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

[ADP2]

I like the idea of this. It's looks great! However, the timing kind of stinks. During Spring Break season and into summer, and just after a price increase. Now you have to pay a premium to see walls, tarp, and a castle that doesn't looks it's best.

 

[xdan0920]

Woohoo more concrete!

I like the idea of an added bridge from the hub to the new semi-permanent exit next to the Tomorrowland terrace, but did not expect that almost the entire hub will now be paved. I wanted all of the trees to be added back like it once was, not the reverse where they take the remaining trees, grass and flowers.

Looks like they did leave plenty of room for lots of extra carts selling popcorn, ice cream and those irritating lighted whirlygigs (so you can't enjoy the show because someone's un-behaved and un-supervised kid keeps waving in front of your face or smacking you in the back of the head with it)

They destroyed so much of the park like qualities of the hub up till this point, that this new hub is gonna *probably* be an improvement.

 

[jmmc]

I can understand not liking a good amount of the garden and water features being removed, but honestly, that area is just insane during the fireworks / castle projection shows. It doesn't even matter if it's one of the less busy times of the year. People essentially get trapped in spots and it's very tough to get around. The Main Street bypass will help that, but I also think just giving people more room will help. Maybe people can think other ways to help deal with this, but this is one way they've come up with. I think it's going to be a lot of help. Changes like removing fountains and water features because they're a little too difficult to maintain aggravate me, but this doesn't because there is at least a real reason to do it.

And really, yes, you could have 10 more e-ticket rides in the park to occupy people, but lots of people are still going to want to crowd in to the hub to see the show.

 

[Lord_Vader]

Adding the outside ring to help keep traffic moving through this highly congested area of the park is a huge plus over the long run and long overdue. I sincerely hope that all the new trees, gardens and added topiaries make a visually stunning impact, but will wait to see what they do before passing judgement.

Combine this with the MS bypass, hopefully the traffic control issues will be eased a bit even if it is only in front of the castle and down MSUSA. Traffic will continue to bottleneck under the train station though which is not as much an issue for guests staying in the park anyway, they are in and around the hub, the traffic jam is simply being moved out of the way of those of us staying.

Construction of this project sounds like it is going to take a long time, I am willing to bet mostly because they are going to work on quarters at a time starting in front of Casey's and then the Plaza Restaurant, moving around to avoid blocking/limiting views as long as possible and to provide the relief valve as early as possible to boot.

If I had one wish on this project it would be to create a sculpted gardens at the hub entrance from MSUSA to really place the forecourt, make a real impact right at the threshold.

 

[PhilharMagician]

They destroyed so much of the park like qualities of the hub up till this point, that this new hub is gonna *probably* be an improvement.

I could only hope. Like always we can only wait and see what the finished product will look like. This will probably be sold as the next big MK expansion so they can try and sell vacation pkg's.

 

[Tim Lohr]

Woohoo more concrete!

I like the idea of an added bridge from the hub to the new semi-permanent exit next to the Tomorrowland terrace, but did not expect that almost the entire hub will now be paved. I wanted all of the trees to be added back like it once was, not the reverse where they take the remaining trees, grass and flowers.

Looks like they did leave plenty of room for lots of extra carts selling popcorn, ice cream and those irritating lighted whirlygigs (so you can't enjoy the show because someone's un-behaved and un-supervised kid keeps waving in front of your face or smacking you in the back of the head with it)

They also needed a place to sell Glow with the Show ears at $25 a piece

 

[Rob562]

I guess so, I understand the need to keep people moving during parades and fireworks. It's just that the inner rings gets so crowded, I'd like to see additional viewing space for non FP+ people. Hopefully the dedicated FP+ viewing areas will free up space in the center of the hub and the Main Street bypass will allow for more viewing on Main Street proper without the isle roped/taped off.

I think part of the problem is that the Hub and Main Street right now get so gridlocked that people who don't care about the fireworks and are trying to exit the park just give up when the lights go down, stop, turn and watch the fireworks.

So if they have dedicated no-standing zones in the new outer ring, people who want to move and exit during the fireworks can do so, leaving the previous "stuck and stay" spots in the Hub and Main Street open for people who *actually* want to stand and watch the fireworks.

