My memory may not be yours!

[Imagineer1981]

(just an observation!):mickey:

As we continue to discuss the overwhelming positive response to the removal of the wand and glove from Spaceship Earth, I have to wonder...most people are joyful because it restores it to it "classic" look, but for thousands, or millions of guests who's first trip was during the last few years, S.E. with the wand and glove are the how it is supposed to look, and to them it now may have lost some appeal.

As the parks change and grow I think we all need to be open minded to the fact that what was once our classic memory, may not be the next generations.

[mdearmas]

That was very well put. and I agree. although i remember spaceship earth without the wand it never dawned on me that some people would not remember a time without it. :thumbsup::goofy:

[caryrae]

Makes sense to me. I have seen it with and without the wand and really don't mind it either way. I mean how many times have the changed the biggest icon in WDW, The Castle and it seems there is more disscusion about the Wand. I like that they change things up sometimes.

Honestly once inside Epcot I really don't notice the wand while walking around the park. I am to busy riding rides or walking around the World Showcase.

[SBETigg]

My kids have never seen it without the wand, but my son is really excited that they are getting rid of it. He can't to see SE in it's purer form. I, on the other hand, have seen it the other way and I have mixed feelings on the subject.

[GrmGrninGost]

Well said! I have seen it both ways and prefer it with the hand/wand, but not everyone has to agree with me! :mickey:

[mermaidmarian]

(just an observation!):mickey:

As we continue to discuss the overwhelming positive response to the removal of the wand and glove from Spaceship Earth, I have to wonder...most people are joyful because it restores it to it "classic" look, but for thousands, or millions of guests who's first trip was during the last few years, S.E. with the wand and glove are the how it is supposed to look, and to them it now may have lost some appeal.

As the parks change and grow I think we all need to be open minded to the fact that what was once our classic memory, may not be the next generations.

I do so agree. DS, now 9, has never known a SE without the wand and glove. SE was his first favorite ride (which special affinity lasts, despite now ongoing relationships with TOT and EE, Splash, etc) and the sphere (with its wand and glove, because that is how it has always been) is his idea of the quintessential WDW icon (forget the castle - that's for princesses!). Not a visit to Epcot has passed without him taking a picture of it - he actually learned how to use a camera with SE as the subject. He has at least 6 pins featuring SE. I think he will be quite sad about the change.

[grumpycajun]

Like most others so far I say very well put.

We saw it for the first time with the wand, but I don't think any of us are going to get all dissapointed the next time we see it without. Personally, I kind of like a "minimalist" look and I think the sphere is awesome enough to stand on its own without any imbellishments.

[debandbub]

So well put, and actually very thoughtful, also! I am embarassed to admit that it didn't cross my mind that for someone else, the wand will be forever tied to their first memories of SE. :blush: I have now been inspired to take your advice and remain open-minded to the fact that there may be a different version of magic for everyone! How great the world would be if we all remembered that as it applies to WDW and everyday life. Thanks for the reminder!:)

[irish1967]

True!

I have no strong feelings either way about the wand/hat on SE.

However...Cinderella's Castle as a pink birthday cake - was just wrong! First impression or not :mickey:

[DessertDivaFL]

I saw SE without the wand back in the late 1980's, but I have the opinion that change is inevitable. If we didn't change, creativity would stop. I don't mind change because it gives us an opportunity to look at something and discover a whole new perspective.

[GhostHost999]

(just an observation!):mickey:

As we continue to discuss the overwhelming positive response to the removal of the wand and glove from Spaceship Earth, I have to wonder...most people are joyful because it restores it to it "classic" look, but for thousands, or millions of guests who's first trip was during the last few years, S.E. with the wand and glove are the how it is supposed to look, and to them it now may have lost some appeal.

As the parks change and grow I think we all need to be open minded to the fact that what was once our classic memory, may not be the next generations.

A most insightful point of view. It certainly has given me something to think about. Not to mention a broader perspective on the evolution of the parks in general.

[IloveDisney71]

(just an observation!):mickey:

As the parks change and grow I think we all need to be open minded to the fact that what was once our classic memory, may not be the next generations.

I have to agree that this was very well said. I saw it before the wand was added and after it was added. I really have no preference either way.

[CanadianWDWFan]

I just really prefer to see SE!:D

Although I do prefer it with the wand, to me change is a good thing. For my oldest DS9, he is a bit sad that it won't be there when we return in October. To him, Epcot is the Wand, hand and SE.

