Epcot lawsuit *updated*

[Bob O]

In the Orlando Sentinel their is yet another lawsuit against the disney company, this time in regards to epcot, the article doesnt have alot of info but from the face of it i would agree with disney that it seems frivolous.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...11902,0,3253893.story?coll=orl-home-headlines
What do you think??

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Can you try inserting the link again please? I attempted to copy and paste it into my browser and received the old page can't be found reply.

Thanks

 

[raidermatt]

Epcot Lawsuit

I agree, Bob, not really enough info. Certainly nothing in the article to make us think it's not frivilous.

 

[toefungus]

Yeah and Walt Disney stole my drawing for Mickey Mouse. Give me a break.

 

[Bob O]

Well when one has deep pockets they are always a target for lawsuits!!

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Got it! Thanks raidermatt. Ok let me get this straight a lawyer for the estate of Mr. WATERS is suing Disney because Mr. JAFFRAY had some plans, and Jaffray's family isn't part of the suit. So who is this Water's guy?

Guess this is why I'm NOT an attorney.

The Professor

 

[RoqueC]

I remember this lawsuit occuring on its first instance. Who really knows? I think it's true, but so what if it is. As long as you see your dream coming true.

 

[fklhou]

I am an attorney and I do not understand the lawsuit. Epcot has been open for a few years and I can not imagine how the statute of limitations has not run on any such claim by now (assuming that there was any merit to the case in the first place). I am not a member of the Florida bar and maybe they have some wierd tolling provisions.

 

[eeyore0062]

Some people will try just about anything for their claim to fame, or their piece of the pie... I doubt this allegation will ever hold legal water!

 

[Dznefreek]

Where were these folks 20 years ago when Epcot opened?

 

[Jeff in BigD]

Can someone please tell me again why tort reform hasn't gone through?

 

[Geoff_M]

At a news conference in May 2000, Stemberger said that Lt. Col. Robert M. Jaffray of Ohio conceived a "Miniature Worlds" entertainment theme park in the 1950s that was strikingly similar to Epcot.

Sounds like they are trying to claim that Mr. Jaffray invented the concept of a World's Fair?!?!?

 

[Testtrack321]

Just like the company that patanted e-commerence or using web pages with pictures.

Frivolous.

There's 2 big holes:

a.) It it was so cool and he had lots of backing, why did he go to Disney then? WDW wasn't even built.

b.) Why 20 years latter. Sure WWD suit payed out, but that's not an excuse that can hold legal water.

 

[Bob O]

Here is a link to a more extensive article from The Toledo Blade Newspaper from Nov. 18 2002.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbc...ato=20021118&Kategori=NEWS08&Lopenr=111180053
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...0,0,4301408.story?coll=orl-business-headlines

 

[Geoff_M]

I still don't buy it. Especially given the original designs and intentions for EPCOT as WED presented them. As for the "both plans have a central sphere", the one in Jaffray's looks like a rip-off of the NY World's Fair globe sculpture.

 

[KNWVIKING]

So I guess the Vatican will be sue'ing next because WDW stole the idea for Dino-rama from the carnivals they hold every year.

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by fklhou
I am an attorney and I do not understand the lawsuit. Epcot has been open for a few years and I can not imagine how the statute of limitations has not run on any such claim by now (assuming that there was any merit to the case in the first place). I am not a member of the Florida bar and maybe they have some wierd tolling provisions.

I think I remember from the original lawsuit (the one that was thrown out because the statute of limitations had passed) that the family had agreed not to file until their father had died. He, apparently, didn't want to file, but his family did.

As for the nature of the lawsuit ... I suppose the lawyers will also file suit against every World's Fair that has been held since the drawings were done? Because gosh ... the drawings look just like a WORLD'S FAIR! You don't suppose the latest Fair stole the idea? Or ... maybe ... the artist and the developer stole the idea from the World's Fair! Oh ... the scandal.

 

[Figmentrocks]

Take a look at the business section in the Orlando Slantinel today.They have an rendering of the project and Epcot rendering. As much as you want to believe Disney is correct, once you see the drawing, it seems as though the company might have lifted a lot of this guy's concept. They've done it in recent times, so who's to say they didn't in the past. It's one of those catch twenty twos... It looks like they actually ripped the guy off in his concept, layout, and theme, but we all know the lawsuit is about dollars and cents.

 

[raidermatt]

Yeah, and if you look at that ancient Mickey Mouse drawing that was just uncovered, it looks like Walt ripped that off too...

 

[KNWVIKING]

I don't know if I see that much similarity,other then a big ball & water. WDW version is much more detailed,includes a monorail, just one main body of water,shows the FW pavilions. Let's face it,there are only so many ways of drawing something like this, how many unique renditions of the same idea can there be. At some point does somebody show up with a drawing of a castle and say Walt stole it for DL ?