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

[WildcatDen]

It will be sad when our excitement here is ruined when the Partners Statue is unveiled again but now features Bob Iger holding Olaf's hand pointing toward the Emporium.

I heard he won't be holding Olaf's HAND. . .

 

[VJ]

Looks great so far! The grassy areas look like they're adding a new kind of energy to the area, where you can just sit down, people-watch maybe, and relax.

 

[Cesar R M]

It was for my wedding! My wife surprised us with Mickey. Apparently, he can wear a large assortment of different colors to suit the occasion.

woah, hang on.. you can hire a Disney(tm) Branded and Approved Mickey to your weddings?

 

[Cesar R M]

Yes, the lines should still be there and they have a distinct golden metal color if I remember correctly.



Don't underestimate the crowds at MK, especially during the holiday season. Seriously, the week of Christmas and New Years, the combination of the night time parade and fireworks with the huge crowd makes it the most unhappiest place on Earth. I've seen guests harass and curse (loudly and in front of kids) at cast members who told them not to stop to watch the parade since they were impeding traffic. There was even a dad who was so furious, he purposely body slammed (with his daughter on his shoulders) into a cast member as he was walking past...

hopefully that clown was ID'ed and banned forever from all parks?

 

[TomP]

I heard he won't be holding Olaf's HAND. . .

I don't think snow balls would hold up very well in FL.

 

[Cesar R M]

We can nitpick the details all we want, but by and large they got this one right. Well done.

it definitively looks nice, my only complain is still the fake turf. looks awful in video. I wonder how it looks in real life.

 

[Cesar R M]

Has someone mentioned is there another mini statue that was in the hub before that's going to go in on the east side? Chip and Dale?

I seen chip and dale and Br'er rabbit in the video posted.
someone posted a photo of Donald as well.

He will be a measles-carrying mess. He likes warm hugs.

 

[ToInfinityAndBeyond]

woah, hang on.. you can hire a Disney(tm) Branded and Approved Mickey to your weddings?

With a Disney Fairytale Wedding, you can have practically anyone you're willing to pay for (and you will pay, let me tell you). Getting married at Disney was amazing.

(There's your plug, Disney. Where's my check?)

 

[WildcatDen]

I don't think snow balls would hold up very well in FL.

Golf Clap.

 

[kandyman]

it definitively looks nice, my only complain is still the fake turf. looks awful in video. I wonder how it looks in real life.

I'd rather have some fake looking turf than an endless sea of concrete or the mud pit that real grass would quickly become.

It's not perfect, but it helps break things up and gives the ground a bit of much-needed color.

 

[Cesar R M]

It will be sad when our excitement here is ruined when the Partners Statue is unveiled again but now features Bob Iger holding Olaf's hand pointing toward the Emporium.

 

[Cesar R M]

Photo update as of Thursday, Feb 26. While the construction walls came down earlier this week, today was only the second day Plaza Gardens West were open to guests. WDWMagic has posted a great video and pictures. Here are a few photos of guests enjoying the area later in the day. Some guests were even picnicking on the grass. Even though it rained just a day ago, the grass was dry. Perhaps there is a drain system under the artificial grass.

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The castle crane: the "ice lights" have long been removed, so I believe Disney took the opportunity of having the crane in place to do some upkeep on the castle. Workmen in a cage were hoisted up to work on the turrets.

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Workmen were busy on Plaza Gardens East all day, installing artificial grass and landscaping. A cast member said Plaza Gardens East would open tomorrow. That may be if they work all night, but I think a couple more days. Following two photos are of Plaza Gardens East taken over the construction wall.

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Below photo is of the expanded "dining area" for the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor across from The Plaza Restaurant, to mirror the expanded area across from Casey's Corner.

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On the public side of the construction wall, the tables and chairs across from The Plaza Restaurant have been removed recently, in preparation for removing the construction wall.

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The restrooms at the base of Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant are indeed open. Here is a photo of the large planter being constructed in front of the restroom entrances. The white color and concrete shape/form match the existing shapes around Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant.

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Around the hub itself, preparations are in place for new pavement and the planters are taking shape, similar to the new Plaza Gardens. Note the color detail at the base of the Partners statue.

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nice!
thanks for posting such detailed photos!

 

[Cesar R M]

With a Disney Fairytale Wedding, you can have practically anyone you're willing to pay for (and you will pay, let me tell you). Getting married at Disney was amazing.

(There's your plug, Disney. Where's my check?)

they will pay you with an additional FP+ and a collection of magicbands of colors.
also with a measless filled olaf doll.

so.. you can have any character with you?
are they static or they do offer the animatronic ones too? (the ones where they blink and "talk")

 

[betty rose]

Golf CKnowing from experience.. I would have to agree...still buried in Colorado.

 

[articos]

How many of the tall poles are there? IIRC the old hub has six, that's not too many to telescope. Especially compared to Showcase with its mix of telescopes and retrofitted parcan racks on the rooftops. Just annoys me the most intrusive and unthemed poles could be hidden during the daytime and night shows.

Don't know the number. From a quick glance at the photos, it looks like 2 poles per section pointing towards the hub's inside traffic paths on each side (not the exterior circle). I'll take a look when I'm in the park next. I agree with you, fwiw.

 

[KDM31091]

Not sure how I feel about the artificial grass. I guess I have to just get used to it.

I will say I am glad that they (by the look of these photos) are maintaining some shrubbery and small trees. It's not what it was, but at least it's not totally barren. They seem to be making an effort to not make it a total wasteland of concrete.

 

[RAXIP]

How many of the tall poles are there? IIRC the old hub has six, that's not too many to telescope. Especially compared to Showcase with its mix of telescopes and retrofitted parcan racks on the rooftops. Just annoys me the most intrusive and unthemed poles could be hidden during the daytime and night shows.

Using @photoflight 's photos as a guide I was able to come up with this diagram.

Blue dots are existing new lights. Green are existing old lights. Red are the previous locations of old lights that have since been removed.

These photos show the old a new lights currently in place, staring at Casey's and going clockwise around the Hub.

 

[TomHendricks]

woah, hang on.. you can hire a Disney(tm) Branded and Approved Mickey to your weddings?

If you look at my pic, we had Belle at our wedding. Well we had a separate kids reception and had Belle do story time.

 

[erclvrb18]

woah, hang on.. you can hire a Disney(tm) Branded and Approved Mickey to your weddings?

you can schedule time with any character you want as many as you want for parties... weddings.. other events and or just to spend time with characters without having to deal with 100 other people... lol
I used to go to the character department in the tunnels all the time and talk with the people who work in that area...

 

[DisneyCane]

Even though it rained just a day ago, the grass was dry. Perhaps there is a drain system under the artificial grass.

Artificial grass has holes in the backing for drainage. Water goes through it into the ground just like with regular grass. No need for special drainage unless you are doing a sports field that needs to handle a couple of inches an hour of rain and stay playable.