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

[xdan0920]

The trees in the MK's hub were designed to push the castle further back; to give the illusion that it was actually taller and farther away when you first saw it from Main Street. The hub itself was also used as a cozy, shady, quiet transitional area. You couldn't just see Tomorrowland via the Adventureland bridge, or vice versa. The hub trees were used as "stage curtains" to help slowly reveal the next land you came upon as you navigated the hub.

@WDW1974 knows all about my fascination with the hub trees. The spirit tried to get me to go to a free clinic to resolve my sorrows about the trees being removed, but we ended up going to a Fuddruckers instead.

Here is a picture of the hub in 1991, granted the trees were overgrown in this photo (they did get trimmed from time to time over the years)

This picture from July 2003, shows the hub trees as well as the large trees before you get to the hub that were removed for the castle projection show.

The hub trees were removed in September 2003 to make way for Wishes in October 2003.

The hub was then redone/flattened out (original 1971 circular faux brick benches, planters, etc were all removed around 2005 for the global 50th anniversary of Disneyland.

And here is the hub today. Barren, flat, with a Castle plopped right down at the end of Main Street saying "LOOK AT ME I'M HERE!" with no sense of foreground (the trees) to push the castle further back and also help draw you toward the castle as you could see it peaking up from behind the trees.

The hub is extremely barren, and doesn't help in of all places...FLORIDA. Hopefully the new hub's outer ring of trees will help provide some shade at the very least.

GREAT post!

How anyone could like the 2005-2014 hub, when compared to 2003 and before is completely beyond my comprehension.

 

[marni1971]

Well, they're going to add more trees, and trees in the hub, but with less height than before.

Please don't go by the marketing video. Note now it is set at sunset? All pretty colours?

And increased shadows from a low sun implying lots of tall trees.

Interesting thoughts: the projection throw path

Also the distance from the north end of Main Street to the castle is Infact greater than the length of Main Street itself. Such a vast area cannot remain barren.

The balancing act is between viewpoints vs landscaping. Projection space is negligible.

 

[note2001]

Here is a picture of the hub in 1991, granted the trees were overgrown in this photo (they did get trimmed from time to time over the years)

Heart be Still.

I suppose what Disney's dealing with is the same thing we all deal with: Technology and population's desire for it over nature. With an overdose of technology in my world, I prefer nature.

 

[mm52200]

The trees in the MK's hub were designed to push the castle further back; to give the illusion that it was actually taller and farther away when you first saw it from Main Street. The hub itself was also used as a cozy, shady, quiet transitional area. You couldn't just see Tomorrowland via the Adventureland bridge, or vice versa. The hub trees were used as "stage curtains" to help slowly reveal the next land you came upon as you navigated the hub.

@WDW1974 knows all about my fascination with the hub trees. The spirit tried to get me to go to a free clinic to resolve my sorrows about the trees being removed, but we ended up going to a Fuddruckers instead.

Here is a picture of the hub in 1991, granted the trees were overgrown in this photo (they did get trimmed from time to time over the years)

This picture from July 2003, shows the hub trees as well as the large trees before you get to the hub that were removed for the castle projection show.

The hub trees were removed in September 2003 to make way for Wishes in October 2003.

The hub was then redone/flattened out (original 1971 circular faux brick benches, planters, etc were all removed around 2005 for the global 50th anniversary of Disneyland.

And here is the hub today. Barren, flat, with a Castle plopped right down at the end of Main Street saying "LOOK AT ME I'M HERE!" with no sense of foreground (the trees) to push the castle further back and also help draw you toward the castle as you could see it peaking up from behind the trees.

The hub is extremely barren, and doesn't help in of all places...FLORIDA. Hopefully the new hub's outer ring of trees will help provide some shade at the very least.

I miss this hub a lot, even though we barely got to enjoy it. I think however if my memory serves correctly, the big trees were still in place in fall of 2003. However the next year in November the trees were gone in preparation of them about to redo the whole hub. The next year we went in November (2005) was when the Hub's transformation was complete. My biggest thing is I wish that they would still have more benches around the hub. I was amazed at the number of benches DL had throughout their hub. Then in the evening they actually would move a lot of the benches to create a reserved viewing area for the fireworks. I understand that the benches don't help with crowding, but if DL's significantly smaller hub but with similar attendance can handle the crowds, then so can WDW's barren wide open Hub.

 

[Pumbaa1222]

^That's the first post that's ever convinced me that I may have preferred the hub with some foliage. Although if it was between trees in the hub and a castle projection show, I will take the projection show every time. The projection shows never fail to impress me.

I completely agree, I didn't get the fuss about the trees, and definitely adore Wishes and the projection shows. But this previous post is the first to illustrate and make me understand the need for the trees. The stage curtain analogy was very helpful.

 

[Pumbaa1222]

Please don't go by the marketing video. Note now it is set at sunset? All pretty colours?

And increased shadows from a low sun implying lots of tall trees.

Interesting thoughts: the projection throw path

View attachment 49386

Also the distance from the north end of Main Street to the castle is Infact greater than the length of Main Street itself. Such a vast area cannot remain barren.

The balancing act is between viewpoints vs landscaping. Projection space is negligible.

