Main Street U.S.A. hub redevelopment at the Magic Kingdom

[aladdin2007]

Oh, I did, or at least I hinted at it. A couple others had hinted at it as well. But I didn't have these images to post. Now we have the images. So, here's some things I want you to understand about this project:

It's 100% necessary. If you have ever tried to navigate the Hub during a parade or fireworks show, you know what I am talking about. The current layout is just plain bad.

The new landscaping package was cut. I'm not too happy about that... it will still make the audience control cast members jobs very difficult with the creation of more areas where you can watch the parade and wishes from. Plus, I am always a big fan of trees. This new plan doesn't have them.

All this talk about "filling in half the moat" just isn't true. The water will still be there, all areas still connected. Those new FP+ viewing areas are built on new bridge extensions. Take a look. Very little is actually being filled in. The water still will flow in a complete circle around the Hub... it just won't be as wide in that area.

The two new fountains are a nice addition, as are the relocation of the tiny character sculptures that surround the Partners statue. Moving water always triumphs still water. Kinetic energy and all that you know.

On that map you see some areas of the pathway that are much darker with extra lines. Those are tubular steel reinforcements that are going in the concrete. That's because they expect parade floats to pass over those walkways. That said, I have no idea why they want a parade float to go down that new Main Street bypass, but that is exactly what they are preparing to do.

Looks like they are moving the two food kiosks in the hub to the outer ring. They are even cutting out an area of the remaining planter to use as a queue for those kiosks. That's actually good thinking.

Looks like the new tip board will be angled the opposite direction as it is now. Same with that tip board pin kiosk. I question the use of both of those. A tip board is no longer necessary to the parks, and that pin kiosk is useless. Why are they re-building those? Turn them into benches! (Something Main Street is actually lacking)

Anyway, that's my take on everything. Hopefully I was able to answer any questions you had as well as provide some extra informed opinion on the expansion.

Of course it was cut, this was what I was afraid of. They dont want to spend money anymore on maintaining landscaping or any new landscaping.

 

[TTA94]

Hmm interesting they will have parade floats use the bypass... I'm thinking due to hub entertainment like Move It Shake It Celebrate it, so they don't have to travel down Main Street and cause guest flow issues?

 

[marni1971]

One can hope (!) that the hub finishes complement the 1971 designs. The hub. The middle of the park. The most visited area by every guest. It has to look the part.

Browsing through things it looks like the southern waterways in question will indeed be filled in, with false bridge portals going nowhere.

I'm also concerned about the decor for the eastern MSUSA bypass. Nice pavement, nice lamposts but planters and fencing? Really? The odd period billboard and facade but no false street. I hope this is looked at. And it will indeed be possible to isolate and close it when it is deemed surplus.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

No. No. No. Nooooo.

This is wrong. This is paving over paradise.

If the MK is so overcrowded that it can not function any longer, then build a second MK. (A Princess-Pirate-Pixar-thrill ride-kiddieland one). Or invest in the other three parks to draw visitors there. But do not pave over the MK into a parking lot + restaurants + bathrooms.

 

[xdan0920]

No. No. No. Nooooo.

This is wrong. This is paving over paradise.

If the MK is so overcrowded that it can not function any longer, then build a second MK. (A Princess-Pirate-Pixar-thrill ride-kiddieland one). Or invest in the other three parks to draw visitors there. But do not pave over the MK into a parking lot + restaurants + bathrooms.

or, less crazily, expand the dang place. Soak up those ridiculous crowds into, now this will sound nuts but hear me out, NEW MIND BLOWING ATTRACTIONS. Give the guests something to do besides camp out on MS for an hour waiting to watch 15 minutes of fireworks. And something to do after the Fireworks so not everyone stampedes to the exits.

Also, you are very on point regarding the other parks. Invest in the other 3 parks, give guests a reason to spend an evening in, say, DHS instead of park hopping to the MK and over stuffing the park after dark.

 

[ford91exploder]

No. No. No. Nooooo.

This is wrong. This is paving over paradise.

If the MK is so overcrowded that it can not function any longer, then build a second MK. (A Princess-Pirate-Pixar-thrill ride-kiddieland one). Or invest in the other three parks to draw visitors there. But do not pave over the MK into a parking lot + restaurants + bathrooms.

'Paved over paradise to put up a (stroller) parking lot' - Unlike the song we DO know what we had and are losing.

my disgust with TDO just grows daily, I'm told I'm too negative but with stuff like this how can one not be, This was a reasonably good idea WITH TREES but without the landscape package it's just turning the hub into a concrete wasteland and will exacerbate the crowd control problems for the already overwhelmed CM's.

 

[jakeman]

I'm told I'm too negative but with stuff like this how can one not be.

Because there is more to life than 2000+ post on how crappy a place that you voluntarily go to is.

Honestly, you come off as deranged most of the time. What are you trying to accomplish here?

 

[NowInc]

Because there is more to life than 2000+ post on how crappy a place that you voluntarily go to is.

Honestly, you come off as deranged most of the time. What are you trying to accomplish here?

I wouldn't go as far as to call him DERANGED. Passionate on his views? Absolutely. Persistent? Yes. But thats his way and as this is a discussion forum, he is more than allowed to express how he feels. I don't often agree with him, but I don't let it get under my skin..I just try to coutneract it with my own observations and opinions. I am not "siding" with anyone, I just don't think its worth getting aggressive or upset over something another person posts.

 

[SpectroMan93]

My oh my, so many passionate opinions and the project has barely started. What else is new. I get that Main Street and the hub have lost much foliage and green spaces, but you seriously cannot deny that this is a much needed expansion to ease up traffic and crowds.

Give the guests something to do besides camp out on MS for an hour waiting to watch 15 minutes of fireworks. And something to do after the Fireworks so not everyone stampedes to the exits.

