The Sorcerer's Hat: Disney's Most Controversial Building

[@GeorgesSpace]

Do you miss the hat? Or do you think Hollywood Studios is better off without it?

[@Angie2343]

It's better off as scrap metal in a smelting plant.

[@jeanhealy3132]

@@Angie2343 it was better there because you could get a picture of something other than nothing!

[@Crow_Smith]

I'm a Millennial and I LOVED the hat. And the first year I showed up and it was gone I was so sad. And I sure as hecc prefer it over the stages. The hat didn't cause traffic jams - the stages do because whenever there is a show people just stop in the middle of the way. But when there was the hat you could go through it or around it. Plus it was one of the few places of actual shade in Hollywood Studios [I remember when it was MGM and the backlot tour but I still remember the hat more]. And besides, you can still get a good shot of the theatre - just not from the entrance, you have to go to the the theatre - but you also can't get a picture of any of the "Backlot" area from the entrance nor Toy Story Land or Galaxy's Edge - so what's the big issue with not being able to take a picture. Then again I love the Birthday Cake castle idea [granted the 50th castle was miles better and cooler] and I think if you feel it "ruins" your picture, then that's sad that people find that more important than getting to be there for the 25th. We went opening day of the 50th celebration and it was wonderful. They could've removed the castle and I'd have been just happy to say I was there for a historic day at the park.

[@Mnbaco2]

I only saw the hat twice but I don’t remember that “i have bad memory” but I think they should bring it back

[@Angie2343]

@@jeanhealy3132 I'd rather get a picture with Pepper the robot (google her if you don't know who she is), with the hat's scrap metal serving as armor for her.

[@SkulShurtugalTCG]

I only saw the hat in person once, in 2007 with my family during our last vacation we took together before my dad died. I liked it a lot at the time, and didn't realize it was so controversial until years later. I understand that it was VERY out of place in the park, but I still feel like it added a bit of charm and magic to the park that has been lost since. There's no "icon" of the park now (unless you count the Tower of Terror) and the hat was a perfect icon to me, because it represented the magic of Disney's storytelling in the form of making movies.

[@doja187]

i really liked it too as a kid. made the park feel bigger overall as well.

[@Kanzuko]

Saw the hat as a kid during my trips in 2002 and 2006. I've always loved the hat. I understand that a lot of people were upset at it obscuring the view of the Chinese Theater, but honestly, I thought that it added a lot more charm to the park than the theater did. I always saw the theater as just a replica of the one in Hollywood, no Disney charm to it at first glance until you went up close and read the walk of fame. I would have loved to see it be the icon of the park, seeing as now they seem to just be putting the tower of terror on all of the merchandise representing Hollywood Studios. The grey and blue castle, the white spaceship earth, the green tree of life, and the blue and gold sorcerer's hat worked a lot better imo.

[@LPSKittyCats]

I was there in 2007 too and i was very young at that time but i remember the sorcerer hat more then any of the rides besides tower of terror tbh pfft

[@CrackingCody]

I mean......... The Chinese Theater still exists there....

[@carricksimone5122]

Long time no see pall

[@JasmineDreams]

idc what the adults thought about the hat at the time, I saw it on multiple visits as a kid and it will always be iconic in my mind. I loved it! I also loved the cake castle. I think too many people forgot to try to see these things through the eyes of a kid at the time. They were so much fun for those of us who were not tainted by grown-up expectations lol

[@Noahjmaurer]

Even as a kid, that cake castle was gross lol

[@triton6127]

Actually as an adult, I loved the castle cake… for a year. Same with the 2000 wand and the Disney MGM hat. If they had just removed them after the celebrations they were built for, there wouldn’t be the ‘controversy’. It just never felt right that the park’s icon was basically a pin store. It just didn’t stack up to the other icons. Great analysis! (Although I’m pretty sure Disney/MGM Studios became Disney Studios before it became Disney’s Hollywood Studios.) One thing I love about the resort is it is constantly changing. Not all changes were going to be universally loved, and a few were downright awful (Journey into YOUR Imagination anyone?) But there’s always something for everyone!

[@JasmineDreams]

@@Noahjmaurer speak for yourself, I guess. Seems like at least 138 people felt the same way I did 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@JasmineDreams]

@@triton6127 I agree completely! I love that Disney tries new and different (and sometimes weird lol) things for different celebrations, but they should definitely limit them to timing that is relevant for that celebration.

[@HutchIsOnYT]

@@JasmineDreamssounds like they did speak for themself. like you did lol

[@the_real_Kurt_Yarish]

If Disney had any balls they would have moved the hat to EPCOT and placed it on top of Spaceship Earth lmao.

[@coyotix]

They do have balls- they have one for EPCOT /j

[@the_real_Kurt_Yarish]

@coyotix they have B A L L

[@kentslocum]

Say what you will about the birthday-cake castle and sorcerer hat, but at least Disney actually did something large and impressive to commemorate those celebrations! Disney nowadays can't be bothered to do anything significant for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World or the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company...

[@anamethename3327]

Mostly because of all the complaints about doing fun stuff in the past

[@kentslocum]

@@anamethename3327 Nah, it's a cost-saving measure. I don't know anyone who was complaining about the Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle at The Magic Kingdom for Christmas, and yet Disney hasn't brought those back. 😥

[@JukaDominator]

@@kentslocumNah it's the complaints

[@mynameisworld]

Makes sense that they don't celebrate anymore, since the so-called "fans" are a bunch of spoiled 20-year-olds with Tick Tock accounts who want to trade obscenity-filled complaints for views and ad money.

