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

[WDW1974]

Depends. Landscaping is a must have. First class too. Anything less in this location will be a grave error.

The more I see of the east bypass the more it looks cheap. It needs to match what's on the other side of the buildings.

This project needs doing. No doubting it. But it needs doing properly. And I won't comment on the Fastpass+ element.

And this (the thread, not your post) is why the folks at Celebration Place feel like they own the fan community in social media.

Let's not talk about what was decided at last week's meeting when JUNE's price increases were suddenly moved up to February. Let's not talk about all the amazing new things coming to WDW in 2015 and 2016, all those new attractions, new night spectaculars, new shows etc.

Nah, let's all talk about how WDW is finally addressing the MK's overcrowding -- something that Disney has been ignoring for 15 years now and aiding with making it easier to get an ECV or double-wide stroller than a fanboi at an Imagineering open house -- and how great it all is.

Except ... well, except that some of us don't think that. While there are nice design elements, the project winds up a FAIL (as the kiddies like to say) based upon the fact they are not building a proper bypass. Nope, they'll put lighting up, and some very cheap landscaping that will hopefully keep you from giving Phil's Caddy four flats. Maybe they'll pull an old prop out of a warehouse and drop in down. But they won't do a proper arcade like DLP. It will still be painfully obvious that you are backstage where you don't belong.

And really, who needs trees in a theme park in CENTRAL FLORIDA?!?!? Nah, you must be able to see the fiberglass giant phallic symbol at all costs and the fireworks (you sure can't see them in any other place but the Hub thanks to the fact Steve Davison never communicates with Ops people before designing his shows ... just wait until that fire-breathing parade dragon suddenly stops spewing fire!)

But please give them kudos for this as they laugh at your support and think 'we've got them again' and spread it through social media (oh, 124 people liked this through FB -- great ... Dr. Blondie is counting!)

This is like when something is falling apart for years and Disney finally does something and the fans all start blubbering like this is something you give them credit for. No -- you do not.

You know, ultimately, the truth is exactly what a recently retired Disney Legend told me a few years back: ''WDW is what it is because of its fanbase.''

Congrats ...
Again, you get what you deserve.

If y'all were the DLR crowd circa 2001, you'd still be dining at Hollywood and Dine after riding SuperStar Limo and Tweeting about how great it all was.

 

[danlb_2000]

Is this official art or from a fan? Is it based on actual blueprints?

If so, I can't imagine walking past Main Street and no longer seeing the water on either side. From the rendering, it seems somewhat unnecessary too. They could add the outer ring to the hub and still have the water go under the bridge.

And why not pave some of those spaces on the left and right of the bridge for more parade and fireworks viewing? It could be done in a way so it doesn't look like a big cement pad and it would add a lot for people trying to view.

It was done by @MarkTwain based on the plans and input from other people on this thread.

 

[Lee]

And this (the thread, not your post) is why the folks at Celebration Place feel like they own the fan community in social media.

Let's not talk about what was decided at last week's meeting when JUNE's price increases were suddenly moved up to February. Let's not talk about all the amazing new things coming to WDW in 2015 and 2016, all those new attractions, new night spectaculars, new shows etc.

Nah, let's all talk about how WDW is finally addressing the MK's overcrowding -- something that Disney has been ignoring for 15 years now and aiding with making it easier to get an ECV or double-wide stroller than a fanboi at an Imagineering open house -- and how great it all is.

Except ... well, except that some of us don't think that. While there are nice design elements, the project winds up a FAIL (as the kiddies like to say) based upon the fact they are not building a proper bypass. Nope, they'll put lighting up, and some very cheap landscaping that will hopefully keep you from giving Phil's Caddy four flats. Maybe they'll pull an old prop out of a warehouse and drop in down. But they won't do a proper arcade like DLP. It will still be painfully obvious that you are backstage where you don't belong.

