Mickey's Hat in MGM - is it permanent???

[maui2k5]

I am going to visit WDW in late September this year and was looking through some online photos of MGM and I saw this huge hat blocking the view of the Chinese Theater. Is this thing permanent? They ruined the view of the theater with that there - at least it seems so in photos. Does it not look so bad in person? Seems like they just kinda stick it there since there was no real centerpiece such as a Castle, Tree of Life or Epcot sphere.

 

[BATBkindagirl]

I am going to visit WDW in late September this year and was looking through some online photos of MGM and I saw this huge hat blocking the view of the Chinese Theater. Is this thing permanent? They ruined the view of the theater with that there - at least it seems so in photos. Does it not look so bad in person? Seems like they just kinda stick it there since there was no real centerpiece such as a Castle, Tree of Life or Epcot sphere.

Uhm.. I'm assuming it's permanent. It really doesn't bother me at all.. in fact, I love it! it's cute..

 

[drusba]

Unfortunately, yes it is permanent. And it does ruin the view. It was put there in preparation for the millennium celebration and some believe Disney did it just to spite MGM (all the movies on the Great Movie ride are MGM) with whom it has had a never ending dispute over the use of MGM in the park (which could actually come to a crashing end in June when the use contract ends and, if another is not reached, Disney may be required to immediately remove all reference to MGM throughout the park)

 

[marypops!]

so mary poppins and fantasia/2000 is made by M.G.M??

 

[maui2k5]

If they had to remove all the references to MGM, would that include removing any attraction that was based on an MGM movie? How would this impact the Great Movie Ride? It has been a few years since I have been there so I forget what movies are referenced in MGM...

 

[princesstommi]

Unfortunately, I think it is permanent. MGM politics aside (I'm not exactly knowledgable about that subject) now the Disney-MGM studios have a Disney icon like the other parks. I can see *why*, but I still don't like it.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Actually the hat was installed for the celebration of Walt Disney's 100th birthday in 2001. It was supposed to have been removed after the celebration was over in '02 but the Disney bean counters decided it would cheaper to leave it up instead of contracting with a construction co. to tear it down (same with the Mickey hand at Epcot).

All of the movies in the GMR were not produced by MGM. Indiana Jones was produced by paramount and of course Mary Poppins and Fantasia were produced by Disney. Several of the other movies which are depicted are no longer owned by MGM. Wizard of Oz and Casablanca were purchased by Ted Turner. They may now be owned by Time-Warner as they bought out Turner several years ago.

 

[sters]

It seems like it's permanent and I just HATE it. As the OP mentioned, the Big Hat totally ruins the view of the Great Movie Ride. I used to just love walking in the park and seeing that faux Hollywood view!

 

[BamaTigger]

I think that big ol hat is just plain hideous. I wish they would take it down. I thought the "icon" of MGM was the water tower with the mickey ears anyway? I could be wrong, but I wish that ugly hat wasnt. ech. TWO THUMBS DOWN!

 

[Worfthedog]

I love the hat, it's just in the wrong place.

It really does ruin the view of the theatre. Having said that I can't think of another place they could put it (Please no rude answers!)

Paul.

 

[MouseClubMom]

Blech to the big hat. I am a huge Sorcerer Mickey fan but this hat is just out of place! When the Studios opened, the Earfull Tower was the Icon - not sure if they are even using that now anywhere on advertising or merchandising or not.

Hope they move the hat soon. As far as the MGM saga goes, I know when I was a CM I worked at the Studio when it opened and we were told that the scene in the GMR where Sorcerer Mickey Mouse is was originally the tornado scene intro for the Wizard of Oz scene that follows it but due to contractual limits on how much of each MGM movie Disney could use they had to cut that part short and make it into something else. Viola - a strain your neck to see cartoon of Mickey scene was born.


MCMom