[@fntthesmth423]

@@JukaDominator[citation needed]

[@certifiedtreespecialist9852]

I was part of the crew that demolished the hat. Magically two stars were found in a work truck and now I own them. I should display them or sell them. Great video I remember being inside the fenced area and we took our bucket lift to the top of the hat. Then removed the trees, there was debris laying around from the machine removing the structure. We walked around the base of the hat the stars were laying on the ground ready to be put in dumpsters. The pin trading kiosk was still there and the brim of the hat. We only had one night to remove all the trees and shrubs. Crazy memories!

[@Lachronix]

That’s awesome! You should keep them as family heirlooms!

[@narutosbelievin]

What?! They just wanted to throw it away?! That should be in the archives! I want it back!

[@heatherklick3667]

​@narutosbelievin is that is a surprise?

[@cendresaphoenix1974]

People literally just wanted it moved not obliterated. All they had to do was move it.

[@Donyourmom]

Most likely was landlocked

[@CrackingCody]

Move it where? lol

[@Keither754]

Move it where..? There’s not really a lot of free space at Hollywood Studios.

[@hanonondricek411]

I suspect there might have been nothing to move. The base was an open air exhibit/retail store sheltered by the hat which was essentially a sheetmetal tent hung from a single very sturdy central anchor post. It would probably cost more to carefully disassemble and reconstruct than it would to just build it again somewhere.

[@yochief-wy6tk]

@@DonyourmomI’d take it in my backyard

[@Ashley-yf4nf]

The hat went up before I was born, so I had no idea that this was such a controversial icon. I remember being devastated when I learned that it was being taken down because, for me, it was as iconic as the castle. Most promotional materials use the Tower of Terror as Hollywood Studios’ icon nowadays, which just doesn’t seem to compare to the other WDW icons to me. I can understand why people would have been so upset by it when it went up, but I definitely miss it.

[@hollybabyyy]

Wtf

[@narutosbelievin]

It’s just as iconic as any of the other icons! That would be the exact same as getting rid of Cinderella’s castle and making the new icon the entrance to Thunder Mountain.

[@bdluejay]

I miss the hat so bad..... it was my favorite park landmark. i started going to disney in the early 00's so i never knew the unobstructed view of the chinese theatre (which, the great movie ride (rip) was my mom's favorite ride). the mickey hat always felt perfectly in the right place. it was also the place where my family would meet if anyone got lost in MGM.... I mean, Hollywood studios. so so sad that it's gone

[@Donyourmom]

I always thought the sorcerer hat looked way better than the Grauman's Chinese theater.

[@edryba4867]

@@DonyourmomYou’ve never seen the REAL Chinese Theater on THE REAL HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, IN THE REAL HOLLYWOOD.

[@rucksack_kh]

​@@edryba4867 Then they should keep it there

[@witchstormm]

I only went to MGM Studios (or I guess Hollywood Studios) once when I was younger, and I genuinely thought I was imagining the hat’s existence for the longest time

[@brittbrat756]

no literally I convinced myself I was thinking of the one at the Disneyland Hotel 😭

[@amynealson1641]

the reference to the “who do you think the hottest girl in school is?” “the epcot ball” vine TOOK ME OUT 😂😂😂

[@CarloRufinoSabusap]

"EPCOT had the prettiest girl in school" I see what you did there

[@TrikYodz]

I don’t see what he did there but I still lost my shit. I like to think on a subconscious level I do…

[@happily_blue]

Epcot ball....

[@karak962]

​@@TrikYodzit's a reference to a drew gooden vine but genuinely is just funnier as a joke about the Epcot ball looking the best haha

[@shroomkittie]

"who do you think the prettiest girl in school is?" "the epcot ball."

[@JustPlainAwfulStreams]

@@karak962 it is gabe gundacker not drew gooden get it right

[@thenixer209]

god the Bloodborne-esque music at the beginning of this video absolutely killed me, i can't help but imagine the sorcerer's hat sprouting a multitude of centipede legs and scuttling after guests like a twisted Disneyfied boss fight.

[@EmersonFlemingEmRock13]

I'm gen Z and went to Disney World for the first time in 2014, I really loved the hat and thought it was a really strong icon for the park, however I can totally agree that it did really take away from the old Hollywood aesthetic. Now that GMR has been replaced with Runaway Railway, I do think it would be cool to maybe reintegrate the hat in some capacity. Not sure how exactly, but it was a really cool structure in its own right.

[@TheWyldehart]

My coworkers and I were discussing that this morning and agreed that Echo Lake would be a lovely place to put it, which is where they set up the Christmas tree now. The tree could go on the stage, which is where Photopass takes photos anyway.

[@marmackerel]

complaining about a damn building for years is the reason people make fun of adult disney fans stg,,, as a non disney fan i do feel the hat feels more emblematic than the other landmarks there

[@hp8167]

These Disney changes that frustrate people enough to continuously complain past that initial point are so funny to me. Like this went on for years apparently. At least for me, the Disney parks aren't something I go to often at all, so some of the arguments just come off entitled. It's even funnier that when it was finally taken down people whined that "They just wanted it moved" as if the structure was something they could just slide over. Disney wasn't gonna pay to build back a structure that was deemed unpopular after they already took it down.

