Grand Avenue and Baseline Tap House

[NiarrNDisney]

Now I have a question:

After watching some videos via Youtube and looking at construction pictures whats going to happen with the pathway that takes you back to Toy Story Land? Will they continue to theme it as an urban downtown area? There is still a small area of facade left from SoA at the end of PIXAR Place so thats what makes me wonder if facades will go up to cover over the studio styled buildings and the back of house areas?

 

[GoofGoof]

Now I have a question:

After watching some videos via Youtube and looking at construction pictures whats going to happen with the pathway that takes you back to Toy Story Land? Will they continue to theme it as an urban downtown area? There is still a small area of facade left from SoA at the end of PIXAR Place so thats what makes me wonder if facades will go up to cover over the studio styled buildings and the back of house areas?

Pixar Place will be closed off and become backstage. You will enter Toy Story Land next to the TSMM building (middle far right of picture) and the entrance to TSMM will be flipped to the back of the building. Toy Story will have an entrance through to Star Wars Land and then Star Wars has another entrance where Grand Avenue is being built. This picture is probably the easiest to see the whole layout.

I stole this from another thread. Ignore the blue arrow in the middle leading from Pixar Place. That alley is expected to be backstage now.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

Pixar Place will be closed off and become backstage. You will enter Toy Story Land next to the TSMM building (middle far right of picture) and the entrance to TSMM will be flipped to the back of the building. Toy Story will have an entrance through to Star Wars Land and then Star Wars has another entrance where Grand Avenue is being built.

I thought there was going to be a sort of fork at the end of Grand Ave. that would veer to the right and follow along the Galaxy's Edge "hills" to the north that would head to the new exit area of TSMM making the other entrance to TSL?

 

[GoofGoof]

I thought there was going to be a sort of fork at the end of Grand Ave. that would veer to the right and follow along the Galaxy's Edge "hills" to the north that would head to the new exit area of TSMM making the other entrance to TSL?

As far as I know that's all going to be backstage. The only way to get from Grand Ave to Toy Story Land will be through SW Land. Someone with better knowledge of the plans can correct me if I'm not remembering this right.

 

[rocketraccoon]

Most of Grand Avenue is open and Tatooine Traders is partly behind fences now, but hey, there's still updates.

The tunnel entrance is being built out further:

Piping and construction along the old path between Star Tours and Muppet Courtyard. I believe this is turning into a planter? Piping would make sense for irrigation.

More detail has been added to the blue building's storefront, even though this won't be accessible for some time:

Grand Avenue is a pretty nice place. It isn't trying to be Streets of America, and I think the atmosphere works better here than it did in SoA. Baseline looks nice too, and the music selection is solid.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I thought there was going to be a sort of fork at the end of Grand Ave. that would veer to the right and follow along the Galaxy's Edge "hills" to the north that would head to the new exit area of TSMM making the other entrance to TSL?

As far as I know that's all going to be backstage. The only way to get from Grand Ave to Toy Story Land will be through SW Land. Someone with better knowledge of the plans can correct me if I'm not remembering this right.

You're right. As you approach the gate to SWGE from GAve the fork that goes to the right will dead-end for guests at a CM-only gate.

 

[djkidkaz]

It definitely seems like they are trying to make the park have more of a wheel design where you can just walk the circle and see everything without having to backtrack and go down different pathways. If they could just attach sunset to animation I think that would be the final fix.

Well, and it appears they will still have that path that goes down to abc commissary, sci fi and baseline behind the frozen / American idol theater.

 

[phi2134]

Has anyone said if we are going to get foliage about the entrance to sw:ge? I would expect a lot of bigger mounds of dirt and trees to be built up to block the site lines

 

[googilycub]

Children do not belong in Bars/Lounges (Period)

Oh please....

 

[googilycub]

Lucky for me I was old enough to enjoy PI but didn't have kids yet so I enjoyed many a New Years Eve night there on every trip I took. Forget about something as cool as PI was, I would just settle for a few more actual adults only spots these days. I guess there's always Jellyrolls but not much else.

You also have Trader Sams after 9:00. FWIW anytime I have gone into Jellyrolls it’s been pretty dead. That might be why you don’t see more of those kinds of places in WDW

 

[BD-Anaheim]

For those who continue to suggest this area is essentially Disney Springs, I would offer it's really the reverse. Disney Springs was designed thematically with a backstory that would not be unfamiliar to a themed land in one of the parks. To me, it's more a product of the times, design-wise, that Disney Springs and Grand Ave have similarities.

Disney has long been creating lands that evoke nostalgic Americana - nothing new here. What's changed is that it now plays out across the country in "lifestyle centers" such as the Grove or new urbanism communities such as Celebration.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

You also have Trader Sams after 9:00. FWIW anytime I have gone into Jellyrolls it’s been pretty dead. That might be why you don’t see more of those kinds of places in WDW

Raglan Road (DS), River Roost (PORS) Rix Lounge (CSR) and Wave Lounge (CR) also draw people in pretty late to but nothing like PI used to.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

Oh please....

They don't! Bars are for adults to sit down relax and have drinks with their group. If anyone is like me that can come with a good share of expletives and conversations that are not appropriate for children. Now if a parent is ok with allowing their child to be around that then by all means go for it. However if the said parent does not approve of any behavior many patrons of bars partake in and want to voice their disapproval then they can leave! If they are expecting anyone to change their behavior in a setting normally set for the 21 and up crowd they need to be aware that their opinion is no longer valid in said setting.

