Rock work in the STOLport area

[FutureWorld1982]

Here's a picture of the rocks (sorry for the quality, but all the other pictures I had were too blurry):

I still don't know what they are for...

 

[Master Yoda]

Here's a picture of the rocks (sorry for the quality, but all the other pictures I had were too blurry):

I still don't know what they are for...

I am still going with mock ups for FL. That looks to be rather new construction and fitting with the theme of the area.

 

[castevens]

Cool picture though. It does indeed look like something for FLE

 

[SoccerMickey]

They look pretty mermaid-ish. I can picture Ariel sitting on one of those. Which would then later turn to flopping around on them because she was out of the water too long.

 

[WEDMagic]

Yeah those are definetely mockups or sample versions,

they have alot of those backstage at animal kingdom near the different areas of the park, as examples for the current rock work in the park

 

[raven]

Kinda find it hard to believe they would be for FLE being that far away from it. There is plenty of room for staging such things closer to the rear of MK.

 

[DisneyParksFan1]

I wonder if they are carving this like with Cars Land.

 

[MotherOfBirds]

The bit on the left looks a bit like a stone bridge , or do maybe I need a new prescripton:lol:

and on the right it sort of resembles a conch shell. Eh, who knows, there's my speculations

 

[bugsbunny]

Originally, it was Walt's idea (at least I think it was his idea) to bring people in by plane from Orlando or direct if you had your own plane. I had heard that the Epcot beam was in the way of the approach and that is why it is no longer used. I don't really see that, but maybe because they are all small planes, the company felt there was more of a risk of planes falling out of the sky onto the Monorail.

Sorry, just thought I would add some insight to the runway. Now back to our regularly scheduled rock formations!!

The STOL airstrip was ALMOST used one more time long after it was shutdown. When Walt's plane was going to be delivered to WDW to be retired at DHS, it was proposed to the FAA that a one time exemption be granted to use the airstrip to fly the plane in. The FAA said no way and instead, World Drive was shut down and the plane was landed there instead in October 1992. It was then put on a truck by a crane and towed to DHS, then MGM. It was gutted and sealed since its was never expected to fly again.

The tail number was N234MM and yes, the MM was for Mickey Mouse which they even called it on the radio by air traffic controllers. Supposedly, the FAA was cool with this.

Now THAT is some worthless information. :ROFLOL:

 

[unkadug]

Could these rocks be stuff that was taken out of Ariel's Grotto, possibly for reuse in the queue of the new attraction?

 

[parkgoer]

The STOL airstrip was ALMOST used one more time long after it was shutdown. When Walt's plane was going to be delivered to WDW to be retired at DHS, it was proposed to the FAA that a one time exemption be granted to use the airstrip to fly the plane in. The FAA said no way and instead, World Drive was shut down and the plane was landed there instead in October 1992. It was then put on a truck by a crane and towed to DHS, then MGM. It was gutted and sealed since its was never expected to fly again.

The tail number was N234MM and yes, the MM was for Mickey Mouse which they even called it on the radio by air traffic controllers. Supposedly, the FAA was cool with this.

Now THAT is some worthless information. :ROFLOL:

That's a cool story, but the FAA would rather have the plane land on a road rather than an runway...? doesn't make much sense to me but cool regardless.

 

[DisneyParksFan1]

That's a really nice story.

 

[NewfieFan]

Could these rocks be stuff that was taken out of Ariel's Grotto, possibly for reuse in the queue of the new attraction?

Didn't the rock in Ariel's Grotto have blue and gray tones!?! This rock looks more brown and tan!

 

[kaos]

The STOL airstrip was ALMOST used one more time long after it was shutdown. When Walt's plane was going to be delivered to WDW to be retired at DHS, it was proposed to the FAA that a one time exemption be granted to use the airstrip to fly the plane in. The FAA said no way and instead, World Drive was shut down and the plane was landed there instead in October 1992. It was then put on a truck by a crane and towed to DHS, then MGM. It was gutted and sealed since its was never expected to fly again.

The tail number was N234MM and yes, the MM was for Mickey Mouse which they even called it on the radio by air traffic controllers. Supposedly, the FAA was cool with this.

Now THAT is some worthless information. :ROFLOL:

That's a cool story, but the FAA would rather have the plane land on a road rather than an runway...? doesn't make much sense to me but cool regardless.

Actually, that tale is absolutely true. The streetlights had to be removed from the roadway and then re-installed over the next couple of days. The reason the FAA would not allow the landing at the STOLPort was simple- Reedy Creek classified the airstrip as closed and defunct, so the FAA could not approve the flightplan to a closed airstrip.

 

[DisneyParksFan1]

It'd be interesting to see that mini-runway still be functioning.

 

[mp2bill]

Perhaps for the Fantasyland Expansion? The concept art for TLM showed quite a bit of exterior rockwork. :shrug:

This is probably it...

 

[hrcollectibles]

I was driving around the MK area yesterday and noticed some large pieces of artificial rock work sitting in the STOLport area. Anyone know what they are for? They looked to be Big Thunder or Splash Mountain type and color.

STOLport?

 

[DisneyParksFan1]

I've always wondered what the STOL part stood for.

 

[Master Yoda]

STOLport?

Short take off and landing airport.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STOLport

 

[DisneyParksFan1]

Ohh thanks!