Team Disney reflecting pools drain away
Featured, Jason Garcia, News — By Jason Garcia on July 28, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Looks like Walt Disney World managers have decided to fill in the reflecting pools in front of Team Disney, the resort’s eccentric, cruise-ship-shaped administrative headquarters.
The 20-year-old Team Disney building was designed by celebrated Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, who once likened it to a ship sailing through the sea (though some casual critics have ridiculed it as a nuclear power plant or submarine instead). It’s part of the legacy of former Walt Disney Co. boss Michael Eisner, who commissioned several famous architects to design buildings for his company (including Michael Graves to design the Swan and Dolphin hotels).
The most distinctive feature: A 120-foot-tall, pastel-colored cone — meant to look like a ship’s funnel — that opens to a giant sun dial in the center of the 400,000-square-foot office building.
Alas, leaking from the two outside reflecting pools is said to have bedeviled Disney for years. So now, after countless, apparently unsuccessful, efforts to plug those leaks, Disney is instead filling them in.
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13 Comments
My family has always wondered what the Team Dianey building was for…
Whenever something can’t be fixed, or when Disney doesn’t want to take the time to research the problem, they cement it over. like the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride. I think the real problem was liability. When Cast Members would go there to access the Credit Union, they would bring their kids along and some would play in the fountain.
So instead of blasting Disney for cementing it over, you should be appluading them for having the foresight to keep children safe. All it takes is one child to get hurt playing in the fountains and people would be screaming the fountains shouldn’t be there. Of course, the real solution would be for parents to watch their children…something that is sadly lacking now days.
You are truly pathetic.
Well duh! They said that they couldn’t stop the leaks so instead they are filling it in……purpose was NOT to increase safety but to save money………more pixie dust in between those ears…!!!
Yes, Nerdly, unfortunately you are right on. In an unrelated observation, look at what has happened to River Country and Discovery Island, just left to rot. And Tom Sawyer island was in such bad shape that they had to refurbish it because of safety concerns to the guests. Otherwise if it wasn’t in the park it would be rotting too. There is a fellow on MiceAge.com who used to work for Disney like I did and does an article called Declining by Degrees about the state of disrepair at the parks. And he doesn’t get criticized for his opinions, either.
Talk about an uneducated statement! They knew what the problems with the 2K Leagues ride was which is why they shut it down and bulldozed it. The water issued at team disney has been a huge issue and now rather than keep it empty they are putting in planters. It is not Disney’s responsibility to keep the kids playing in water while their parents use the credit union.
“refelecting”? How about a proofreader?!
HAHAHA Thats the orlando news papers for you!!! Just to get a story out!! Doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, anything with disney needs to get out fast!!! No time for proofreading!!!
You were in too much of a hurry to capitalize “Orlando”?
Why don’t they plant some grass, or maybe to a xeriscaping (low-water) demonstration.
Come on gang, lighten up. I’m always concerned about keaving any comment without being attacked. Carbon had a great alternative to the cement. There are always ways to fix things that are more appealing to the eye. And 20,000 Leagues was cemented over because it would cost too much money to maintain it, or so Disney said at the time. I’m glad there wasn’t the same mind set at Disneyland.
20,000 leagues,can go on,it when ever i want.thanks to video.