MK updates - COP, xmas lights, merch and more!

[iheartdisney91]

ooooooo! i think im gunna have to go get that shirt on friday! hahah im sooooooo excited!
thanks!

 

[HMF]

I too was thinking it's for the MNSSHP, it's too early for Christmas lights.

Its not too early for Christmas Lights. Its WAY WAY WAY too early for Christmas lights.:fork:

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

Also in Tomorrowland, I couldn't help but notice the new Contemporary Tower is HUGELY visible in certain spots. Like from the TTA:

Not everywhere, but definitely in some spots, you can REALLY see it.

Also, speaking of the Secret Tower That Doesn't Exist, they shut down the Express monorail from the TTC for three hours yesterday afternoon. It was ferry only. The ferry had a two boat wait. The resort monorail CM told us that they were shutting down the monorail for three hours a day because of the construction for worker safety. It was a real hassle and I can see a lot of cranky guests over having to wait for the ferries to handle the lines. Ugh.

Oh and in the continuing humor that is the Secret Tower That Doesn't Exist, the resort monorail CM further said that there is NO information about it released yet and if you've heard anything, it came "from a blog" and not an official source. :lol: She said it like "blog" was a dirty word too. Guess the stress of denying a HUGE BUILDING PROJECT is wearing on some of them.

And to wrap things up, I noticed two new retro MK shirts the Emporium. There's a distinct chance they've been there for a few months. I haven't been since May. But hey, they're new to me and I know a lot of people like retro merch so I thought I'd share just in case someone else hadn't seen them yet either:

So there you have it! Some news and pics from my day at MK.

Those shirts are great! :sohappy:

 

[Rob562]

Not sure what this is about but the red pavement areas in Liberty Square - by the Funnel shop, and in front of the Hall of Presidents - were all deeply scored. I guess they're removing these areas for redo? I don't know. But it was everywhere in the RED pavement areas:

If I were to guess about the pavement, they're doing one of two things:

Perhaps they're using the downtime of no parades through Liberty Square to fix a crowd-flow issue that crops up on a daily basis.

If this is where I think it is, when the parade poles and ropes are in place, this railing/planter blocks all pedestrian access from one side of it to the other. When the parade is actually going by and you can't walk out in the street, you have to circle around behind the Sleepy Hollow building to continue on through Liberty Square. I've seen many Guests either duck under the ropes out into the street (in the middle of the parade) or even climb over the fence and walk through the mulched area to get by.
So, they may be modifying this fenced area to create some way of getting through during parades.

Either that, or they're just going to be replacing the walkway surface (there's a bunch of cracks visible in the photo). There are usually vending carts parked in this area (parasols, I seem to recall).

-Rob

 

[imamouse]

Thanks for the report and pics. The CoP FP was too funny (and great). I love the new t-shirts - and they're tagless!

 

[disney9752]

If I were to guess about the pavement, they're doing one of two things:

Perhaps they're using the downtime of no parades through Liberty Square to fix a crowd-flow issue that crops up on a daily basis.

If this is where I think it is, when the parade poles and ropes are in place, this railing/planter blocks all pedestrian access from one side of it to the other. When the parade is actually going by and you can't walk out in the street, you have to circle around behind the Sleepy Hollow building to continue on through Liberty Square. I've seen many Guests either duck under the ropes out into the street (in the middle of the parade) or even climb over the fence and walk through the mulched area to get by.
So, they may be modifying this fenced area to create some way of getting through during parades.

Either that, or they're just going to be replacing the walkway surface (there's a bunch of cracks visible in the photo). There are usually vending carts parked in this area (parasols, I seem to recall).

-Rob

i doubt it will be for traffic during parades, as far back as i can recall once the parade started there was no crossing excpet on main street.

 

[MissM]

Either that, or they're just going to be replacing the walkway surface (there's a bunch of cracks visible in the photo). There are usually vending carts parked in this area (parasols, I seem to recall).

I've heard from a CM privately that they are in fact simply redoing the red pavement areas as part of the bridge renovation. That's what it looked like as it's scored throughout the ENTIRE red concrete throughout the area.

I assume it'll be complete by the time the bridge is as well though I don't have any specific time frame information.

Edit: Oh yeah, the parasols are currently a little further down, closer to where the Liberty Square food stand is. (The one that serves the corn, baked potatoes, fruit and other items.) I had noticed it because there was a really pretty butterfly painted on one of the example umbrellas.

 

[Rob562]

i doubt it will be for traffic during parades, as far back as i can recall once the parade started there was no crossing excpet on main street.

As MissM said the marks are for repaving, this is a moot point, but...

What I was trying to describe in my post was the foot-traffic issues that planter creates in trying to walk *along* the parade route through Liberty Square, not crossing the street. That planter prevents anyone from getting, for example, from the Hall of Presidents entrance to Sleepy Hollow. The parade rope runs straight across the front of the planter leaving no room to pass.
So if a Guest is trying to walk along the parade route, they'll run across this barrier and not be able to get past it without either hopping the fence or going under the rope and going out into the street.

