PHOTOS - Discovery Island expansion at Disney's Animal Kingdom underway

[LL2WDW]

I assume the logic behind the store expansion is that Creature Comforts is going away as a retail option.

Creature Comforts and Beastly Bazaar. Plus higher expected attendance in the park.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Wednesday, May 27. The entrance to Discovery Island (after crossing the bridge) is narrowed again with construction walls on both sides of the passage now.

You will also note additional steel on the structure at the front of the expansion of Disney Outfitters. The concrete block back wall is also slightly higher now.

 

[Sage of Time]

I think these buildings will house projectors for a forthcoming Tree of Life show.

 

[dstrawn9889]

Photo update as of Wednesday, May 27. The entrance to Discovery Island (after crossing the bridge) is narrowed again with construction walls on both sides of the passage now.

You will also note additional steel on the structure at the front of the expansion of Disney Outfitters. The concrete block back wall is also slightly higher now.

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around here, block can only be laid 5 or 6 rows high per day, to let the mortar set and not be squeezed out... so seeing it rise incrementally is not anything unusual

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Thursday, June 4. Expansion at Discovery Island next to Disney's Outfitters. The tower at the front of the new building now has a cap. Curious that the tower is in front of the concrete block wall.

View of the new building just as you cross the entrance bridge at Discovery Island. Note the long concrete brick wall facing the main thoroughfare. I did not see any openings for windows or doors.

A close-up of the tower.

The large back wall of the new building faces the river at the entrance bridge.

 

[dstrawn9889]

well the construction walls are 10' tall... a normal sized entryway is 6'-8" to 8'-0" tall...

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Friday, June 19. Views from Discovery Island entrance. The extension for Disney Outfitters now has large wood beams, which will become the interior of the new, large space. The tower is wrapped in black construction cloth to conceal the scaffolding.

Close-up of the tower construction.

This building will be a large expansion.

Progress on the Disney Outfitters building extension on the other side, on the way to the Dinoland bridge.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Friday, July 10. The construction walls have been removed around Island Mercantile on the left side of the entrance to Discovery Island, revealing a fresh paint job, and reworked landscaping between this building and the entrance bridge (extreme left side of this photo).

Update to construction at Disney Outfitters at Discovery Island.

Plywood sheathing on the roof.

Progress on the Disney Outfitters building extension on the other side, on the way to the Dinoland bridge.

 

[Sage of Time]

So exciting to see such large changes come to Discovery Island. Where's Disney's PR on this? Where's the art?!?

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Wednesday, July 22. Update to construction at Disney Outfitters at Discovery Island. Construction fabric at both ends of the building.

Progress on the Disney Outfitters building extension on the other side, on the way to the Dinoland bridge.

 

[RayTheFirefly]

Do we have a timeline of when these are supposed to be done?

 

[Sage of Time]

Probably by next spring. Maybe by the holidays.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Thursday, Aug 6. Progress on the Disney Outfitters building extension on the way to the Dinoland bridge. Difficult to see in the shade, the wall on the left was being painted dark green today. Stucco texture had already been applied.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Tuesday, Aug 25. The west side of Island Mercantile, near the pathway to Camp Minnie Mickey (the future Pandora) has been behind a construction wall for several months. The area is open now revealing new landscaping and themed concrete, with the Island Mercantile west door entrance now accessible. However, the pathway to the future Pandora is now walled-off during the reconfiguration of Pizzafari. You might recall that the area directly behind this new construction wall was a Disney Vacation Club kiosk.

Update on the expansion of the Disney Outfitters building at the entrance to Discovery Island. Plastic sheeting covering the upper windows indicates interior work has begun.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Friday, Sept 4. Construction update on Disney Outfitters on Discovery Island.

 

[Bolt]

Photo update as of Friday, Sept 4. Construction update on Disney Outfitters on Discovery Island.

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Heat index 105. Struggle.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Sunday, Oct 11. Besides Disney Outfitter's is behind construction scrims again, a new light post has appeared behind the construction wall in the center of the photo.

 

[Rescue Ranger]

Wow is this going slowly. When is this expected to see completion?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Wow is this going slowly. When is this expected to see completion?

No need to rush. They don't really need the added space til next spring.

 

[Baltar]

Great photos and updates @WDWtraveler !