Day 1253: The Sorcerer's Hat

It's probably not surprising that I follow a bunch of Disney pages on Facebook. In fact, I think I'd be more worried about my mental health if I didn't follow a bunch of Disney pages on Facebook. Regardless, today, while scrolling through my Facebook, I came across a post about The Sorcerer's Hat at Hollywood Studios. It's not unusual to see posts like this, but today's was a sort of poll on whether followers are sad or angry about the removal of the hat that occurred about a year ago. I stopped and, a bit frustrated that angry and sad were the only options, took in what I was seeing for a moment, and then, curious, I hit the likes button to see whether more people were sad or angry (spoiler alert, it turns out more people are sad), and then I went to read some comments, which I usually try not to do on articles because it usually just makes a person mad. After reading a few of the comments though, it occurred to me that it seems most people don't actually know much about this hat that caused a mixed emotion uproar last year.

I should probably come out and clarify that I'm neither sad nor angry that the hat is no longer situated at Hollywood Studios. In fact, my feelings are exactly the opposite, as I pretty much threw a party when it was announced it would be coming down because I was so excited that finally, for the first time in my life that I can remember, the view of the Chinese Theater would be as clear as day. However, I'm going to attempt to put my feelings aside for the moment and share with you the real story of the hat.

If we're going to do this right, we need to go back. Way back. Alright, not that far back, but we do need to revisit the opening day of the park: May 1, 1989. As you may remember, the park hasn't always been Hollywood Studios, as the official opening name was Disney-MGM Studios, and it was created to combat competition from the recent nearby addition (and then still under construction) of Universal Studios Florida. It caused quite the drama, but all in all, they started a studio in Florida, which would eventually produce films such as Mulan and Brother Bear. In addition, a new version of the Mickey Mouse Club premiered on Disney Channel, and was filmed in the soundstages at the WDW Theme Park, and over the years attractions that we know and love popped up throughout the park. Fast forward a ways, to 2008 when MGM declined to renew their license and the right for Disney to use their name, leading to the renaming of Hollywood Studios.

Let's talk about the hat itself then, which first made an appearance in 2001 as a part of the 100 Years of Magic celebration at Walt Disney World, a celebration specifically centered around what would have been Walt Disney's 100th Birthday. For 100 Years of Magic, special kiosks were installed underneath the hat for guests to explore the life of Walt Disney, but they were removed in 2003 at the conclusion of the celebration. Since then, the area underneath the hat has been used for pin trading and sales, but on October 24, 2014, it was announced that the hat would be removed as the first step in a full Hollywood Studios makeover. So, if you think about it, Hollywood Studios has now been open for 27 years, but The Sorcerer's Hat itself only stood there for half of that at 14 years.

Now that we know the [abbreviated] history behind the park and the hat we can discuss the conversation about the hat being the park icon, a purpose which it did fulfill for most of it's 14 year run. You can find the hat on all sorts of WDW merchandise, and if you compare it to the other park icons, such as Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth, or the Tree of Life, the hat fits in perfectly:

With all this in mind, I can absolutely understand why Disney fans and frequent visitors would be upset about the removal of the hat, especially if you knew MGM or Hollywood Studios like I did, hardly remembering a world without the hat. After all, I hardly remember a time when it wasn't the icon of the park. For that generation, for my generation, it feels like a key part of the park is missing. 

However, we're also forgetting one important piece of information: The Sorcerer's Hat wasn't the original icon of the park. In fact, Disney-MGM Studios didn't really have one, at least not if you're comparing it to the other icons. The Chinese Theater, an almost exact replica of the theater in Hollywood, was the inviting sight at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, leading guests straight into the world of film and accomplishing the initial goal of the park. Officially, on the other hand, the park did have an icon, in the form of the Earful Tower that stood tall on the backlot.

Hardly visible from the front of the park and to most guests, the Earful Tower was quickly replaced by The Sorcerer's Hat as the official icon of the park when it was built in 2001, and for the general public, the Earful Tower wasn't given a second thought. However, it continued to be used as an icon of the park here and there over the years, and following the demolition of The Sorcerer's Hat, returned as the icon for a short period until it's own removal only months ago. My question, on the other hand, is why the Earful Tower didn't get the same recognition as The Sorcerer's Hat, despite the fact that it served as the icon longer and was the original icon of the park.

So now we come to the ultimate question: what are we left with? Both park icons, whether it be The Sorcerer's Hat or the Earful Tower, have been removed from the park, and folks are unsure of what the "new icon" is going to be. There's been discussion about Tower of Terror, which has already been featured on some WDW Merchandise as the new icon, as well as the Chinese Theater, once again visible and serving it's purpose as a welcoming sight. Although, while we're on the topic, can we talk about how terrible this looked?

