"Massive Magic Kingdom Transportation and Ticket Center Refurbishment Underway"

[RaySharpton]

Massive Magic Kingdom Transportation and Ticket Center Refurbishment Underway

I saw this info from BlogMickey.

http://blogmickey.com/2019/04/photo...ion-and-ticket-center-refurbishment-underway/

It is amazing to me all of the new construction that is going on at the Disney Transportation Center entrance to the Magic Kingdom

If you’re visiting the Magic Kingdom soon, you’ll have a longer walk from the parking lot tram drop off to the Monorail or Ferryboat.

Walls are up around the parking lot tram drop off area as improvements are made to the arrival experience. Cast Members indicated to us that the refurbishment will be roughly seven months long, but could always last longer. Work to be completed will be a road repaving and a shaded parking lot tram structure. The work was described to us as a “much-needed facelift” for the arrival experience. Let’s take a look around.

We start out in the Magic Kingdom parking lot, where two temporary tram drop off areas have been constructed – one for the Villains lot and one for the Heroes lot.

First up is the Villains lot drop off, which is located next to the handicap parking area and in front of the preferred parking lot. Here’s a look at the temporary drop off from the monorail as we approached the TTC.

From the ground, ample signage, as well as Cast Members, will direct you not only to the correct tram drop off area, but will also be able to help you find your way to bag check.

Next up is the Heroes temporary drop off area. Again, we take to the monorail to give you a good view from the air. This drop off is located in front of the Aladdin lot.

Again, enough signage has been put in place to help you find your way.

Because both of these drop off points are still technically on the parking lot side of the Seven Seas Drive bridge, guests walk in the old tram lane to get to bag check.

Half of the tram lane is behind walls, ready for repaving.

Near bag check, the tram drop off area is behind walls, with more fencing being installed this afternoon.

Here’s a look at the walk to bag check from both the ground and the air.

A look at the opposite side of the image above shows that crews are in the process of installing more fencing and preparing the lane dividers for removal.

As a reminder, Cast Members estimate that this project could last into the 2019 holiday season, so please be prepared for a little bit more walking when visiting the Magic Kingdom this year.

This should be interesting for those parking at MK and leaving the park at closing.

I know it was during the Disney Hollywood Studio refurbishment.





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[cm8]

Goodness!! Do they have special accommodations for those using oxygen and no mobility device? That’s a ton of walking to get inside the park.

 

[cm8]

I saw this info from BlogMickey.

http://blogmickey.com/2019/04/photo...ion-and-ticket-center-refurbishment-underway/

It is amazing to me all of the new construction that is going on at the Disney Transportation Center entrance to the Magic Kingdom

Again, enough signage has been put in place to help you find your way.

This should be interesting for those parking at MK and leaving the park at closing.

I know it was during the Disney Hollywood Studio refurbishment.





.

Thanks for the information!

 

[RaySharpton]

Thanks for the information!

Hi, cm8. You're welcome.

I am going down next week and I always like to prepare ahead of time for transportation issues that may affect me and using a wheelchair.

I don't think this will affect me since I will be using the bus system.

 

[RaySharpton]

Goodness!! Do they have special accommodations for those using oxygen and no mobility device? That’s a ton of walking to get inside the park.

Hi, cm8.

I don't know.

When I had a car, I could park in the handicap area. They usually kept some wheelchairs there before reaching the sidewalk to go under the tunnel.

The handicap parking area was back before this on the right. You still had to walk along the sidewalk on the right under the tunnel.

I don't know if it will be affected during the renovation. It looks like the area is still available to use, but now everyone will be walking under the tunnel during the refurbishment since the trams won't go under the tunnel anymore.

I'll try and take some photos next week when I am down there.

 

[cm8]

Thank you very much!

 

[goofy4tink]

Yeah, I'm thrilled. I'm going to the VIPassholder night at MK on Sunday, and I'll be offsite, so driving in. That's not going to be much fun. But heck, I get to see you Ray, this time around. So, that's a big plus!!! See you next week!!!

 

[RaySharpton]

Yeah, I'm thrilled. I'm going to the VIPassholder night at MK on Sunday, and I'll be offsite, so driving in. That's not going to be much fun. But heck, I get to see you Ray, this time around. So, that's a big plus!!! See you next week!!!