In short I shouldn't have to change my behavior, language or mannerisms just because your little prince and princesses ears are fragile. I have enough respect to censor myself in other public areas so parents like this should have enough respect and frankly sense to do the same and not put their brood in a situation where adults are letting loose and enjoying themselves free of these issues.

 

[googilycub]

They don't! Bars are for adults to sit down relax and have drinks with their group. If anyone is like me that can come with a good share of expletives and conversations that are not appropriate for children. Now if a parent is ok with allowing their child to be around that then by all means go for it. However if the said parent does not approve of any behavior many patrons of bars partake in and want to voice their disapproval then they can leave! If they are expecting anyone to change their behavior in a setting normally set for the 21 and up crowd they need to be aware that their opinion is no longer valid in said setting.

In short I shouldn't have to change my behavior, language or mannerisms just because your little prince and princesses ears are fragile. I have enough respect to censor myself in other public areas so parents like this should have enough respect and frankly sense to do the same and not put their brood in a situation where adults are letting loose and enjoying themselves free of these issues.

I always like it when someone tells me my opinion is not valid because someone can’t control themselves in public.

Now if we were talking about your local neighborhood bar, I would agree with you. However we are talking about one located in a theme park. A theme park that is built for, and actively marketed towards families. A different situation, with different expectations on behavior.

That being said, I doubt I would have an issue with your behavior. My kids are teens, so anything I would have an issue with them hearing, I would take issue hearing myself. That being said, I have also found that kind of situation is a great teaching tool. “Kids, see that guy/girl that can’t control themselves, see what an idiot they look like? When you are old enough to drink, strive to not be that idiot”. Life is a great teacher.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

I always like it when someone tells me my opinion is not valid because someone can’t control themselves in public.

Now if we were talking about your local neighborhood bar, I would agree with you. However we are talking about one located in a theme park. A theme park that is built for, and actively marketed towards families. A different situation, with different expectations on behavior.

That being said, I doubt I would have an issue with your behavior. My kids are teens, so anything I would have an issue with them hearing, I would take issue hearing myself. That being said, I have also found that kind of situation is a great teaching tool. “Kids, see that guy/girl that can’t control themselves, see what an idiot they look like? When you are old enough to drink, strive to not be that idiot”. Life is a great teacher.

Well sorry I invalidated your opinion but remember rules are made to be followed.
True anyone getting out of hand and acting in a drunkenly manner in a theme park is just absurd and a great life lesson for a parent to point out to a child. However I personally don't think its appropriate for a parent to deliberately put a child in a negative situation where they could come into contact with this kind of behavior which is why I don't think it is appropriate for children to be in a bar.
I for one am not one of these drunken messes that run around the parks and though I can honestly say I have rarely ever encountered one of these people inside the parks i know it happens. Either way people are free to act as they choose and if they get out of hand there are consequences which is why rules are put in place to serve as guidelines to protect everyone's best interest and safety. Rules much like how establishments that serve alcohol are 21 and up and it should be recognized inside of the parks just like it is outside in the real world.

~edit~ Now I see I am responsible for this thread getting off course and we have stepped away from the original subject matter so this is the last I will engage in this discussion.

 

[xdan0920]

You also have Trader Sams after 9:00. FWIW anytime I have gone into Jellyrolls it’s been pretty dead. That might be why you don’t see more of those kinds of places in WDW

Anytime I have gone there it has been packed. Your experience has been invalidated by my own.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Disney has long been creating lands that evoke nostalgic Americana - nothing new here. What's changed is that it now plays out across the country in "lifestyle centers" such as the Grove or new urbanism communities such as Celebration.

Indeed, even the resorts have a backstory.

I wonder why the buses don't have their own backstory...

 

[Kman101]

A bar is still a bar, in Disney or not, and I don't quite understand why you'd want your child in there after a certain time of night. During the day? Sure, I get it. But a bar is still a bar ...

 

[Sir_Cliff]

For those who continue to suggest this area is essentially Disney Springs, I would offer it's really the reverse. Disney Springs was designed thematically with a backstory that would not be unfamiliar to a themed land in one of the parks. To me, it's more a product of the times, design-wise, that Disney Springs and Grand Ave have similarities.

Disney has long been creating lands that evoke nostalgic Americana - nothing new here. What's changed is that it now plays out across the country in "lifestyle centers" such as the Grove or new urbanism communities such as Celebration.

Yes, 100 times!!

One of the big influences the Disney theme parks have had on the wider world is that "theming" is now everywhere: malls, hotels, restaurants, hipster bars... everywhere! This pre-dates Disney (think about the 'placemaking' program of Santa Fe during the early 20th century), but it has certainly become more ubiquitous in recent decades. For what it is, the small area looks better than what was there before to me and has all the little touches of classic Disney theming without some of the overwrought backstories that have gone into things like the turkey leg wagon at Paradise Pier. Most of DHS beyond the front part had pretty average theming before, so this really seems like a nice upgrade.

 

[Rob562]

As others have said, yes.

Note all the new black walls that went up:

(Photo cred WDWMagic)

Since you cannot see that particular wall of Tattooine Traders as you exit the Star Tours building, and it will presumably no longer have Guests walking next to it, I wonder if they'll pull down the themeing of what you can see from Baseline/Grand Ave and make it something that fits in with Grand Ave. Then maybe a little landscaping to hide from people walking that one side of the building doesn't match the rest as they walk around the corner.

-Rob