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

[flynnibus]

My theory on Disneyland vs. MK traffic patterns is that since Disneyland is more of a "locals" park, there's a much higher percentage of repeat visitors to Disneyland on any given night. That means that a larger percentage have been there for fireworks and other traffic issues and thus know the routine and what they're in for, including the one-way "swirling Hub" traffic flow.

DL is far more aggressive in their crowd control staff. In both volume of CMs, tools, and interacting with guests. In effect - they control it, WDW does not.

 

[Otamin]

I still see lots of trees which cause people to bunch up so as to see fireworks without trees in the sight lines.
All this work - and trees are still going to be there blocking sight lines. Why bother?

Because theming is important?

Theming used to set Disney apart from the competition, but now? Not as much.

 

[devoy1701]

Basically, it sounds like the MK can address this problem if they put more resources into it. They simply don't want to pay the labor to make it happen. Especially when labor hours are being cut left and right to make up for Nextgen cost overruns.

Seriously, for anyone who's never been to DL on a weekend night -- the park can be jampacked, they'll run multiple Fantasmics and fireworks -- and there is a small army of CM's who are directing traffic in a very orderly pattern. You're still in a crowd of wall-to-wall people, but it just feels safer, because you're generally moving together in the same direction. Generally, at the MK, its every man, woman and screaming child for himself.

I've suggested it many times to the Crowd Control Lead CMs in the MK. Moving the benches down to the curb and having the sidewalks going one-way into the Hub and one-way out from the Hub and allowing the street to be standing room makes a HUGE impact on being able to keep moving during the crowded evenings. I've never understood why the MK Crowd Control team is sooo adamant about NOT letting people stand in the street in the Hub to claim their viewing spot for the fireworks when that is EXACTLY where everyone wants to be! If they want the crowds to be a bit more pleasant, then let the early bird stake their claim to the center of the street 2 hours before the fireworks if they want to. CMs will be happier, Guests will be happier!

 

[MissM]

-- the park can be jampacked, they'll run multiple Fantasmics and fireworks -- and there is a small army of CM's who are directing traffic in a very orderly pattern. You're still in a crowd of wall-to-wall people, but it just feels safer, because you're generally moving together in the same direction. Generally, at the MK, its every man, woman and screaming child for himself.

(emphasis mine) Yes, that exactly! NYE two years ago felt significantly safer because it was controlled. Orderly. Christmas Eve this year was just scary, dangerous and out of control. At one point, I got shoved so hard that I would have completely fallen to the ground had there been space in the press for me to fall. The only thing that kept me standing was the density of the mass of people around me. It was really terrifying and I could easily have seen how a small child could be trampled in a crowd like that.

 

[marni1971]

Disneyland was a pleasant surprise in the scale and efficiency of crowd control both for Magical and two Fantasmics.

Compare to WDW a year later on the 40th when CMs were ordered out of the hub and any little control totally collapsed.

Disneyland realised with Remember... that any hub centric show will be a nightmare. Guests will still want to see any show from the sweet spot. Shows like Dreams! rely on it. It needs better control. White tape on the floor isn't enough anymore.

 

[WDWLover#1]

Because theming is important?

Theming used to set Disney apart from the competition, but now? Not as much.

Im sorry but that is a ridiculous statement. Have you seen NFL? The tangled area that's just a bathroom. And the mountain is beautiful. Heres the complete theming and explanation of Animal kingdom part 1:

part 2:
CARS LAND. AHEM.....CARS LAND.
The new Fotlk building-it looks brilliant. Concept art for Disney Springs and Avatar.

And yes blah blah uni is great. Tranformers is a gigantic cement building in the middle of a new York area. Hogwarts show building can be obviously seen as you go up to it. You see a gigantic wall.
Diagon Alley-

 

[marni1971]

Diagon Alley-

Errr.... It's not finished yet.

But if you insist in comparisons, for whatever reason, The Haunted Mansion is.

There again, you do know about the view from the hub when the MK was new don't you?

