Anyone Know What Concrete Is Used at Magic Kingdom?

[Chef Mickey]

I ask because it must be a pretty tough and hard blend for all the foot traffic, parades and the MNSSHP parade crew that bangs their shovels on it, creating sparks.



How does this stuff not break or even chip when hit with a metal shovel repeatedly? I examined the area after the parade and barely saw a blemish.

Is the concrete mixed with ground glass or some kind of harder material?

Thought @marni1971 or other historian might know. Cool effect, but it seems hard on it (especially doing Halloween Parties for 2 months).

 

[ThunderRebel]

I ask because it must be a pretty tough and hard blend for all the foot traffic, parades and the MNSSHP parade crew that bangs their shovels on it, creating sparks.



How does this stuff not break or even chip when hit with a metal shovel repeatedly? I examined the area after the parade and barely saw a blemish.

Is the concrete mixed with ground glass or some kind of harder material?

Thought @marni1971 or other historian might know. Cool effect, but it seems hard on it (especially doing Halloween Parties for 2 months).

On a behind the scenes Epcot tour, our guide said gunite was used to build pretty much everything we see.

 

[englanddg]

I suspect the secret of the effect isn’t the concrete. It is the shovels, which are made of, or coated with, or have an insert / replaceable rod of a pyrophoric alloy. Probably ferrocerium (think...a bic lighter “flint”).

I doubt the streets are made of gunite (also known as shotcrete), because gunite is very poreous and requires an upper coating or plaster layer. Great for walls / buildings, where you plan to put a plaster / paint finish on them. Not so great for walking surfaces.

It is a great question! Hopefully Marni or someone can elaborate!

 

[kjb101791]

Concrete can come in different psi-rated strengths. I'm sure it requires repairs, which are taken care of quickly, but foot traffic and floats are nothing compared to the constant pounding roads take from loaded trucks, etc. Many people don't realize how much stronger concrete is in general compared to blacktop/asphalt, or any other surface. What usually makes cracks and potholes would be sections of weaker aggregate or improperly mixed materials. Sometimes recycled concrete (used as aggregate) can have little pieces of rebar which can rust and begin a little hole, which leads to bigger problems. If they do a good job with quality materials, I wouldn't think they need anything extra special.

 

[drizgirl]

I'm sure the load it takes at WDW is nothing compared with the freezing and thawing combined with chemical road treatments needed in other areas of the country.

 

[cmb5002]

Speaking from a DOT perspective, most states use 3000-3500 psi design strength concrete for sidewalk (with the results often much higher). 4" thickness is sufficient for standard sidewalk, 6" in driveways. The material is plenty hard to resist shovels. As drizgirl said, the freeze-thaw cycle and road chemicals have a massive deleterious effect on the concrete, and WDW can avoid those almost entirely (grumble, grumble).

Most concrete has a design life of 50 years, though it can last much longer with proper maintenance. What might be interesting to discover from some insiders is the reason for the sidewalk replacements that have been occurring throughout the park. It certainly makes sense in the MK where you're seeing repairs at joints and whatnot, but I'm also seeing them in Epcot now. Most recently between Germany and Italy, if I recall. That crete is only 36 years old. Was it falling apart prematurely or was it for more aesthetic reasons, like fading color?

 

[Prince-1]

Gray concrete I think.

 

[Monorail_Red_77]

the concrete used in the parks is colored or tinted to a certain color. Like red on mainstreet or dark grey in Tomorrowland, etc. this way it wears better than if it were just painted over like your home driveway might be. When they do patch work you can see the difference in tints where they don't get it matched exactly. I would guess that after some time of this they decide it needs to be totaly redone. Sometimes the patch work that is done doesnt always look the best. Though it is better than it being all cracked. you'd be surpriased at how many cracked spots you see around the parks, once you start noticing it. You could especially see it in the entrance plaza area of MK between the lagoon and turnstiles. Alot of the work a year or so ago in the Mainstreet Town Square hub area (front) was to remove the curbing and re-pour most of the concrete in sections. It definitely looks better. Same thing was done in the Castle Hub area during the complete re-do of that area.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Thanks for all the detailed replies. I guess Disney is cool with this effect because it doesn’t seem to do much damage. I just know if I hit my driveway with a shovel this hard repeatedly, it would crack it or at least chip it.

