The Big Berm Theory

[BoarderPhreak]

In the first picture, one can see the top half or so of the contemporary. When considering where the "berm" would be allegedly built, it would not shield the contemporary from liberty square. It's just simply too far away unless the berm is as tall as at least half the height of the contemporary. If they were building a berm of building closer to liberty square, you could accomplish the screening effect with a structure as short as 20 or 30 feet. The "berm" or screening device, must get progressively taller as it gets further from the viewer, and closer to the object that is desired to be screened, to the point of it being as tall as the object being screened.

True, they would need to be some pretty mature trees on top of any berm... At least as tall as the buildings in Tomorrowland or CoP if not double. I suppose if they wanted to block the view, they could replace the shorter trees that are there now without this project even further distant.

 

[donsullivan]

According to the plans this is just a retaining wall. If they were putting anything other then landscaping there the plans would have shown it.

View attachment 374065

Yup, As I understand it this is just a retaining wall brought on by the reduction of the size of the retaining pond out back where Tron is. They are required to maintain the same runoff storage capacity so they're expanding the pond in front of Space Mountain which is linked around the back of Space Mountain. However, doing so would have made the grade up to the railroad tracks too steep so they're putting a retaining wall in for stability.

 

[Kevin_W]

Not this one.

that was a pretty fascinating post. Thanks for taking the time to write it and put int he pictures.

 

[Brad Bishop]

God, I miss that old look. Even more than that, I miss the feel of it.

The Castle wasn't at the end of Main Street (which doesn't make sense) but somewhere off in the distance..

 

[ChrisFL]

I like big berms and I cannot lie...you other brothas can't deny....

 

[Patcheslee]

Young people may not be aware that up until ~2001, the Central Hub was filled with fat, gorgeous shade trees, which solved that sightline issue from Liberty Square as seen in the first post of this thread. The hub was designed as the visual curtain between lands, obscuring enough to insulate and showing enough to draw interest to what lay beyond. The central trees and this curtain effect were sacrificed to open the area to castle show/fireworks viewing. Some think it a worthwhile trade-off, but I preferred the tree curtain and all that relaxing shade and Old World feel over the opened, barren center and easier to see castle/fireworks shows.

View attachment 373992

I like the trees more. First visit was 2017 so never got to see it before, but it is more exciting to only be shown so much at a time.

 

[brb1006]

Young people may not be aware that up until ~2001, the Central Hub was filled with fat, gorgeous shade trees, which solved that sightline issue from Liberty Square as seen in the first post of this thread. The hub was designed as the visual curtain between lands, obscuring enough to insulate and showing enough to draw interest to what lay beyond. The central trees and this curtain effect were sacrificed to open the area to castle show/fireworks viewing. Some think it a worthwhile trade-off, but I preferred the tree curtain and all that relaxing shade and Old World feel over the opened, barren center and easier to see castle/fireworks shows.

View attachment 373992

Same with the flag pole area.

 

[Clamman73]

Would be nice to add some topiaries though. (or bring back)

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Would be nice to add some topiaries though. (or bring back)

And some benches...

 

[RandySavage]

Same with the flag pole area.

I fondly remember:

 

[Kram Sacul]

Young people may not be aware that up until ~2001, the Central Hub was filled with fat, gorgeous shade trees, which solved that sightline issue from Liberty Square as seen in the first post of this thread. The hub was designed as the visual curtain between lands, obscuring enough to insulate and showing enough to draw interest to what lay beyond. The central trees and this curtain effect were sacrificed to open the area to castle show/fireworks viewing. Some think it a worthwhile trade-off, but I preferred the tree curtain and all that relaxing shade and Old World feel over the opened, barren center and easier to see castle/fireworks shows.

View attachment 373992

Tragic. What used to be a nice park with shade and places to sit is just a parking lot with fake grass. At least the old cranky people have no obstructions from their projection show and there's plenty of stroller parking.

 

[jmuboy]

Tragic. What used to be a nice park with shade and places to sit is just a parking lot with fake grass. At least the old cranky people have no obstructions from their projection show and there's plenty of stroller parking.