[countrycharmer]

:thumbsup: I thank you for being so graceful and saying exactly what I was searching for in words!! You did a great job and I thank you.:thumbsup:

[Momto2Princesses&1Pirate]

Wonderful wording! DH and I grew up in homes where Disney was not important at all. We have only been Disney fanatics for 2 1/2 years. So for us and our three children it will be odd to see SE without the wand and the castle without all of the gold on our next trip in December. My older children will have a first memory of seeing and eating in a "gold" castle. That being said; it's great to see everyone's opinion here and see what holds a special place for others. Sometimes I don't quite get why a certain ride is held in such high esteem but hey my most cherished ride is IASW. DS was having alot of medical issues on our first trip (22 mo old) and that ride made him come alive. So I will forever tear up and love the sound of IASW! To each his own.....

[PAMOUSELOVER]

My son's first trip to EPOCT he was 13 months old. His favorite word was BALL.
We have him saying BALL to the SE on video tape. Our next trip was in 2000, the year they added the wand and glove. I though it was a nice touch for that year.
:mickey:I liked it, but I guess it is time for a change.

[MickeysEars]

My family and I are among the visitors that have only seen SE WITH the wand. First time was in 2000. When we went back in 2001 and saw that it was changed to EPCOT as opposed to being taken down all together we were pleased. I had seen pictures without of course, and thought it added a touch of "Mickey" to an otherwise [I]Mickey-less[I] park. But I am aware I am a minority with my point of view.
September will be our first view without it...and although I am a little sad, I personally LOVE change. (except DW not following the DL lead and putting back the sub ride-;))

[dolphinmickey9170]

I have seen the ball with nothing, with "2000" and with "Epcot". I have to be totally honest when I say I prefer the "Epcot" sign. It gives me a sense of magic that the naked ball does not.

[grumpyguy]

there is a precurser statement on some of my wdw dvd's that mentions something about the content within being "a snapshot in time" and reminds us that disney world is "a living experience".that tells me that change is bound to happen.each and every visit as i leave the mk on our last day i turn and take a long look at the train station and entryway tunnels and get all choked up.my wife comforts me and says,"we'll be back".i know that on our next visit their might be something new to discover at my wdw and i'm thankful for having my own "snapshot in time".:cloud9:

[Polynesian Dweller]

Thank you for stating this so well. I, for one, embrace change at Disney, its what keeps it fresh. I have seen it both ways, and I have my preference, but can live with or without the wand. Either way, its part of the Disney magic which is the only really important thing. :mickey:

[Imagineer1981]

Thank you everyone for the kind words, just glad I could say what others were thinking:mickey:

[mickey&missy]

Very well said!

My kids have never seen it without the wand. When I heard they were taking it down I wondered if they would think it looks odd or not like it without. I only ever saw it once without. 20 (gulp!) years ago when I went as a kid.

I really do prefer it without the wand. But, as several poster have said, if there wasn't change at WDW it would most likely become stale. Walt would not have wanted to everything to be the same as it was on opening day. Everything has to change and evolve.

[Imagineer1981]

I do have to agree with a previous poster about the birthday cake...yuck...but it was only up 1 year, the hand and wand have been up for 7 years...thats a lot of first visits.

[DisneyorBust]

Let me join the crowd and say....well put!:thumbsup:
You so eloquently put into words the thoughts of many of us here on Intercot.
My first Epcot experience the wand/hand was in place with the year, 2000. Ever since, I have enjoyed the sight of 'Epcot' glittering above SE.
Although I liked the hand/wand, I will embrace the change and enjoy Epcot anyway it is presented to me!

[jszczur5]

I am looking forward to again seeing SSE without the wand, as it always seemed incongruent to me. My sons, however, have never seen SSE without the hand and wand. I remember the first time we left EPCOT one evening with our sons, the youngest looked back and said "Look Mom, the golf ball is waving good-bye to us".
I can't wait to see the castle minus all that goopy gold paint though. I'm sure some people think it glorious, my sons included, but for me, that is the one icon which should remain exactly the way Walt envisioned it.

[Janie]

I have seen the ball with nothing, with "2000" and with "Epcot". I have to be totally honest when I say I prefer the "Epcot" sign. It gives me a sense of magic that the naked ball does not.


that's exactly how I feel ... I'm kinda sad it won't be there when i next visit epcot :(

[Stu29573]

I've seen it both ways, and in my opinion the hand and wand make SE look smaller. I have no problem with them and it was a good idea to put some characters into Epcot, but I just think it's time has past....My daughter has never seen it without the wand (that she can remember- we went once when she was pretty small) but she has no problem with it coming down.

