Couple of disappointing things for us SEPT peeps

[crazyj4488]

I will be at WDW for the third time in 4 months Sept 5th - Sept 11th. Here are a couple of things that will slightly disappoint me while I'm there as far as closing goes and such:

1. Hot and statistically the rainiest month in Florida (Hurricane season still strong). I have no problem with the poncho. I've just been spoiled by that nice April weather this year.

2. Living Seas closure - NO TURTLE TALK I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this when I saw it for the first time in May.

3. Those pesky / ugly rehab walls. Yup, Sept is prime time for fixing up the place. I know it has to be done but here's the one that REALLY irks me. The Main Street Train Station will be undergoing a major rehab now through Dec 12th (as reported by d-troops.com). They have removed all the atms under the station (goto city hall if needed) and there will be alternate locker and stroller rental locations. I still haven't figured out if we will be able to catch the train on the Main Street platform. Can anyone confirm if it will be an available stop? I use the Main Street Train quite often while at the MK. The worst thing about all of this is that the Main Street Station is the first thing you see and walk through to enter the Magic Kingdom. Having it all walled off will sorta take away from that pleasurable entrance experience. Here's a picture of the site right now. UGH:

Not very nice. I just cannot believe it will be like this for so long. It must really need the work.

Next up is EPCOT. The upper platform area of The Imagination Pavilion is walled off. This means guests cannot go up and experience the jumping fountains. They are replacing much of the water spout equipment and they may be putting fiberglass back into the upside down waterfall sculpture. I remember the fiberglass octagon type shapes from the eighties. They were removed at some point and there is just a wire framed sculpture up there now. Correct me if I am mistaken.

Here is a pic of the walled off Imagination Pavilion section. Yuck!

The Mr. Sanders Pooh Tree is well underway in Fantasyland. It is rumored to be open by late Sept. It looks pretty neat but they should still but a ride back there in that old submarine ride area. Here's a pic:

Last is one nasty wall in Downtown Disney's Marketplace near the Earl of Sandwich. Yuck. Any ideas when this will go away?

4. They've changed one of my favorite stores at MGM. I believe Pooh's Gala Premiere, which specialized in Pooh merchandise, has been slapped with a generic tag and filled with varietals merchandise. Snore.

I still look forward to being at the world in Sept. See u all there

 

[daisy_77]

Thank you for the info and pics. I am very sad to hear about the Imagination Pavillion AND the Train Station.

 

[mitros]

The wall by The Earl of Sandwich, isn't that where the interactive fountains are/were? I wonder if they are going to eliminate them? They got rid of the one by the Lego store a while back. Rumors are rampant about possibly one if not two E-ticket rides in the left over area by the new Pooh playground area, but probably not until after the current 50th celebration/

 

[crazyj4488]

I did a little more research and it seems as if the train at Main Street may still be operating even with the refurb going on. This info came from some forum discussions over at WDWMagic. Thank goodness. I use the train quite often at the front of the park. I'm just hoping this holds true by the time I get there.

-J

 

[daisy_77]

That's great news! We will be there on November 29, right before they are done. I hate when that happens! Everytime we go to Disneyland that happens...we arrive right before they are done refurbishing. Oh, well!

 

[luv2nascar]

I read somewhere but for life of me can't remember where that train station would remain open BUT entrance/exit would move around quite a bit. I guess depending on what area they are working on. Anyone but me annoyed by that train station anyways. We had to unload toddler from stroller and carry her and carry her stroller up to the train platform. Ramp for exit but no ramp for entrance. Maybe they will get the much need ramp. Also heard lockers are going away and stroller rental is moving in under there. HELLO its a train station. I thought the lockers fit that theme well.

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

ON NO!!! The train station!!! OH NO!!! The water fountains!!! I hate those walls . . . but I also know that in order for WDW to be as beautiful as it is, refurbs must take place!! Besides, I got to see WDW "without walls" in May!!

We were planning on using the train (Main Street to Frontier Land) to watch Spectromagic after our dinner at WL. Let us know if you find out that the train isn't working!!

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

Horribly disapointed about the train station. I'm bringing a child to WDW for the first time next month and I'd hate for the first thing she sees of the MK to be a bunch of tarps and scaffolding.

I know repair work needs to be done, but why the whole place at once like that - looking like such an eyesore.

