News Crossroads Plaza Faces Demoliton

[NiarrNDisney]

Well my trips to the Goodings for last minute items, beer, wine and trying my skills at the numerous claw machines will now come to an end As well as some cheap meals at Fuddruckers, Red Lobster and TGIFridays.

 

[Skipper Dan]

This place IS Orlando to me. I know that sounds silly, but that lil’ area has been there since I was a kid. Chevy’s & Uno is like a Casey’s and O’Hana to me. Does anyone know of their fate? Are they all going away...? I hate to even ask.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Even if Disney closed off its entrance on 535 the traffic would be horrendous. Dont forget all the other shops, hotels, etc located on both sides of I-4. Outside of the Crossroads there's a Denny's, a 7-11, 4 hotels, 2 gas stations, and 3 shops - and thats just going towards Palm Pakways (with its own nearby strip mall).

 

[jimbo mack]

There are talks of relocation according to staff on the ground; to near hotel boulevard in LBV / Disney Springs area but no idea where. Is there even any space in that area?!

Also, can’t imagine that all stores will relocate, for instance Goodings. Perkins is one of the diners / restaurants that will be part of relocation (according to local servers). Wish some sort of official source could clarify.

Reinstating jungle Jim’s would make the whole demolition / relocation worthwhile ;-)

 

[djjohng]

I'm sure Disney did have something to say about this, as they should. They are a business and the mess of traffic in that area does impact them. Yes, there are some good restaurants in the plaza, but to say that the closing of Crossroads is going to eliminate inexpensive alternatives is just a false narrative.

There is a Burger King a few hundred feet north of Crossroads, just a bit further is an Olive Garden, then around the corner on Palm Parkway you'll find a Cici's, Hooters, Sea Dog Brewery and so on. There's an Ale House, Twin Peaks on CR535 just west of the corner, a Dunkin' Donuts, Chili's, Joe's Crab Shack and Macaroni Grill.

If you're staying by MK a short drive north you'll find a Publix, McDonald's, My French Cafe, The Big Easy in Lakeside Village and across the street Tijuana Flats, Keke's Breakfast Cafe, Flippers and so on.

Just at the south end of the property, you'll find Pei Wei, 5 Guys, Chipotle in Celebration Place and just a jog down the street is the Watertower Shops with a Publix and Publix Liquor.

The places by Crossroads are no less walkable than Crossroads, trust me I see people do it every single day. As a resident, I am beyond thrilled that something is being done to improve the horrid traffic in the area.

 

[s8film40]

You obviously have no idea what you're talking about. This entire stretch of 535 is one of the busiest in town.

I drive it all the time. I drive all over the place every day for work and would take going through this area over I-4 through Disney any day. In fact many times I've found faster routes going through here to go around Disney property. This is hardly the busiest in town, not even close.

 

[s8film40]

There is a Burger King a few hundred feet north of Crossroads, just a bit further is an Olive Garden, then around the corner on Palm Parkway you'll find a Cici's, Hooters, Sea Dog Brewery and so on. There's an Ale House, Twin Peaks on CR535 just west of the corner, a Dunkin' Donuts, Chili's, Joe's Crab Shack and Macaroni Grill.

My favorite quick service in the area is Qdoba, way better than Moe's. I agree losing Crossroads isn't a tremendous loss, I just don't think the benefit outweighs losing it.

 

[djjohng]

My favorite quick service in the area is Qdoba, way better than Moe's. I agree losing Crossroads isn't a tremendous loss, I just don't think the benefit outweighs losing it.

Totally forgot about the Qdoba, and I agree on that! I hate traffic, so that area just drives me nuts. I picked the area I live in because there's relatively little traffic and generally no tourist traffic. If I didn't have to get on I-4 to get to my office I would likely never be in that area. That's me and I clearly don't speak for everyone.

As for the loss of Crossroads, again if it improves congestion, good, but if not, then yes I agree the loss won't be worth it to me. Time will tell I guess. I think more than this we need a reconfiguration of I-4 from Kirkman west (south) past Disney.

 

[s8film40]

Of course it isn't that why I clearly stated "one of"

Well I wouldn't go as far to say "one of" it just really isn't that bad. Even if it does get backed up it's only that one intersection that's an issue. Close Crossroads and the traffic would be gone. Of course you could say that about most shopping centers. This road project though is a borderline boondoggle, it's a massive amount of money and road work for very little if any benefit.

I think more than this we need a reconfiguration of I-4 from Kirkman west (south) past Disney.

Yes! I drive between Tampa and Daytona all the time and by far the absolute worst part of I-4 is between 192 and 429.

 

[Figment82]

The ChampionsGate area has become its own cluster as well - trying to get through or to that area can be a nightmare on a good day. Too much development and the existing infrastructure can’t handle it. The amount of growth in the area in the last few years is crazy.

 

[s8film40]

The ChampionsGate area has become its own cluster as well - trying to get through or to that area can be a nightmare on a good day. Too much development and the existing infrastructure can’t handle it. The amount of growth in the area in the last few years is crazy.

It took me nearly 45 minutes to get from Ronald Reagan Pkwy to I-4 there the other day. That are makes the 535 Crossroads intersection seem like a ghost town.