[Mickey91]

I have seen it both ways and think the hand and wand make it more Disney and exciting. I will be sad to see it go:(. My DD has never seen it with a hand and wand and I am sure she will miss it. DS was probably too young to remember it without also. But, being a purist at heart, he will more than likely embrace it. I wish we would have had one more trip with it there.

[Imagineer1981]

I wonder if they'll bring back Mickey and Minnie in space suits with the rainbow on the front back now?

[wedway76]

True!

I have no strong feelings either way about the wand/hat on SE.

However...Cinderella's Castle as a pink birthday cake - was just wrong! First impression or not :mickey:


I feel as you do about SE.

The first time we brought our DS to WDW was "the year of the cake" I was sooooo disappointed that the first time he saw the castle it looked like that.

[Wolf]

I deffinantly agree, I had never gone until I was 16 back in '03 EPCOT was our first park ever and I am going to miss the wand, I'm very sad about it. I dont see why people threw such tantrums about it it was just something different.

[PeterPanFan]

I have seen it both ways and must say I like the wand. Space Ship Earth is one of my very most favorite rides.

When the put up the Wand I really didnt care for it. But now that is was there i loved it! I am going to be sad that its going to be closed durning our next trip and we will miss the wand.

Now the HAT I have never liked and maybe never will. I just think its in a bad place. Maybe if it was outside the entrance it might look better.

[RocknRoller94]

I liked it most with the wand and 2000 on top. The Epcot was also pleasing. I will be sad to see it go.:(

[Pixie Power]

We've only ever been to Epcot w/ the wand intact on the ball *first seeing it w/ the 2000*, so it will be a whole new experience to see it w/o. Can't wait to see how it looks!:thumbsup:

Has the removal been complete?

[texasteacher]

Yes, I have complained about some of the changes, but I also appreciate Disney's efforts to make the parks the best that they can be.
In response to Grumpy Guy, I am so happy to know that I am not the only one who gets emotional when leaving the mk every trip. :crying:
And yes, we do always come back, don't we? :)

[2Epcot]

I am one of those who expierenced Epcot just a few years after it opened, so for me Spaceship Earth stands by itself. I can relate to those who visited for the first time in 2000 and after. Everyone will view something from their own perspective. For some, if there is no other comparison then it is the best. People who have only been to other theme parks and never Disney, may feel they've been to the best theme park ever created.

Disney is a magical place, and anyone who gets touched by that magic on their first trip, that is going to stay with them forever. Even when I go to Epcot today, I get flashbacks of my first visits there with my family.


I mean how many times have the changed the biggest icon in WDW, The Castle and it seems there is more disscusion about the Wand.

All of the changes to the castle have been very short, that is why people make a bigger deal about the change to SSE. I enjoyed the pink castle birthday cake, because I knew it was only temporary, and the castle would return to its original look.

[alilprincessmom]

VERY WELL SAID! I didn't think of it that way, and you now gave me a new perspective to the whole issue of change at WDW! Thank you for that! I saw SE for the first name "naked", and when I saw it with the wand I was disappointed. But, now I now that so many people saw it for the first time with the wand and that memory is what is precious to them!

[Jasper]

I have to say that I am not surprised to find that the majority of those who first encountered Spaceship Earth without the hand/wand prefer it that way while the opposite is generally true of those who first encountered it with the hand/wand in place. The reason I am not surprised is because of my 15 years of Human Resource experience. Before anyone gets themselves worked up into a lather please note that I am saying generally. I fully realize that there are always exceptions to everything.

During my years in Human Resources (HR) I was asked many times for advice on how to prepare for interviews. One of the most important things that I always told people who asked that question is that they should remember the old adage that you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

While working in HR I also read many articles written by various psychological experts that show how important first impressions are in forming your opinion of just about anything. Thus, it makes perfect sense that our point of view on the appearance of Spaceship Earth is going to depend on how it looked the first time we saw it.

[Donalds Duckie]

Thank you for your kind and insightful words.

