I think a person liking/disliking the hat depends on whether he/she grew up with it or not. Those who remember a Studios without it prefer the former, but those of us who have never known anything but the hat (myself included) don't mind it. Similarly, I don't mind Journey into Your Imagination with Figment or The Living Seas with Nemo and Friends, nor did I dislike The Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management and the massive hand on Spaceship Earth. Pardon small Disney visits in 1996 and 1997, I didn't start attending the park's annually until 2005.
Regarding the hat itself, I would be neutral if they removed it. I think it's a nice icon and is much more noticeable than the Chinese Theater, but returning the park's icon to its roots would make Hollywood Boulevard more "street-like".