-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
News Crossroads Plaza Faces Demoliton
- Thread starter Cmdr_Crimson
- Start date
It is a slightly nicer than the typical strip mall located across the entrance from Hotel Plaza Blvd.
jakeman
Well-Known Member
It's shopping center at the end of Hotel Blvd and 535.
You can't mean that right? The only reason people aren't routinely killed there is because of the absolute gridlock.
but it was so much fun trying to slide over 4 lanes in 200 feet to go from I-4 to HPB.
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
I am fully aware of how the world works and am more cynical then most. But do you actually believe that Disney went to the DOT and said, "hey, we don't like this competition, so go ahead and make plans for millions of dollars of road improvement just so you can tear down our competition for us". Crossroads is small fish to Disney. If people are going to go eat outside of WDW then they are going to regardless of whether or not they tear down that area. And if Disney was so concerned with that they they would tear down the McDonalds that is on the property or bought back that land and tore it down themselves. I think people like you just want to see some ulterior motives when it comes to Disney. I think a road improvement can be just that, and not some diabolical plan on Disney's part to rule the world.
Luxe
Well-Known Member
I don't think that's quite what he meant. I think the thought was more so if Disney wanted Crossroads to stick around, it would most definitely would. If FDOT was planning the demolition and went to Disney and they said they didn't approve, I have a feeling it would have a significant influence on the final decision.
jakeman
Well-Known Member
That would be a logical assumption, except this is the original post:
We just need to hope the new interchange isn't made of tin foil, because there's a bunch of it being used in this thread.
OliveMcFly
Well-Known Member
We went to these restaurants all the time after work. Fridays, Flippers, Perkins, Moe's. It will be sad to see them go but there are other locations near the parks. This place was also a landmark for driving directions lol.
PREMiERdrum
Well-Known Member
We own a couple of annual weeks at the Vacation Village resort on Parkway (4 and 192), as we have for about 8 years.
Every. Single. Time we drive by Crossroads we say "we should come back up and eat at (insert Crossroads restaurant here" sometime this week. Then we sit in the traffic... and sit. And sit. To date, we've never actually been there.
Every. Single. Time we drive by Crossroads we say "we should come back up and eat at (insert Crossroads restaurant here" sometime this week. Then we sit in the traffic... and sit. And sit. To date, we've never actually been there.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
The only thing at The Crossroads of any significant value is Johnny's Hideaway.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
But if you think for one minute that in FL that FDOT does not say how high on the way up when DIsney says JUMP, Well there is this old bridge in Brooklyn...
Figment2005
Well-Known Member
Anything to help remove that bottleneck that always occurs there on I4 regardless of whether or not there is an accident would be greatly appreciated. Doesn't matter what time, there is always a slowdown on either side of 535.
Rider
Well-Known Member
Here is the proposal if you wanted to take a look: http://www.i4express.com/Seg1Docs/SEGMENT1_SR535_RECOMMENDED.pdf
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
That is actually less invasive then I thought they were going to do. They are going up with the ramps instead of taking more land by doing those huge round-a-bouts. I think they are trying to save as many businesses as they can, after all, that is extra tax money.
donsullivan
Premium Member
While they might listen to Disney, it's also true that Disney can benefit from this work as well and in the end FDOT will do what is for the overall greater good of traffic flow and safety. This area is an absolute traffic nightmare and has continued to get worse with each passing year. The enormous amount of residential development north of the RCID property just keeps making it worse every year. During afternoon rush hour the backups of traffic onto I4 (which is what FDOT is trying to fix) reach dangerous levels. They have wanted for many years to restructure traffic through that area but the location of Crossroads and some other adjacent properties has been the major barrier to resolving these traffic flow issues. Eventually something has do be done. And no it's not about Disney crushing competitors, it's about traffic flow and safety that everyone in the region will benefit from.
I get that this doesn't fit into the Disney is Evil narrative that many like to push but sometimes you just have to do the right thing for everyone and sometimes that may have a negative impact on a few. It's no different than a city or state taking land by eminent domain (Disney is not doing this) for the greater good of a community for a highway project.
COProgressFan
Well-Known Member
There's nothing special about any of the places in Crossroads, but there is a certainly a convenience in having everything right there off property. For people staying both on and off property, there is a benefit to having options in terms of dining, mini golf etc. I know when we've stayed at Bonnet Creek, it was only a few minute drive here to eat, etc.
Much like the establishments on Harbor Blvd. in Anaheim (who are fighting for street access to DL, with the new security changes going on out there) the location is key.
Last edited:
raven
Well-Known Member
They did that to Celebration didn't they? They won't blink an eye at it. It's one of Orlando's busiest traffic nightmares.
Used to be. It's looking rather old and dated now.
To be honest, if you make a left at that light (onto 535) when coming off property that way, you can find almost anything you need just a quarter mile down the road.
glvsav37
Well-Known Member
This was where we shopped and hung out while staying at Vista Way during my college program. I didn't have a car, so it was close and easy to bum a ride to. Shame to see it go.
donsullivan
Premium Member
That's far less disruptive than an earlier version of the plan I saw a few years ago. That version had I4 south dumping out to Palm Parkway and then fanning out from there. This seems like a more modest version that just splits the west and eastbound 535 traffic. This version will still have a traffic light and or toll booth at the bottom of the ramp for traffic headed westbound on 535 which is one of the fundamental issues that causes the congestion now.
Last edited:
stini228
Active Member
Yes! Great memories. As a local now we head there for a cheap lunch (mmm Noodles & Co) after visiting the Springs. I suspect we are not alone in that. It is a traffic nightmare tho for sure.