Magic Kingdom Hub and New Side Street Update (PART 1)
Main Street U.S.A. and the central hub of the Magic Kingdom Park continue to expand, little by little. While work on the hub itself seems to be picking up speed, it looks like the side street project (which is being built on the right side of Main Street U.S.A., in the middle of a backstage area) is proceeding at a slower pace. That said, we have some important news about both projects today, so feel free to come and join us in this new, virtual tour of the Magic Kingdom Park:
First of all, let's take a look at the new secondary street, which starts in Town Square and ends near the entrance of the Tomorrowland Terrace. As you will see from the pictures, the ground is being raised and the walkway expanded near the entrance to this new area, which is expected to have minimal theming:
We also spotted a new column, which could soon be part of a new gate. In fact, you shouldn't expect this side street to be open when the park is slow, as it should only be used during the busier periods of the year. And that makes sense, ad Disney would prefer having Guests go where the shops are located:
Going to the other entrance of the side street (next to the Tomorrowland Terrace) we noticed that the backside of the Main Street U.S.A. buildings is being completely repainted, involving more than one color:
Looking even further, we noticed even more different colors. Are these just tests or are they going to have a rainbow along this new street? Also, do you like the colors chosen? Be aware of the fact that there is still a lot of work to be done in this area, so don't worry if it looks wacky at the moment:
It is now time to focus on the central hub. We will start by taking a look at the right side, which is close to Tomorrowland. As you will see, it looks like they are almost at the same exact construction stage on both sides. This is a good thing, as it means that all should be done around the same time:
The faux bridge continues to take shape:
We refer to to it being "faux" (or: fake) due to the fact that it is not a complete bridge. In fact, while the water will still float underneath it, it will go through small pipes that will still allow the water to circulate, avoiding having stagnant water (which not only looks bad, as it also brings negative effects):
Take a closer look. From this point of view, this looks like a real bridge, but if you continue walking, you will see that it looks very similar to the faux bridges located around Future World West at Epcot:
More work being done nearby:
Notice all the new pipes that have been installed in the area:
More and more markers:
Oh, we almost forgot to mention that more characters joined the "temporary wall celebrations" in the past few weeks. For example, Stitch ended up having his very own corner, which features the little blue alien messing with signs that depict... himself. As if Magic Kingdom needed any more of his presence:
Jokes aside, they don't look too bad. Still better than just a blank construction wall, right?
The various colors actually look great. It's actually a lot more extensive than what the average guest can see. The walls are nearing completion on the right of the bypass. It's taking them a long time, but the bypass construction involved moving the Cast Member bus stop from in front of the CM Bistro to behind the wall, away from guest view when it's open.
ReplyDeleteWe've also been thru the back way before, I thought it was a neat short cut, it will be nice to have the option now.
ReplyDeleteIt's mainly used for busy seasons during the first Electric Parade. It can get pretty hectic even with it open.
ReplyDeleteThe various colors are going to represent various materials. For example, the dark red is going to be textured as faux brick. The test samples were already done. The other side of the back alley is going to simply have a wall to block the backstage lot from view. The new street will essentially be themed as the main street back alley.
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