Epcot Wand Demolition Continues

Yes indeed, the wand keeps coming down! I took this picture yesterday, July 28, from near Test Track.

(Sorry Dave . . . )

It’s Official! Epcot Wand Coming Down by October 1, 2007

From the Sun-Sentinel:

Epcot Vice President Jim MacPhee announced this morning that the time has come to remove the structure, which has served both as a colorful, lighted Epcot sign since 2000, and as a lightning rod for criticism from Epcot purists who contended the image was out of character for Epcot’s architecture.

The structure leans on Epcot’s previous and future iconic figure, the Spaceship Earth Pavilion, a180-foot geodesic sphere that can be seen for miles.

The arm and glove went up for Walt Disney World’s 2000 millennium celebration.

Now, however, with but with Epcot’s 25th anniversary this fall, and the temporary closing of Spaceship Earth ride, MacPhee said, “We think the timing of the removal is right.”

Deconstruction of the 50-ton structure begins Monday, and will be completed shortly before the park’s 25th anniversary, October 1. Also coming down are the 36-foot-high “Epcot” letters and colored stars splashing across the sphere.

Epcot purists will no doubt notice that this is one of precious few times that Disney has made any public statements about the upcoming 25th anniversary. Could there be more to come?

Is the Epcot Wand Coming Down?

Once again, rumor has it that the infamous wand atop Spaceship Earth at Walt Disney World’s Epcot may be nearing its end. Kevin Yee of MiceAge.com reports:

The demolition of the wand atop Spaceship Earth has apparently cleared its last hurdle: the fiscal 2008 budget decision, and it’s a certainty now. The wondrous effects this will have on the futurism of Epcot, not the cartoonization of it, cannot be repeated often enough. Someone pointed out to me in emails, following my article about Tomorrowland losing its hope and optimism in favor of cartoons and irony, that Epcot really took up the mantle of futurism and hope when it opened in 1982. That’s quite true.

The wand is not, however, without its fans. Dave from MouseExtra defends the wand, arguing that in fact it supports Epcot’s current vibe and themes:

The general consensus is the Wand flies in the face of Epcot’s original plan of futurism, and in some ways it does. But that plan has been largely abandoned, as more attractions get updated to something less reminiscent of a World’s Fair, and now the removal of the wand seems somewhat counter to the changing winds at Epcot. If we did not have Nemo, Crush, the Three Caballeros, and who knows who else in the future, then removing the Wand would make perfect sense. But Epcot is not the corporate-driven sounding board for a hopeful future it once was, and is now a more family friendly Disney park. Seven years ago, the Wand didn’t fit the theme of the park outside of its tie-in to the millennium. But now, in a not-so-subtle way, it does.

I gotta admit, setting aside any consideration of what’s right for Disney corporate, I’ll be happy if the wand comes down. It’s purely for aesthetic reasons. The unadorned Spaceship Earth is just wonderfully retro in its space-age futurism. A return to the tomorrow we dreamed about yesterday. I can almost taste the freeze-dried ice cream now.

The Myth of Story: Lost and Found at Walt Disney World

Re-Imagineering had a funny piece yesterday about the number of Disney attractions based on similar “stories.”

From the late 80’s on Imagineers indeed affixed ‘story’ after ‘story’ after ‘story’ to their rides, shows and attractions. Unfortunately, however, the concept of originality eluded most of them.

While certainly WDI saw some unbridled successes under Eisner’s ‘What’s the story?’ ordinance, it seems Imagineers had little more than one ‘story’ up their sleeve. And they shamelessly told it again and again and again.

It goes something like this: a character or prop has gone missing and the guests and/or other characters are tasked with finding it/them.

At times I think they’ve overreached their point. Can you really boil down the Pirates of the Caribbean ride story to this?

Pirate Jack Sparrow, treasure in hand, has gone missing among the villagers on the Isla Tesoro and Captain Barbossa is out to find him.