[@Patriotic_Eagle1995]

I assure you that isn't the reason people make fun of Disney fans, no one would even know this was controversial. People make fun of adult Disney fans because they're adults who are fans of Disney.

[@parkour267]

Boomers are to blame

[@narutosbelievin]

If you’re not a fan then why’d you even bother to watch the video?

[@Patriotic_Eagle1995]

@-dtuyhnjhggvjjjn You read the word fascistic somewhere but never took the time to learn what it means. "Family entertainment" is intended for "families". If you're a childless adult excited to be at Disney World, you're not in a family, and people will laugh at you at best. At worst they'll assume you're some kind of predator or intellectually divergent 😉 Adult Disney fans are truly pathetic and it's only right to laugh at them 😁

[@valeriemcdonald440]

I retroactively love the cake castle. My fear at the time was that the castle would remain pink, but as a temporary overlay it was great. I hated the epcot wand, but I was fine with the hat. I can't believe that they are leaving the castle pink this time. Ugg

[@Ryotsu2112]

I absolutely hated the cake castle for a couple of reasons. The process of ‘building’ it took a long time, so for many months you saw ugly cranes and a half-assed cake monstrosity. We were lucky enough to go every few years, but I can imagine some families that only got to visit WDW once in their life, and the beautiful castle was not only turned into a gaudy cake, but a half done cake in the middle of a construction zone. The castle should never be transformed and hidden to that extent.

[@nixsonhenderson]

I just went to Disney and I have to say the magic that the pink and gold of the new castle creates was unmatched. I loved how pretty it looked in the sun set. It’s truly magical now. And pretty

[@veronicadean4767]

That’s the only thing I remember, i went when I was 2, in the summer of 98’

[@narutosbelievin]

I loved the wand! I hope they bring it back 😊

[@lotus_flower2000]

who...who cares this much about the colour of a castle in a family amusement park?

[@SauveTheWorld]

My grandmother loved fantasia. When she took my older brother and I there when I was 4 we went to see fantasmic at Hollywood studios I believe. It was an amazing trip. I loved seeing the hat. Then we went again in 2014 after she was diagnosed with cancer. She brought the ENTIRE family for one last trip with everyone. The hat was still there. It’s sad to think I’ll never be able to go see that hat ever again in the future. I know my grandmother is very sad up there. Rip Grandma❤

[@ali3ngazer275]

I always loved the hat, I grew up with the hat. So when it was gone, it didn't feel the same to me anymore. I knew since I was a kid that the icon was controversial but at what cost? Afterward, the theater was the icon for like a few months and then they added a giant concert where the hat was which obstruct the view...and the Tower of Terror is the new icon....even tho it's not in the center...

[@ali3ngazer275]

Also it's not a gen z thing, it's a Zoomer and Gen z thing

[@camouflaging6090]

@@ali3ngazer275more so a millennial and gen Z thing. zoomer is still gen Z and is late 90’s, early 2000’s. if u were born in that time and went to Disney parks, chances are the hat was iconic no matter the small two the three year age difference. the only group of people that this could literally bother, as they were the only ones to experience the park before the hat, were millennials young enough to cognitively remember the park before and after a change. it’s an old head thing lmao the hat was cool as fuck and people are being lowkey babies? now hollywood studios is cool, but there’s no icon, no trademark feel to it. it’s just star wars land 2.0 haha. amazing rides tho

[@ali3ngazer275]

@camouflaging6090 I was born in 95, a zoomer. I'm aware that 95 is the very end for millennial but 95 kids grew up with more things similar to gen z rather than the older millenials. I remember seeing it back in 2001 and I worked in the parks when it came down. It's still tough trying to adjust with the hay gone considering it was around my whole childhood till adulthood

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

A fun fact about the Earffel Tower is that it never actually contained water! So it was simply a decoration that you could only see on the Backlot Tour. Studios in California built water towers in the first place in the first half of the 1900s as a safety measure to douse fires on highly flammable wooden film sets. And I love the design of the Chinese Theatre! Its backstory for the real one in Hollywood is that after his success with the nearby Egyptian Theatre, Sid Grauman turned to real estate developer Charles E. Toberman to secure a long-term lease from Francis X. Bushman on Hollywood Boulevard. What's now the Chinese Theatre was once Bushman's mansion. Grauman developed the plans for his “dream theatre” with architect Raymond Kennedy of Meyer & Holler, which also designed the Egyptian Theatre. The one in Hollywood cost two million dollars to build, and imported temple bells, pagodas and other pieces while Chinese poet and filmmaker Moon Kwan supervised artisans from his homeland as they created the many artworks. Built at a cost of $2 million, the theatre’s striking exterior is designed to resemble a giant Chinese pagoda. Between its columns, the carved dragon is 30 feet high. The giant Ming Dynasty Heaven Dogs imported from China continue to guard the main entrance to this day. The theatre was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 55 in 1968

[@Cam4Cameron]

Most things in Disney World that look like something have no function. I would be more surprised if it actually did contain water.

[@ChuckE.CheesesIllinois]

Thank you for this info supreme leader.

[@hunterpittman6576]

Can’t please everyone. The Hat was Awesome, Disney just needed more than just a Pin Station underneath !!

