Main Street U.S.A. concrete replacement project begins tomorrow

[Sped2424]

Main Street, USA stopped working financially because Disney switched to a mall-based retail model that measures individual square footage versus the original method of looking at the bigger picture. The individual square footage is now profitable, but at the expense of other places. Spending did not drastically improve, it was just spread thinner. This can been seen in the disaster regarding sales on Buena Vista Street where people were far more interested in the unique, period appropriate items in the window displays than the generic Disney merchandise found within. Main Street, USA did not become irrelevant, it was made irrelevant by an inappropriate business model intended for a mall and not a theme park.

why aren't working there yet? Im not sure if you would even want to but heck you bring out so many valid points, I am curious though are you in business or something?

 

[Sped2424]

Whose gonna tell the little guy I don't think I have the heart.

 

[Sped2424]

I think the issue here that most people have is that you are essentially taking the little things away that help paint the bigger picture. Even if it is just taking out sidewalks it has the same effect, we saw it with the trees, changing the stores that fit thematically with generic mall merchandise, and now the sidewalk becoming a uniform street that will be oddly colored to give the illusion of a functional town street. It will feel all the more fake and as many put soulless.

 

[lazyboy97o]

why aren't working there yet? Im not sure if you would even want to but heck you bring out so many valid points, I am curious though are you in business or something?

Thank you. It's just been years of study and thought. A big part of why I fell in love with Disneyland is that I could think about it and learn something new that was true beyond the realms of the Magic Kingdom.

I think the issue here that most people have is that you are essentially taking the little things away that help paint the bigger picture. Even if it is just taking out sidewalks it has the same effect, we saw it with the trees, changing the stores that fit thematically with generic mall merchandise, and now the sidewalk becoming a uniform street that will be oddly colored to give the illusion of a functional town street. It will feel all the more fake and as many put soulless.

This is exactly it. Yes, it is a little thing. It may even be a good practical thing, but good placemaking is not always about doing what is the most practical. Universal Creative knew the shops of Hogsmead were too small but J. K. Rowling also knew that a small village cannot be built as a large city. The sidewalks of Main Street, USA are a part of the story of this nexus point of American culture and technology. While sidewalks predate Main Street, USA's time, the rise of the motorcar fundamentally alters our conception of the street in a way that remains true to this day.

 

[unkadug]

No. Saw the first few squares tonight visible over the low wall protecting the work at the Emporium corner. Same "reddish" color as the old sidewalk only cleaner and brighter. The section completed lowered the section from the building wall out to the center of the side walk only a few inches. So it looks like the half of the sidewalk from the center to the street will have to be a ramp to get down to street level. Still only working on the corner which the Disney notice said would be completed on July 31.

I would consider "red" concrete to be "themed", otherwise it would just be plain old grey concrete.

 

[wdwmagic]

PHOTOS - Main Street U.S.A sidewalk refurbishment progress

 

[ToTBellHop]

Gotta love those wonderful August-in-Florida skies.

I am reminded of why I only visit WDW during the crisp-morning, blue-skied days of January now.

 

[willtravel]

I guess no more curb sitting for the parades.

 

[Big C 73]

Well,there is no evidence pointing towards the removal of the curves yet in the pictures.

 

[wogwog]

Well,there is no evidence pointing towards the removal of the curves yet in the pictures.

I'm told half the sidewalk at a time when needed to allow some room for guests to pass during parades. Last night they even opened the east side backstage bypass for the parades. Cast members were stationed at the corner to prohibit sitting or standing in the area for the parades.

 

[TTA94]

Hmm so the curbs might be staying? And Im confused, I thought they were going to resurface the street as well not just the sidewalks?

 

[wogwog]

Hmm so the curbs might be staying? And Im confused, I thought they were going to resurface the street as well not just the sidewalks?

Curbs are going away, at least as far as midway up Main St in the first phase. They are doing half of each section at a time as they can't block the entire sidewalk during this busy time of the year. Yes, the street is also scheduled to be fixed and some work on the trolley tracks.

 

[RSoxNo1]

What would it cost to put LED lights in the pavement in lieu of masking tape every day?

 

[ToTBellHop]

What would it cost to put LED lights in the pavement in lieu of masking tape every day?

$1,000,000 per mile. Errhhmm...

 

[meyeet]

What would it cost to put LED lights in the pavement in lieu of masking tape every day?

I've often wondered what the masking tape budget is for 3 parks (don't think they have to mark of anything at Epcot), multiple parades a day

 

[ToTBellHop]

I've often wondered what the masking tape budget is for 3 parks (don't think they have to mark of anything at Epcot), multiple parades a day

That budget will be far lower in 2014. I always thought they should use a gamma knife to ablate any body parts that get too close to the parade floats when guests cannot follow directions.

 

[EOD K9]

Again, typologically the Castle does exist on real Main Streets. In real cases it is often a civic structure such as the city hall or courthouse (churches are a bit rarer). As American towns were marked by a proud symbol of the republic so too is the Magic Kingdom marked by the proud symbol of the Disneyland. Cinderella Castle and the Hub were not designed to dominate Main Street, USA the way they do today. The landscape design of the Hub created a separation and curtain that obscured and revealed the majestic Castle at the end of the street and the gateway to the realms of the kingdom.

Just like in Hill Valley!!

 

[wogwog]

Update.

The original schedule called for the Emporium corner to be completed on August 31. Didn't happen. I was at MK today and the sidewalk from the building to the center point is all that is completed. From the center point to 15 inches or so into the street is now walled up and covered with a tarp. So the schedule has definitely slipped. MiSiCi parades were detoured by way of the train station instead of turning the corner at Emporium.

I did have a plus today in that the 3:00 parade was rained out and the more enjoyble Cavalcade with the performers and antique vehicles was substituted. The music is so much more enjoyable than the usual.

 

[wogwog]

Emporium corner concrete was scheduled to be complete July 31. Still not done 8/14. Two weeks late and counting on a one week project. You can now see the great improvement they have done to the sidewalk that is visable from the sidewalk center point to the building. Drum roll. Same red concrete they took out down to dirt and replaced. It is new and brighter in color but obviousluy the same color as the removed concrete was when new. Looks like the section from center point to the street may be completed in a day or so. If they continue at the same pace. Must have the next gen group in charge of the project. MiSiCi is still detoured around Town Square.

Side note on Main St. Peeked in Starbucks today about 1:30. Six customers nine cast members. No cinnamon rolls.

 

[wogwog]

I would consider "red" concrete to be "themed", otherwise it would just be plain old grey concrete.

Disney must have listened to you. They replaced red with red. Lot of research and study spent on that decision.