I am one who experienced WDW for the first time in 2001. I will NEVER forget that first trip to WDW and my first long-awaited sight of SE! Wand and all!:cloud9:

I was born and raised, and then raised my son, just 25 miles from DisneyLAND in California. Disneyland was a constant part of our lives but our dream had always been to visit DisneyWorld. For so many years we thought it would remain just that, a dream. BUT!, after moving to Texas in June 2000, I was able to make our dream come true:mickey: My son was an adult and I was 48, but we finally made it to DisneyWorld on September 29, 2001. We just had to make that first trip to WDW together after so many years of holding onto the dream.

EPCOT was our first stop after checking into CBR and there is no way to properly articulate the experience of seeing SE for the first time. We stood speechless for a few minutes and I choked back tears. And, then, we RODE SE! WooHoo!

I've made many trips to WDW since that first trip in 2001 and, without fail, EPCOT and SE is the first stop on every trip. (My goodness, I'm getting choked up just remembering that moment in time.)

Understanding completely that change is a constant, I am not quite sure how it will feel the morning of Sept. 1, 2007, when I once again make EPCOT my first stop and: (1) do not see the EPCOT/Wand on SE, and (2) cannot ride SE:confused:

[pook@wdw]

:mickey: The only constant in the Universe is change! :yes: That being said...with or without the wand, it's all good!:thumbsup::cool:

[CuteAsMinnie]

[QUOTE=Imagineer1981;1366047
As the parks change and grow I think we all need to be open minded to the fact that what was once our classic memory, may not be the next generations.[/QUOTE]


Very well said!

:mickey:

[snifflesmcg]

The first time I ever saw SSE, it was without the wand (I had seen it in 88 & 89). It was a long another 14 years since I had seen it again and it was with the wand. Personally, I like the wand. Sad to see it go.

PS-First time my BF saw it, it was with the wand.

[SpecJoe Magic]

Even though I prefer it without the wand (I grew up going to Epcot during the 80s), I understand the other point of view. I think this is an example of the situation that Disney faces on a regular basis. It's a balancing act of adding new things to entice new visitors versus keeping classic things to appease those of us who have visited WDW many times for many years. I think Disney achieves a good balance for the most part.

[NJDad]

My daughter's first visit saw the castle look like a birthday cake, and my son's first saw Epcot with a wand. He's sad that it's coming down.

['Guest' of the MasterControlProgram]

Here are my thoughts in reverse order:

I don't see myself keeping my daughter (+future siblings) up to date on the latest news of WDW. She/they will decide on their own some year if they are into WDW enough to follow the happenings day to day. And by that age, I presume that the reaction to change will be different. Anything I find out I'm keeping to myself so they will be surprised by what's new. The unknown and unexpected can still be a good thing, even in our 24/7 world. For her first trip coming soon, she'll be 16 months so this is all moot at the moment.

Secondly (my first thought) ... anyone pay attention to the souvenirs and such that depict SE? Any solid objects or pictures of the wand? I can't think of any. The opening splash for Epcot on the disney website doesn't even have the wand. But if you click on the attractions link and pick epcot, a little video player window opens and shows a slideshow of scenes inside SE with an exterior shot featuring the wand an monorail yellow (I think) as the first and last shots. Anyhow, hasn't anyone ever noticed or questioned this? :confused: Interesting, no? I guess the writing was on the wall for a while. Changing the one lil' spot on the web site is the quickest and easiest thing to do. Heck, even the old transportation map that I last saw in Nov 2003 and the newer style 3d-ish maps that appear everywhere (like in the AAA catalog, the pic from disney's web site, the various ticket counters in hotel and restaurant lobbies along I-drive and maingate) show a plain SE. Double hmm...

[Imagineer1981]

Walt said that every year the parks would continue to grow and change and become more beautiful, and I think thats the main point for this discussion, not so much wand vs no wand, but that things change, and how we need to be open to it (positive or negative), because what was your classic memory may not be someone elses

[Marker]

I've see it with and without, and so have my kids. When I told them they were taking the wand and hand off, they had a bit of a disappointed look. They said it was kind of like taking a step backwards.

Personally, I rather like the hand & wand. Nothing at all wrong without it, but I think it adds a little pizzazz.

Either way, with or without, it's not going to have a great effect on my Epcot or
WDW experience. Whether there is a wand or no wand, or if they put a Sorcerer's hat on it, I'll still enjoy my time there. I won't be mad, I won't be angry, I won't be sick, and it won't ruin WDW, or make me want to just stay home, it'll just be something different.

You know, my classic memories of WDW do not include Disney's Animal Kingdom or Disney/MGM Studios...but I don't think they should remove them either.