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

[Tim Lohr]

was looking at google maps over the area tonight....what the hell is the (balloon building)
see here

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.4171885,-81.5807238,61m/data=!3m1!1e3

It's were these come from

 

[matt9112]

It's were these come from

omg.....mind blown I LOVE THOSE......we lost ours.....a deadly fan at a security check point killed it.

(added to list of things to do when i get rich)
2567> construct personal balloon building.

edit. (yes i really just got that excited like a 12 year old)

 

[rioriz]

You can be optimistic about the hub. East Street is going to look like crap, just not as crappy as it does now. When I said it was "beautiful" in an earlier, post, that was sarcasm. They're building wooden walls for pete's sake instead of actually full facades and stores. They will still not get any revenue from East Street, and it still won't connect to Center Street. It's just really low budget. They needed to spend more on this route so it could be like an arcade in Paris. That really is the bottom line.

I understand your sarcasm and knew it was. Still....I don't mind. As was said before, we here underestimate how many 1 day visitors there are that want to get the hell out of the park. Only us (the purist) care. This is not to be political but America's public is changing. There are purist who want to conserve what we have been (America past) vs. those that are willing to go with change, good or bad (social mindset changing). I could lay money down that there will be more guest that are grateful for the (what we consider) unfinished, quicker way out vs. the Purist mindset seen here. IMHO

Again this is ONE MOVE Disney is doing seemingly (at DL and WDW) with Consumer ease not $ in mind.

 

[WDW1974]

Does anybody have an idea of the timeframe for the bypass? I saw that area on Sunday morning during the Princess Half, and there was no sign of any sort of construction. Even if they start today, I'd be pretty surprised if it was ready in time for summer

Ferret, longtime no see. Things get too boring in Doobie's Tumbleweed Place?

 

[WDW1974]

You can be optimistic about the hub. East Street is going to look like crap, just not as crappy as it does now. When I said it was "beautiful" in an earlier, post, that was sarcasm. They're building wooden walls for pete's sake instead of actually full facades and stores. They will still not get any revenue from East Street, and it still won't connect to Center Street. It's just really low budget. They needed to spend more on this route so it could be like an arcade in Paris. That really is the bottom line.

Yep. This is exactly what I expected.

TDO: Never Exceeding Guests' Expectations Since the 20th Century!

 

[raymusiccity]

I

im a big fan of the new hub....crowds suck.....first day of lottery winnings. MK all day..just me.

and i think 74 said some positive things in this thread. i have to take notes.

I agree that it's a much needed project for a portion of the park that needed a safety valve for large crowds.

Any mention of a timetable for all of this?

 

[Tip Top Club]

Opening up a by-pass behind MS east? Fine.

A new bridge connecting to it? Um...ok.

The loss of more green space and foliage in the hub? Ugh...just...no.

Overall...I am displeased.

I haven't heard a lot about this project, but I had heard that the team behind it is very aware of this, and will be aggressively landscaping the area as much as will be allowed. Weather that means flowers, shrubs, trees, or topiaries I don't know, but I won't tend to hope all of that and more.

 

[Tip Top Club]

Does anybody have an idea of the timeframe for the bypass? I saw that area on Sunday morning during the Princess Half, and there was no sign of any sort of construction. Even if they start today, I'd be pretty surprised if it was ready in time for summer

Won't be ready for summer, as usual they are taking their sweet time.

That being said, the first thing they are doing is moving infrastructure, which they have done a substantial amount of, so it isn't really obvious.

 

[Sped2424]

Yes, I'm aware. -_- It doesn't bother me too badly though. I do far better site plans for a living and I like my anonymity on here anyway, so I won't be putting these in any professional portfolio. It'd be nice if they gave credit though.

I think I saw a blog on tumblr give you credit! Did you know walt disney I believe!

 

[aladdin2007]

I haven't heard a lot about this project, but I had heard that the team behind it is very aware of this, and will be aggressively landscaping the area as much as will be allowed. Weather that means flowers, shrubs, trees, or topiaries I don't know, but I won't tend to hope all of that and more.

