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

betty rose

Well-Known Member
I had relatives down from CO Superbowl week. They were not in a hurry to go back to snow. Keep warm.

Crowds are manageable this week, according to friends working at WDW and Uni, but next week FL starts getting spring break crowds. Extended hours in the parks I know.
Tell your relatives to stay away for a couple more days...it's going to get warmer later in the week. Yea! Sorry to hear the crowds are increasing, my bucket list includes the Flower and Garden, and will be there in 8 shorts days, flights and weather permitting. It's truly my last trip to flower and garden, hoping for good weather anything in the 50's will be fine.:D
 

wogwog

Well-Known Member
Tell your relatives to stay away for a couple more days...it's going to get warmer later in the week. Yea! Sorry to hear the crowds are increasing, my bucket list includes the Flower and Garden, and will be there in 8 shorts days, flights and weather permitting. It's truly my last trip to flower and garden, hoping for good weather anything in the 50's will be fine.:D
This time of year expect 80's and afternoon rain. I am going Thursday before the other locals realize F & G is starting.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
It's rubbish. Like they unloaded a giant steaming pile of horse manure on the once magnificent hub.

Main-Street-USA_Full_23397.jpg;width=1276

Screenshot-2014-08-17-09.01.56.jpg

ky032210h.jpg
:joyfull::joyfull::joyfull::joyfull: Why do I get the feeling that you haven't spent very much time in a horse stable?
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Really don't like this. But most of you probably figured that would be my opinion.

Until 2003-2004, the Hub was a garden-like Oasis that provided shade and kept the castle partially obscured and in proper perspective.

It has largely turned in a concrete wasteland. Now, it's simply a nicer concrete wasteland.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Really don't like this. But most of you probably figured that would be my opinion.

Until 2003-2004, the Hub was a garden-like Oasis that provided shade and kept the castle partially obscured and in proper perspective.

It has largely turned in a concrete wasteland. Now, it's simply a nicer concrete wasteland.
At least it's nicer. Glass half full, Spirit, Glass half full. It could easily have been worse.
 

Eric1955

Well-Known Member
Really don't like this. But most of you probably figured that would be my opinion.

Until 2003-2004, the Hub was a garden-like Oasis that provided shade and kept the castle partially obscured and in proper perspective.

It has largely turned in a concrete wasteland. Now, it's simply a nicer concrete wasteland.

While the new hub is an improvement it really saddens me that I'll never get to see this
MK Old Hub.jpg
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
At least it's nicer. Glass half full, Spirit, Glass half full. It could easily have been worse.

Goof, the sad thing is you are 100% correct. It could be worse, much worse.

Things shouldn't have to be like that ... at WDW or elsewhere. We shouldn't have to settle for 'nicer' or 'could be worse' etc.

I don't need to crowd the Hub to see fireworks. I can have a better experience viewing them in Fantasyland or even Liberty Square.

Of course, the infrastructure was put in with the Wishes replacement in mind too ... and you can bet it will be castle-centric.
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
While the new hub is an improvement it really saddens me that I'll never get to see this
View attachment 85310

That's MY MK.

That's what I grew up with, grew into adulthood with, hell, grew in middle age with ...

I can't stand a hot, paved wasteland. Now, it's simply a nicer one. That's sorta like you cutting my leg off, but then sticking around to bandage me and take care of the wound and give me a peg to walk on.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
While the new hub is an improvement it really saddens me that I'll never get to see this
View attachment 85310
That picture kind of makes me chuckle. The amount of moaning about that single 6 inch wide light pole obstructing the view when all those trees almost blocked it out completely. My father used to say, I'm not sure why, "you'd b-itch if they hung you with a new rope". As a kid I always shook my head and thought to myself, "Of course I would, they would be hanging me and the ropes age is the least of my problems". :eek: Now that I think of it, maybe that is exactly what he meant.
 
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Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Goof, the sad thing is you are 100% correct. It could be worse, much worse.

Things shouldn't have to be like that ... at WDW or elsewhere. We shouldn't have to settle for 'nicer' or 'could be worse' etc.

I don't need to crowd the Hub to see fireworks. I can have a better experience viewing them in Fantasyland or even Liberty Square.

Of course, the infrastructure was put in with the Wishes replacement in mind too ... and you can bet it will be castle-centric.
I don't think that the fireworks has anything to do with it in any real sense. If anything it is for the castle projections. But, since you have to clear the area out for that, might just as well do something nicer and in some way make it seem like you can see up in the air fireworks better if you have a FP then if you just look up in the sky when they fire them off.
 

Eric1955

Well-Known Member
That picture kind of makes me chuckle. The amount of moaning about that single 6 inch wide light pole obstructing the view when all those trees almost blocked it out completely. My father used to say, I'm not sure why, "you'd b-itch if they hung you with a new rope".