Also helpful for this conversation! Is there any hope that if the goal of the outer ring is to keep people moving, there might be a desire to plant trees between the rings to intentionally limit viewpoints from the outside? Or is the outer ring necessary for capacity? This of course doesn't solve the problem of perspective from Main St, but could add more trees in other places around the hub and block some sightlines from land to land.

 

[jdmdisney99]

How about...
Dark Green = "Real" Foliage
Light Green = If you're standing here, you better be moving
Red = Fireworks Viewing
Blue = Castle Stage

 

[ford91exploder]

Also helpful for this conversation! Is there any hope that if the goal of the outer ring is to keep people moving, there might be a desire to plant trees between the rings to intentionally limit viewpoints from the outside? Or is the outer ring necessary for capacity? This of course doesn't solve the problem of perspective from Main St, but could add more trees in other places around the hub and block some sightlines from land to land.

Love the idea of planting trees to limit sightlines but with current TDO management capacity will always trump show. The pre-2005 hub used the trees as a curtain to make the castle seem much further away and it made for a nice shady spot in the middle of the park. Now the outer rings are supposed to be for traffic - in reality they will draw more viewers from Main St to the outer ring. The net effect is during Wishes Main St will probably be uncrowded but the hub will be wall to wall people.

That being said the although I hate this the hub should have been re-designed as an esplanade and all the greenery within removed - perhaps move the castle stage to the middle of the esplanade to break up that traffic jam during the day.

 

[ABQ]

That being said the although I hate this the hub should have been re-designed as an esplanade and all the greenery within removed - perhaps move the castle stage to the middle of the esplanade to break up that traffic jam during the day.

I wouldn't mind just moving it to the 1-2 O'clock position. Slightly northeast or so. It would obscure nothing and would open the castle breezeway all day and night. Assuming they could get the stage show support storage its own location, out and away from the castle during this entire project.

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

During my visit yesterday, March 16th, i noticed a temporary dam near the tree house, and some affects were not working. The swan boat dock is mainly removed, and they started to clear the ground on the right side of MS(looking at the castle). I have photos but they are not uploaded yet.

 

[Stupido]

happy to hear that the project is making noticeable progress.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

The trees in the MK's hub were designed to push the castle further back; to give the illusion that it was actually taller and farther away when you first saw it from Main Street. The hub itself was also used as a cozy, shady, quiet transitional area. You couldn't just see Tomorrowland via the Adventureland bridge, or vice versa. The hub trees were used as "stage curtains" to help slowly reveal the next land you came upon as you navigated the hub.

@WDW1974 knows all about my fascination with the hub trees. The spirit tried to get me to go to a free clinic to resolve my sorrows about the trees being removed, but we ended up going to a Fuddruckers instead.

Here is a picture of the hub in 1991, granted the trees were overgrown in this photo (they did get trimmed from time to time over the years)

This picture from July 2003, shows the hub trees as well as the large trees before you get to the hub that were removed for the castle projection show.

The hub trees were removed in September 2003 to make way for Wishes in October 2003.

The hub was then redone/flattened out (original 1971 circular faux brick benches, planters, etc were all removed around 2005 for the global 50th anniversary of Disneyland.

And here is the hub today. Barren, flat, with a Castle plopped right down at the end of Main Street saying "LOOK AT ME I'M HERE!" with no sense of foreground (the trees) to push the castle further back and also help draw you toward the castle as you could see it peaking up from behind the trees.

The hub is extremely barren, and doesn't help in of all places...FLORIDA. Hopefully the new hub's outer ring of trees will help provide some shade at the very least.

Those trees were so beautiful.

 

[PirateFrank]

Does anyone have a guess as to when all of this work will be completed?

 

[dstrawn9889]

2015, Pete and Repeat go into a bar. Pete leaves. who is left in the bar?

 

[Father Robinson]

In the most recent photos there's a good amount of water in the western side of the moat. Wonder what that's all about...

 

[Next Big Thing]

In the most recent photos there's a good amount of water in the western side of the moat. Wonder what that's all about...

It rained the other day.

 

[unkadug]

Those trees were so beautiful.

Especially at night, filled with thousands of twinkling white lights.

 

[rioriz]

Heart be Still.

I suppose what Disney's dealing with is the same thing we all deal with: Technology and population's desire for it over nature. With an overdose of technology in my world, I prefer nature.

People need to read this post over and over....throw out your pixie glasses and realize that Disney is evolving with the evolving taste of the public. 5 Likes for your sir! Yeah we love the old way but the kids growing up now want technology, quickness, and ease more than ever.

 

[xdan0920]

Especially at night, filled with thousands of twinkling white lights.

Obsolete tech.

 

[jdmdisney99]

People need to read this post over and over....throw out your pixie glasses and realize that Disney is evolving with the evolving taste of the public. 5 Likes for your sir! Yeah we love the old way but the kids growing up now want technology, quickness, and ease more than ever.

Sorry, but I honestly don't think they should be doing that. Society as a whole is becoming less and less sophisticated with each new gadget, and Disney should try to right that path by keeping the parks knowledgeable, sophisticated and realistic* (no "dumbing things down" as some might say). I realize we're talking about fireworks here, but this really applies to all of WDW right now: they need to stop going down with society and start putting it back on the right track. Either way people will come, so why take the easy way out and build uninspiring experiences, while other deeply moving attractions are torn down or rot?


*Not necessarily inspired by real-life but setting a scene (Ex. Trees in the park on the main street of a town).