[@MoonJiano]

the epcot prettiest girl in school reference and “disney has a lot of these” regarding celebrations 😭 love it - great vid 😁

[@robertcharlesiii8393]

I remember thinking I was crazy bc one time the hat was there and the next visit, it wasn't, and no one in my family has ever acknowledged it. Hell, I wasn't fully certain I hadn't made up the hat until watching this video, so thank you for validating my childhood memories!

[@SailorMoonFan92]

I understand why people hated it, and rightfully so, however it never bothered me. It made a good icon, better than the current Tower of Terror, which doesn't make much sense. Demolishing the water tower however was a travesty and I'm still annoyed by it.

[@MrSmuuf]

The big reason I didn’t like the hat was that it clashed aesthetically with the entrance of the park pretty hard. They could have at least switched out the gold for like film reels or something. I feel that the theater having runaway railway in it is a good compromise. It has Mickey, you can go in it, and keeps the theme of the entrance to the park.

[@pinkmarkercat]

Study for the midterm: ❌ Watch a 20 minute video about a controversial building in disneyland: ✅

[@travisvanalst4698]

“Disney World”

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

My favorites of the Disney park icons around the world are the Tree of Life and Tokyo DisneySea's Mount Prometheus. For the Tree of Life, I just love the idea that they took an oil rig and turned it into something uplifting, something that motivates us all to care for our planet, that we share it with so many creatures. The Tree of Life features 337 carvings of existing and extinct animal species on its trunk and surrounding roots which is incredible. During this process, primate researcher Jane Goodall insisted that a chimpanzee be added to the list of animals being carved into the tree, specifically David Graybeard, one of the chimpanzees Goodall famously worked with. The sculptors were met with many challenges including the limited time available to carve and detail each animal due to the fast drying time of the cement. And the volcano at Tokyo DisneySea just looks so epic! It features over 750,000 square feet of rockwork, Mount Prometheus represents one of the largest rockwork projects that Imagineering ever embarked on! Journey to the Center of the Earth was originally planned as a freefall ride as part of Discovery Mountain, a former Disneyland Paris concept in place of Space Mountain. Since it was never built, this project reemerged in Tokyo DisneySea with new technology from Test Track. The score of the ride was composed by Buddy Baker, who was also responsible for the scores of rides such as Pirates of The Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion!

[@GeorgesSpace]

I love how intricate and detailed the Tree of Life is. You really get a sense of the care put into making it.

[@backtomarzzzz]

nice seeing you again in the comments avery the cuban american 🍪

[@TrialzGTAS]

I saw it in March 2002 and thought it was cool. When I went back to Disney for Senior Trip in 2014, I had a blast of nostalgia seeing it. Thought, I loved the Chinese Theater because The Great Movie Ride was my 2nd favorite attraction. When I went back for my 21st birthday in 2016, the park felt empty with it removal. But loved the sightline of the theater seeing one of my favorite attractions (for the last time :( )

[@KasperCarti]

I remember trading pins and vinylmations there when I was younger, always gave us more of a reason to go on the great movie ride.

[@Hwilki]

The first time I visited Disney World was in October 2001, and the hat has always been a part of my experience at the park. I went back recently after about ten years since my previous trip, and it felt like something was missing at Hollywood Studios now that the hat is gone. I always liked the magical feeling that it represented, and especially now that the Great Movie Ride is no more, the Chinese Theater just makes me think of what is gone from the park…

[@LazerzZ]

Until this video I didn't even know the hat was something added years later, It was the only MGM/Hollywood Studios I ever knew. I'd always felt it was as iconic as Cinderella's Castle, the Tree of Life and the Epcot ball. I still miss the dang hat 🥲

[@JennySYS]

"the prettiest girl in school" was such an unexpected deep cut

[@TheWyldehart]

Thank you for this walk down Memory Lane. I am a veteran cast member with slightly over 19 years in the parks, which means I arrived during the Year of a Million Dreams Celebration. I remember the Epcot wand (and wondering why it was there) and loving Disney Characters on Holiday. I remember scrambling to get out of the way of the High School Musical parade (and being grateful for its existence because as a photographer, it meant a break and blissful shade for a few moments-- and hand clapping.) I remember being able to point to the facade of the house the "Golden Girls" did their exterior shots during the tram ride. I remember photographing Kim Possible and the Power Rangers in the Streets of America and I remember the magic of the Osborn Lights. I have photos from my 10 year service celebration and the fireworks launched over the Streets of America (and the Osborn Lights) for the first- and only- time in the park's history. It's hard to believe that in 2015, just a few weeks later, Osborn would go away, along with the Streets of America and the Back Lot Tour to be replaced by Star Wars and Toy Story Land. I also remember that darn hat. I wasn't fond of it. The story goes (thank the Orlando Sentinel) that Disney's beef with MGM happened because MGM, which had been bailed out from going under by Disney, managed to meet the contract requirements Disney had set forth when they took on the studio's debt. Disney executives had assumed MGM would take several years longer than they did to repay the debt in full, but a string of successful films and TV (I'm looking at you, Stargate) had made MGM a lucrative windfall and what could have taken decades to pay off, did take decades to pay off, just not as many as Disney hoped. It took about 25 years (guessing) to pay off what MGM owed with interest and when Disney (rightfully) balked at rebranding the park (the cost was huge with some estimates in the billion-dollar range) MGM sued Disney and won. Disney was given just shy of 2 years to completely rebrand, a thoroughly daunting task. Disney's issues with MGM had less to do with the hat staying up than people think. There were rumors (unconfirmed) that the owner of the Chinese Theater wanted royalties and the company left the hat up to spite those efforts. Most likely, as you said, it had to do with the hat's iconic status. Ultimately, it came down because it was coming down on its own. As you said several times, it was never intended to be permanent. I remember very clearly being told it was temporary and at the end of the Million Dreams celebration, it was going bye-bye. Not so. It was a temporary, if seemingly sturdy structure that was on borrowed time and eventually became a safety concern. No amount of maintenance could keep it together forever. See, I had no fond memories of the original look of Hollywood Boulevard. But I do remember guests wanting pictures of the theater and simply being unable to satisfy their requests. The hat was in the way of the nightly celebration at the Theater (the crowd pushing in between the hat and the Theater was a nightmare) and it just didn't belong. Studios was about movie magic, the silver screen, the Golden Age of film, not... Fantasia. That's why I didn't like it. It made zero sense to me and it ruined the view of what I felt was the true icon, or should have been, for the park.