Well some of that would sure be better than none, best part is at least they are aware, sometimes I wonder anymore.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Ha! Even if it were just exit/closing time, that's enough to warrant a proper corridor with shop access.

That's thousands of people every single day that will be bypassing the Main Street shops on their way out of the parks at the end of the day.

There is always the gate at Center Street.

 

[JungleTrekFan]

There is always the gate at Center Street.

I have been wondering if they would use that gate, as well. But i want to say they would not due to it possibly confusing more people of where it goes than helping the traffic move along. Also, their are two compactors that are near that gate (behind the row of palm trees), unless they are moving them, but i doubt they would want to isolate them from the cast on the south eastern side of main street. Then again the gates would not necessarily be open that long so maybe it would not effect any work that needed to be done.

 

[Kurt Hauk]

I understand why they are doing this but it kinda bums me out. Especially because I will be there in a month and I am now just hoping it isn't all torn up when I get there.

 

[ABQ]

You can be optimistic about the hub. East Street is going to look like crap, just not as crappy as it does now. When I said it was "beautiful" in an earlier, post, that was sarcasm. They're building wooden walls for pete's sake instead of actually full facades and stores. They will still not get any revenue from East Street, and it still won't connect to Center Street. It's just really low budget. They needed to spend more on this route so it could be like an arcade in Paris. That really is the bottom line.

Actually, I don't think it's a bad thing that the East Street bypass will be nothing special to look at. It's main purpose is a relief route to expediently guide guests out the front door. Odds are, if you're taking it, you want to leave, not wander and doddle. If a slow route is what you want, take Main Street.

 

[wogwog]

I have been wondering if they would use that gate, as well. But i want to say they would not due to it possibly confusing more people of where it goes than helping the traffic move along. Also, their are two compactors that are near that gate (behind the row of palm trees), unless they are moving them, but i doubt they would want to isolate them from the cast on the south eastern side of main street. Then again the gates would not necessarily be open that long so maybe it would not effect any work that needed to be done.

Compactor is already moved about 40 yards south east.

 

[xdan0920]

I understand why they are doing this but it kinda bums me out. Especially because I will be there in a month and I am now just hoping it isn't all torn up when I get there.

That does suck. An empty moat combined with hub construction is not fun. Sorry.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Obsolete technology.

True given the luminescent plant life expected from the Pandora build.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Actually, I don't think it's a bad thing that the East Street bypass will be nothing special to look at. It's main purpose is a relief route to expediently guide guests out the front door. Odds are, if you're taking it, you want to leave, not wander and doddle. If a slow route is what you want, take Main Street.

You miss my point... East Street should still be accessible from Main Street via Center Street, and it should be open at all times. It should be more of a covered pathway or arcade. In Florida, we have this thing called rain in the summer. Covered or interior pathways are wonderful. And people do move though these fairly quickly. The idea of building an alternate parade route on this street won out, over something more useful for guests. Not sure why you think that if you build something a bit nicer that people will stop and doddle. That's really not the case.

 

[ABQ]

You miss my point... East Street should still be accessible from Main Street via Center Street, and it should be open at all times. It should be more of a covered pathway or arcade. In Florida, we have this thing called rain in the summer. Covered or interior pathways are wonderful. And people do move though these fairly quickly. The idea of building an alternate parade route on this street won out, over something more useful for guests. Not sure why you think that if you build something a bit nicer that people will stop and doddle. That's really not the case.

You may be right, I don't know, I'm certainly no expert in human behaviour. Bottom line though, it's all a moot point IF the point of this bypass was providing guests swift passage out of the park, as the lack of retail or food options appears to make me think it was or is, because the bottleneck under the railway is still the same. Unless they create a side exit, a la the International Gateway, there's no stopping the massive mess that currently exists.

 

[dstrawn9889]

moat pics?