-Rob

 

[jdmdisney99]

I am hoping there will actually be more trees with this expansion than there are now, mostly because they will want to block views from the outer ring.

 

[orky8]

What would be awesome is if they covered the outer rings with something like below, then people wouldn't stop at night, and during the day, it could provide some welcome shade.

 

[Clamman73]

I like the idea of this. It's looks great! However, the timing kind of stinks. During Spring Break season and into summer, and just after a price increase. Now you have to pay a premium to see walls, tarp, and a castle that doesn't looks it's best.

But it was probably no better timing for them to put this construction b/t 40th and 45th MK anniversary.

 

[DrewmanS]

I think part of the problem is that the Hub and Main Street right now get so gridlocked that people who don't care about the fireworks and are trying to exit the park just give up when the lights go down, stop, turn and watch the fireworks.

So if they have dedicated no-standing zones in the new outer ring, people who want to move and exit during the fireworks can do so, leaving the previous "stuck and stay" spots in the Hub and Main Street open for people who *actually* want to stand and watch the fireworks.

-Rob

And those who want to miss the post fireworks rush, can make it to transportation earlier. So not only could this reduce crowds for fireworks, it could spread out the crowd leaving the park. Add the new dock at TTC for quicker ferry boat turns and larger bus stops with articulated busses and all of this is adding up to a much better experience when leaving the parks.

 

[ABQ]

What would be awesome is if they covered the outer rings with something like below, then people wouldn't stop at night, and during the day, it could provide some welcome shade.

boy, how awesome that would be. Especially if it was filled with obsolete lighting tech. Just had to add that, as it does remind me of the Lights of Winter

 

[Prototype82]

So excited that I'll be able to watch Wishes without getting run over by strollers.

 

[willtravel]

I think part of the problem is that the Hub and Main Street right now get so gridlocked that people who don't care about the fireworks and are trying to exit the park just give up when the lights go down, stop, turn and watch the fireworks.

So if they have dedicated no-standing zones in the new outer ring, people who want to move and exit during the fireworks can do so, leaving the previous "stuck and stay" spots in the Hub and Main Street open for people who *actually* want to stand and watch the fireworks.

-Rob

I agree with that in theory. But during busy season when all other space is taken, people will gravitate towards an empty space and stand. Yes CM's will try to clear out space but I wonder who will win out.

 

[Voxel]

What would be awesome is if they covered the outer rings with something like below, then people wouldn't stop at night, and during the day, it could provide some welcome shade.

I wouldn't say people wouldn't stop at these. The amusement park near me as a 300 ft path like this and you be surprised how many people stop here and just stand there. It becomes a choke hold. Other then that I love them

 

[tirian]

I'm torn on this. It needs to be done, and the bridge we're losing has never felt too special anyway because it's usually crowded with merch and people. I hope the landscaping is well done...

 

[MKCP 1985]

Removing the moat should help to launch attacks on the castle. One day, that castle suite will be mine. {pirate flag}

 

[aladdin2007]

Removing the moat should help to launch attacks on the castle. One day, that castle suite will be mine. {pirate flag}

They aren't removing the moat as a whole especially at the castle, did I miss something?

 

[jdmdisney99]

Since a lot of people are comparing and contrasting the trees and such to Disneyland, I decided to do a few screengrabs for a side by side comparison. I included the "old" MK hub for good measure.

(Note: Not to scale, in the pictures Disneyland's hub ring is as big as the MK's)

Disneyland Hub

View attachment 47093

MK New Hub

View attachment 47091

MK Old Hub

View attachment 47094

Continuing from that idea...

 

[ford91exploder]

I agree with that in theory. But during busy season when all other space is taken, people will gravitate towards an empty space and stand. Yes CM's will try to clear out space but I wonder who will win out.

The crowd will win - there is no way the crowds will skip that prime viewing area. In 2013 I saw guests (BTG's) actively defying the CM's as to seating and eventually the CM's gave in. I've never seen that before

All this does is expand stroller parking space, I know what was intended but the reality on the ground especially without the trees to block fireworks views is simply going to be expanded viewing area and the hub will be twice as jammed as it is now.