Anyone besides me wish MK had a 2nd entrance (like International Gateway)?

[durangojim]

We stayed at the BC last week and I really love the atmosphere and ability to enter Epcot from that area. My wife and I were saying that we really wished there was an additional deluxe on Bay lake past the Contemporary with a "back" entrance to the MK. Wouldn't have to be themed too much, but it would be really cool to walk into the park. I know that people staying at the Contemporary can walk to MK, but it doesn't seem too "magical" to have to cross a street and walk by a bunch of buses, etc.

I guess I'd even be satisfied if Disney somehow made a bridge over the water pageant storage area that would let people at the GF or Poly walk to the MK.

 

[Kristamouse]

YES!!! Or a seperate exit...we just got back and exiting MK is a bear just to get down Main Street and then to have to wait for a boat or Monorail. We were able to walk down behind main street but still had to wait for the boat or Monorail. I do like the difference in themeing with the Gateway and the Future World enterence. Not sure if MK could pull off a seperate themeing area but a 2nd entrance would be great espically if you could bypass TTC...

 

[karlbeau]

It would never happen. Most books written describing the Magic Kingdom's design and strategy point out that Walt was quite specific about designing the route from the parking lot to Main Street U.S.A. Like a film director, Walt wanted small bits of the MK to be revealed - just a little at a time - to create suspense and then a climactic view of Cinderella Castle when at last they reach the other side of the train station.

While another entrance would certainly be practical, it is obvious from the long time that it takes to get inside the MK from the parking lot that Walt was not all that interested in practical!

 

[DisneyLeo18]

I stayed at the YC last year, and I looked at is as more of a 2nd exit, not entrance. It was great to be able to just walk a few minutes right back to the room instead of walking out to the busses/monorail and dealing with everything.

The fact that 4 hotels are right within walking distance is great. Not only that but you can keep walking over to DHS (which takes a little while but I have done). I think if any other park had this availability they might add a second entrance/exit.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

If I could see this anywhere, I would see it at Animal Kingdom. I think that with a park that size it would be nice to have a perk that allowed you to enter from one of the back sections. Something from AKL to Africa would have been ideal, but clearly the logistics of such are not very feasable.

 

[Mukta]

I think that would be a great bonus to the people staying at the Monorail resorts. I love the International Gateway entrance.
Disneyland has a monorail that goes from Disneyland Hotel/Downtown Disney straight into Tomorrowland.

 

[parkgoer]

karl is 100% right. MK was not designed to be easy access. it was designed to be climatic and hidden from the real world. That's why if you park your car you take the monorail/ferry boat. actually if you think about it, driving to MK is quite a process compared to the other 3 parks, no to mention it's the furthest away.


When it's super crowded, they will open up behind main street to allow the sea of people to flood that area too when exiting. Makes it a little be easier and faster. No need for a second entrance/exit

 

[SeaCastle]

We're huge International Gateway fans (having used the entrance liberally during our stays at the Beach Club) but I can't see it working at the Magic Kingdom (especially since there is no hotel near enough to justify it). Like DisneyInsider said, the second entrance would probably be most feasible at the Animal Kingdom, but even the Animal Kingdom Lodge is pretty far away from the park itself.

I wish they had more International Gateway-style areas around the parks. Nothing beats leaving the Boardwalk area and taking sloping, meandering paths through gardens past a serene waterway with 1982 EPCOT background music playing in the background.

 

[jeffk410]

I believe that a 2nd entrance/ exit would be awful. I like the first entrance and the sight of the castle. How it is far away. I think a 2nd entrance would take away from the themeing.

 

[dreamfinder]

Not really. I think it defeats the point of the entrance. The entrance was purposely designed to provide a grand effect, drawing you into the park using the Castle as a weenie. Forced perspective and all helps to set up an amazing image.

Beyond that, I don't think there is enough need for it. At Epcot, there are technically 5 hotels that can walk into that entrance in under 10 minutes. Adding an entrance on either side would serve at most 1 hotel. Walking from the Poly would take 15-20 minutes a I recall it taking 10 or so to get from the Poly to GF.

 

[TRONorail10]

If I could see this anywhere, I would see it at Animal Kingdom. I think that with a park that size it would be nice to have a perk that allowed you to enter from one of the back sections. Something from AKL to Africa would have been ideal, but clearly the logistics of such are not very feasable.

I have viewed some of the original aerial topography blue prints for the construction of AK and AKL. In the original plans, there was supposed to be a nature trail connecting the resort to the park. But like many things at Animal Kingdom, it was never built.