 

[note2001]

Basically, it sounds like the MK can address this problem if they put more resources into it. They simply don't want to pay the labor to make it happen. Especially when labor hours are being cut left and right to make up for Nextgen cost overruns.

Seriously, for anyone who's never been to DL on a weekend night -- the park can be jampacked, they'll run multiple Fantasmics and fireworks -- and there is a small army of CM's who are directing traffic in a very orderly pattern. You're still in a crowd of wall-to-wall people, but it just feels safer, because you're generally moving together in the same direction. Generally, at the MK, its every man, woman and screaming child for himself.

Next step after the new paths are built and all guests oblige and wear their Magic Bands is to install traffic lights around the hub and on main street. Not only will this enhance the experience through adding realism of every day life, but it will enable WDW security to add sensors to the lights and ticket violators. You can expect your tickets to be conveniently added to your room charge to make for a seamless experience.

Cast members who used to be stationed along the pathways will be re-cast as triage nurses for all the ECV / stroller accidents which will ensue from distracted strolling as folk stare at their smartphones rescheduling their FP+ times.

 

[articos]

Im sorry but that is a ridiculous statement. Have you seen NFL? The tangled area that's just a bathroom. And the mountain is beautiful. Heres the complete theming and explanation of Animal kingdom part 1:


And yes blah blah uni is great. Tranformers is a gigantic cement building in the middle of a new York area. Hogwarts show building can be obviously seen as you go up to it. You see a gigantic wall.
Diagon Alley-

You won't see the Gringotts show building at all once complete, and the trees have been planted and grown in.

 

[WDWLover#1]

Errr.... It's not finished yet.

But if you insist in comparisons, for whatever reason, The Haunted Mansion is.

There again, you do know about the view from the hub when the MK was new don't you?

I showed Diagon Alley due to those buildings in the photographs,in clear view of the guest, not being themed at all and they wont be-see the pictures or visit when it's finished. They'll still be there just like the showbuilding at Hogwarts.
Also the poster in question was mentioning about how theming is now in the present. Not the Magic Kingdom 43 years ago.

 

[JT3000]

I showed Diagon Alley due to those buildings in the photographs,in clear view of the guest, not being themed at all and they wont be-see the pictures or visit when it's finished. They'll still be there just like the showbuilding at Hogwarts.
Also the poster in question was mentioning about how theming is now in the present. Not the Magic Kingdom 43 years ago.

It's

Not

Finished

Yet

 

[Kman101]

Why does every thread turn into Uni vs. WDW? Seriously. It's a constant "I have to prove this person WRONG!!!" at all costs. On both "sides"

 

[TP2000]

Disneyland was a pleasant surprise in the scale and efficiency of crowd control both for Magical and two Fantasmics.

Compare to WDW a year later on the 40th when CMs were ordered out of the hub and any little control totally collapsed.

You would think someone in TDO would pick up the phone and call Anaheim to ask if a couple of Disneyland's crowd control experts could fly out for a week to help and teach Magic Kingdom how to do it better. The amount of people they get inside Disneyland each year is comparable to Magic Kingdom, and yet they pull off two Fantasmic shows per night with a Hub fireworks show inbetween and they keep everyone moving and flowing every night. And Disneyland has much smaller walkways than Magic Kingdom does in the Hub and land entry areas.

It can't be rocket science. Just call Anaheim and ask for help and advice. Or maybe there's some ego involved and TDO won't reach out to Anaheim for assistance? Whatever the excuse is, it's not good enough.

 

[Gabe1]

retro moat

 

[unkadug]

retro moat

I like that...I'm stealing that picture!

 

[psherman42]

As a CM (not PAC), it hurts seeing the backlash (for want of better word) towards them on this page. My roommate on my last CP and I know she'd be telling people where to go, or that they couldn't sit/stand in a certain spot and they would simply refuse, or move back the minute the CM walks away. While it may not be perfect, the MK PAC CM's (whoa acronyms) do the absolute best they can, even though they probably have one of the worst jobs in the park. People come to Disney expecting magic and getting basically everything they want and being able to do anything they want and they have to be the ones who almost always have to say no. It's got to be hard. As for the comparisons to Disneyland, while I have no first hand experience, from what I've heard from friends who grew up going to Disneyland, the type of guests at each park is quite different, which may also factor into crowd control situations.