[@janeflip1]

TMI

[@demitranswolf]

I think the largest problem with Disney parks as a whole is that MGM/Hollywood Studios was meant to bring people close to the action of making movies, as was Universal studios backlot tour. However, Disney has been stripping away all originality that Walt Disney built into the parks (see; EPCOT being about the innovation of the future, and the world showcase) and just filling it with IPs. I loved going to EPCOT because of the troll ride in Norway, and going on the rides that made me feel like I was in a spaceship or part of a science experiment. Now it’s just movie based attractions with no fun for every person anymore

[@sopranophantomista]

Me, a Millenial, who only went to Disneyland as a kid: "You guys had a hat?" Jokes aside, this was really interesting to listen to as a Disney Casual in my adult years. Thanks for all your effort and time on this.

[@TerrificRallyMaestro]

I was glad that the Hat was removed, but I'd rather have kept the Great Movie Ride if it meant also keeping the Hat. The theater just isn't the same anymore without it. All in all, Tower of Terror is the iconic structure of Hollywood Studios for me.

[@Dweezy30]

The hat was better..

[@katef96]

I’m mostly indifferent to the hat, Hollywood has always been my least fave of the four parks so I’m not exactly a “purist” about it. That said, there’s not really anything that was GOOD about it except for giving Studios a recognizable park icon for a time. Having Tower of Terror be the current icon for Hollywood Studios alongside Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth and Tree of Life just doesn’t feel right to me.

[@RakoonCD]

you look familiar. but you're right, Park Icons have to represent or be the thesis statement of that park, TOT is a great attraction, but it doesn't say anything about it's location. It's a one-off story.

[@zamgion]

Once again, another great video by Browning. Truly can see you taking off in the Theme Park space on KZbin. Best of wishes!

[@mrmuffins951]

You should absolutely do another video about California’s Adventure and their park icons! They’ve been through so many from the Carthay Circle Theater to Grizzly Peak, Sun Icon, Tower of Terror and Mickey’s Fun Wheel

[@jonathangreenip5964]

I rarely if ever comment on youtube videos but I must say this analysis of the hat, and the emotions people felt about it, was spot on and somehow kept me engaged for 20 minutes. I am Gen Z, and when the hat was being removed I felt like they were destroying the identity of the park. When you mentioned that at the end, I knew I needed to give you props for simply how well made this video about a giant hat was. Good work.

[@TyrellDunn]

I wish I could have seen the 25th Anniversary Birthday Cake castle in person. I always wanted to see it as a kid. I remember the big hat infront of the Chinese theater and I didn’t mind it honestly.

[@A.F.Whitepigeon]

4:11 - "Yes, that is who you think it is." I don't recognize them, but now I'm curious. Who is it?

[@Jay2646]

Relatively sure that's Colleen Ballinger (aka Miranda Sings) who was a big vlogging KZbinr until her, uh, unfortunate choices were revealed last year.

[@bombarded15]

Comment for the scroll-gods, I had no clue either 😂

[@ToastGhost]

I always liked the hat after my one visit to Hollywood Studios back in 2009, I wish the could have at least saved it and put it up somewhere else

[@wormtube814]

aw im so sad to hear it was removed!!! i went there as a kid and it feels like such an important and magical memory to me.

[@tiredTheorist]

vast error pfp

[@nashwagemakers]

The Tower of Terror (as a foreigner, and not a massive disneyfan) is easily one of the most recognizable disneystructures, together with the Castle, Epcotball and Space Mountain / Big Thunder. So TOT easily can be the "icon" of the studio parks. In Paris its already the only noteworthy thing in the park

[@tomatertate]

i'd argue Space Mountain is also a noteworthy thing in the park

[@nashwagemakers]

@@tomatertate For sure, thats why i mentioned it.

[@patsysolatzzo2962]

I didn’t know people hated the hat. I loved the hat. I came to the United States in 2001 and the hat was there when I went with my foster family. it’s what I remember because it felt magical as a kid from Italy lol. I really miss my childhood Disney with the hat, earful tower (which I have no idea why it needed to be removed I loved it), and great movie ride.