That's a stage in front of a hat in front of the theater, and honestly that stage is the main reason I started to question whether or not the hat was actually the icon of the park. We don't cover up the Tree of Life, Spaceship Earth, or, can you even imagine, Cinderella Castle. But the hat was never permanent, and in regards to the initial plans, it long overstayed its purpose. I guess that's why the removal didn't come as a surprise to many, and it points out the fact that, unlike the other icons, neither the Earful Tower nor The Sorcerer's Hat was meant to stay forever.

I also think it's important for me to mention that it's absolutely alright for people to be upset over the removal of the hat. I can't even imagine how crazy I would go if, for some odd reason, Spaceship Earth was suddenly taken away, and this is no different. Let me know if you're angry, sad, or excited about the removal of the hat in the comments below, and tell me why you feel the way you do! Was the hat a symbol of Hollywood Studios for you, or did you long to see the Chinese Theater again? And what about the Earful Tower? This is, obviously, quite the complicated story, but I really want to hear your memories of the park, the tower, the theater, and of course, the hat. 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1218: The Studios Problem

I've seen a lot of changes to the Disney Parks over my years, and with that, I've changed my mind about a lot of things to. I used to have an extreme dislike for MGM/Hollywood Studios, mostly because I couldn't find much to do there that wouldn't either leave me terrified or sick, and after they removed much of the Backlot back in my younger years, I sort of lost respect for the park for a while.

Until these past few years when I finally grew to actually like Hollywood Studios. I have the feeling it had something to do with Star Wars and Indiana Jones becoming a huge part of my life, but either way, I really got around to spending more time and enjoying what was left of the Backlot. Now, of course, that's gone too, removed as a part of the expansions for Toy Story and Star Wars, and we're sort of left with a problem: is Hollywood Studios a full day park?

A while back I read somewhere that someone managed to ride all the major attractions in just over three hours, and while you could go see several of the shows from there, that still only puts you part of the way through the afternoon, with plenty of time to transfer to one of the other parks. It's no question that once the expansions are added it'll be a full day park once again, but for the moment, there really isn't much to do, and where I found myself spending more time there a few years ago, I find myself spending less time now. It's incredibly easy to do everything at the Studios in a day now, and since I found the update to The Great Movie Ride to be extremely lacking as well, I rarely even head on that anymore.

Is this a long term problem? No, not really, and following the updates I'm sure Hollywood Studios, or whatever it will be called at that point, will become one of the most popular parks, bringing in guests intent on seeing the updates of Star Wars, as well as families looking to find family friendly attractions in the Toy Story area.

For now, you'll find me fawning over Indiana Jones as usual, waiting out the expansion and wondering if it will bring life again to a park that's very different from what it was opening day.

Have a magical day!

Day 1154: Zero to Hero

There are a few Disney movies that I just love to watch over and over again because for some reason, they never get old. The weird part is, they're not necessarily the most popular of the Disney movies. Instead, they're the ones that are just so unique that you can't help but love them. Example? Hercules!

I realized that I haven't seen Hercules in a while, and when I realized it was on Netflix it seemed like the perfect background noise for some note-taking, and away I went. But did you know that Hercules actually had a mini-parade at Hollywood Studios, then MGM-Studios, back in 1997? That's right! Meg, Phil, The Muses, and all your favorite Hercules characters took part in one not-so-giant parade back in the day, and if I do say so myself, I think it was pretty darn adorable!

I mean, you just can't beat the muses singing on the opening float. And while we're talking about the floats, just look at the intense detail that went into some of these!

The "Zero to Hero Victory Parade" only stayed from 1997 until 1998, failing to return for a second season, but from the video I recently found in our home movies, it's definitely one of the more entertaining things that's happened at the Studios! 

Now if only they'd bring back Hercules, Meg, and Hades for regular meet and greets. They're absolutely on my list of "wish to meet," and who knows! Maybe once Herc finally finishes defeating all those monsters they'll make a stop back at Disney World! 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: Pictures from The Disney Parks Blog).

Day 918: Pearl Harbor

Since I blocked off the entirety of Fourth of July weekend as "vacation time," I decided on Sunday night that instead of heading straight back into the buckets of work I have piled up, I would instead finish off my weekend in a calm way...or rather, as calm as you can really get while watching Pearl Harbor. The film, which premiered in 2001, actually has one pretty big Disney connection, aside from the fact that it was produced by Disney: The Backlot Tour.

It actually seems almost right to be blogging about this now, so soon after the announcement that The Art of Animation will be closing for good. Both tours were originally part of a lengthy backlot tour that initially started at the Art of Animation location now, touring through the Streets of America as well as the regular areas once visited on the Backlot Tour that closed about a year ago. However, as long as I can remember at least, the Backlot started from it's own location, including a walking tour portion that showcased special effects such as those used in films like Pearl Harbor.

