I can confirm that Pixar Place has been planned - at one point at least - to be much more than Midway Mania, and yes, the MI world would play a huge role in that. The "boulevard" would be at the end of pixar place, branching off to the right as you walk down it (so...that makes it..north?).
The best part of this article, however, is that they want to hire more young Imagineers. Hopefully not just to replace the older people, but to actually get mentored by them first.
I gotta say, the only Pixar movies I want to see turned into environments are the worlds of Radiator Springs and Paris/Gusteau's in Ratatouille. I just don't find many of Pixars film's environments that rich. Toy Story, Bug's Life, MI and especially the Incredibles seem so cold. As good as the movies are, I just don't think they translate well into an immersive storytelling environment.
ie) Midway Mania should really just be a big bedroom, with the cue in a wide open room acting as Andy's room, perhaps the cue winds around toys left in his room, then finally through a box left under his bed. Not just paintings on the wall, but real, 3D beds and shelves like 20 ft high. The random toy stuff in DHS just looks cheesy compared to what the world of the film actually could deliver. I know the DHS cue and loading area are kinda close on this...but it could have been done so much more effectively in terms of putting us in the TS world as opposed to a general "size of a toy".
Ratatouille has such a rich environment, I hope we get to see something done based it one day, even a restaurant would be great...it would make the most sense for sure.
Wall-E looks to have a pretty rich environment, then again it's a world full of trash! hmm...
Radiator Springs feels so warm and translates so perfectly into a theme park setting...I mean, there's neon!! nighttime in DCA is going to be so amazing one day, what with the new fireworks show too.