mistake. While Pixar Studios is ironically not based in Hollywood, it is a movie studio so we'll let that slide. Pixar Place is an idealistic version of their headquarters. They studied the different components of the headquarters excessively. Imagineers even got the exact same color of bricks as the Steve Jobs Building. Basically it's Pixar Studios recreated with the fun spilling out of the building. That's how many would like to imagine Pixar. A content producer that's more then just a movie studio, but a place where the characters are real and alive and the world of Pixar collides with reality. Disney MGM's (HS) dedication reads "We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was- and always will be." Pixar never was and will never be inhabited by their characters, but that doesn't matter. The imaginations of millions will continue to make it real. Pixar Place is perhaps one of the best examples of the theme of the park anywhere.

Now the ride inside the building is a little bit random...

The ride is more of what I was focusing on. DHS isn't a working studio and hasn't been for a long time. They tend to throw lots of different things there. The Hollywood theme while evident on entering kind of goes away in areas of the park. If and when Star Wars happens, and if we get the strong rumored Pixar expansion the Hollywood theme would really be less existant. A name change for the park is likely, especially when rumored budgets are in the DCA range.

As for the icon is still don't see them using the theater bogus or not.

 

[DDLand]

The ride is more of what I was focusing on. DHS isn't a working studio and hasn't been for a long time. They tend to throw lots of different things there. The Hollywood theme while evident on entering kind of goes away in areas of the park. If and when Star Wars happens, and if we get the strong rumored Pixar expansion the Hollywood theme would really be less existant. A name change for the park is likely, especially when rumored budgets are in the DCA range.

As for the icon is still don't see them using the theater bogus or not.

Yeah, that ride is something else. I can envision their logic with it. Have multiple Pixar properties in one consistent land with an outer facade like the we have now. Each different story is commonly linked by Pixar's distinctive HQ exterior. What's inside each building would have been a different Pixar property. Pixar would be introducing guests to what Pixar's brands are in the the physical world. The problem was they weren't ambitious enough and took a clone of a "midway" game from DCA and finished there... The brilliance of using the look they did was they could have as many attractions as they wanted under the Pixar brand and still make sense. Instead I think it left many wondering why Andy's house has a weird exterior and it's not called Toy Story Land. They should've done multiple attractions or not done the theme at all. Though I have to say it's one neat corner of the park. It's as close as I'll ever get to Pixar Headquarters...

I agree. Not only did they just throw random stuff in, they did it over two decades. The direction they were going in 1992 is very different then the direction they were going in 2002.

100% They're going to have to change the name. I saw Disney Adventure Park being tossed around. I find that name intriguing because in the same way advertising for both Magic Kingdoms can be done at the same time, imagine strong the connection between DCA and a DA. This park is going to be branded differently, looking differently, and feeling different over the next 5 years.

I agree. Disney, at least I'd imagine would want to create something distinctive to set it apart icon wise. Grauman's Theatre makes people think of Hollywood, not Disney. That's likely not what they're after. Of course if we look at what's happening at DCA it's something remarkable. Post rebranding the Icon had been mostly the Mickey's Fun Wheel, but something's up. They've changed it over increasingly to the Carthay Circle Theatre to pull the Icon weight. Chinese Theatre on one coast, and Carthay on the other.
Food for thought at the very least.

 

[kiltclan]

As much as I'd love to see the earful tower come back, I'm thinking ToT is here to stay. Earful tower was very MGM, but for HOLLYWOOD studios, isnt it more likely that the HOLLYWOOD tower hotel will be the winner

 

[Lee Matthews]

If the Earful tower was going to be used (my preferred) could it not sit just outside of the front Entrance to the Park? Like where they put the Christmas tree?

I have no issues with ToT being the icon but once the expansions are done, it may come across odd, along with the name 'Hollywood studios'

 

[DDLand]

If the Earful tower was going to be used (my preferred) could it not sit just outside of the front Entrance to the Park? Like where they put the Christmas tree?

I have no issues with ToT being the icon but once the expansions are done, it may come across odd, along with the name 'Hollywood studios'

That'd be interesting. The problem that is it breaks one of the governing rules of icons which are:
1) They must be instantly recognizable and you must associate them with the park. Spaceship Earth and Cinderella Castle are both instantly instantly associated with those two properties. (unless you're in Japan) Would the Earful Tower fit the bill? Yes.
2) It's so big and captivating that it draws you into the park. I don't know about you, but when I see the Castle on both coasts I just want to run right towards it.
Would it do that job? Nope. It would cause people to clump at the front gates and because the thing is so tall and the place doesn't have enough room to properly back up and take pictures it would make for a frustrating photo experience.

There was actually a brilliance to the Towers original placement. Do you remember what basically the only attraction was when it opened? The backlot tour. You can see the tower from the roads leading in, as soon as you see it you make a mental to find it in the park thereby drawing you into the signature feature. Really it was an attempt to split the icon in two. One from the road drawing you in the signature attraction, and one acting as the weenie getting down Hollywood Boulevard.

Bingo.

 

[rteetz]

If the Earful tower was going to be used (my preferred) could it not sit just outside of the front Entrance to the Park? Like where they put the Christmas tree?

I have no issues with ToT being the icon but once the expansions are done, it may come across odd, along with the name 'Hollywood studios'

The name is likely to change with the rumored expansions.