But even when they over-reach, it’s an interesting read. And consider this too: How many Disney Parks attractions are based on the premise of transportation gone wrong or stretched to its limits? On my recent trips to Disney World I rode:

• Two trains-gone-wild (Big Thunder Mountain and Expedition Everest)
• One broken elevator (Tower of Terror)
• One problematic mission to mars (Mission: Space)
• One difficult trip into someone’s immune system (Body Wars)
• One complete mishap of a space shuttle trip, with a hopeless pilot (Star Tours)

And that’s not even counting last summer at Disneyland, what with the crazy trouble with snakes and spiders when I was touring with Indiana Jones, or that wacky ride down Mullholland Drive. I don’t even want to talk about what happened when I got into the car with that Toad.

Is the message here that Imagineers are falling down on the job with creating stories for rides? Or is it that some stories are so flexible, you can make a zillion successful rides based on them?

Spaceship Earth Closing for Rehab July 9, 2007

MouseExtra this morning reports that TouringPlans.com has posted July 9, 2007 as the start date for rehabilitation of Spaceship Earth (details of the rehab available on AllEars.net). The end date is still unclear.

In the short term, this is sad news . . . it means that many summer visitors to Walt Disney World will not be able to ride either Haunted Mansion or Spaceship Earth. As both of these are high-capacity attractions, it may also have implications for wait times on other attractions. However, both of these attractions are badly in need of work, so I’ll gladly take the inconvenience and disappointment now, in exchange for better ride experiences next time around.

Nothing Says “Mexico” Like . . . Donald Duck

The interweb’s abuzz with notes about the upcoming new Epcot attraction, “Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros.” The DIS Board for example has updated its page on the Epcot Mexico pavilion.

I wish I could remember which podcaster I’m quoting here when I say “nothing says vacation in Mexico like . . . Donald Duck!”

Epcot Week at Pickle Barrel!

Last week was Epcot Week at the pickle barrel blog, and man did they ever have some great stuff! Let’s go back in time, and experience the tomorrow we dreamed about yesterday! Here are handy links to the various posts, in case you missed this great series:

Part One  | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

What’s Your Personal Dream Path for Walt Disney World?

There’s a new feature on the Walt Disney World web site: Custom Disney park maps, which yo can load up with the attractions of your choice, and/or include “Dream Paths.” The maps are then mailed out to you, free of charge.

Or, well. . . I’ve been told they get mailed to you, free of charge. Apparently they’re still working some bugs out of the system, because the web site keeps complaining about my zip code (which I promise you is in fact absolutely valid).

And what, may you ask, are Dream Paths? Part of the Year of a Million Dreams campaign, Dream Paths are suggested agendas (or touring plans) for making your way around the Disney parks, with specific interests in mind. The three I’ve seen so far are Fairy Tale Fantasy, The Call of Adventure, and Little Dreamers/Big Dreams. I’d love to see them offer Dream Paths for the geekier among us. How about . . .

• Campy Retro Favorites, featuring Carousel of Progress, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Spaceship Earth, and Living with the Land

• Cast Members Do Stand-Up, featuring Jungle Cruise, Great Movie Ride, and Kilamajaro Safaris

• Round and Round, featuring Dumbo, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, and Triceratops Spin

• Motion Sickness Madness, featuring Mad Tea Party, Star Tours, Body Wars, Mission: Space, and Primeval Whirl

• What Were They Thinking?!?, featuring Stitch’s Great Escape, Stitch’s Great Escape, and Stitch’s Great Escape

• Classic Audio-Animatronics, featuring Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress, Pirates of the Carribean, and The Enchanted Tiki Room (yes, even with the new management)

The Hall of Presidents: Clearly No Laughing Matter

Surely you, gentle reader, will have other suggestions, perhaps a bit more subversive even? Let’s offer up a few Dream Paths of our own. The WDW Today podcast show #168 might be good fodder for thought . . . it’s a discussion of the panelists’ least favorite attractions at Walt Disney World.