And really, who needs trees in a theme park in CENTRAL FLORIDA?!?!? Nah, you must be able to see the fiberglass giant phallic symbol at all costs and the fireworks (you sure can't see them in any other place but the Hub thanks to the fact Steve Davison never communicates with Ops people before designing his shows ... just wait until that fire-breathing parade dragon suddenly stops spewing fire!)

But please give them kudos for this as they laugh at your support and think 'we've got them again' and spread it through social media (oh, 124 people liked this through FB -- great ... Dr. Blondie is counting!)

This is like when something is falling apart for years and Disney finally does something and the fans all start blubbering like this is something you give them credit for. No -- you do not.

You know, ultimately, the truth is exactly what a recently retired Disney Legend told me a few years back: ''WDW is what it is because of its fanbase.''

Congrats ...
Again, you get what you deserve.

If y'all were the DLR crowd circa 2001, you'd still be dining at Hollywood and Dine after riding SuperStar Limo and Tweeting about how great it all was.

Truth.
Fences and planters.
Nary a proper arcade in sight...

 

[flynnibus]

Did you even think about going to the news section...They have a before & after shot..
Mockup of hub changes

He's referring to 'not so bad' portion of the comment...

 

[NormC]

Let's not talk about all the amazing new things coming to WDW in 2015 and 2016, all those new attractions, new night spectaculars, new shows etc.

Actually, lets talk about those things! What else can you tell us?

 

[dstrawn9889]

ok, so they are pumping out next to the noodle station, and running in into the stormdrain? out into the 7SL?

 

[WDW1974]

Add more attractions to disperse existing crowds at MK, add more night time offerings to disperse guests to other parks to calm the exidous after Wishes. Add some other nighttime show to the Rivers of American or Tomorrowland to help funnel portions of the crowd back into the park instead of down Main Street after Wishes. Disneyland purposely runs night-time entertainment shows (fireworks, Fantasmic, World of Color, Nighttime parade when they have one) all at the same time so you have to pick what you want to see. I hardly call expanding the sidewalk and removing water features the only solution to the overcrowding of MK.

C'mon, it's genius. Those Disney executives are the best in the business. George Kalogridis is brilliant (in his own mind).

You spend 15-20 years cutting attractions, closing and removing entertainment venues, shutter dining locations, take inside shops and throw their merchandise outside like a flea market as your guests grow in both size and numbers all the while your marketing machine makes taking the brats to the MK a rite of passage (of course, it used to be when the kids were at least toilet-trained and could enjoy the experience ... now, you popped a baby out six weeks ago? Time for that first picture with Pooh and Princesses!) and let's not forget selling the Lifestyle (that's code for selling the BRAND to mentally feeble adults looking to relive the childhoods that never were and never will be, no matter how many thousands of dollars they spend!)

So, yeah, why actually add capacity back to the park in meaningful ways? Why give guests compelling reasons to visit the three other tired and stale parks, so everyone doesn't flock to one? Why keep other parks open late so parkhoppers don't all flood one park at 7 or 8 p.m.?

I'd say expanding the sidewalk and removing water and trees is clearly the way to go here.

 

[NormC]

Adding more visitors without fixing the bottleneck makes little sense. If you can't get to the new attractions what good are they?

 

[WDW1974]

Actually, lets talk about those things! What else can you tell us?

What I can tell you is you are going to have a VERY long wait for anything new at WDW beyond what has already been approved (and that is largely the Pandoran project).

Disney won't open the faucets of spending until they get revenues up to levels that were promised to Iger and then the BoD and then Wall Street.

And guess what?

They can't get them. No matter if eight out of 10 'test subjects' is lame enough to love the BANDS and love being able to book a spin on the Tea Cups from the couch, it is still a failure right now. Not based on what I think about it, but based upon Disney's own metrics, Disney's own projections.

And because of that, future plans for WDW have been sent to their room without dinner ... or, more truthfully, are being fed dog food while sitting in a locked cage hidden in the closet from the attraction welfare people.