N.E.D.

 

[cjb71870]

Things need to be updated or "refurbished". It happens alot! There is nothing you can do. Just enjoy!

 

[philaround]

I read somewhere but for life of me can't remember where that train station would remain open BUT entrance/exit would move around quite a bit. I guess depending on what area they are working on. Anyone but me annoyed by that train station anyways. We had to unload toddler from stroller and carry her and carry her stroller up to the train platform. Ramp for exit but no ramp for entrance. Maybe they will get the much need ramp. Also heard lockers are going away and stroller rental is moving in under there. HELLO its a train station. I thought the lockers fit that theme well.

I don't know how long it has been there but there is an up ramp. From the Main Street side of the train station if you go all the way to the right [next to City Hall] you will find the up ramp.

 

[Dznefreek]

you will find the up ramp

or it it a down ramp?????????

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Things need to be updated or "refurbished". It happens alot! There is nothing you can do. Just enjoy!

So many posts about how WDW has been going "downhill" over the years, so when they do have to re-hab, the scaffolding and walls are an eyesore???

The pictures of the train station did not look bad to me at all. The walls are actually nice looking. I guess they could of plunked up some plywood walls, complete with graffiti.

 

[JulyGirl]

That's not so bad. It beats not going to WDW at all. Have fun!

 

[MommyPoppins]

As a native Floridian, I just have to say that Sept. is the BEST time to go, other than early Dec. Low crowds, you can't beat that. I'll take walls and things being closed over crowds any day. The hurricanes, if you can deal with them make for even lower crowds and I have never noticed Sept. to be the rainiest. All the times we have gone in Dec. we only got rained on 1 time. It always rains mid-late afternoon and it's always gone within 30 minutes, and it's great to cool off the evenings. We are going over labor day weekend and I can't wait.

 

[lovethattink]

We were at MK last week. Only half of the train station is blocked off. You only see this from inside the park. Looking from the outside, you can't even tell there is refurbishment going on at the train station. We rode the train. We entered the train from Main st. and got off at Toon Town. The entire platform of the train was open as usual.

 

[NCmom2NandE]

All that on top of Sci-fi being close when we there.

 

[Mickey Fanatic]

It is much better that they do these refurbishments now than when they are past the point of repair. There is enough magic inside the parks that a few walls and scaffolding in one area shouldn't ruin your whole trip!

 

[deba]

It's true; it's just human nature. We want the rehabs but hate the walls! (No flaming...I'm including myself here!) When I was a little girl an old man taught me this poem:

Man, man, what a fool;
When it's hot he wants it cool;
When it's cool he wants it hot;
Always wants what he hasn't got!

Not grammatically correct, but oh, so true. It has served me well through the years, reminding myself to be a little more easy going about things that I can't change.

That being said, I have the worst wall story ever! My DH and myself were on a short Valentine's Day trip (just the two of us...a rarity!) and we were walking down Main Street early in the morning. We were approached by a CM executive and were chosen to be the Grand Marshalls for the afternoon parade!!!! It was an awesome experience! We rode in Walt's favorite open electric car, and it was absolutely the chance of a lifetime. So much fun! The CMs took pictures for us, and we even got to choose a professional photo for free (as well as other great freebies). Those photos were valuable evidence for our large doubting family back home. And then, there it was...the perfect photo for us to choose for our enlarged memento. There was myself and DH, smiling and waving, and a full view of that awesome car (not too far away to see our faces, and not too close as to not get the car and driver in). And the best part, we were just rounding the corner to Main Street with the castle as a backdrop. Perfect! Well, except for the walls around the castle at the time! (The top of the castle is peeking out, though!)

 

[Windy City Heather]

I thought they did all the jumping water things in September 2003? We were there the end of September 2003 they were all down (everywhere). We were told they were down for repair.

If the train station is an eyesore that will bother me a little. The pictures don't look too bad. I am taking my mom to Disney. She has not been since 1971 and most likely will never be able to go back unless I foot the bill and it might happen.

I agree that Disney has to do rehab sometime. Can you imagine if they tried to do it in July??? I would rather have some rehab then the Summer/holiday crowds.

 

[Bouncing4Tigger]

The walls don't look too bad. To bad they can't have pictures painted on them. Maybe scenes of the charecters or something lol.