Sorcerer's Hat v. Grauman's Chinese Theatre Face-off

[PrincessLilly]

I really like the hat, I think that it adds to the overall theme if the park. I mean I like the theatre but the hat would be my favorite icon. Each time we drive into DHS I love seeing the top of the Sorcerers hat poking out from within the park.

 

[dudelydude]

I have to admit, I didn't read your "take" on this issue...sorry bout that. It's just that I have an opinion that I don't want to change. I never saw the theater as an icon of the park. I appreciate Disney for the spectacle and how they do things so big and colorful....thus, I totally love the hat.

 

[onnawufei]

I think they should add the mickey hand and wand to the side of the Chinese Theater or maybe replace the hat with a giant Lotso Bear Statue or maybe decorate the Chinese Theater to look like a giant birthday cake.

I see what you did there.

I like the hat. I wouldn't be crushed if they replaced it with something else, but I like it. Maybe they should replace it with a giant clapboard that opens and spews confetti when the park opens, and closes when the park closes. (Please note: That is not a serious suggestion.)

 

[dixiegirl]

I like the hat but absolutely hate the location - and it was placed there to absolutely block the theater. I've always thought it would be much better suited over near the Fantasmic area - don't care whether they keep the hat or not but please please please move it!

The theater is so fitting the theme of the park and makes for a lovely picture.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Mr. Iger, tear down this hat!

This is great...should put it in your signature line

I hate the hat. I just want to kick it. The theater was so impressive to me the first time I walked in the park. The hat... is just not the same. Toss it in the lake with the S.S. Down the Hatch and Gertie.

But this I'd love to see, can you picture it years from now kids not even born yet walk by and ask what's that seeing the very top of the hat poking out of the water..what's that ....a very bad idea from years and years ago

 

[WDWFigment]

This topic is actually the subject of this week's TouringPlans.com Foto Face-off Friday blog: http://blog.touringplans.com/2010/07/16/foto-face-off-friday-studios-icon-throwdown/

 

[skifast22]

Add me to the camp that wants to see the hat gone! The theme of the park is a vintage hollywood that we all dream about, that maybe never was. I miss walking into the park and seeing the theater at the end of Hollywod Boulevard. Disney seems to love these oversized icons, as evident by all the value resorts, the hat, and the old hand and wand on SSE. What's next, a giant glass slipper in front of Cinderella's Castle?

 

[Elmo9607]

I like the hat, but I'm not old enough to remember how the park looked when it wasn't there.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Add me to the camp that wants to see the hat gone! The theme of the park is a vintage hollywood that we all dream about, that maybe never was. I miss walking into the park and seeing the theater at the end of Hollywod Boulevard. Disney seems to love these oversized icons, as evident by all the value resorts, the hat, and the old hand and wand on SSE. What's next, a giant glass slipper in front of Cinderella's Castle?

as far as at the values I LOVE them at POP especially but do we need it at the DHS (MGM)

I like the hat, but I'm not old enough to remember how the park looked when it wasn't there.

play nice child !

 

[W.E.D.]

I think they should add the mickey hand and wand to the side of the Chinese Theater or maybe replace the hat with a giant Lotso Bear Statue or maybe decorate the Chinese Theater to look like a giant birthday cake.

Nice stuff!

Axe the BAH!!!

 

[Disney845]

I don't like the hat where it is, and being so big. Maybe a scaled down version near the Animation building would better suit the "idea" of the hat.

I agree with everyone else that the view of old Hollywood is no longer conveyed when walking into the park.

That said, I also did not like the Hand/Wand/2000/EPCOT on SSE, or the pepto-birthday Castle, fortunately those were only temp (although the SSE one dragged on wayyyy too long...what was that almost 8 years?).

 

[Polydweller]

As much as I understand and somewhat agree with the comments about the hat, the info that's always missing is what are the licensing issues with the Graumann's theatre image. Obviously it was licensed to be in the park but that was before photopass came along.

Maybe more importantly, it was licensed before 2000 when a consortium of Warner Brothers and Paramount bought the Manns theatres. Its not a Disney property and its possible that they are not licensed to use it in their photopass business images. So the imagineer saying its not a license issue could be both right and wrong. It can be in the park but not photopass pictures thus covering with the hat. Would be interesting if someone knows about that side of the licensing issue.

 

[Doc CW]

I prefer the theatre looking down the street over the hat, but as far as an icon I go with the earful tower. As others have stated the theatre gave it the old hollywood feel and the hat messes that up to me.