If you've been to Disney World as often as I have, I'm sure you can recall the Harbor Attack portion of the Backlot Tour, which scared me a little right up until my last tour in 2013, but as I stood in line and watched the pre-show film about Pearl Harbor and other nautical films such as Pirates of the Caribbean, I always made a mental note to actually watch the film. Of course, I didn't know it at the time, but Pearl Harbor also appears in The Great Movie Ride Montage (or it used to at least), and I have a personal mission to watch all of the films included in that previous montage at some point in my life.

Watching Pearl Harbor never really happened though. I think it was on Netflix and my List there for a while, but like most things on my Netflix list, it never was watched. We don't have the DVD either, so when I noticed that the film would be starting soon on TV and I had the evening open, I sat down for a show and live tweeting of this phenomenal movie. To be fair, it's actually really long, something I definitely wasn't prepared for going into it, but it's well worth the length.

Honestly, I felt like I was watching Titanic most of the time, probably because throughout the entire beginning of the film you just have this knowledge of the tragedy to come and there's nothing you can do but wait for it. It's a terrible feeling, really, and while I knew spoilers for about half the movie and quickly figured out the rest, it definitely kept me entertained for a number of hours. Plus it was a commercial free showing, so that was nice. Oh, and I can't leave without mentioning the music...which was phenomenal, per usual for Hans Zimmer.

Oh, and one other quick reference. In high school you of course learn about historical events such as the attack on Pearl Harbor, and one of my friends always had trouble remembering the date. I, however, have never had trouble. Why? FDR's "Infamy" speech is a part of The American Adventure of Epcot, meaning that it's engrained into my mind for eternity.

Have a magical day!

Day 257: Why I Hated Hollywood Studios

I said last night that this was going to be today's topic so here it is, a story that is actually kind of interesting if you ask me. I think really the proper title would be "How Star Wars Changed my Life" but I like this title too, so we'll just roll with it. I did honestly go back through all my posts tagged Star Wars though, just to make sure I didn't already tell this story, which is odd that I haven't because...well yeah. I suppose this time it will be the enlarged version of the story though, so here we go:

Once Upon a Time (I couldn't help myself), when I was a little girl, I absolutely hated MGM Studios. I hated just about everything about it. I thought it was ridiculous. The entire thing. There wasn't anything that I liked there, after all. I mean, the Great Movie Ride scared me (Alien...still can't handle it), Tower of Terror was the last thing I wanted to do, I didn't especially like Indy yet (I think that probably counted as my favorite thing there though), Rock'n Roller Coaster made me sick, as did Star Tours (plus I didn't like Star Wars), the Backlot Tour also scared me (I didn't like loud noises), Toy Story Mania didn't exist yet, and I wasn't a fan of the Princesses (something that you now know I regret). I guess there was the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playarea, but that was probably also counted as my favorite thing in the park...until One Man's Dream probably. I've loved that since it opened in what, 2001 or something? Gosh that's old already. Oh yeah, I also loved the backlot area of Residential Street, but we all know what happened to that.

So in other words, I just really didn't like going to Hollywood (or MGM) Studios. I always loved Epcot more, by a lot. Epcot's the home of my favorite attraction, and great food and is basically my home, so it easily won out over Hollywood Studios. I just remember my entire childhood not wanting to go there like, at all. I hated it, plain and simple.

I stayed that way for a long time, through the change to Hollywood Studios (in 2009?), through the redo of Star Tours (yes, it was open months before I actually watched Star Wars for the first time), past the time my brother went on Tower of Terror for the first time, through the Millennium Celebration and Year of a Million Dreams. Yep, all the way through until, specifically, January 2012.

I would have been 16 at the time actually, not yet the owner of a car or a driver's license, but close, when I finally came around to see Hollywood Studios in a new light. But the question is why? Why the sudden turn around. Well, you see, the previous August I made a decision that would pretty much change my life.

I decided to watch Star Wars.

And so, we have the story (which I'm pretty certain I haven't told you on this blog). A story as old as time...wait, wrong thing. That's Illuminations. Ahem, THE story of how I came to love Star Wars, and, in the process, Hollywood Studios.

As a kid, I watched a bunch of Indiana Jones. I remember it pretty clearly actually, watching what was my favorite, "Temple of Doom," (Apparently I was a strange child). I watched it all the time in my bedroom at night or after doing homework. Whenever. I had the VHS copy so it was pretty easy to do. Actually I'm not sure where that VHS is, even though I have the other two, but that's beside the point. So in other words, I knew Indiana Jones and I knew some about Harrison Ford. I didn't think too much of it though. The Indy films are great movies, so it's logical, right? Right.