But, hey, they're going to have fountains in this project and we all KNOW how well Disney maintains fountains (how many in the MK are now filled with trash and potted plants?)

 

[taz0162]

Reading through the comments yesterday and now seeing the images today I can see how this will ease some park traffic that will be bottle necked into mainstreet until the secondary path is created for that between mainstreet and tomorrowland. Those concept images look cool and when we were there last we were routed through the back alley section that they will be encompassing.

 

[Scuttle]

C'mon, it's genius. Those Disney executives are the best in the business. George Kalogridis is brilliant (in his own mind).

You spend 15-20 years cutting attractions, closing and removing entertainment venues, shutter dining locations, take inside shops and throw their merchandise outside like a flea market as your guests grow in both size and numbers all the while your marketing machine makes taking the brats to the MK a rite of passage (of course, it used to be when the kids were at least toilet-trained and could enjoy the experience ... now, you popped a baby out six weeks ago? Time for that first picture with Pooh and Princesses!) and let's not forget selling the Lifestyle (that's code for selling the BRAND to mentally feeble adults looking to relive the childhoods that never were and never will be, no matter how many thousands of dollars they spend!)

So, yeah, why actually add capacity back to the park in meaningful ways? Why give guests compelling reasons to visit the three other tired and stale parks, so everyone doesn't flock to one? Why keep other parks open late so parkhoppers don't all flood one park at 7 or 8 p.m.?

I'd say expanding the sidewalk and removing water and trees is clearly the way to go here.

I'm glad some of us get it. And I don't mean the "get it" Lou Mongello fanboy way. As in that fan base that is the problem.

 

[NormC]

What I can tell you is you are going to have a VERY long wait for anything new at WDW beyond what has already been approved (and that is largely the Pandoran project).

Disney won't open the faucets of spending until they get revenues up to levels that were promised to Iger and then the BoD and then Wall Street.

And guess what?

They can't get them. No matter if eight out of 10 'test subjects' is lame enough to love the BANDS and love being able to book a spin on the Tea Cups from the couch, it is still a failure right now. Not based on what I think about it, but based upon Disney's own metrics, Disney's own projections.

And because of that, future plans for WDW have been sent to their room without dinner ... or, more truthfully, are being fed dog food while sitting in a locked cage hidden in the closet from the attraction welfare people.

But, hey, they're going to have fountains in this project and we all KNOW how well Disney maintains fountains (how many in the MK are now filled with trash and potted plants?)

Thanks.

 

[WDW1974]

Adding more visitors without fixing the bottleneck makes little sense. If you can't get to the new attractions what good are they?

And what makes you think there's only one solution to this issue?

 

[WDW1974]

Thanks.

You are welcome.

I really wish one day I could come here with some truly great news about WDW. Really.

Now, I'm going to go deal with my, unfortunately, poor current health!

 

[NormC]

And what makes you think there's only one solution to this issue?

I am sure there are several. The one they chose is not bad though.

 

[NormC]

You are welcome.

I really wish one day I could come here with some truly great news about WDW. Really.

Now, I'm going to go deal with my, unfortunately, poor current health!

Take care of yourself first. WDW isn't going anywhere.

 

[WDWYankee15]

I just get the feeling that if you have to use one of you 3 FP+s to enter that viewing area, it probably won't ever be very crowded

Yes, but that is speaking logically and with commen sense. That there is the rub.

We also are Disney Parks fans and understand how things work. The vast majority of people visiting don't. I wouldn't use one of mine, but I know plenty of people who would. Sad but true... at the same time, that is great because that is one less person trying to get one for Splash, Space, and Thunder Mountains.

Wait I have to book my meal reservations 180 days before my trip??? What!!!!!!!! - How many times have you seen and heard that one? Disney planning for most of "US" is second nature, but when you talk to many people they think: 1. "You're Crazy!" 2. "That can't possible be true." When they get there ... I told you so.