As far as the Magic Kingdom goes, they did begin to build the path from the Grand Floridian to the MK entrance, but it was never finished because of the canal dock area for the light pageant boats. I think this path should be finished to allow guests a leisurely stroll around part of the Seven Seas Lagoon. I don't think it would detract from the anticipation that builds up to the park much (except for the canal) and it would help ease a little, not a lot, of the monorail congestion at night.

As far as a second entrance to Magic Kingdom - no way. The park was built the way it is for a reason. Also, logistically, there is no way to incorporate a second entrance into the park. Behind the Magic Kingdom is the nerve center of Disney World as far as support services go. It is also home to the monorail/train garage, maintenance warehouse, holiday warehouse, Reedy Creek waste allocation center, wardrobe warehouse, Disney University, as well as the parade warehouses behind Frontierland. Add the service roads and storm drainage canals and ponds, as well as the cast entrance and MK delivery area, there is simply nowhere feasable to add a second entrance. It is not even worth further discussion because it will NEVER happen.

 

[DisneyHeather]

Oh, no!!! MK is all about turning the corner of Main Street to be greeted by the Castle. I have been ushered down that "behind Main Street exit" before, and while it was fun to get a glimpse of backstage, I much prefer walking back down Main Street again, turning back one last time to bid the Castle goodnight....just as Walt intended.

 

[durangojim]

If another resort was built due north of the Contemporary, a second themed entrance could be put in near where Toon Town is and still be Fantasy land themed. The anticipation could remain, and Disney could use it for just the Contemporary and whatever the new resort would be. They could also do it in such a way to prevent the sight of automobiles like they do at EPCOT. I think that in itself is one of the coolest aspects about International Gateway and the EPCOT resort area -- you don't see any cars/busses at all unless you leave the resort on the outside. I love the feeling of immersion at Disney, and when we stay at the BC, I still feel like I'm in the parks more than at any other resort. When you leave MK, you feel like you've left MK, especially if you have to walk to catch a bus. I just think it would be awesome if they could integrate a resort into the MK to keep that immersive feeling.

I also know none of this will ever happen (probably).

 

[maelstrom]

Wasn't the Persian Resort supposed to be built on Bay Lake past the Contemporary? And be connected to the monorail, with a spur going off into Tomorrowland like it does in Disneyland? I think they could potentially put a second entrance there. And I'd love to see any of the hotels-that-never-were built (Asian, Persian, Mediterranean, Venetian).

 

[MKCP 1985]

I personally hope the Magic Kingdom never develops a second entry/exit. Beginning and ending with Main Street, USA is what a visit to the Magic Kingdom is supposed to be all about.

I don't feel that way about any of the other parks, though. Epcot's international gateway is brilliant, and if I could take a jeep from the Animal Kingdom Lodge/DVC resort and be deposited into some fringe entrance/exit to the Animal Kingdom park, that would be fine with me because the Animal Kingdom park's entrance/exit is one of the least enjoyable aspects of that entire park.

 

[TRONorail10]

Wasn't the Persian Resort supposed to be built on Bay Lake past the Contemporary? And be connected to the monorail, with a spur going off into Tomorrowland like it does in Disneyland? I think they could potentially put a second entrance there. And I'd love to see any of the hotels-that-never-were built (Asian, Persian, Mediterranean, Venetian).

Yes, the Persian Resort was supposed to be built past the Contemporary. That was before everything else was built. The spur line for the monorail is there, but it goes to the monorail garage. The proposed site of the long lost Persian Resort is now home to "Pluto Park" which is the nickname given to the parking lot reserved for Disney managers. The area is also used to store trailers and construction equipment used in the Magic Kingdom. People need to realize, logistically, it is not feasable to have a second entrance, the entire park was designed around 1 and only 1 entrance.

 

[Kobe!!]

Yes, it's a problem and yes, it does stink.
But Disney is a business and they don't really care.
They know you will still come and spend money! :lookaroun

 

[sueuk]

I believe that a 2nd entrance/ exit would be awful. I like the first entrance and the sight of the castle. How it is far away. I think a 2nd entrance would take away from the themeing.

I agree, I can't imagine not going down Main Street first - even though it's crowded. I think another 'ordinary' entrance / exit would spoil Walt's whole planning.

 

[Susan Savia]

I believe the main entrance is sufficient. It's the grand entrance into the Magical lands beyond.....