Small World-walls still up but tarps down

[steve2wdw]

I was at the MNSSHP tonight (9/28/10) and noticed that the walls at Small World are still up but the tarps are gone, exposing the tents. The entrance seems to be in the same spot as before, but my guess is (if the rumor about reversing the load-unload positions is true) that the queue will enter the newer entrance, wind around the top area, then ramp down the old exit. The new exit will head up the old down ramp and out the building closest to the Village Haus. Couldn't find any cracks in the wall to do any spying, so I guess we'll just have to wait to see how it's going to work.

 

[raven]

View attachment 26902

I was at the MNSSHP tonight (9/28/10) and noticed that the walls at Small World are still up but the tarps are gone, exposing the tents. The entrance seems to be in the same spot as before, but my guess is (if the rumor about reversing the load-unload positions is true) that the queue will enter the newer entrance, wind around the top area, then ramp down the old exit. The new exit will head up the old down ramp and out the building closest to the Village Haus. Couldn't find any cracks in the wall to do any spying, so I guess we'll just have to wait to see how it's going to work.

There shouldn't be a whole lot to do to reconfigure the line. The old line started near the exit anyway so the entrance area should stay the same.

I was at the party tonight too. Let down though compared to previous years as there wasn't as many decor, lighting or even candy stops.

 

[FutureWorld1982]

What a disappointment if the entrance remains in the same spot!
I would love to enter from that beautiful tower, near the Skyway!!
I hope that they will change it... But anyways, since it has confirmed that the exit will be near the Village House, maybe tarps will go up again, as the signs for the exit have not been put up yet, as we can see from the picture.

Thanks for the photo steve2wdw!!!!

 

[bgraham34]

What a disappointment if the entrance remains in the same spot!
I would love to enter from that beautiful tower, near the Skyway!!
I hope that they will change it... But anyways, since it has confirmed that the exit will be near the Village House, maybe tarps will go up again, as the signs for the exit have not been put up yet, as we can see from the picture.

Thanks for the photo steve2wdw!!!!

It would be nice to have it come from the skyway but they do use that area for Meet and Greets at MNSSHP and MVMCP.

 

[Rob562]

What a disappointment if the entrance remains in the same spot!
I would love to enter from that beautiful tower, near the Skyway!!
I hope that they will change it... But anyways, since it has confirmed that the exit will be near the Village House, maybe tarps will go up again, as the signs for the exit have not been put up yet, as we can see from the picture.

Thanks for the photo steve2wdw!!!!

That'd be impossible to do, as there's an access road in-between the two.

-Rob

 

[RAXIP]

I would love to enter from that beautiful tower, near the Skyway!!

 

[FutureWorld1982]

Yes, thanks. That's the tower I was talking about. Sorry for the misunderstanding my phrase created!

 

[the-reason14]

So basically the old exit is now the new entrance where you will walk behind some of the facade and board the boats opposite to what it's been for years? I'm confused. If what I'm picturing is true, then it won't look as nice. Guess I gotta wait and see.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

So basically the old exit is now the new entrance where you will walk behind some of the facade and board the boats opposite to what it's been for years? I'm confused. If what I'm picturing is true, then it won't look as nice. Guess I gotta wait and see.

I imagine they're addressing that problem in this refurb. If all they were doing was painting new arrows in the opposite direction, they could have done that during third shift. Even new air gates would only take them a week to install. IASW has been closed for nearly 2 months at this point, with 3 more weeks to go. I think its fair to say that this is more than just changing the arrows on the floor. The facade layout that was there before the refub will probably have been altered so that we aren't just looking at the back of it.

 

[wolf359]

It's interesting to me they think Small World still needed tinkering. I though the last major refurb solved pretty much any remaining shortcomings and I've never noticed any crowd flow issues in the current layout.

 

[the-reason14]

I imagine they're addressing that problem in this refurb. If all they were doing was painting new arrows in the opposite direction, they could have done that during third shift. Even new air gates would only take them a week to install. IASW has been closed for nearly 2 months at this point, with 3 more weeks to go. I think its fair to say that this is more than just changing the arrows on the floor. The facade layout that was there before the refub will probably have been altered so that we aren't just looking at the back of it.

That makes sense. But I can't picture it looking as good going that way. Seems like you'll get a better view of the facade by coming in and going down the old way. But I guess we'll find out soon.

 

[Magenta Panther]

It's interesting to me they think Small World still needed tinkering. I though the last major refurb solved pretty much any remaining shortcomings and I've never noticed any crowd flow issues in the current layout.

Well, and I've been wondering the same thing. Last time I was at WDW, the ride looked a little shabby (on the outside), but I didn't notice any loading issues. Curiouser and curiouser...

 

[askmike1]

It's interesting to me they think Small World still needed tinkering. I though the last major refurb solved pretty much any remaining shortcomings and I've never noticed any crowd flow issues in the current layout.

Ummm... have you never walked in that area before?

 

[wolf359]

Ummm... have you never walked in that area before?

Well, um, yeah. I have.

I've never seen enough people coming or going from Small World to have an impact on the actual walkway through Fantasyland, if that's what you're talking about.

And I don't know how to solve the walkway issue without lopping off a large section of both buildings to make a wider walkway. It's always been congested there, even worse when the Skyway was operating, and I'm not sure if rerouting Small World's exit is going to solve a problem that existed most likely since opening day and it seems odd they might be trying now, after having done major work to Small World just a couple years ago.

 

[devoy1701]

Well, um, yeah. I have.

I've never seen enough people coming or going from Small World to have an impact on the actual walkway through Fantasyland, if that's what you're talking about.

And I don't know how to solve the walkway issue without lopping off a large section of both buildings to make a wider walkway. It's always been congested there, even worse when the Skyway was operating, and I'm not sure if rerouting Small World's exit is going to solve a problem that existed most likely since opening day and it seems odd they might be trying now, after having done major work to Small World just a couple years ago.

What it will relieve is that we won't have the people exiting IASW being dumped right in the middle of where all of the congestion between Peter Pan and ISAW. I think dumping them out by Village Haus east of the Pan entrance (and away from the skinniest part of that walkway) will help a bit with the congestion. But I agree with what you're saying that the queue to IASW usually does not add to the congestion itself.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

That makes sense. But I can't picture it looking as good going that way. Seems like you'll get a better view of the facade by coming in and going down the old way. But I guess we'll find out soon.

True, it'll be interesting to see what they do. I wonder if they will have physically demolished/altered the layout of the ramps in order to provide for more facade space.

 

[RSoxNo1]

There are significant crowd flow issues in this area, and I imagine this is part 1 of adding more foot space. Subsequent parts would be cutting into the Liberty Square shops and expanding the width of the overpass.

 

[marni1971]

Well, and I've been wondering the same thing. Last time I was at WDW, the ride looked a little shabby (on the outside), but I didn't notice any loading issues. Curiouser and curiouser...

The issues were more with strollers. Moving the entrance closer to the old Skyway area should persuade everyone with them to leave them in the open space off the walkway.