 

[s8film40]

I guess you're entitled to think that, but you are so complete wrong your opinion isn't worth entertaining. It is a commonly accepted fact among most locals that area is highway hell

I'm a local and I drive everyday all over the place for work. So I have very diverse experience driving throughout the area at all different times of day. I think it's more noticeable of an issue for tourist. I never hear locals complaining about that area. The worst thing in that general area is the traffic around the outlet mall, especially during busy shopping seasons and before and after church times.

 

[Tom Morrow]

So, something I'm not clear on, is the proposal to have an overpass skip over 535 completely and go directly into Hotel Plaza Blvd?

I'm sure Disney did have something to say about this, as they should. They are a business and the mess of traffic in that area does impact them. Yes, there are some good restaurants in the plaza, but to say that the closing of Crossroads is going to eliminate inexpensive alternatives is just a false narrative.

There is a Burger King a few hundred feet north of Crossroads, just a bit further is an Olive Garden, then around the corner on Palm Parkway you'll find a Cici's, Hooters, Sea Dog Brewery and so on. There's an Ale House, Twin Peaks on CR535 just west of the corner, a Dunkin' Donuts, Chili's, Joe's Crab Shack and Macaroni Grill.

If you're staying by MK a short drive north you'll find a Publix, McDonald's, My French Cafe, The Big Easy in Lakeside Village and across the street Tijuana Flats, Keke's Breakfast Cafe, Flippers and so on.

Just at the south end of the property, you'll find Pei Wei, 5 Guys, Chipotle in Celebration Place and just a jog down the street is the Watertower Shops with a Publix and Publix Liquor.

The places by Crossroads are no less walkable than Crossroads, trust me I see people do it every single day. As a resident, I am beyond thrilled that something is being done to improve the horrid traffic in the area.

Yeah, I like Crossroads, but while it did serve a purpose when it was built, these day there are so many options for restaurants and shopping just outside of WDW property that it isn't necessary anymore. The traffic congestion relief is much needed.

 

[s8film40]

So, something I'm not clear on, is the proposal to have an overpass skip over 535 completely and go directly into Hotel Plaza Blvd?

Sort of, you’ll exit I-4 for 535 as normal and then instead of turning left into WDW, you’ll exit off of 535 to the right and drive around a large loop extending to where Goodings is now. Then go over an overpass over 535 straight into WDW.

 

[raymusiccity]

The Pringle wall at that Goodings will never be forgotten. I'll never forget how vast your selection was...

Sort of like Spam in Hawaii !!

 

[donsullivan]

So, something I'm not clear on, is the proposal to have an overpass skip over 535 completely and go directly into Hotel Plaza Blvd?.......

If you look at the plan in detail you'll see the changes. (full res version available HERE ). As the legend shows, Green represents elevated roadway (bridges) and yellow surface roads. Note that this FDOT map is rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise so north is to the left on this image.

- Westbound I4 to southbound 535, there is a separate ramp that splits off to your right as you exit I4 and then passes over 535 before merging in from the right just before 535 south passes under I4.
- Westbound I4 to northbound 535 will be roughly similar to the way it is today.
- Westbound I4 to Hotel boulevard will no longer require the crazy merge to the left to get into the left turn lane. You'll now stay in the right lane, go through a loop across the former Crossroads property that will then pass over 535 into Hotel Boulevard.
- Hotel Boulevard to 535 south, no changes
- Hotel Boulevard to 535 north would now go over a bridge to get across the southbound lanes of 535 and then merge into 535 north. Hotel Boulevard would actually split into north and south destined traffic back in front of the Doubletree to prevent the last minute jockeying across lanes that happens today and so northbound traffic can be elevated to pass over the bridge.
- Also, if you look carefully you'll see that southbound 535 to I4 East will now take a left before I4 and go underneath the highway to the entrance ramp. This will eliminate the looping on-ramp that is currently on the south side of I4 for that purpose and that long barriered lane that starts back just after the gas station.

There are similar changes on the south side of I4 that remove some of the traffic lights by adding overpasses on 535 at the intersection of the east-bound I4 ramps, 535 and Vineland ave.

 

[Rich Brownn]

I drive it all the time. I drive all over the place every day for work and would take going through this area over I-4 through Disney any day. In fact many times I've found faster routes going through here to go around Disney property. This is hardly the busiest in town, not even close.

535 past LBV was upgraded years ago. Back in my day it was a dangerous, two-lanes curvy road complete with a trolley that crossed at one point. We had lumber stickers that said "Pray for me, I drive 535"

 

[Matt Ryan]

It would not be replaced with anything Disney branded. The entire area would become ramps and interchanges for an I4 improvement project.

 

[donsullivan]

535 past LBV was upgraded years ago. Back in my day it was a dangerous, two-lanes curvy road complete with a trolley that crossed at one point. We had lumber stickers that said "Pray for me, I drive 535"

That was indeed a major expansion of that whole path from the death trap it used to be at night to a smooth flowing route in support of all the residential development that has occurred north of the WDW property since. The traffic from all that development is one of the drivers for this whole project.

 

[briangaw]

When DCL launched regulation mandated lifeboats be orange in color. That didn't work for Disney.....they wanted them yellow...to match the aesthetics of the ships........Long story short.....the lifeboats are yellow.

Yes the life boats are yellow after Disney did a great deal and testing and documenting with test life boats. They did the work and showed the new color to meet the needs of the Coast Guard etc. Not like they strong armed it and said we want it or else. They proved their position, did the work, and got their waiver like anyone else could. Good on them.