 

[Lee Matthews]

That'd be interesting. The problem that is it breaks one of the governing rules of icons which are:
1) They must be instantly recognizable and you must associate them with the park. Spaceship Earth and Cinderella Castle are both instantly instantly associated with those two properties. (unless you're in Japan) Would the Earful Tower fit the bill? Yes.
2) It's so big and captivating that it draws you into the park. I don't know about you, but when I see the Castle on both coasts I just want to run right towards it.
Would it do that job? Nope. It would cause people to clump at the front gates and because the thing is so tall and the place doesn't have enough room to properly back up and take pictures it would make for a frustrating photo experience.

There was actually a brilliance to the Towers original placement. Do you remember what basically the only attraction was when it opened? The backlot tour. You can see the tower from the roads leading in, as soon as you see it you make a mental to find it in the park thereby drawing you into the signature feature. Really it was an attempt to split the icon in two. One from the road drawing you in the signature attraction, and one acting as the weenie getting down Hollywood Boulevard.

Bingo.

I see what your saying about taking pictures of the earful tower at the front of the park. It would be cool to still have it somewhere where visible for nostalgic reasons.

Tower of Terror would make a great Park icon. The photo ops for it are great. Its a popular ride too but Disney will really need t stick with it.

The name is likely to change with the rumored expansions.

I do feel sorry for the amount of names changes it has had. Obviously an identity issue.

So we've had MGM Studios
Then Hollywood Studios (i just think of the hat)

I think they should go with Hollywood Adventure. Its the studios part that gripes me currently but there is still some sense of Hollywood there.

 

[DDLand]

I see what your saying about taking pictures of the earful tower at the front of the park. It would be cool to still have it somewhere where visible for nostalgic reasons.

Tower of Terror would make a great Park icon. The photo ops for it are great. Its a popular ride too but Disney will really need t stick with it.



I do feel sorry for the amount of names changes it has had. Obviously an identity issue.

So we've had MGM Studios
Then Hollywood Studios (i just think of the hat)

I think they should go with Hollywood Adventure. Its the studios part that gripes me currently but there is still some sense of Hollywood there.

I agree with most everything here, but especially your point about just sticking to something. They can't keep up with this game of constantly changing the name/icon all the time. It's crazy and confusing for guests. They need to pick something and go with it.

Oh and I do like Disney Hollywood Adventure, that's name that would keep with it's identity in the same way as California does over at DCA.

 

[newdeal]

but is the earful tower just a prop or is it a real water tower? If its actually a water tower they can't just move it.

 

[Figmentforever24]

Tower of Terror is not the so called 'icon' for the park no more then Everest is for Animal Kingdom. People seemed to be confused about what an icon it and has to be. For one thing there is no rule that says the icon has to be visible from every section of the park nor insanely huge. For many years the Earful Tower was the icon due to the theme of the park. This was the reason for its placement right next to World Drive. The second thing is people confuse icon with the used term "weenie"....or something that is to draw guest in. Spaceship Earth, Cinderella's Castle are just examples of weenies and icons being the same thing, but they do not have to be. For example at Disneyland while Sleeping Beauty's Castle is at the end of Main Street, the real weenie for the area is the Matterhorn. This doesn't make the Matterhorn the icon of the park.

So the rules that the icon has to be centrally focused or very big is false.

 

[Figmentforever24]

but is the earful tower just a prop or is it a real water tower? If its actually a water tower they can't just move it.

It is a prop. There is no water in the tower and could be moved if they wished to move it.

 

[DDLand]

Tower of Terror is not the so called 'icon' for the park no more then Everest is for Animal Kingdom. People seemed to be confused about what an icon it and has to be. For one thing there is no rule that says the icon has to be visible from every section of the park nor insanely huge. For many years the Earful Tower was the icon due to the theme of the park. This was the reason for its placement right next to World Drive. The second thing is people confuse icon with the used term "weenie"....or something that is to draw guest in. Spaceship Earth, Cinderella's Castle are just examples of weenies and icons being the same thing, but they do not have to be. For example at Disneyland while Sleeping Beauty's Castle is at the end of Main Street, the real weenie for the area is the Matterhorn. This doesn't make the Matterhorn the icon of the park.

So the rules that the icon has to be centrally focused or very big is false.

Mount Prometheus, Castles, Spaceship Earth, Tree of Life, Earfful Tower at WDS, and the the Mickey Fun Wheel or Carthay Circle.

You're trying to say that an Icon doesn't have to be a Weenie. I'm not sold. Look at pictures and you're going to find in every case the two are qualify as both. Even at Hollywood Studios up until this year the hat was an example. (It's true Grizzly Peak was the Icon of DCA for a while, but even Imagineers said that was never supposed to happen... Silly marketing people.) History and precedent are not on your side with that. It's possible in the future that could change, but Disney seems to be doubling down on the traditional belief that the two are inseparable with Shanghai. You are correct in saying the a weenie doesn't have to be an icon (and there can be multiple weenies in a single park), but at least according to history an icon must be a weenie.


As for your Matterhorn comment, what? That is 100% not the case. The Matterhorn is an excellent complement to Sleeping Beauty Castle and a weenie in it's own right, but you're trying to say SBC is not a weenie? Really? The Castle is why people can't help but skip down Main Street to walk over the drawbridge. While it may not be as large as the Matterhorn, it's still pretty darn big and centrally located creating a draw towards it.

Wait, doesn't that make it a weenie?

If it looks like weenie, acts like a weenie, and works like a weenie...