And then in 2011 I went with my family on our first trip to Disneyland. It was a great experience, and I absolutely loved it. But two things kind of changed within me there. I went on the Indy ride and realized, "Hey! I should rewatch the Indy movies!" And so I made that decision. And my family went on Star Tours, but I just pulled a "Walk through the StarSpeeder and not actually go on the attraction." It was a simulator and I didn't have motion sickness medicine yet, so I wasn't about to ride. Again, didn't think much of it. Then, one of the next few days we were sitting in Tomorrowland eating lunch when the Jedi Training Academy began. I watched, interested because, even though I had been to WDW how many times, I had never actually seen the Training Academy. And then Darth Vader came out of the ground and it was awesome and yeah...that was when something clicked.

I had never seen all of Star Wars. So I decided to watch them! Right then and there in the middle of Tomorrowland at Disneyland, I decided that I was going to watch Star Wars. But that's not where the story ends. A couple of months later, sometime in October actually, I remembered what I had decided, and pulled out a VHS copy of Episode 1 (our DVD didn't work). Now, I'm going to say it flat out...starting with Episode 1 was a mistake. I struggled through the first three episodes thinking "Who watches this? This is crazy." Luckily I had enough self control not to throw something at the TV or stop watching, so I eventually got to Episode 4, in which in initial reaction was "WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED!?!" I knew that they had filmed it what, twenty years or so earlier, so it was expected to be lower quality, but it just confused my mind.

So we're following Luke and Obi-Wan around and I'm all "This is stupid" and then they go into the Cantina and BOOM. My life changed right then and there. I was sitting in our living room watching Episode 4, and Han Solo walked on the screen and I was like "Dad.........is that....is that Indiana Jones?" and he was all "Yeah, that's Harrison Ford. He plays Indiana Jones too." And so, I liked Star Wars and quickly watched the other two episodes. That's all the more there was to it.

But what does this all have to do with Hollywood Studios? Well, let's fast forward a bit to January 2012, only months after (two actually) I had seen all of Star Wars for the first time. In between my trip to Disneyland and my trip to WDW that January, I happened to read a book about hidden secrets at Walt Disney World, and of course, many of them in there talked about Star Wars. I was like "WHAT!?!" when I read about the Speeder Bike across from Star Tours, and the little hidden secrets in the area. And then there was Star Tours itself, something I decided I needed to do after reading up on it a little. So I found some motion sickness medicine, and planned to go on Star Tours with three missions in mind: Find Han, Find Leia and Find Yoda.

I did all three during that first trip in which I went on Star Tours. I found the Millennium Falcon and had transmissions from both Yoda and Leia. It was great. And so, I started to open up a bit more. It came to my attention some time later that the soundtrack from Star Wars can also be found at the end of the Great Movie Ride, and that there's a whole section for Star Wars in that montage, and how Han is legitly one of the last things you see.

I rewatched Indiana Jones and came to love the stunt show. And, in November 2012, I got my very own Indiana Jones hat from the Indiana Jones store there. I search every trip for a Harrison Ford signed picture of, specifically Han Solo, but Indiana Jones too. I found Harrison Ford's handprints this past July, and actually, in November, I spent more time at Disney's Hollywood Studios than I ever have in my life. I went on Star Tours 9 times that trip, in the search for Han Solo for real (whom you can see for a brief few moments during one of the beginning sequences).

Now I love going on Toy Story Mania, and I love the Backlot Tour and go on it specifically to see the Star Wars props in the Junkyard. I still really miss the Residential Area, but other things branched off of this too, like Singin' in the Rain, and the umbrella you can find in that backlot area. Or my will to watch all the movies in the Great Movie Ride. Looking at the handprints instead of walking over them. Deciding to watch the Muppet Show, a decision I would never have made if I hadn't spent more time there at the Studios. I still hate Tower of Terror and I swear you will never get me on it. But I love Star Tours, and I can't wait to take my friends to Hollywood Studios if that is, indeed, the last park we choose for on the band trip.

And so, that is the story of why I hated Hollywood Studios, and how I came to actually love it because of Star Wars. It's honestly amazing how much of a difference one little decision like that can make. It did, after all, also introduce me to the wonderful YouTube community of, specifically, ApprenticeEh, and it got me to like something I always hated, and then to introduce all my friends to it as well. It's the reason I have a Han Solo in carbonate Bank on my desk and a Minnie Princess Leia Vinylmation as well. It's all just kind of crazy.

Today's Frumpstagram post brings us back to Magic Kingdom, with the prompt "nighttime." I had a picture in mind this time, and you can see it here! One of the castle pictures I took at the end of my last trip. There's no filter on this one either, because I just love how it is originally!

Here's today's Disney History: 2012: Finding Nemo 3D is released to theaters for a limited time.

Have a magical day!