Anyone else concerned about One Man's Dream in DHS?

*NikkiBell* · Jul 1, 2015

This has been weighing on me for a bit now. Now with the closing of the Magic of Disney Animation, I'm even more concerned about One Man's Dream and its artifacts. I expect that they will be preserved and even sent to the archives in CA. However, I think it is important to have something telling Walt's story in one of the parks. We learn of his early animator days at DCA, but what about WDW? Thoughts?

1Grumpy9 · Jul 1, 2015

I am very concerned about both of them closing. Not just with everything that is in both of those areas by means of the artifacts, but now you are taking two different things away from the guest. One Man's Dream is one of my favorite things to go through and look at all the items there. I definitely feel that there should be a presence of Walt's life and legacy in the parks that guests can learn about and it isn't just the parks. You can learn so much from One Man's Dream that you can't learn any other place within the parks.

Shells9 · Jul 1, 2015

I would very much hate to see it go away for good. It would be like letting go of history. As a matter of fact, I would like to see it given more space and expanded, but maybe that is just me...

j2thomason · Jul 1, 2015

It makes my heart ache to think about One Man's Dream closing permanently....hopefully this will only be temporary. I am really hoping that they will relocate it to one of the empty spaces at Epcot; after all Epcot was his idea. I think it would be fitting to give a place in future world, possibly in Innoventions since he was quite the innovator. Another place that would be appropriate for relocation is Town Hall at MK. I think it would be a great fit right beside the meet and greet with Mickey. My daughter and I always go into One Man's Dream every time we are at DHS, even though we've seen it many, many times. We just want to pay tribute to Walt. I enjoy seeing all of the artifacts and then watching the movie with Julie Andrews narrating and also hearing Walt speak.....it makes me tear up every time.

I am also hoping that the Animation Station, where you learn to draw a character, will be reopended and expanded. There is always a 30-60 minute line to get in. My daughter and I also love to do this, especially on those really hot days. It's a great, fun break in the day and a such cute souvenir.

rteetz · Jul 1, 2015

*NikkiBell* said:
This has been weighing on me for a bit now. Now with the closing of the Magic of Disney Animation, I'm even more concerned about One Man's Dream and its artifacts. I expect that they will be preserved and even sent to the archives in CA. However, I think it is important to have something telling Walt's story in one of the parks. We learn of his early animator days at DCA, but what about WDW? Thoughts?

I've heard it will close. Originally the attraction was supposed to be temporary during the same celebration that brought us the hat. With things on both sides of it closing I can't really see it staying open.

*NikkiBell* · Jul 1, 2015

rteetz said:
I've heard it will close. Originally the attraction was supposed to be temporary during the same celebration that brought us the hat. With things on both sides of it closing I can't really see it staying open.

I've heard this as well. My focus now is what will happen with the items in there.

JimmyBean42 · Jul 1, 2015

I can't see how they would close it. Unless they move it to another park. They don't have too many Walt tributes to begin with so I can see this one staying.

samsteele · Jul 1, 2015

j2thomason said:
I am really hoping that they will relocate it to one of the empty spaces at Epcot

This is my thought as well. So much empty space available at Epcot. It would be a perfect & fitting place for a tribute.

Re: the Drawing Academy, I believe there is still one at DisneyQuest at DD until it closes next year. However, given how popular and crowded it has become in the past few years, it really deserves a much bigger home. Epcot would also work for me.

KingLlama · Jul 1, 2015

I've been to DHS 5/6 times, and I've never done "One Man's Dream", mainly because once we're back in that section of the park, we're usually on the move from bigger attraction to bigger attraction.

When I'm at DHS(or Magic Kingdom, for that matter), I'm a big fan of the afternoon "take a break in the shops" stroll down Main Street or, at DHS, Hollywood Boulevard. Seems like(and this is just my opinion, obviously) these areas would be better-suited for something like OMD. I know that I was bummed when Main Street Cinema left MK, because I liked having something on Main Street to break up the shops, and a retrospective like that was a nice break from rides/shops.

I know that Hollywood Boulevard is mainly just a thoroughfare at DHS(as opposed to Main Street being a distinct area of MK), but it still seems to me that OMD might be a good fit for a spot along that street.

Tonyz · Jul 1, 2015

Absolutely. And frankly, I think it's kinda disgusting to get rid of the only real, substantial tribute to Walt on property. It's insulting to the man's legacy.

One Man's Dream is like going to church for me. It's a treasure of WDW, and one of the few things that I thought was untouchable in Hollywood Studios. It's the soul of that park, and they're gonna rip it away. It better reappear somewhere, because HS (and WDW as a whole) is definitely gonna feel a little empty without it, no matter how much Star Wars they throw at it. You cannot have Walt Disney World without an attraction dedicate to the man that made it all possible, you just can't. It's spitting in the face of history.

rteetz · Jul 1, 2015

*NikkiBell* said:
I've heard this as well. My focus now is what will happen with the items in there.