 

[Jedi Stitch]

The grey kind just ask for some.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Whatever they used to bury Jimmy Hoffa at Giants Stadium. Can't get much stronger than that.

You beat me to it!!! If it was OUR concrete, bones would eventually work their way to the surface...GREAT for Halloween or the HM queue, but NOT a good effect for the Christmas parade!! LOL Someone mentioned gunite...I can't speak for anywhere else, but up here in NJ, it's being used on a regular basis for inground pools...it's supposed to be virtually indestructible.

 

[WEDwaydatamover]

Speaking of concrete at the Magic Kingdom I was wondering do the utilidors ever leak. Not from pipes, or locker rooms to close to 20,000 Leagues but from time and cracks.

When they do concrete work do they inspect the tunnels roof? Or retreat it with wateroroofing?

Kind of off topic but always wondered.

 

[Gainesvillain]

I can't believe that I clicked on this

 

[larryz]

I can't believe that I clicked on this

And I can't believe nobody replied with "It's hard to say..."

 

[Phil12]

It's easy:

 

[Monorail_Red_77]

Speaking of concrete at the Magic Kingdom I was wondering do the utilidors ever leak. Not from pipes, or locker rooms to close to 20,000 Leagues but from time and cracks.

When they do concrete work do they inspect the tunnels roof? Or retreat it with wateroroofing?

Kind of off topic but always wondered.

It is built like a bridge. In fact a bridge const company built utilidors. They are built at original ground level. Think of build a long bridge then covering it with dirt and building on top of that.

 

[donaldtoo]

It is built like a bridge. In fact a bridge const company built utilidors. They are built at original ground level. Think of build a long bridge then covering it with dirt and building on top of that.

Yes.
The MK is built about 14’ above natural grade, because the water table in the vast majority of Florida is so close to natural grade. They used fill they mostly removed from Seven Seas Lagoon, and some of Bay Lake (IIRC), for that so they could put the utilidors above natural grade.
General “Joe” Potter, and Admiral Joe Fowler we’re mostly responsible for the engineering and design of all of that...!!!

 

[WEDwaydatamover]

I understand how the utilidors were constructed. My question was about if they leak from time to time from cracks, age, construction, stress, plants or roots, etc...

 

[peter11435]

Speaking from a DOT perspective, most states use 3000-3500 psi design strength concrete for sidewalk (with the results often much higher). 4" thickness is sufficient for standard sidewalk, 6" in driveways. The material is plenty hard to resist shovels. As drizgirl said, the freeze-thaw cycle and road chemicals have a massive deleterious effect on the concrete, and WDW can avoid those almost entirely (grumble, grumble).

Most concrete has a design life of 50 years, though it can last much longer with proper maintenance. What might be interesting to discover from some insiders is the reason for the sidewalk replacements that have been occurring throughout the park. It certainly makes sense in the MK where you're seeing repairs at joints and whatnot, but I'm also seeing them in Epcot now. Most recently between Germany and Italy, if I recall. That crete is only 36 years old. Was it falling apart prematurely or was it for more aesthetic reasons, like fading color?

This isnt even the first time that concrete between Germany and Italy has been replaced

 

[wagner1225]

I remember when DW was first build that Walt had wanter first class materials to last a long time, probably because of the failure of Asphalt at Disneyland on Grand Opening, I remember he wanted extra thick shingles to last 50 years (cedar) on those type of buildings, there are different grades of concrete, but I noticed that new construction doesn't seen to last as long.





























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