Red Car Trolley Construction

[sponono88]

MouseTimes.com is reporting via Twitter that the ToT/Bug's Land connector will open tomorrow, August 19th.

And starting August 23rd, ToT and the Hyperion Theatre will only be accessible through the new Bug's Land pathway. This probably means that a new set of construction walls is going up in Sunset Blvd to install the trolley tracks in front of the Hyperion Theatre. This will connect the two set of tracks already installed in Hollywood Blvd and the Tower courtyard.

 

[JerrodDRagon]

^one step forward two steps back, I can't wait until DCA is all opned up, its too hard to get from Tot/hollywood to the peir and cars land and the new pathway will help that out.

 

[sponono88]

^ yep - this is a small addition relatively speaking, but it's nice to finally have a pathway here. easier to take the shortcut through there if you're in hollywood trying to get to the pier.

as reported by MouseTimes yesterday, the walls came down early this morning:

A new wigwag signal for the Red Car Trolley

Looking towards the new entrance to a bug's land

A new entrance sign welcomes guests, i'm guessing the two white flowers will illuminate the sign at night

Walls will go up here soon to install the remaining track

all pictures by MintCrocodile

 

[TP2000]

A new entrance sign welcomes guests, i'm guessing the two white flowers will illuminate the sign at night

This new path is a great little addition, and it opens up a hugely more convenient way to move around the entire park. Dare I say that Tower might see longer waits now that it's more convenient to get to?

But that Bug's Land sign is of the most interest to me. I can't help but think that with Tow Mater's coming soon to the area directly adjacent to the current big marquee, that this sign from 2003 will soon go away...

http://www./wp-content/uploads/2010/05/4581615693_99c4ff40a218.jpg

It would be nicer to take a low-key approach to the entry to the land, like this small pencil sign above. I wouldn't miss the big 2003 sign that seemed to beg people to enter rather than subtly welcome them into the unique little land.

 

[sponono88]

Not just Tower, but a Bugs Land saw a huge increase in foot traffic when the temporary pathway was open. Easier access means more people coming in to an area that used to be a bit hidden and out of the way.

I'm sure they will re-theme the main bugs land entrance once Mater takes over the farm area. And if/when they do, the big sign will probably be resized and relocated to a different location - maybe closer to where Flik's Fun Fair is?

 

[sponono88]

Last week, they switched out the marker on the floor to one that omits the 'est 1942' date. I'm not sure why - the Dateline Disneyland blog said a possible story error at WDI

Before

Now

 

[TP2000]

I love that they fixed that little, tiny detail hidden down at your feet.

But I would love to know how this goof got through. Clearly putting 1942 on there was a big mistake, both from a historical and thematic perspective. Thematically 1942 has nothing to do with the Tower of Terror since the plotline all revolves around 1939. And historically a new trolley line would have never been built in 1942 just as we dove into World War II and rationing of all materials was strictly enforced. In 1942 we were building tanks and ammo to save the world from the Germans and the Japanese, not building new trolley lines past shuttered grand hotels.

How funny that they went ahead and fixed the mistake! But I'd still like to know how it happened in the first place, and read the emails from Imagineers who discovered the mistake had been made. :lol:

 

[sponono88]

I wonder what made them choose that year anyway? They'll have to get the details sorted out once the start with the placemaking for Hollywood Land. Pretty cool that they caught this, and such a quick change too.

In other news, there's new scaffolding going up at the Hyperion Theater facade. Nobody seems to know what it's for yet.. It could be either new paint for the sky facade or something being installed for the ElecTRONica event? Maybe even preliminary work for a new Hyperion facade? (the new facade we've seen in models and artwork.)

(picture from laughingplace.com)

 

[IDreamOfDisney]

I love that they fixed that little, tiny detail hidden down at your feet.

But I would love to know how this goof got through. Clearly putting 1942 on there was a big mistake, both from a historical and thematic perspective. Thematically 1942 has nothing to do with the Tower of Terror since the plotline all revolves around 1939. And historically a new trolley line would have never been built in 1942 just as we dove into World War II and rationing of all materials was strictly enforced. In 1942 we were building tanks and ammo to save the world from the Germans and the Japanese, not building new trolley lines past shuttered grand hotels.

How funny that they went ahead and fixed the mistake! But I'd still like to know how it happened in the first place, and read the emails from Imagineers who discovered the mistake had been made. :lol:

My guess... 1924

 

[TP2000]

My guess... 1924

Very likely. That would make much more sense.

 

[sponono88]

Walls will go up here soon to install the remaining track

A new set of construction walls went up today in HPB. Due to construction, ToT and the Hyperion Theatre are currently only accessible through a bug's land.

new directional signs in Flik's Fun Fair give a detour to Hollywood Pictures Backlot

picture by TouringPlans

 

[sponono88]

New pictures from today -

A fun shot of the new wigwag

thanks to MintCrocodile for the pictures

 

[sponono88]

It's been a while since the last update!

A few construction walls in Hollywood have been removed, revealing new trolley tracks, along with some new lampposts and parade speakers.

Work continues at the end of the street

[image source: MintCrocodile]

 

[sponono88]

This week they uncovered the final section of trolley track - the installation of the tracks is now complete in the Hollywood area of the park

 

[TP2000]

An endless thank you sponono88 for keeping us updated on all of these major DCA construction projects! Interesting to see the new light poles installed for this. I wonder what it will look like once the actual catenary wires go in?

A single catenary wire usually gives a vintage street character, and I bet that will be the case here, like this type of uniquely vintage wired view...

Versus a more industrial and far less graceful web of wires that some cities still have strung up for the much less elegant trolley buses, like this Seattle scene...

Too many ugly wires! :hurl:

 

[sponono88]

I've heard many times from several sources that this project is a big work of love for the Red Car Trolley design team. There's a man in particular (whose name I forgot) that has worked with the DL trains and is really putting his heart into the project to make the cars look and feel authentic. I love that they're adding the wires purely for aesthetic reasons

 

[TP2000]

I've heard many times from several sources that this project is a big work of love for the Red Car Trolley design team. There's a man in particular (whose name I forgot) that has worked with the DL trains and is really putting his heart into the project to make the cars look and feel authentic. I love that they're adding the wires purely for aesthetic reasons

I think you're thinking of Ray Spencer. His name is on the Red Car Trolley posters on the construction walls, and he's been interviewed somewhere and he was very passionate about making this attraction authentic and unique to DCA. I'm horrible with names usually, but for some reason I remember Ray Spencer.

It's going to do wonders for aesthetics, at the very least. It's already freshened and snazzed up the street surfaces in Hollywood Pictures Backlot, with the more expensive cement and themed bricks and snazzier lamp posts replacing the cheap blacktop and basic lamp fixtures from 2001.

Here's a picture from earlier in the thread that illustrates that, where the old 2001 blacktop with dotted line down the middle meets the new 2010 vintage cement and themed bricks with trolley tracks. It's stuff like this being added to DCA now that it lacked in 2001 that left the park feeling a bit flat upon opening. I would have never thought of it, but now that this more expensive street treatment is going in, you kind of slap your forehead and say "Of course! That's why this street looked a bit bland and mundane!"

2001 Blacktop meets 2010 Bricks