 

[kap91]

And this (the thread, not your post) is why the folks at Celebration Place feel like they own the fan community in social media.

Let's not talk about what was decided at last week's meeting when JUNE's price increases were suddenly moved up to February. Let's not talk about all the amazing new things coming to WDW in 2015 and 2016, all those new attractions, new night spectaculars, new shows etc.

Nah, let's all talk about how WDW is finally addressing the MK's overcrowding -- something that Disney has been ignoring for 15 years now and aiding with making it easier to get an ECV or double-wide stroller than a fanboi at an Imagineering open house -- and how great it all is.

Except ... well, except that some of us don't think that. While there are nice design elements, the project winds up a FAIL (as the kiddies like to say) based upon the fact they are not building a proper bypass. Nope, they'll put lighting up, and some very cheap landscaping that will hopefully keep you from giving Phil's Caddy four flats. Maybe they'll pull an old prop out of a warehouse and drop in down. But they won't do a proper arcade like DLP. It will still be painfully obvious that you are backstage where you don't belong.

And really, who needs trees in a theme park in CENTRAL FLORIDA?!?!? Nah, you must be able to see the fiberglass giant phallic symbol at all costs and the fireworks (you sure can't see them in any other place but the Hub thanks to the fact Steve Davison never communicates with Ops people before designing his shows ... just wait until that fire-breathing parade dragon suddenly stops spewing fire!)

But please give them kudos for this as they laugh at your support and think 'we've got them again' and spread it through social media (oh, 124 people liked this through FB -- great ... Dr. Blondie is counting!)

This is like when something is falling apart for years and Disney finally does something and the fans all start blubbering like this is something you give them credit for. No -- you do not.

You know, ultimately, the truth is exactly what a recently retired Disney Legend told me a few years back: ''WDW is what it is because of its fanbase.''

Congrats ...
Again, you get what you deserve.

If y'all were the DLR crowd circa 2001, you'd still be dining at Hollywood and Dine after riding SuperStar Limo and Tweeting about how great it all was.

I actually agree with most of this to a degree but with one major caveat. I do applaud management when they finally fix things that have caused issues for years - not because I excuse the issues - but because the circumstances and people that are responsible for those issues have long since parted ways with the company and the people fixing them are an entirely new group of management. While previous management would have let the problems sit there forever the current management is clearly (albeit slowly) addressing each and every one. I'd rather not list all the things that were wrong under the Eisner era and have since been fixed since or are in the process of being fixed, and obviously things could always be better, but I do say give credit where its due.

 

[rioriz]

Eh well this thread doesn't seem to know what it wants to be....it was starting to swerve in a somewhat positive direction.

Question...when will the bypass be used? only on Holidays and capacity nights? all year round? That answer depends on how I view how much to invest in the bypass. If only on capacity and Holiday nights it doesn't bother me that they are not building full facades for something only used on a handful of nights in the year.

To view things another way there are TONS of people out there that LOVE viewing the backstage of theme parks , heck there are websites devoted to behind the scenes and lights on pics videos. To the Parents ready to get out of the park after a hot day, trust, they will not think for one minute there is no full arcade backstage.

 

[FerretAfros]

I'll have to go back and check, but I seem to recall the plans calling for removal of that path and the demo of the Swan Boat dock.

EDIT: Yep...
View attachment 46908

Based on the height of the hill there, the path is being removed to accommodate the new grading for the new walkway. With the outer ring of the hub closer to the moat, they'll need a steeper hill in order to tie in to the existing shoreline; this makes it infeasible to have a compliant walkway down to the water's surface

And I'm completely spitballing, but is it possible that the new viewing areas will be terraced like the F! and WOC viewing areas at DLR? I can't see much detail in the plans posted so far, but the one on the east side appears to be divided into several bands, which could translate into the different levels