 

[novawildcat18]

As a CM (not PAC), it hurts seeing the backlash (for want of better word) towards them on this page. My roommate on my last CP and I know she'd be telling people where to go, or that they couldn't sit/stand in a certain spot and they would simply refuse, or move back the minute the CM walks away. While it may not be perfect, the MK PAC CM's (whoa acronyms) do the absolute best they can, even though they probably have one of the worst jobs in the park. People come to Disney expecting magic and getting basically everything they want and being able to do anything they want and they have to be the ones who almost always have to say no. It's got to be hard. As for the comparisons to Disneyland, while I have no first hand experience, from what I've heard from friends who grew up going to Disneyland, the type of guests at each park is quite different, which may also factor into crowd control situations.

I completely second this. Some of my best friends on my CP were PAC and I just felt awful for them to see them be treated so terribly by some of the guests fairly regularly. It may have to do with the different type of guests or something, I really don't know. But the PAC CM's try their best, I can guarantee you that.

 

[Cletus]

I showed Diagon Alley due to those buildings in the photographs,in clear view of the guest, not being themed at all and they wont be-see the pictures or visit when it's finished. They'll still be there just like the showbuilding at Hogwarts.
Also the poster in question was mentioning about how theming is now in the present. Not the Magic Kingdom 43 years ago.

You're funny. Clueless, yet funny nonetheless.

 

[Gabe1]

As a CM (not PAC), it hurts seeing the backlash (for want of better word) towards them on this page. My roommate on my last CP and I know she'd be telling people where to go, or that they couldn't sit/stand in a certain spot and they would simply refuse, or move back the minute the CM walks away. While it may not be perfect, the MK PAC CM's (whoa acronyms) do the absolute best they can, even though they probably have one of the worst jobs in the park. People come to Disney expecting magic and getting basically everything they want and being able to do anything they want and they have to be the ones who almost always have to say no. It's got to be hard. As for the comparisons to Disneyland, while I have no first hand experience, from what I've heard from friends who grew up going to Disneyland, the type of guests at each park is quite different, which may also factor into crowd control situations.

Years ago my son would do about an hour of parade control for about 6 months. Indeed there are guests that repeat the same offences over and over. Yet there is protocol to handle such. My DS favorite line was Sir, I will ask you once more...the next CM you will meet Sir will be security...they will not ask...they will be here to escort you out the gate and you will not be returning. What is your decision Sir?

Worked like a charm. It is half the CMs and half the training of the CM.

 

[Gabe1]

Im sorry but that is a ridiculous statement. Have you seen NFL? The tangled area that's just a bathroom. And the mountain is beautiful. Heres the complete theming and explanation of Animal kingdom part 1:

part 2:
CARS LAND. AHEM.....CARS LAND.
The new Fotlk building-it looks brilliant. Concept art for Disney Springs and Avatar.

And yes blah blah uni is great. Tranformers is a gigantic cement building in the middle of a new York area. Hogwarts show building can be obviously seen as you go up to it. You see a gigantic wall.
Diagon Alley-

Your post made me smile. Just a cement building? That is an accurate depiction of a fair percentage of the buildings in WDW. Google Earth WDW, it has a high percentage of cement buildings within the parks. A little front facade and cement building behind. Pooh, Princess Hall, Peter Pan, Presidents, Pirates they are all cement buildings. Move onto the Studios and there are endless cement buildings minus the steel buildings for backstage. Add a small facade and Star Tours is also a cement building.

Animal Kingdom is building a few additional buildings now, though I believe Dinosaur is also a concrete building too.

The rocks mountains are very old school dating back 60-70 years already, nothing cutting edge a very retro flashback to the past. DL used these rocks mountains from the beginning. WDW uses these Holy Rocks
ad nauseam in four parks, as unoriginal as a cement building. A standard build in almost urban zoo for over a half of century.