Also, you are very on point regarding the other parks. Invest in the other 3 parks, give guests a reason to spend an evening in, say, DHS instead of park hopping to the MK and over stuffing the park after dark.

No amount of added attractions would change the fact that MK nighttime entertainment is a must see for many guests, many who are "once in a lifetime" visitors. So unless nighttime parades and fireworks are cut, people will always be crowding the hub. I can see investing in nighttime entertainment at the other parks helping a little bit, but again, Magic Kingdom is the focal point of many people's Disney vacations. If people make more time for the other parks, they will squeeze in time for MK some way or another.

Plus, compared to it's Paris and Tokyo equivalents, MK's hub is quite a bit smaller, and the park is the most attended theme park in the world. This expansion is desperately overdue. Does it suck that trees have been cut from the plans? Yes. Am I hopeful that they will add other forms of foliage and flora to keep the park-like feeling in the hub? Yes. I know everyone's entitled to their opinions, but would it kill people to at least wait till it's finished before they completely rip at something?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

or, less crazily, expand the dang place. Soak up those ridiculous crowds into, now this will sound nuts but hear me out, NEW MIND BLOWING ATTRACTIONS. Give the guests something to do besides camp out on MS for an hour waiting to watch 15 minutes of fireworks. And something to do after the Fireworks so not everyone stampedes to the exits.

Also, you are very on point regarding the other parks. Invest in the other 3 parks, give guests a reason to spend an evening in, say, DHS instead of park hopping to the MK and over stuffing the park after dark.

Yes and no.

No, because more mind blowing attractions at the MK will exacerbate the crowd problems. The MK does not need even more guests.

Yes because new mind blowing attractions at the other parks will alleviate the MK overcrowding problems.

And yes for your best and easiest solution: simply keep the MK open for longer after the fireworks and parades! Trying to empty out the MK all at once is madness. Many problems would be instantly solved if instead half the crowds after the fireworks went to Splash and 7Dwarfs. Which simultaneously greatly increases daily capacity of these rides too.

 

[xdan0920]

I just don't think its worth getting aggressive or upset over something another person posts.

YOUR WRONG!!!! YOU JUST GOT ON MY LIST!!! I KEEP A LIST OF AVATARS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WRONG> YOU ARE ON IT NOW.

 

[jakeman]

I wouldn't go as far as to call him DERANGED. Passionate on his views? Absolutely. Persistent? Yes. But thats his way and as this is a discussion forum, he is more than allowed to express how he feels. I don't often agree with him, but I don't let it get under my skin..I just try to coutneract it with my own observations and opinions. I am not "siding" with anyone, I just don't think its worth getting aggressive or upset over something another person posts.

I'm not upset, but again, what's the point continuing? He's negative to the point where the site owner has asked him to tone it down, and that takes a lot around here. What's the goal here?

Before anyone accuses me of being a plant or something else inane, while I appreciate the sentiment in improving traffic flow I also agree that a complementary investment in fleshing out the other parks would be ideal.

 

[wannab@dis]

This whole thread reminds me of the changes at The Land years ago. Back then the malcontents were screaming about losing the balloons - those glorious balloons, during the refurb and addition of Soarin. It was the end of the world - literally. When everything was finished, we had a great new addition, a very nice (one of the highest rated) counter service locations, and yes, the balloons were still there.

I bet this will be seen the same way in a few years. People will look back and laugh.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Designing nighttime shows to not be so Hub centric could also help alleviate crowding.

 

[WDWDad13]

'Paved over paradise to put up a (stroller) parking lot' - Unlike the song we DO know what we had and are losing.

my disgust with TDO just grows daily, I'm told I'm too negative but with stuff like this how can one not be, This was a reasonably good idea WITH TREES but without the landscape package it's just turning the hub into a concrete wasteland and will exacerbate the crowd control problems for the already overwhelmed CM's.

*sarcasm on*

well based on previous posts by many on here... the Disney parks will be losing lots of guests with what all is going on at Uni, raising ticket prices, having such a stale park, and doing nothing...so I'm sure the CM's will have nothing to worry about...in fact this project is probably a waste of money since the Disney hotels aren't being used much and the parks are so empty

*sarcasm off*

 

[NearTheEars]

Better? Not an exact replication of the landscape plan but hopefully gets the point across. I spent 6 hours today photoshopping site plans for work so I was a little burnt out when doing this

Is this eliminating the rose garden?

 

[WDWDad13]

Designing nighttime shows to not be so Hub centric could also help alleviate crowding.

interesting thought.... but what would your suggestions be with the castle being the center icon in the park?

 

[wannab@dis]

I'm not upset, but again, what's the point continuing? He's negative to the point where the site owner has asked him to tone it down, and that takes a lot around here. What's the goal here?

Before anyone accuses me of being a plant or something else inane, while I appreciate the sentiment in improving traffic flow I also agree that a complementary investment in fleshing out the other parks would be better.

There is the key point. There are flaws in WDW that should be worked on. But the few vocal malcontents whine about anything and everything and takes the focus off the important items.

 

[Master Yoda]

This whole thread reminds me of the changes at The Land years ago. Back then the malcontents were screaming about losing the balloons - those glorious balloons, during the refurb and addition of Soarin. It was the end of the world - literally. When everything was finished, we had a great new addition, a very nice (one of the highest rated) counter service locations, and yes, the balloons were still there.

I bet this will be seen the same way in a few years. People will look back and laugh.

I am laughing now.

 

[ford91exploder]

There is the key point. There are flaws in WDW that should be worked on. But the few vocal malcontents whine about anything and everything and takes the focus off the important items.

Like the continuing degradation of experience at WDW, Nah guess that one is not important.