Armchair Imagineering- What to do with a Giant Bridge

[Noctourne]

"Sell it on eBay!" come the cries from the peanut gallery.

Let's face it, that Golden Gate Bridge at DCA is cool. Regardless of one's opinions of the rest of the park, it is fun to say you went over the Golden Gate in a monorail!

But now that is it being replaced with a less interesting (but more appropriate) stone bridge, what ever will Disney do? I think that they should keep it. It would look great behind the Pacific Warf area, much like EPCOT Center's Eiffel Tower in the France Pavillion of World Showcase. The only problem would be a visual intrusion with Radiator Springs, but Disney has solved that problem themselves!

According to the large cartoon map in the Blue Sky Cellar and the construction walls, the rockwork of Ornament Valley buts right up against the Pacific Warf. If Disney designed the mountains to go far enouch away from the Cannery Row to allow the forced perspective to work, but landscaped the foothills nearest the Warf to resemble the green hills of San Fransisco, it could be very convincing without any visual intrusion.

For optional added effect, fog machines around the bridge could replicated the infamous fog of the bay area while also covering up anything Disney wouldn't want guests to see. The fog could also look like clouds to further the forced perspective.

Disney could add a new prop for virtually no money and save the cost of getting rid of the Golden Gate Bridge all by recycling it out behind the Pacific Warf. You thoughts?

[Rocker]

I know- let's give it to John Stamos!

[Noctourne]

Originally Posted by Rocker

I know- let's give it to John Stamos!

I think we should give him the concrete letters, too!

[techskip]

I'm actually curious if they plan on selling off pieces of the tile mosaic.

[Uncle Bob]

RSR is mostly a distance from PW. I guess I'm not completely understanding your suggestion, but in any case, no, I want it completely gone. The whole idea of recreating real iconic structures in a theme park never sits quite right with me, and in the case of a park in California, it makes even less sense. There's an aspect of this same thing that rubs me slightly the wrong way about World Showcase actually too. It's just not what I appreciate about Disney, it reminds me of bad amusement park or Vegas theming. Just slap some iconic signage or structure on a generic building and call it themed. That's all that the "bridge" is, it's a big piece of ugly signage. It wouldn't likely be worth any effort to salvage it anyway.

[Coast21]

Didn't they already sell the bridge to a private buyer? Could have sworn it was mentioned some where here on mice chat.

[Noctourne]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

RSR is mostly a distance from PW. I guess I'm not completely understanding your suggestion, but in any case, no, I want it completely gone. The whole idea of recreating real iconic structures in a theme park never sits quite right with me, and in the case of a park in California, it makes even less sense. There's an aspect of this same thing that rubs me slightly the wrong way about World Showcase actually too. It's just not what I appreciate about Disney, it reminds me of bad amusement park or Vegas theming. Just slap some iconic signage or structure on a generic building and call it themed. That's all that the "bridge" is, it's a big piece of ugly signage. It wouldn't likely be worth any effort to salvage it anyway.

By Radiator Springs I meant "Cars Land" but that name sounds positively awful to me.

I do understand your take on the bridge, and it's intersting to hear your perspective. I agree somewhat, but I think that it's a matter of all thngs in moderation for me- it can be nice sometimes, but not others. It all depends on the implementation.

[Barbossa]

Originally Posted by Rocker

I know- let's give it to John Stamos!

Or, it will find it's way to Kraftland.

[techskip]

Sorry can't resist...

Q. What to do with a Giant Bridge?
A. Make sure it goes somewhere!

Again sorry, given the amount of times we have all heard the word "bridge" in the past 2 years... I just couldn't resist. Honestly though I would hope they could find some way of reusing a lot of the material in other projects in the park.

[MarkTwain]

I agree with your suggestion of placing it behind Pacific Wharf. However, the bridge should be "stretched out," so the towers are farther apart, and the whole thing wouldn't look so disproportional.

[Le Saboteur]

Originally Posted by techskip

Sorry can't resist...

Again sorry, given the amount of times we have all heard the word "bridge" in the past 2 years... I just couldn't resist. Honestly though I would hope they could find some way of reusing a lot of the material in other projects in the park.

With some re-theming, it could work quite well in my re-imagined Adventureland; i.e., the bridge they were building in The Ghost & the Darkness.

[Datameister]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

The whole idea of recreating real iconic structures in a theme park never sits quite right with me, and in the case of a park in California, it makes even less sense. There's an aspect of this same thing that rubs me slightly the wrong way about World Showcase actually too. It's just not what I appreciate about Disney, it reminds me of bad amusement park or Vegas theming. Just slap some iconic signage or structure on a generic building and call it themed. That's all that the "bridge" is, it's a big piece of ugly signage. It wouldn't likely be worth any effort to salvage it anyway.

Yes.

Sadly.

[Moving Sidewalk]

They recycled the old monorail into scrap metal (sadly). So the Golden Gate Bridge should be turned into scrap too. It can then live on a second life as metal used for other things... cars, buildings, etc... And then you'll be able to say you have a car made from the Golden Gate Bridge....

[dl_appurtenant]

I think that would be really cool, Noctourne. I doubt anything like it would ever happen but it's a really good idea!

[Rex]

Originally Posted by Le Saboteur

With some re-theming, it could work quite well in my re-imagined Adventureland; i.e., the bridge they were building in The Ghost & the Darkness.

Holy crap, I thought I was the only person in the country who remembered that movie! A+ for awesome obscure nineties movie reference.

If they do sell it off, it will be the first time in history that someone is trying to sell a bridge without it being a con or a joke! I'd be happy to take it off Disney's hands for the generous offer of $60.