[@janeflip1]

We were there for the infamous Y2K night that changed from 1999 to 2000. It was great fun, everyone was watching fireworks and we got to ride any ride we wanted with no waiting!

[@Dabel111]

You are one of the most underrated KZbinrs, Your video quality is amazing

[@weeklykiki]

As a former DHS Cast Member, Nobody. ABSOLUTELY nobody knows what's next for studios. There is no identity to the park. There's a weird divide of 1950s Hollywood and Immersive lands (Toy Story Land & Galaxies Edge) Everything is completely ass-backwards and "what's next for the park?" was always a daily discussion because there was no "theme"

[@TalysAlankil]

i think it's funny that the other studio park - walt disney studios in Paris - has a similar issue with a lack of a distinct icon. most promo seems to use our version of the ear-ful tower but that has the same issue of being out of reach, you really only see it from outside the park. the other option is the tower of terror? maybe when we get the completed promenade / frozen land the park will receive its icon at last lmao

[@austendunavant8560]

Had my first trip to Disney World in 2011 at age 7 and remembered really liking the hat. To be fair, that was a really good trip and I may have just had fun associations with it but we got to see a family friend who worked at the park and he helped get discounts and some fun bonuses from time to time too. I went back at age 13 in 2017 and had not followed anything so I was really surprised and disappointed that the hat wasn’t there. I remember thinking it was a weird vibe overall bc basically the only rides open were Rockin Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror, and Star Tours. Definitely a half-day park at that point. But yeah kinda interesting to see this video and see why the hat was taken away. Glad to see I’m not the only one that kinda liked it. I totally get the sightline argument though. It looked kinda cluttered when the hat, but especially the stage was there. Kinda hated the stage. Last time I went to the park in 2022, walking down the entrance has a much more organized and aesthetically pleasing feel. Not to mention with the opening of Star Wars and Toy Story Land, the lack of rides isnt much a problem anymore. Hoping they never take away that little corner of Muppets. Its so cozy and I feel like it always gets looked over

[@ACfairgrounds]

This hat was actually my childhood, especially since I was a kid that was born around the early 2000s. It was always there when I was a kid

[@MoodyMickey]

The sorcerer's hat was one of the few things I remember from going to disneyworld as a toddler. I loved it so much as a little kid, just because it was a giant wizard hat

[@goinghaydenwire]

thank you for putting this all together! I love learning about theme park history and super appreciate your attention to detail :)

[@dominiqueisunique41]

Having made my first visit to MGM and EPCOT with the hat and the wand very much present in 2001, those were icons of my childhood. I loved the hat, but I also love the sight lines to the theater now. Great video!

[@anneliesemurch2096]

I’m a Floridian who was born in 2005 and went to Disney a lot as a kid. I legit thought the centerpiece of the park was the hat and had always been. I didn’t learn that the theater was the main attraction until I went one day and the hat wasn’t there.

[@FTChomp9980]

When I went to Hollywood Studios for the 1st time I still wanted to visit the Sorcerers Hat but man it's kinda sad not seeing it anymore.

[@Aidan13547]

I’ve seen that hat more times than I can remember. My family went to Disney almost monthly when I was younger. It will always be a symbol of Hollywood studios for me.

[@triple7marc]

6:20 This footage was filmed on the exact day I was born lol

[@mateus7332]

happy belated birthday :)

[@triple7marc]

@@mateus7332 Haha thank you!!

[@pocketscarf]

As a kid during the hat's early life, MGM/Hollywood Studios was always my least favorite of the parks, so I didn't particularly care what was in the middle of it, ha ha. That being said, my grandma adored the park, and one of my last photos with her was of us with the hat in the background. So I have a soft spot for the BAH and I have come to remember Hollywood studios more fondly too I'm old enough to remember the cake overlay on the castle too, and as a little kid at the time I remember thinking it was really cool. I didn't find out til many years later that most people apparently hated it.

[@TheUltima_Werewolf]

I miss the hat alot, I was even there when it was being taken down. I still have my original pins of each park with the hat on the Hollywood Studios one

[@Jay2646]

4:12 Was NOT ready for the Colleen jumpscare

[@KaibaKid_]

I think it’s incredibly sad when things like the Hat or the Earffel Tower aren’t preserved. Of course, relocating all of Disney’s architecture upon them taking it down would be… SO hard without the help of the company themselves, but they did it for the original California Adventure sign and I wish they did it more. There are tons of larger objects and smaller buildings like this in Disney history and it’s depressing that some of it was not preserved. If you took the part of the Earffel Tower that had branding, and maybe the actual Earful part which you could put on a building somewhere, you would still have iconic parts of the Earffel Tower to display. It would have been useful to Disney in the future when they have another damnable anniversary event and want to put up exhibits of the park. It would be a logistical nightmare, I’m sure, but I really do hope the Imagineers at least tried to preserve some stuff like this. Pictures and videos will never substitute visiting the real thing, and I feel blessed to have even as few memories of the Hat as I do.

[@214Jass]

This was the most nostalgic thing I’ve ever witnessed! I remember all of this as a small child!

[@andreworders7305]

12:21 that suit actor must be scared out of their mind. How did they get them up there?

[@Alex-kv9un]

I really like that even the chapter titles manage to tell a story; albiet a somewhat darker and oddly hilarious one. My favorite would be "People turn on the hat" How scandalous

[@TSUNAMI-MAMI]

The hat is more unique and iconic than the theater.