Well I think some of the items are on loan from the family so I'm sure they'll go back to them and the mueseum. The rest will probably go into the archives.

disneyseniors · Jul 1, 2015

My husband and I only found One Man's Dream last year! It was a wonderful exhibit and well done! We loved it. We also tried to get into the animation academy several times and it was too long of a line for us. We are so sad to see these things going the way of the dinosaur! I hope everyone who loves them both will write to customer relations at WDW with their thoughts about this closing. Maybe if enough of us do that, they will relocate both attractions somewhere else!

ninecrayons · Jul 1, 2015

Hubs and I were discussing this last night. We've got a trip to DHS planned for this coming weekend and I advised him to take pictures of whatever he wanted to remember because it seems like major closings were imminent.

On our trips to DHS we almost always find time to stroll through One Man's Dream. It's a favorite and it always makes me smile to see at least a little bit of Walt's life and history folded into the park. Obviously I don't doubt that it will close. With all that's closing around it, it would be highly unlikely to keep it. It would be nice if they could relocate it someplace in the park - on Hollywood Boulevard or wherever. Or even on the back end of the Hyperion Theatre.

Where do you think it might fit in at Epcot? It's harder for me to envision where it would go there.

3DisneyFanz · Jul 1, 2015

I think it is inevitable. As much as many people on here love it the last time we were down in September there were probably only 10 people in the theater. I'd love to see it moved to MK since a story of Walt's history just seems to fit there. It's too bad the Main Street has just become one giant store because this kind of exhibit would be perfect there.

Tonyz · Jul 1, 2015

3DisneyFanz said:
I think it is inevitable. As much as many people on here love it the last time we were down in September there were probably only 10 people in the theater. I'd love to see it moved to MK since a story of Walt's history just seems to fit there. It's too bad the Main Street has just become one giant store because this kind of exhibit would be perfect there.

I get what you're saying, but does EVERYTHING have to be made to shove the most people through? Can't we leave a few things alone? It's Walt's tribute, it should be handled differently.

3DisneyFanz · Jul 1, 2015

Tonyz said:
I get what you're saying, but does EVERYTHING have to be made to shove the most people through? Can't we leave a few things alone? It's Walt's tribute, it should be handled differently.

Thats why I think it's better suited for MK. While it has changed over the years there is still a lot of nostalgia with MK. Just think how well this would fit in Exhibition Hall.

bamacmac · Jul 1, 2015

*NikkiBell* said:
This has been weighing on me for a bit now. Now with the closing of the Magic of Disney Animation, I'm even more concerned about One Man's Dream and its artifacts. I expect that they will be preserved and even sent to the archives in CA. However, I think it is important to have something telling Walt's story in one of the parks. We learn of his early animator days at DCA, but what about WDW? Thoughts?

I would be crazy sad to see OMD go as well. I sure hope they don't do that, but it is starting to seem likely.

PuppyJonathan · Jul 1, 2015

One Man's Dream may be my favorite thing in MGM, and I think Disney knows they really can't take it out without at least warning us or relocating it. I'm hoping to hear more news about this. Crossing my fingers that it goes to either Epcot (whoever mentioned it that is a good idea! Especially considering Walt's personal connection with it) or Magic Kingdom

SorcererHeidi · Jul 1, 2015

I totally agree with everyone's eloquent expressions of how important I think having "a piece of Walt still around" is, and how awesome I think this attraction is, so I won't try to improve upon them.

What I will add is that going to see this for the first time back in '01 when this opened during the 100 Years of Magic Celebration, I still remember vividly how I thought it was "about time!!!!" they opened something that had a "a bit of Walt still left in it" because they had closed so many classic attractions and things attributed to him down - and that was 14 years ago. I also found it highly ironic that they had to BUILD SOMETHING BRAND NEW (at that time) to tell his story - (awesomely, yes, I've already said that, so please don't jump on me!) because there was so little of "him" left anymore. Again - remember - that was 14 years ago. It all just continues to make me sadder and sadder, as I've said before - things making way for "newer, because newer is better", and "more people", "more revenue" - and "just because". Sorry - but that is just MY opinion, and the way I feel - please do not "call me out as has happened to me here before by my expressing sadness at seeing a "profits and people over experiences" attitude I've seen developing over the years. This is - again - simply MY opinion, and feelings.

And Niki - very good discussion point, and questions!!

Tonyz · Jul 1, 2015

SorcererHeidi said:
I totally agree with everyone's eloquent expressions of how important I think having "a piece of Walt still around" is, and how awesome I think this attraction is, so I won't try to improve upon them.

What I will add is that going to see this for the first time back in '01 when this opened during the 100 Years of Magic Celebration, I still remember vividly how I thought it was "about time!!!!" they opened something that had a "a bit of Walt still left in it" because they had closed so many classic attractions and things attributed to him down - and that was 14 years ago. I also found it highly ironic that they had to BUILD SOMETHING BRAND NEW (at that time) to tell his story - (awesomely, yes, I've already said that, so please don't jump on me!) because there was so little of "him" left anymore. Again - remember - that was 14 years ago. It all just continues to make me sadder and sadder, as I've said before - things making way for "newer, because newer is better", and "more people", "more revenue" - and "just because". Sorry - but that is just MY opinion, and the way I feel - please do not "call me out as has happened to me here before by my expressing sadness at seeing a "profits and people over experiences" attitude I've seen developing over the years. This is - again - simply MY opinion, and feelings.

And Niki - very good discussion point, and questions!!

I think I'm gonna call you out on this just to see your reaction! :thumbsup2

Anyone else concerned about One Man's Dream in DHS?

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