Rumor or truth? -- DHS hat

[pwdebbie]

On a thread about things we don't just "get" at WDW, I replied that I didn't get the hat at DHS, especially since it blocked a great view. This was the response (from someone with only 16 posts and corroborated by someone who heard it from a CM):

"There's actually a reason for that awful hat-thing in DHS. Disney lost the licencing for the image of the Chinese Theatre to use it as a focal point, so the hat was installed to cover it. In fact, Disney pays to keep the Great Movie Ride going at all."

I'm wondering if this is accurate. Any info from the experts?

 

[nytimez]

On a thread about things we don't just "get" at WDW, I replied that I didn't get the hat at DHS, especially since it blocked a great view. This was the response (from someone with only 16 posts and corroborated by someone who heard it from a CM):

"There's actually a reason for that awful hat-thing in DHS. Disney lost the licencing for the image of the Chinese Theatre to use it as a focal point, so the hat was installed to cover it. In fact, Disney pays to keep the Great Movie Ride going at all."

I'm wondering if this is accurate. Any info from the experts?

Urban legend.

 

[pwdebbie]

Thanks!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

If Disney had somehow actually lost the right to have a replica of the Chinese Theatre, they would have had to replace the facade of the Great Movie Ride building with a different exterior, not partially block it with a big hat so that cannot be seen from a distance, but still can be seen from the side or from directly in front.

In any case, under U.S. copyright law, copyright protection for architectural works only applies to those built after December 1, 1990.

Yesterland has an article about the urban legend at http://www.yesterland.com/removehat.html

 

[skiingfast]

"There's actually a reason for that awful hat-thing in DHS. Disney lost the licencing for the image of the Chinese Theatre to use it as a focal point, so the hat was installed to cover it. In fact, Disney pays to keep the Great Movie Ride going at all."

I'm wondering if this is accurate. Any info from the experts?

It's a really funny reasoning. Along those lines Paris is looking for money from Disney for their tower likeness and you wouldn't believe how upset the people that own the Del Coronado are about the Grand Floridian. Oh there is a castle in Bavaria...

 

[pwdebbie]

Again, thank you!

 

[sly1971]

On a thread about things we don't just "get" at WDW, I replied that I didn't get the hat at DHS, especially since it blocked a great view. This was the response (from someone with only 16 posts and corroborated by someone who heard it from a CM):

"There's actually a reason for that awful hat-thing in DHS. Disney lost the licencing for the image of the Chinese Theatre to use it as a focal point, so the hat was installed to cover it. In fact, Disney pays to keep the Great Movie Ride going at all."

I'm wondering if this is accurate. Any info from the experts?

I am no expert, but I used to run a movie theatre, and what the person might have meant when he or she said that Disney pays to keep the Great Movie Ride going is that all the film clips that they use - both in the preshow and at the end of the ride would require Disney some type of licensing fee for using the clips regularly. Just a thought.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I am no expert, but I used to run a movie theatre, and what the person might have meant when he or she said that Disney pays to keep the Great Movie Ride going is that all the film clips that they use - both in the preshow and at the end of the ride would require Disney some type of licensing fee for using the clips regularly. Just a thought.

Yes, clips and ride scenes are licensed from various studios.

Also, the "MGM" in the old theme park name was licensed from MGM. There were limitations on how Disney could use the MGM trademark. For example, Disney could not use the MGM trademark on promotional VHS tapes.

However, the story that the hat was necessary for legal reasons was somebody's best guess to explain why Disney did something so stupid, ugly, and out-of-place. The story was repeated over and over on the Internet. A lot of people believed it.

 

[ToddS]

I'm not sure, and please forgive me for contradicting all the other responses, but one time years ago when we were getting our picture taken by one of the PhotoPass photographers, we asked them to pose us with the Brown Derby in the background, and we were told that they couldn't because Disney did not have the rights to sell photographic images of the Brown Derby. I was under the impression that there was a deal in place at the one time that allowed sales of images of the Chinese Theater, and that deal has since expired. Without such a deal, the PhotoPass photographers would not be able to take photos down Hollywood Boulevard with the Theater in the background -- and I would guess that at least 75% of all PhotoPass photos sold from DHS are shot from this angle. So they put the hat there -- among other reasons, none of them good -- to block the Theater in photographs. Guests can take as many of their own photos of the Theater that they want, but Disney can't take photos for the purpose of potential sale, a-la-PhotoPass.

