The Wand to Leave Epcot

[BigPigletFan]

The Wand to Leave Epcot

July 5, 2007



PHOTO: BigPigletFan, MiceChat.com

Members of MiceChat.com have been buzzing about the Epcot wand removal for months now along with MiceAge.com columnist Kevin Yee and this moment will finally arrive on Monday, July 9th, 2007 when work begins. The official announcement was made by Epcot Vice President Jim MacPhee Thursday morning said the wand will be removed. MacPhee also said that with Epcot’s 25th anniversary this fall, “We think the timing of the removal is right.”

The 257-foot-tall Mickey Mouse arm is currently attached to the Spaceship Earth attraction, sponsored by Siemans AG (which is going down for a refurbishment until this fall,) the park icon for Epcot.

The original wand read "2000" and was displayed as a part of the millennium celebration but it has continued to read "Epcot" after that celebration ended.


More on the story: Orlando Sentinel.
Original Discussion thread: Ding Dong the Wand is Dead: It's Official.

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July 6, 2007

Many of Disney's more-critical observers have called for the arm's removal for several years. Independent Disney-forum Web logs such as TheDisneyBlog, MiceAge, Re-imagineering and EpcotCentral have criticized it as tacky. John Frost, editor of TheDisneyBlog, called it "clutter."

Epcot about 'futurism'

"Epcot in its original form from 1982 was about futurism, hope and optimism, and the wand and hand speak instead to the company's cartoon history," said Orlando author Kevin Yee, who writes about Disney in books and Internet postings, including on his own UltimateOrlando blog. "I think Disney knows that removing the wand will please its hard-core fans."

More on the story: Orlando Sentinel.

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July 11, 2007 - update





MiceChat.com has learned that the back of Spaceship Earth now currently reads "Epc" as the letter "ot" have already been removed. Also, according to TDLFAN, the lighting on the wand is no longer being used as the removal process has begun. Spaceship Earth is also now down for its long refurbishment.

MiceChat Discussion) thread (with photos): Very quick TP from EC.

MiceChat Member, Club 33 has generated an Epcot Wand Removal feed via the Dolphin Web Cam.

[Quacky4Donald]

Wow! It's about time! Even though I've never been to Epcot or Walt Disney World I've always felt that the wand was sort of an eyesort. The building looks quite amazing without it!

Smart move, Disney! It's about time!

...Joe...

[MasterGracey]

Hooray! Good riddance!

[Jessicalover]

Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I only wish I could personaly take a swing of a wrecking ball at that dam* thing but as long as it's going that will make me smile.

I can only hope this is a sign off good things to finally start happening at WDW. I hope this starts the ball rolling in the right direction.

[merlinjones]

Yay! The Hat next, please...

[Ghostbuster626]

Special thanks to the folks at Reimagineering, Jim Macphee, Siemens, and all disney fans and imagineers that have been calling out to remove that ugly wand for years now!

[Twist_of_Fate]

I hope this isn't some sort of cute distraction as they plan to do some sort of even more monstrous overlay to Spaceship Earth. If it's going, good riddance. If it's being removed for something else, I'm worried.

[cellarhound]

Happy Dance!



Hammer time!



Break it down!

[Foreboding Aura]

Yay! The Hat next, please...

Hey now! Step off the hat. The hat has done nothing wrong here, Just sit there and look awesome....

[Digital Jedi]

[Ward]

Hey now! Step off the hat. The hat has done nothing wrong here, Just sit there and look awesome....

I would agree that the hat has a particular coolness. It's biggest problem is that it blocks the view of the originally intended Disney-MGM Studios park icon: The replica of Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Maybe they could relocate the hat somewhere else.

[mikeland]

Thank you Epcot!

[merlinjones]

>>Hey now! Step off the hat. The hat has done nothing wrong here, Just sit there and look awesome....<<

Say, what? That Hat has completely screwed-up the original, beautiful design of the Studio park. The recreation of Grauman's Chinese was a spectacular weenie at the end of the street - - the "castle" of Hollywood Bl. The cheesy Hat is, like the wand, a useless and tacky manifestation of brand-marketing creepiness over taste and design.

They should move it - - use it as a souvenier or information kiosk on the freeway or a parking booth or something like that. Ick!!!

[Berd]

Woot! It's about time that horrid eyesore gets the boot!

[Twist_of_Fate]

Is there room for the hat in the Animation Courtyard? Or in Downtown Disney like Disneyland's? Did the hat COME from Disneyland?