Of course, the *real* way of getting from the HoP to Sleepy Hollow is to go *behind* the Sleepy Hollow/souvenier shop building to where its seating area is, but for a first-time visitor, this is not very apparent (especially at night).

-Rob

 

[MousDad]

Thanks for the great report. Parade viewing must be murder with that short route.

 

[dixiegirl]

Oh I hope they have those shirts still next month......I love that retro stuff!!!

Great pics , thanks for the update!!

 

[Bluewaves]

That comment about the contemporary tower reminds me of what my keys to the kingdom tour guide told us when we were walking through the back side of main street, as pointing to the tower with the cranes still there lifting steel into place, "and over there a project that doesn't exist"

 

[devoy1701]

Other Small Tidbits...

Hey guys. Checked into CBR this weekend...once they verified us at the Customs House I mentioned to be put ANYWHERE in the resort besides Trinidad South.....and what do ya know. :shrug:
That took 15 minutes to fix. Put in Aruba...too bad we didn't the newly redone Nemo Rooms that Allears has pictures of!

I was in MK off an on this weekend. I must say that it's pretty bad that at 2:30 in the morning Space Mountain has a 40 min wait! When we went for EMH on Friday, the CMs on the side we went on asked for no Keys or anything...I saw quite a few people get into line after having stepped passed the line a bit when they saw what was taking place on our side. Last night the CMs atleast checked to see if we had a key but wasn't checking dates...and if you're like me I keep all of my Key to the Worlds AND I usually happen to have an old one in my wallet because I forget about it. I think it's pretty ridiculous that you still need to get a FP for Space Mountain during EMH, but I think much of that could be cut down if CMs were more assertive.

Another comment about MK....has there always been a Hidden Mickey towards the end of the Graveyard scene in HM? It's in the crypt to the right of the Opera Singer Ghost....I could have sworn that used to be a closed crypt!

After all my Disney trips my gf and I finally got into Pin Trading this weekend...oh my...that can get addicting and alittle expensive! Though the CMs seem to love the interaction...it usually sparked 5 or 10 minute converations!

A comment on the OPs original post...isn't it tacky that the Castle Dreamlights are already going up?! Atleast they aren't visible in distance pictures.

Oh yeah...The clock tower is back on City Hall...didn't know if that was already posted, but I have a pretty nice evening shot of that if anybody wanted me to post that this weekend.

And if anyone collects the Olszewski Scale Reproductions of Disney World...he's finally released the 4th installement...I saw it in Uptown Jewelers on Main Street USA, It's the central Hub complete with the Partners Statue, the smaller character statues around the outside of the walkway, and working street lamps. I only have the Cinderella Castle piece but am dying to get the others!


ok...that's all! Sorry for rambling!

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

Another comment about MK....has there always been a Hidden Mickey towards the end of the Graveyard scene in HM? It's in the crypt to the right of the Opera Singer Ghost....I could have sworn that used to be a closed crypt!

That's been there for as long as I can remember.
It's one of the only locations I remember where a hidden mickey is.:lol:

 

[disneygirl1]

Gosh, I can't believe they are putting the christmas lights up on Cindy's Castle already!!! I don't think they were up when I was there last October? But the lights were already up in the Studios for the Osborne Spectacle of lights show...

 

[devoy1701]

That's been there for as long as I can remember.
It's one of the only locations I remember where a hidden mickey is.:lol:

Thanks...I swear I NEVER noticed that there was that ghoalish character on that purple sheet thing in that crypt. Maybe it has a new brighter blacklight on it that made stand out or something. :shrug:

 

[MissM]

Thanks...I swear I NEVER noticed that there was that ghoalish character on that purple sheet thing in that crypt. Maybe it has a new brighter blacklight on it that made stand out or something. :shrug:

A friend of ours noticed it for the first time Saturday too, though we've seen it for a long time. I think it's not immediately noticeable since you need to almost turn around backwards to see it well.

 

[Disneykidder]

Love the blue Mickey shirt. The retro shirts are usually small so I bet it won't fit my prego body. :shrug:

On another thread they discussed the lights on the castle in great detail. It was said that it is for Miley Cyrus' 16th birthday party taping in early October but airing in late November, when the lights would have been up already. I am glad to see that they aren't noticeable so this weekend I can get my many shots of it.

Monorails down for 3 hours a day?? Hmmm, this may be a damper on my always taking the mono to eat at Chef Mickey's. Plus we love to loop the mono for fun. GRRR!!

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Gosh, I can't believe they are putting the christmas lights up on Cindy's Castle already!!! I don't think they were up when I was there last October? But the lights were already up in the Studios for the Osborne Spectacle of lights show...

Disney must be moving christmas up.:lol::lookaroun

 

[Pens24]

COP having fastpass :lol:...has a COP surprise fastpasse ever been given out before...I got one for It's tough to be a bug from Everest last year

 

[One Lil Spark]

Oh my goodness! CoP Fastpass!?

Must. Get. One.

:lol:


Thanks for the great update MissM. Informative and intelligently put together as always. :wave: