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

[SpaceMountain75]

I'm curious, if the poles have to be there 24 hours a day, why they didn't bother to make them a bit more pleasing to the eye, maybe even regal. You can't make me believe Disney has no idea how to disguise things.


There would be an up-charge to sit on the benches. You okay with that?

I have to force myself to believe that they know it looks terrible, and they'll fix it eventually. Surely something that unsightly is temporary, especially considering they're putting all that work into the lights in the castle turrets.

 

[marni1971]

I have to force myself to believe that they know it looks terrible, and they'll fix it eventually. Surely something that unsightly is temporary

One would hope.

 

[ABQ]

The trees were never an obstruction until Wishes came along with low-level pyro and effects on the castle. Frankly, I don't care for projection shows on the castle or effects that can only be viewed from Main Street or a denuded Hub. I'll take a lush Hub with trees (that twinkled at night!) and fireworks in the sky over something like Wishes or Celebrate the Magic any day.

EDIT: forgot some words

I agree with you and have the same feelings you do regarding the shows. However, that wasn't the point I was arguing. I was only juxtaposing the current light poles vs the former trees and their impact on the reality of the existing show stage (the castle and the surrounding sky) that is in use today and sadly not going away any time soon.

 

[gmajew]

Courtesy of Guide2WDW

View attachment 91118

Not saying you can not see the poles as you can not doubt about it but that has to be one of the worst angles of photos I have seen of the space since it opened. I agree they look horrible and with out a doubt should have been handled differently.

but this picture was someone wanting to make sure to get the poles in the photos.

 

[note2001]

Not saying you can not see the poles as you can not doubt about it but that has to be one of the worst angles of photos I have seen of the space since it opened. I agree they look horrible and with out a doubt should have been handled differently.

but this picture was someone wanting to make sure to get the poles in the photos.

It's quite a common angle for those wanting to get the fountain and castle in the same shot. The difference here is there's a wide angle lens at play.

 

[TTA94]

The question is why did they install the poll lights in the first place?

 

[gmajew]

It's quite a common angle for those wanting to get the fountain and castle in the same shot. The difference here is there's a wide angle lens at play.

That is what I mean....LOL I have that same shot from my trip in March and I don't have the post in it.

 

[marni1971]

If only someone could invent an alternative...

 

[LL2WDW]

The question is why did they install the poll lights in the first place?

To provide light.

 

[ToTBellHop]

If only someone could invent an alternative...

View attachment 91122

This is what is so bizarre to me about these light poles. It's not as though Disney had to invent new technology to avoid this problem. They had already invented it and used it elsewhere at WDW. As focused as they are on providing a view of Cinderella Castle from every point within a mile of the MK, I find it very surprising that they didn't want a perfect view of the Castle from these sites. The entire purpose of this project is to improve traffic flow in the hub (check) and provide great (FP+) viewing sites for the Castle shows.

 

[Goofyernmost]

You're right...they are. Wow.

Though, the Tokyo observation many made is valid.

I still think this one wins the cake.

“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

That said, I actually support the Hub overhaul so far, and will reserve judgement to when I can see it in person.

Might I just respectfully point out that we are talking about a traffic circle here. It never was paradise and it is still there strictly for function. From what I have seen in person, it is actually prettier now then it was before. Flower, plants, seating, fountains, etc. It really is nice in there and I suspect will be even better when completed. We also need to remember that all of MK is a stage. The performance being done at the Castle needed a change of set so that more could enjoy it. It is nothing more then that. All the boo hooing and concern about it is really just a whole lot of people not being able to accept what the parks are really about. Entertainment!!!

I have heard about the sun and how there is no shade to watch the show. Like there ever was when the trees blocked the show. You made a choice... shade or show. It was practically impossible to have both. The length of the show is short whereas people spend hours sitting in the hot sun to watch a baseball game without a problem. The projection and fireworks show is at night... the sun is not an issue nor is shade. And it is forever mentioned about the poles. Even if they stay in place, they are not a huge problem when all it takes is a slight angling of the head to see around them and that is only if you are directly behind one. They do not block the sight line anywhere to the degree that the trees did. There really is no legitimate argument about it other then... "I don't like it as well". And that is a personal thing.

