Yet Another Downtown Disney Makeover

[doconeill]

I'll believe it when it's done and opened...

http://parkrumors.com/major-facelift-for-planned-downtown-disney/

The next phase of the plans is where it gets interesting. The Downtown Disney area as a whole will be re-branded into “Disney Springs”, which encompasses six distinct neighborhoods: The Gateway, The Town Center, The Springs, The Landing, The West Side, and The Village Marketplace. Each neighborhood will have its own distinct look and feel, described briefly below.​

The Gateway, as you probably could have guessed, will be the main access point into Disney Springs. Its main goal is to improve the current parking woes and traffic nightmare Downtown Disney faces during peak seasons. The biggest addition to The Gateway will be a five level parking garage that will sit roughly where the current parking lots C and D are. Parking lots A-H will be removed to support the necessary infrastructure for the new garage, as well as a new, larger bus drop-off and pick-up area.​

After The Gateway you’ll encounter The Town Center, located on what will have been parking lots E-G. The Town Center will be a busy area featuring many new retail establishments. Following The Town Center you’ll arrive in The Springs, a peaceful, relaxing area along the waterway that runs between it and the former Pleasure Island. Cross one of the new bridges, and you’ll end up in The Landing, full of dining and drinking options and offering nice views of Village Lake. Here you can expect to see several new restaurants and retail locations, as well as a new amphitheater by the water’s edge, next to Paradiso 37.​

The West Side and The Village Marketplace will remain virtually the same as their current state, with a few small additions. On The West Side, the most notable changes include Planet Hollywood being turned into something called ‘The Observatory’ and losing its surrounding body of water, and a new Starbucks location replacing the current Wetzel’s Pretzels. An overhead railway (for thematic purposes only) will also run above the main stretch of path from Disney Quest down to the new Starbucks. Meanwhile, over in The Village Market Place, the former bus drop-off and pick-up area will become home to two new retail buildings, and a new bridge leading to Saratoga Springs will be constructed.​

So there you have it, a brief overview of Disney Springs, the future of Downtown Disney. Below I’ve included a colored and labeled overlay of what the proposed plans will transform the area into. It’s definitely a massive project, and one that will likely create its fair share of headaches during construction. But overall, it looks to be a worthwhile addition to Walt Disney World, and hopefully one that will solve some of the current issues and criticisms that Downtown Disney faces.​

 

[Dznefreek]

That plan would make parking worse not better . . . . .

 

[beer dave]

Oh just put in a couple rides and charge for entry-- instant fifth gate. lol. Give free entry with minimum purchase at WOD.

 

[Pier60]

More to see and more to do!

 

[pooh2001]

When will changes totally be done ? 2014 ? 2015 ? 2016 ? beyond ?
Sounds like a lot of construction.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Not putting much faith into it, Disney has not used parking garages in Disney World yet for customer parking, doubtful they would start in DTD.

 

[doconeill]

I've got a low confidence in this as well...although some of it makes sense.

 

[mcd2745]

I've got a low confidence in this as well...although some of it makes sense.

I agree...not a lot of confidence this will happen and not go the same way as Hyperion Wharf. However, it's not a terrible plan and there is potential to make that one area - The Landing - at least a little reminiscent of the "old" Pleasure Island. It will be essentially a new island, but one that doesn't interrupt foot traffic between the Marketplace and West Side since that other area - Town Center - will be in between instead of a parking lot.

 

[angelmichelle]

Disney Springs just sounds unpleasant. Downtown Disney sounds enjoyable.

 

[cjstarr]

This sounds like a good plan to. DTD needs some major face lifting.

 

[zorro77]

With what is official so far it sounds like a very big project and some will cause issues for arriving to Dt Disney but like the old pleasure Island area a lot can be done with out any interruptions from daily activities. A change and any thing new will bring people in just to see and experience what is happening.

 

[MrRomance]

Reading the "plans" I can see some good points to it and some bad. Not sure how the 5 level parking structure will solve the parking problems at DTD if they're closing the other lots to make way for other things. The bridge into SSR is interesting (but that's a personal issue because we usually stay at SSR and the existing walkway isn't the nicest experience in the world!

They need to do SOMETHING with DTD but whether these plans are the answer is questionable. There are 2 problems as I see it with DTD, firstly the parking issue, which needs to be resolved because at peak season, finding a space over there is a 2 hour job! The other problem is it's all a little incoherent over there. Creating different areas (shopping, restaurants, entertainment, etc.) would be an improvement.