Each of the four parks at Walt Disney World features a large and iconic centerpiece to welcome guests to the park. For Hollywood Studios, that’s the Sorcerer’s Hat. But now it’s on its way out.
The Disney blogosphere lit up Friday with chatter about the future of the Sorcerer’s Hat after employees at the park were reportedly notified yesterday that the icon is set for removal.
One of the first people to confirm the story was Ken Pilcher, a producer at an Orlando news station:
Breaking Theme World News: Disney CONFIRMS to me that Sorcerer's Hat is being demolished.
— Ken Pilcher (@ThemeWorld6) October 24, 2014
News 13 says the removal of the hat will begin in January.
Many Disney theme park fans were happy to hear the news. The Sorcerer’s Hat, which was added in 2001, blocks a great view of the park’s recreation of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. The theater was the castle, if you will, of Hollywood Studios (then known as Disney-MGM Studios) until the hat was placed in front of it:
Disney declined to reveal today what the future holds for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but needless to say there are big visual changes afoot.
Rumors in recent months have suggested that there are plans for a Star Wars land to be built at Hollywood Studios. Disney said in August that they will unveil their plans for Star Wars in their parks next year.
Here’s a look at Hollywood Studios’ main entryway with the hat at the end. You can see a very small sliver of the Chinese Theater poking out behind it:
For those of you who don’t know about the remaining Disney Parks as far as centerpieces go: The Magic Kingdom has Cinderella’s Castle, Animal Kingdom has the Tree of Life, and EPCOT has Spaceship Earth.