Hub Expansion is getting closer

[DisneyFive]

I believe so-and Main St will still be a huge bottle neck, both back alleys behind the stores were open XMAS week though, so it may work well for peak week closings.

But should be much less "shoulder to shoulder" during all of the hub activities they have.

You could sit there for 4 hours XMAS week and never wait 30 minutes for some kind of show it seemed. Elsa castle lighting alone twice a night was absolutely packed-and I won't say it was better than any ride, but I may be thinking it secretly.

No doubt. This will certainly help flow in front of the castle, I hope, but Main Street is still going to be near impassable during nighttime parades and Wishes. Not having a stroller this year will help though. We should be able to scoot through the stores on Main St if we want to leave.

I remember the only time on our first WDW visit that felt "unDisney" was trying to leave MK after Wishes. I kept thinking about the stampede affect, people getting trampled, etc... shoulder to shoulder people. shoot, I still feel bad for all the mom's ankles that I clipped with our stroller that night.

Dan

 

[jade1]

No doubt. This will certainly help flow in front of the castle, I hope, but Main Street is still going to be near impassable during nighttime parades and Wishes. Not having a stroller this year will help though. We should be able to scoot through the stores on Main St if we want to leave.

Dan

September? Good luck with that. I'm kidding, try XMAS week.

But yea I wonder if they could build Main Street over if they would make that wider as well-its cozy and interactive and quaint but geez.

 

[DanBoris]

It looks so nice! I am glad the construction is winding up. We'll be there in 9 days and I can't wait!!

This part of the construction is wrapping up, but there are other parts of the hub project that haven't even started yet. Expect there to be construction in the hub well into this year.

 

[DisneyFive]

September? Good luck with that. I'm kidding, try XMAS week.

But yea I wonder if they could build Main Street over if they would make that wider as well-its cozy and interactive and quaint but geez.

Can't imagine Xmas, given how crazy it can be even in Sept.

During the time of year we go, there is never much traffic in front of the castle, so this construction doesn't really help much. Plus, before Wishes starts, the whole area in front of the castle gets packed anyway. I can't see this being any different with the new construction, unless they somehow don't allow people to stand in certain areas to let people through.

Dan

 

[jade1]

Can't imagine Xmas, given how crazy it can be even in Sept.

During the time of year we go, there is never much traffic in front of the castle, so this construction doesn't really help much. Plus, before Wishes starts, the whole area in front of the castle gets packed anyway. I can't see this being any different with the new construction, unless they somehow don't allow people to stand in certain areas to let people through.

Dan

You wouldn't believe until you experience it. I will try to describe not that you care.

Just picture a solid shoulder to shoulder crowd on every square inch from right in front of the castle stage all the way down Main Street, and as wide as it can possibly go to the outside railings.

Then they take about a 4 foot wide area with tape on the ground and hold ropes to allow the hub spokes to walk though down the far sides all the way down to Main street stores, and one across from Caseys-ALL ARE NO STOPPING TO LOOK.

So if you get off Buzz and walk over to the castle for example, when you hit the bridge your have to keep walking toward Walt, then are filtered left to the ice cream Store etc-no chance of finding a spot. The only open spots to stand would be to walk all the way down by the flag pole where it finally has some open space.

Weird thing is we still love it, warm weather, snow coming down, awesome decor and shows, stay super late.

 

[FirstTimeDisneyVisit]

This is from the inside the magic FB page... I think it has a very majestic look. however - I did not spend much time in the hub prior too...

great pic !! cant wait to see this !


View attachment 2590

 

[FINFAN]

This is from the inside the magic FB page... I think it has a very majestic look. however - I did not spend much time in the hub prior too...

View attachment 2590

yep~ has that "castle courtyard" vibe...ties in somewhat with the touches that were put in the new Fantasyland. Still a bit too sterile/ bland looking for my taste but the greenery will grow and maybe(?) they will incorporate more color in there somehow? Those speakers/hidden cameras. whatever is inside those large cylinders on the lamp posts are pretty hideous, in the photo that is all my eye is drawn to. Hopefully when there IRL it is not as distracting as they are above eye level.

 

[jade1]

Somebody posted this from wdwmagic if it was missed.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...street-plaza-gardens-at-the-magic-kingdom.htm

 

[SabbyR]

When does the crane leave?

 

[JimmyV]

Those speakers/hidden cameras. whatever is inside those large cylinders on the lamp posts are pretty hideous, in the photo that is all my eye is drawn to.

I assume that they are speakers, and I had the same reaction. But I guess odd looking speakers incorporated into lamp posts beats the alternative of normal looking lamp posts with rectangular speakers bolted on to them.

 

[grimley1968]

Very nice! It may not get rid of the bottleneck completely, but it will help, and I think it looks nice considering the amount of landscaping and other work still remaining.

 

[Robo]

This will certainly help flow in front of the castle, I hope, but Main Street is still going to be near impassable during nighttime parades and Wishes.

As a part of this upgrade, they are also REBUILDING BACKSTAGE behind Main Street.
It will allow the routing of guests away from the packed regular Man Street corridor during parades and other events that congest the street.

The bottom picture below is (close to) what that route looks like today, but they are reconstructing and adding theming that will make the pathway look much more "guest friendly."

 

[jade1]

As a part of this upgrade, they are also REBUILDING BACKSTAGE behind Main Street.
It will allow the routing of guests away from the packed regular Man Street corridor during parades and other events that congest the street.

Below is (close to) what that route looks like today, but they are reconstructing and adding theming that
will make the pathway look much more "guest friendly."

Thats great news, did you know the other side was open over XMAS as well? We had never seen that side before but that really helped as well.

 

[Robo]

Thats great news, did you know the other side was open over XMAS as well? We had never seen that side before but that really helped as well.

Yup. That route gets mentioned quite a bit, too.
Enough that I now have an image of that north side of Main Street backstage area.

 

[CarbonRiver]

Awesome! We are there first week of March and can't wait to see it, hopefully a few more walls come down by then. Were there last May and there were already a lot of walls up then. Had been decades since had been before the last time and I swear I didn't even realize the moat was there before with the walls up Breakfast at CP will be nicer this time if most of them are down on that side this time.

 

[ShayBells]

Saw this today ...

http://www.**************.net/photo...-progress-at-magic-kingdom-walt-disney-world/

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Yay, progress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ParrotBill]

I hope it does not look like a wide expanse of concrete when done, but I welcome the improvement if it means more capacity to view castle shows, fireworks, and parades, and still allows non-viewers to move along more easily (with a more permanent second exit lane behind Main Street also!) There are times I just want to get through.

 

[Floridaglen]

My answer to relieving congestion would be to build another park

 

[Lanie]

I can't wait to see it finished! It will definately be different, but I am sooooooo looking forward to seeing MK without walls!