[@grey-spark]

It's simple. The Chinese Theater is not proprietary. Its not so much about copyright. Its about it being something outside of Disney's brand that's not even an emblematic symbol for Hollywood. I think they're original plan was to cover it up for this reason, but after years of backlash they took it down with the new changes.

[@warriorlink8612]

"Loss of identity" is right. MGM was built as a call back to Hollywood Golden Age, and showing movie magic and taking people on tours of studios. Now it's known for Starwars land, Toy Story land, Rockin' Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror (thrill rides). It's not sure what it wants to be and feels disjointed.

[@MrBluedude911]

Wait it has the rocking Rollercoaster?

[@haramsaddam238]

I remember seeing it on a family trip in 2008 and always thought it was permanent. I wasn’t even aware it was taken down

[@emmabobemma5]

Yeah I love and miss the hat so much because it was all I ever knew growing up…but even so I think it just works so much better as the park icon objectively. In present day tho I prefer when they use tot over the theater personally🤔

[@weston407]

Of all the things at WDW that have come and gone in my lifetime, The Great Movie Ride is absolutely the thing I miss the most 😔

[@kriscynical]

"Epcot has the prettiest girl in school..." The way I nearly just snorted soda up my nose laughing, holy cow. My sister and I quote that TT to each other ALL THE TIME. 😂

[@spearzus]

It was the most iconic building for me growing up. Watching the travel dvd with the buildings introduction on it was my favorite thing to do when I was little. Didn’t know it was like this.

[@danielleduet]

Great video! 👏🏻 Very thoroughly researched. I always wondered why the Sorcerer’s Hat was removed. I’m a millennial and I remember before it was there! And at that time the water tower with the Mickey Mouse ears was the icon for MGM. I have a tchotchke that I got from Animal Kingdom went it first opened and it is has the four icons of the parks: Magic Kingdom with the castle, EPCOT with Spaceship Earth, Animal Kingdom with the Tree of Life, and MGM (now Hollywood Studios) with the Earffel Tower. I think you’re right, that they were trying to change the icon to the Sorcerer’s Hat, at that time. I didn’t realize that before that the Chinese Theater was used as the icon sometimes. But now I think they use the Tower of Terror as the primary icon. It still seems like there isn’t an obvious icon, and I think that has been probably one of the biggest downsides to losing the Sorcerer’s Hat - even if it wasn’t as visually appealing as the others.

[@tallestsammy6737]

I remember when I was younger I would see the hat every time I went to Disney. I think it took me maybe two times going to Disney after it had been removed, to realize that it was gone. While the hat is nostalgic for me, I always thought of the Tower of Terror being the icon of Hollywood studios. Seeing as the icons for the other parks are big and visible from far away, it just feels right for Tower of Terror to be the icon. It’s also the ride that most people think of when it comes to Hollywood Studios. The hat made sense as it’s from a Disney film. That’s what MGM/Hollywoods studios is supposed to be about, film

[@capitalv8062]

Never seen fantasia or this hat structure before but sorcerer Mickey has always been the one Disney thing that I have this nostalgic feeling for. I have no idea why but I just love it so much!

[@Housewarmin]

"And then it would be taken down... and then it would be taken down!... Michael look at me!" LOL

[@tevincheek4351]

I have a vivid memory of buying a film camera inside the hat while my family was looking at the characters with my little sister. i was so young and remember looking up at the hat from the inside thinking it was so cool.

[@BobbyGordon-dt2hk]

As an annual pass holder and someone who has been going to Disney since I was 6 years old, I am now 54, I didn't mind the hat and was actually sad to see it go.

[@fauxier]

I think Tower of Terror is the perfect icon for Hollywood studios. It’s become widely regarded as one of Disney’s best and most famous rides, and though it’s not a centerpiece, finds an entire section of the part dedicated towards its sightline from the center of the park. It already has the fame of other icons, so it’d likely be widely accepted as a great icon and representation for the theme the park is trying to demonstrate.

[@t.funkthecoolmunk5472]

One of the happiest moments in my life was when I spent my birthday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios back in 2010. One of the last things my family and I did was take a photo in front of the sorcerer hat. I’m glad I got to see it before it was demolished.

[@allenmovies]

I think if the hat was placed elsewhere, and built to be hugher quality and permanent, it could have been a gorgeous park icon. I personally never hated it. Maybe its because im from LA and can see the real Chinese Theatre anytime.

[@bowdimohawk]

I think that Hollywood studios BADLY needs an ICON. I think that they should construct a large building that houses a ride right at the end of the main street that you enter on. What that building should be is simple: We need an icon that conveys what the park is about, Hollywood, and the great impacts of cinema. For this reason the ride inside should be about movies, and the building should clearly convey that it’s focus is movies and hollywood. We should make a replica of the Chinese Theater at the end of main street and have a ride inside it called “the Great Movie Ride”.

[@mkeen4393]

I do think it's a bit funny that at the time it was removed, the hat had been there for more than half the total lifetime of the park. So it was no longer a "new thing" ruining the "original" "history" of the park (which had only been open 12 years before it), it was a legacy attraction that was a real part of the park.

