Fish on the Dolphin?

[wolf29]

My kids both asked on our last trip, and I had no answer....Why is there a swan on the Swan Hotel, but a fish on the Dolphin Hotel?

 

[EpcotBill]

There's a detailed explanation at allearsnet. Click the link http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/the_little_things/dolphins/. Scroll down to the 9/22/08 entry.

 

[acourtwdw]

That is a dolphin but its the fish not the mammal.

 

[wolf29]

That is a dolphin but its the fish not the mammal.

Didn't look like any Mahi I've seen. Thanks to EpcotBill for the link!

 

[Missytara]

Actually, it is a little more than that - Architectural Record has a fabulous article about the design of the Swan/Dolphin, which was done by an architect named Michael Graves.

He was practicing architect in NYC at the time I entered the School of Architecture in LI. He was one of the NY 5 or the five most influential architects working in NY at the time when the post-modern period was just starting. He spoke at our school and we were just mesmorized by him; he was such a wonderful speaker and was ahead of his time.

It is actually based more on the likenesses you see on old nautical maps, but was actually inspired by an Italian sculpter named Gian Bernini. However, Michael Eisner insisted on one change; the works by Bernini always showed the mouths curved down. Eisner felt that they were frowning and didn't take too kindly to that image in Disney. Michael Graves agreed to curve the mouths upward, so it appeared as though they were somewhat smiling.

 

[LukenDC]

If you visit Rome, you will see fountains by Bernini in some of the piazzas and they feature fish resembling the fish on the Dolphin Hotel. It is a typical Renaissance rendering of a dolphin.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

As the previous posters have stated, it's a stylized version of a dolphin. Similar to the way Mickey Mouse doesn't look exactly like a real mouse.