 

[Cesar R M]

Courtesy of Guide2WDW

View attachment 91118

ugly.. lightning.. lamps..

 

[Next Big Thing]

While they did manage to improve people flow

THAT was the point of the project, so as you state yourself, they improved and will continue to improve as the project nears completion.

Sightlines could have been better executed with retractable lighting, but sightlines were absolutely not the point of this project. Guest traffic flow was and they have succeeded at it with this and having the bypass open daily during fireworks/parade times.

 

[PhotoDave219]

THAT was the point of the project, so as you state yourself, they improved and will continue to improve as the project nears completion.

Sightlines could have been better executed with retractable lighting, but sightlines were absolutely not the point of this project. Guest traffic flow was and they have succeeded at it with this and having the bypass open daily during fireworks/parade times.

It still looks awful.

 

[Next Big Thing]

It still looks awful.

The hub? I think parts of it look pretty, but then if you move away from the fireworks viewing area where the fountains/statues are, it's very barren right now. So I agree from that standpoint.

The bypass? It's still a work in progress, but it looks a lot better than the parking lot it was a few years ago and they are actually starting to cover sight lines a bit with some large trees (*gasp*). I've worked the bypass many, many times as a CM. It's a beautiful place to watch Wishes from, but I would always have to tell guests to keep moving because it is a continuously moving walkway. You can't put anything too pretty back there or people will want to stop, which just makes it harder on the front line CMs as I was.

Point being about the bypass: it's open 3 hours a day (as of right now, we'll see if that changes). It's one and only purpose is to relieve Main Street of overcrowding and get people out of the park faster. People are going to spend money anyway, but they aren't going to if they end up being p***ed because of how long it's taking them to get out of the park down Main Street. Getting people out of the park faster means happier customers.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The hub? I think parts of it look pretty, but then if you move away from the fireworks viewing area where the fountains/statues are, it's very barren right now. So I agree from that standpoint.

The bypass? It's still a work in progress, but it looks a lot better than the parking lot it was a few years ago and they are actually starting to cover sight lines a bit with some large trees (*gasp*). I've worked the bypass many, many times as a CM. It's a beautiful place to watch Wishes from, but I would always have to tell guests to keep moving because it is a continuously moving walkway. You can't put anything too pretty back there or people will want to stop, which just makes it harder on the front line CMs as I was.

Point being about the bypass: it's open 3 hours a day (as of right now, we'll see if that changes). It's one and only purpose is to relieve Main Street of overcrowding and get people out of the park faster. People are going to spend money anyway, but they aren't going to if they end up being p***ed because of how long it's taking them to get out of the park down Main Street. Getting people out of the park faster means happier customers.

I was referring to the light poles.

Maybe when I check it again in six months I'll feel better about it.....

 

[ford91exploder]

This is what is so bizarre to me about these light poles. It's not as though Disney had to invent new technology to avoid this problem. They had already invented it and used it elsewhere at WDW. As focused as they are on providing a view of Cinderella Castle from every point within a mile of the MK, I find it very surprising that they didn't want a perfect view of the Castle from these sites. The entire purpose of this project is to improve traffic flow in the hub (check) and provide great (FP+) viewing sites for the Castle shows.

Is simple the disappearing poles were too expensive for current WDW management, Show is unimportant any longer at WDW because it costs money.

 

[Kman101]

Well, to be fair, sightlines should always be a priority. I like the new hub but those light poles are awful. I hope that's fixed in time.

 

[betty rose]

If only someone could invent an alternative...

View attachment 91122

Wow, maybe I need new glasses or something...I didn't notice those lights, in March .

 

[Horizons1]

Found some more pictures of the hub before they finally got smart and redesigned it. This is just hideous! The castle is so obstructed by those trees! And hardly any space to view the fireworks!