I think that's one of the reasons people find the light poles baffling. We can't have big trees because they block the view of the castle, but big light poles blocking the view of the castle are ok?
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
I think that's one of the reasons people find the light poles baffling. We can't have big trees because they block the view of the castle, but big light poles blocking the view of the castle are ok?
There is a big difference between a big tree and a narrow lamp post. It isn't even in the same conversation. I would prefer the trees because the projections, though clever, do not impress me that much. However, if all I have to contend with to see them is a minor pole that will be practically invisible during a night time show, then I would consider it to be an improvement.

Another question that doesn't seem to be addressed is that since the area is expanded beyond where it used to be how do you light that area sufficiently for safety. You cannot hang lights from the sky and to far away would require some high power spot lights to illuminate that area for traffic. It isn't what we would like to see, but, it certainly does seem to be there for good reasons. I haven't been in the area when they were illuminated so I can only speak from my imagination as to how it would look, but, I'll bet that only a few will ever even notice it is any different. Different isn't always a bad thing, it's just different.
 

note2001

Well-Known Member
While the new hub is an improvement it really saddens me that I'll never get to see this
View attachment 85310

If Disney would stop putting on shows causing an overabundance of folk to congregate in the Hub, they could restore it to that. But trees are not what the majority of visitors are clamoring for. They want sterotypical disney productions in front of the castle. They've seen the videos of fireworks in the sky over the castle online, researched the best place to stand, best things to eat, best place to stay. The problem is not restricted to Disney. Stopping here before I rage about stuff non-disney ;)
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
That's MY MK.

That's what I grew up with, grew into adulthood with, hell, grew in middle age with ...

I can't stand a hot, paved wasteland. Now, it's simply a nicer one. That's sorta like you cutting my leg off, but then sticking around to bandage me and take care of the wound and give me a peg to walk on.

Mine as well, And it's MISSED.
 

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
If Disney would stop putting on shows causing an overabundance of folk to congregate in the Hub, they could restore it to that. But trees are not what the majority of visitors are clamoring for. They want sterotypical disney productions in front of the castle. They've seen the videos of fireworks in the sky over the castle online, researched the best place to stand, best things to eat, best place to stay. The problem is not restricted to Disney. Stopping here before I rage about stuff non-disney ;)
Once Upon A Time it was received wisdom amongst Disney-goers that the fireworks were viewed best from Main Street, and that the hub was to be avoided. Because you would strain your neck, the view was likely to be obstructed, you missed the framing of the castle view on Main Street, and you lacked the full picture.

But Disney's audience infantilised over the years, thinking that the closer you are, the better. Like sitting one foot away from a sixty inch television screen.

The final death knell was the introduction of castle projections. Which will no doubt be developed further for future shows - once the initial investment has been made, light is cheaper than horribly expensive fireworks.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Goof, the sad thing is you are 100% correct. It could be worse, much worse.

Things shouldn't have to be like that ... at WDW or elsewhere. We shouldn't have to settle for 'nicer' or 'could be worse' etc.

I don't need to crowd the Hub to see fireworks. I can have a better experience viewing them in Fantasyland or even Liberty Square.

Of course, the infrastructure was put in with the Wishes replacement in mind too ... and you can bet it will be castle-centric.
See Spirit, that is exactly what I have to wonder about. "We shouldn't have to settle for 'nicer' or 'could be worse', etc." Why shouldn't we, Disney owes us only what they are willing to give us. We don't have to like things, but, we do have to understand that we don't control it. We have two choices. We can either go with what they have and enjoy it or at least enjoy it enough to still go or we can go elsewhere. Nothing is owed to us no matter what they charge for admission.

I see a bit of a turnaround in the parks lately and I am planning to see that is a very positive move until I am proven wrong. If I am wrong then I have one of those two choices to make, but, just like any business (yes, I know you hate to recognize that this is what it is) we don't run it or decide what they will offer. We have to accept that they are the dictators on their own property and it is a property that we do not have to step foot on unless we want too. All we do by cursing everything that they do is spoil the experience for ourselves. We don't change anything no matter how many eyes are watching this thread. The participation on this board represents less then one weeks attendance (if not one day), that leaves them 51+ other weeks of easy sailing.

Even Walt did things his way and really didn't care what others thought about it. He had a natural sense about what the public wanted, but, he was often wrong. He was supreme commander of the company so he could quickly get rid of his mistakes and no one could override it. Walt is dead. What they have done with the parks is actually pretty good considering none of them had Walt's instinct. Still not what it was like in the beginning, but, like I said, different isn't always bad.
 

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