I’m hoping they plant trees around the tracks past this part running near the new enlarged retention ponds

 

[MisterPenguin]

That path is also a parade route, so you can't put anything in that path to block the view of the Contemporary until you get to the hub, which would then block the view of the castle/fireworks.

The other solution is to curve the path. This would give you a chance to put trees at the perimeter of the hub and block the view. If Disney cared to. It would also be the opportunity to build a wider bridge. Stupid chokepoints.

 

[George]

Actually, they are painting the Contemporary with chameleonic paint that will perfectly match the sky at all times (clouds and all).

 

[larryz]

Actually, they are painting the Contemporary with chameleonic paint that will perfectly match the sky at all times (clouds and all).

That's hard to do with paint, but you can do it with LED arrays.

 

[larryz]

That path is also a parade route, so you can't put anything in that path to block the view of the Contemporary until you get to the hub, which would then block the view of the castle/fireworks.

The other solution is to curve the path. This would give you a chance to put trees at the perimeter of the hub and block the view. If Disney cared to. It would also be the opportunity to build a wider bridge. Stupid chokepoints.

View attachment 374361

No ROI on trees or bridges.

 

[tirian]

Young people may not be aware that up until ~2001, the Central Hub was filled with fat, gorgeous shade trees, which solved that sightline issue from Liberty Square as seen in the first post of this thread. The hub was designed as the visual curtain between lands, obscuring enough to insulate and showing enough to draw interest to what lay beyond. The central trees and this curtain effect were sacrificed to open the area to castle show/fireworks viewing. Some think it a worthwhile trade-off, but I preferred the tree curtain and all that relaxing shade and Old World feel over the opened, barren center and easier to see castle/fireworks shows.

View attachment 373992

But—but—the Modern Pixie Dust Marketing Company knows better than the Imagineers who actually designed the park! If those trees were there, we wouldn’t have projection shows that are fuzzy and barely recognizable for 3/4 of the presentation! Right? Right?

Oh, look when MSUSA actually had attractions.

I kid.

I’m torn about the old MK versus the new hub because although I really do love the 1900s-style gardens and fountains, and although the projections occasionally work well, I miss the forced perspective and true “Kingdom” feeling the MK originally had.

I realize the hub was first changed for Wishes, but now the projections are a common reason. I’m not sure if the initial “WOW” factor of castle projections is worth the losses of place, design, night parades, sky-high fireworks, twinkle lights, etc.

Plus, the new hub was designed to absorb crowds, yet the money-grabbers close off most of it to FP+ and upcharged events. What a shame.

 

[Tim Lohr]

I don't think they'd raise the berm for "sight line" purposes, only because they don't seem to concerned about hiding things like that anymore. They'd either raise it to make it easier to go "under the berm", like when the built Space and Splash Mountains, but from the looks of this diagram, it seems like it's got something to do with the water retention pond not spilling "over the berm". Tron coaster might be causing them to adjust rain water run off

 

[danlb_2000]

I don't think they'd raise the berm for "sight line" purposes, only because they don't seem to concerned about hiding things like that anymore. They'd either raise it to make it easier to go "under the berm", like when the built Space and Splash Mountains, but from the looks of this diagram, it seems like it's got something to do with the water retention pond not spilling "over the berm". Tron coaster might be causing them to adjust rain water run off

We know why it is being done. Tron led to the need for a large retention pond which is being built on the other side of Space Mountain. The proximity of the pond to the tracks along with the grade change requires retaining walls between the pond and the tracks.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Actually, they are painting the Contemporary with chameleonic paint that will perfectly match the sky at all times (clouds and all).

LOL, maybe they can apply it to the GotG building when they're done.

We know why it is being done. Tron led to the need for a large retention pond which is being built on the other side of Space Mountain. The proximity of the pond to the tracks along with the grade change requires retaining walls between the pond and the tracks.

Definitely the reason. But I think there's a bit more to it.

For one, why cut the shoreline of the pond so deeply, especially right there by the tracks - which also need to be moved now. They could have cut in all along that western shoreline to get the same net pond volume, likely without needing to move the tracks or even needing the retaining walls. Then there's the shape. Sure, it looks more organic than the one just north but who cares about that, really - and why not just follow the train tracks or cut out more to the south like the rest of that side?

Maybe it's for a big Mickey head fountain.