At least that's my understanding. That said, Horace makes a lot of sense, too:

...the story that the hat was necessary for legal reasons was somebody's best guess to explain why Disney did something so stupid, ugly, and out-of-place. The story was repeated over and over on the Internet. A lot of people believed it.

 

[tgropp]

I would love to know what happened to the person who had the idea to put the hat there. I still watch my vidos of DHS when they used to put the beautiful Christmas tree in that spot. And lets not forget when they had Sorcery in the Sky behind the theater. The hat screwed that option up also. Brilliant move!

 

[nytimez]

I would love to know what happened to the person who had the idea to put the hat there.

He ultimately lost his job. But first, he became a billionaire. And he remains the company's second-largest shareholder.

 

[apehat02]

IMO the real reasoning behind the "hat" was two things,

One for the millenium celebration all of the merchandise had an "icon" for each park and the DHS Icon had always been the earful tower. When put in silouhette it looked to much like a Mickey Head instead of a distinct icon. It was decided to add an icon. Of course we have to stick with the standard of The Icon being either directly in line with or at the entrance to the park. So the empty courtyard in front of the chinese theater was chosen.

Two, was that for some time there was a very credible rumor that the Great Movie Ride was going to close and that entire ride structure along with what is now the American Idol thing and Sounds Dangerous torn down or at least gutted to clear spack for new attractions and themeing, and that DHS was going to go through a complete makeover (coincidentally aligned with the stoppage of using the MGM name) and the "hat" was the icon for that themeing and it was rushed into place to use for the Millenium Celebration. Of course we all now that then the company went into upheaval and Eisner was outted and then the Economy tanked! So all those "plans" were dropped and now all we are left with is that stupid hat!

 

[skier_pete]

He ultimately lost his job. But first, he became a billionaire. And he remains the company's second-largest shareholder.

 

[lollidrop]

I can't speak for the rest of the post, but it's true Photopass can't take pictures in front of the Theater. There are a couple other locations too, I think the Eiffel Tower is one of them as well.

 

[nytimez]

I can't speak for the rest of the post, but it's true Photopass can't take pictures in front of the Theater. There are a couple other locations too, I think the Eiffel Tower is one of them as well.

There's a Photopass location right before the bridge into France where they always take your photo with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

 

[Figment632]

No truth what soever!!

Originally the hat was supposed to be in front of DHS with two ferris wheels but this did not happen. Below us a link to see the artwork for thi it is on the first page of this thread just scroll down.


http://www.discussionkingdom.com/forums/showthread.php?t=943

Honestly I would have been fine with the Ferris wheel idea!

 

[BrerSchultzy]

I would love to know what happened to the person who had the idea to put the hat there. I still watch my vidos of DHS when they used to put the beautiful Christmas tree in that spot. And lets not forget when they had Sorcery in the Sky behind the theater. The hat screwed that option up also. Brilliant move!

And let's not forget that the Hat also covered up the largest Hidden Mickey...take a look at the original Disney MGM maps and look at the space in front of the Chinese Theatre.

 

[yitbos96bb]

And let's not forget that the Hat also covered up the largest Hidden Mickey...take a look at the original Disney MGM maps and look at the space in front of the Chinese Theatre.

They Van Goghed the Hidden Mickey years before the hat... It's been ruined for a LONG LONG time... just the HAt ruined it more.

 

[Tamar]

It's an architectural design feature of all Disney Parks that they have one tall feature that helps people orient themselves in the park. It's called a "weenie".

(really, you can google "Disney weenie" for more info).

 

[choirchic]

And lets not forget when they had Sorcery in the Sky behind the theater. The hat screwed that option up also. Brilliant move!

I totally miss that show...while Fantasmic is great, there was something nice about it. It was much more low key.