When I worked on Sunday I noticed that the Little Mermaid foundation appeared complete and fill had been brought in to level the grade around it. The B&B restaurant area was getting a lot of love. The service elevator was being prepared for a second story. Grading and footing placement for the foundation were occurring around it.
Originally, directly behind the Grotto area was a walkway to the grotto itself and then a dropoff down a story to the level of the Utilidor. An entrance to a utilidor hallway to costuming and locker rooms was found here. This area has been closed off while a new retaining wall is built and assumably will be covered over by the Belle M&G area, if the original plans are still being followed here, which it appears to be.
Once this foundation is in, there will need to be a lot of fill and grading to landscape the area. I believe this is what the mountain of dirt will be used for. I think it has been placed where it is to prevent the observation of the backstage area behind Toontown, as seen in earlier photos when the trees were removed. As more vertical construction at the Ariel ride takes place, the mountain would not be needed and can be distributed where needed.
These are my observations interpreted with a little knowledge of construction. I'm sure there are many with much more knowledge than I.
Excellent interpretation of what's going on. Based on the photos linked in a previous post, I'd say you're right on pretty much everything.
The photos above are of piles, which have been driven into the ground to hold up the earth while they make a big hole on the other side of them. Based on where they're located, I'm guessing the big hole is for them to tie into utilities and/or install storm sewers.
The concrete tower at BatB, as you indicated, is simply the elevator shaft for the elevator that will (primarily) haul supplies from the new loading dock up to restaurant level. Or, perhaps it will haul food if the kitchens are in the basement. It's also there because of ADA requirements, since not everyone can climb stairs.
There are lots of concrete forms being assembled at BatB also. They'll be pouring some major concrete foundation walls there soon.
Mountain-o-dirt will definitely be used to cover the entire project upon completion. Right now, most of the project area is at a lower elevation than the adjacent area in FL. Besides, anytime you excavate dirt, it expands in size by 10-20%, but then you lose around 30% from compaction when you use it to fill in around buried utilities, basement walls, foundations, etc. So, that mountain won't go as far as it looks like it will.
I'm anxious to see what LM looks like back there.
