PHOTO - New ground clearing taking place behind Harambe in Disney's Animal Kingdom

[danlb_2000]

There was a permit filed the other day that could be for this project. Sheet Pile would indicate that the plan to excavate for something.

795C W Savannah Circle - Steel Sheet Pile Retaining Wall - Africa - 700 Area Development Early Package

 

[Tom Morrow]

The Marketplace idea makes sense, but as others have pointed out, I still don't understand the path to Asia part since it would have to cross the tracks and the access road.

There are parks that have trains crossing guests paths. Cedar Point has three of them. They have a booth with an employee staffed there to raise and lower gates and monitor for safety.

 

[yensid67]

I didn't read most of the posts but from looking at BING Maps and zooming in...the area behind those shops USE to be a parking area/service entrance with a access road going over the railroad tracks and out to the backstage access road! I am surprised out WDW Sleuths have not found ANY permits!

 

[coolbeans14]

There are parks that have trains crossing guests paths. Cedar Point has three of them. They have a booth with an employee staffed there to raise and lower gates and monitor for safety.

And parks in the UK don't even have a staff member, it's automated gates for when the train comes near (of course you couldn't get away with that in somewhere as busy as WDW)

 

[MickeyPeace]

I was there yesterday and the area already looks huge. Much larger in person than it seems in pics. It's very detailed. It feels much more like a town now. I may go back tomorrow.
Heres a vid I shot on my phone yesterday.

 

[Zac Skellington]

The things I marked in the picture don't appear to be just staging, they appear to have been intentionally laid out that way, and since they re-routed the road it seems like they plan to build something there and not just use if for staging. With that said, it may not be something that is on stage.

Looking at old Google images, they removed some backstage structures from just behind Harambe to build the new market area. I'd say the area of construction inside the train loop is to replace that. Remember, the riders of the train cars face outward, making that area unseen to guests.

 

[danlb_2000]

I didn't read most of the posts but from looking at BING Maps and zooming in...the area behind those shops USE to be a parking area/service entrance with a access road going over the railroad tracks and out to the backstage access road! I am surprised out WDW Sleuths have not found ANY permits!

There are permits, they are just not very enlightening. These may be for this project...

6/3/2014 795C W Savannah Circle Africa 700 Area Development Early Package - Steel Sheet Pile Retaining Wall
5/16/2014 774C WerikheWay Africa 700 -Area DevelopmentEarlyPackage (ModularTrailer)
11/25/2013 774C WerikheWay Africa 700 - Area Development Early Package

 

[MickeyPeace]

Right behind the new restrooms at the far end of "New Harambe" is also a new large clearing. It's fenced off with people back there working on it. It's easily visible by guests so I don't think it will be a backstage area.

 

[wdwmagic]

Right behind the new restrooms at the far end of "New Harambe" is also a new large clearing. It's fenced off with people back there working on it. It's easily visible by guests so I don't think it will be a backstage area.

That leads to AVATAR. We are talking about a whole different area - behind Mombassa Marketplace.

 

[MickeyPeace]

That leads to AVATAR. We are talking about a whole different area - behind Mombassa Marketplace.

Ok I'll have to check that out. So you are going to be able to go to Avatar by going through Harambe?

 

[Ignohippo]

I may be wrong, but it looks to me like it will be an area behind the Mombasa Marketplace to alleviate the congestion in front of Tusker House but will still connect to the same path to Asia.

That area, in front of Tusker and the area leading to Kiliminjaro Safaris, is the most congested and uncomfortable of the whole park. Big time kudos to TDO for doing something to help that situation out.

From what I'm seeing, the area by the train tracks may have been leveled in order to get construction vehicles in and out, however I'm curious about what looks like the framing of a wall or oddly shaped structure just behind the tracks.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Probably parking for management so they don't have to walk too far. They removed the Galaxt Palace theater in MK to add extra parking so why not do the same in AK

 

[Slowjack]

It seems strange that they tore up the Conservation Way service road that crossed over the train tracks. Maybe they are going to expand the Marketplace and restaurant and need to do some sightline camouflage/theming for the view from the Plant Watch train?

Here's my thought. The cleared area between the existing Harambe and the train tracks will be "on stage" after they have built whatever they are building there. That creates a new problem--namely that guests will be able to see past the train tracks into an area previously unseen. So I think that they are going to build some themed facades (that look like building fronts) in that area inside the train loop to provide a nice backdrop and hide the backstage area. That jagged footing in that area, for example, would make perfect sense as a facade. This would make it possible for cast members to still bring stuff in from Conservation Way by driving around the facades.

 

[Communicore]

There are parks that have trains crossing guests paths. Cedar Point has three of them. They have a booth with an employee staffed there to raise and lower gates and monitor for safety.

Stone Mountain has the same deal too.

 

[Communicore]

Probably parking for management so they don't have to walk too far. They removed the Galaxt Palace theater in MK to add extra parking so why not do the same in AK

Yea that kind of sucked. I miss that theater.

 

[Tim Lohr]

Here's my thought. The cleared area between the existing Harambe and the train tracks will be "on stage" after they have built whatever they are building there. That creates a new problem--namely that guests will be able to see past the train tracks into an area previously unseen. So I think that they are going to build some themed facades (that look like building fronts) in that area inside the train loop to provide a nice backdrop and hide the backstage area. That jagged footing in that area, for example, would make perfect sense as a facade. This would make it possible for cast members to still bring stuff in from Conservation Way by driving around the facades.

This is kind of what I was thinking too, unless they are changing the Marketplace and restaurant into something else they will still need the back access road to bring in supplies merch ect...

 

[The Visionary Soul]

What you are seeing is a new quick service food location goinig in. It will have a large amount of outdoor seating. That's all.

 

[Fox&Hound]

Here's hoping for more food options.

Still would love to see some smaller rides added to AK too (not here). And, of course, Mystic Manor. I don't care what anyone says- I will keep dreaming until it happens =)

 

[RSoxNo1]

I'm guessing that this is to ease congestion in the area that will result from Lion King and an increase in attendance from Rivers of Light/Avatar. The main drag of Harambe is the only entry and exit point for a dead end, this will alleviate that in the same way that the Tangled Restrooms are designed to alleviate the congestion between Liberty Square and Fantasyland.

 

[jt04]

What you are seeing is a new quick service food location goinig in. It will have a large amount of outdoor seating. That's all.

This is my guess too. Open air marketplace (with CS food) that also facilitates crowd flow. Maybe also restrooms.

But it also appears designed for future growth. Some insiders have hinted of.........possibilities......in the long run.

Very cool.

Thanks for the photo!