[@toocartoony]

It's kind of absurd that people prefer the area without the hat when it's terribly empty with nothing filling the space.....I've barely ever see anyone over there at the current planters. The stars around the hat itself actually served as decent photo ops for families, characters, etc. Tower of Terror as the current icon feels tacky and out of place

[@shikinami-san]

The hat was great and will eb missed but pls dont diss one of the most iconic works of art disney ever made. Hollywood Tower Hotel is literally gorgeous.

[@jec6613]

Wow, this one makes me feel old. I remember what was there before the hat... the first 30-40 minutes of the queue for The Great Movie Ride. When MGM first opened there were so few attractions that the wait for what was there was just enormous, 2.5 hours if you didn't rush the gate drop, at least in the first months of the park being opened.

[@matthewtaylor1785]

I remember going to Disney when I was very little (2 or 3) and all I could remember from then was seeing the hat and thinking it was awesome. I went back this year (I’m 21 now) and noticed the hat was gone but didn’t say anything because I thought it might’ve just been in my head. But then my dad told me “There used to be a big Fantasia Mickey hat in the middle” and talked to him about it and was so stoked to find out I was right! I wish it was still there but it’s not the end of the world

[@EllieHellBelle]

I loved the hat. As a kid who didn’t understand the significance of the Chinese theater, it was a lovely icon that called to mind a Disney movie (Fantasia) which was much more artsy.

[@SSJDuBois]

I worked in Hollywood Studios in 2013 and i have so many fond memories of the hat. It wasn't until it was gone that i learned people disliked it. I always thought it was the weakest of the 4 icons, being a pin shop, but i loved it nonetheless.

[@Ticcy12]

i was born 2006 and so i had no idea about thisl. honestly when u got to the part where u said it was gonna be removed after a year i was so confused because i grew up with the hat. i honestly miss the hat. i think it looked really good and it filled up some space that hollywood had a lot of. HOWEVER BRING BAFCK EARFEL TOWER

[@exiron0202]

I'm in a weird middle position where, yes - I hate the hat because its "All Stars" aesthetic was so dramatically discordant with the rest of the entrance, and I'm very pleased with the restoration of the original sightline, but I'll be damned if it doesn't trigger nostalgia when I see it. Disney needs to put their R&D budget into a time machine so we can have it both ways.

[@JustACactus616]

I remember going when I was little and seeing the hat in the distance. I kept telling my parents I wanted to go on the slide at the hat- thinking there was a slide twisting around the hat and I still remember the confusion when it wasn’t there. I still don’t know why I thought there’d be a slide, but maybe it was from a movie or tv show or something.

[@scooter1737]

Part of the reason why one man's dream and the hat fell through is because Copperfield's never materialized. Basically the idea was for a mini Disney Spronfs just outside the studios and since Copperfields never got built it sank the whole project

[@GeorgesSpace]

I was reading about the Copperfield restaurant while researching for this video! But I couldn't find a huge amount of information from reliable sources other than some very short news articles here or there, so I didn't mention it.

[@feliciteacup]

i was born the same year they put the hat up, so the hat was there my whole life, i was initially sad when they announced they were taking it down, but once they finally took it down i realized hollywood boulevard looks so much better without it and the chinese theater is a much better icon. so yes i do have a lot of nostalgia for the hat, but i think hollywood studios is better off without it.

[@gangstalkingvictim]

i was also born in 2001! there was a trip to disney when i was a baby like 11 months, seeing all those huge monuments, especially the fantasia hat are my first memories because i'm nearsighted and can only see huge things clearly without my glasses lmfao. we went every year on a big few-day trip bc my family is from florida till i was around 5ish . then we won annual passes when i was like 14 so my most fond memories of disney r before so many changes they made to the parks. :,) also love ur pfp 🎠

[@IceManTX69]

Our first visit to WDW was with our 5 year old in 2006. Over the next 4 years we spent two weeks a year, Spring and Fall, at WDW. The hat was all we ever knew and it is sad to know it is now gone.

[@f34rtricks3]

I remember when I was younger and visited mgm studios the hat was such a amazing thing to see and honestly since I’ve grown older I forgot all about it until this video

[@ansonchow2016]

Just move it, problem solved. The hat looks cool, it's not worth taken it down just because it's blocking a ride enterance

[@TheLukamoka]

Love the WDWMagic references with the BAH!!! Before I even saw the screenshots, I instantly knew from that you get your info from the correct place haha. Keep spreading the wealth of nuggets that forum contains. (Lurker there since 2003)

[@BrendonPatrickWatts]

Ironically I'd argue that the sorcerer hat is more relevant to Hollywood studios today than it was back then.

[@Cam4Cameron]

I never understood why everyone thought the hat looked cheap and temporary. In my opinion, it did not look like it was built for only a year. The entire park has always lacked a cohesive theme, so arguing that it looks out of place is a bit of a moot point since basically everything in the park is only vaguely Hollywood themed, except when it isn’t.

[@Techsupport243]

One of my fondest memories of Disney was sheltering under the hat when it started pouring down rain when we went to Hollywood Studios.

[@bebopblue]

I find it crazy how the park's icon of MGM/HWS seemed inconsistent. I always viewed the Chinese Theater to be the park's icon since it being the centerpiece. But looking through a old WDW book it shows the Earffel Tower, which I guess it was always that. Now it's the Tower of Terror, but I guess on the plus side hopefully that would prevent from getting a GotG retheme.