Me, too!!!!!!!

 

[thegales]

I wonder if the walkway from the Polynesian to TTC Bag Check is impacted. I am looking at the pictures, and can't quite tell.

 

[RaySharpton]

I wonder if the walkway from the Polynesian to TTC Bag Check is impacted. I am looking at the pictures, and can't quite tell.

I bet that they will or already have a place to have a Disney Security Check Station along the sidewalk to the TTC if it isn't already there now.

I'll take a photo next week.

You probably already know that the sidewalk from the Contemporary Resort to MK has a Disney Security Check Station along the sidewalk.

This is the one that the Contemporary guests use.

 

[thegales]

If they added a check point like the Contemporary, that would be awesome. Even the pre construction route from the Polynesian was not the best.

 

[RaySharpton]

If they added a checkpoint like the Contemporary, that would be awesome. Even the pre-construction route from the Polynesian was not the best.

It seems like it would be since is a sidewalk. I guess that it would have to be fenced off so folks couldn't walk around through the parking lot or some other open area. Before it didn't matter because you had to go through the TTC ticket center and now Tram Security Check Point.

On second thought, maybe the sidewalk could come within the new Tram Security Check Point.

I think that this is an older picture from the DIS Robo.

With the new Magic Kingdom Ticket and Transportation Refurbishment moving the Security Check Stations other construction, I bet the Disney Polynesian Resort sidewalk will come to a gated area with another Security Check Station.

I can see the Disney Polynesian Resort buildings on the left.

And you are right it is hard to see the sidewalk.

They already have a Disney Polynesian Resort Monorail Security Check Station.

 

[RaySharpton]

I wonder if the walkway from the Polynesian to TTC Bag Check is impacted. I am looking at the pictures, and can't quite tell.

When I was at WDW last week, the reason there is no Security Point on the sidewalk between the Polynesian Resort and the Ticket and Transportation Center is that at the end of the sidewalk you actually enter the temporary Security Point that everyone uses using the Tram or walking from their cars.

That worked out nicely, but I don't know what the new TTC construction will look like.

The small Security Check Point on the sidewalk between the Contemporary Resort and Magic Kingdom has been there a while now.

 

[RaySharpton]

I just returned from my vacation at WDW last week and I took a lot of photos.

Since I don't own a car anymore, I have been flying into Orlando and using Disney Magical Express to get to my resort using my wheelchair.

Hence I only use the Disney bus from Pop to WDW.

But I was curious about how the guests with disabilities were also affected with the Ticket and Transportation Center Handicap Parking area.

I arrived at the Ticket and Transportation Center via Disney Monorail from the Magic Kingdom park.

I was surprised how much I had forgotten about that area and the buses and parking lot and tram area and the Handicap parking area.

So if you bare with me, I am explaining this mainly for newbies.

So I exited the Disney Monorail on the left. This is not me in the photo. It is just the entrance to the EPCOT monorail. Which by the way is a pretty steep ramp for a solo manual wheelchair user.

Just for reference, to the left is the direct Disney Monorail to the Magic Kingdom.

Further left is the Disney Resort Monorail that makes all stops to Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, Magic Kingdom and Contemporary Resort before coming back to the TTC.

Further left is the Ferryboat to the Magic Kingdom.

From the previous photo, since I was facing the exit, I turned 90-degrees to my right. Not to be confusing, but if you were exiting the monorail looking toward the tram area, you would be looking to your right. Sorry.

I noticed that there were no buses in the area in front of me so I rolled over there.

For reference, to the left is the Monorail and to the right is a small store and restrooms.

This area was chained off and not being used. On the other side of the buildings to the right are where the commercial buses drop off and pick up guests. The Disney cast member told me that they use this space for overflow. It was very early in the morning when I arrived.

I also did not see a sign designation bus destinations here or anywhere around here.

Okay, then I turned to my right looking for the exit and saw this sign. The Disney Trams to the parking lots called Villians and Heros.

I know that it is hard to see, but I only see closed ticket buildings past the sign.

I roll around the tram sign and I see this area of the Ticket and Transportation Center. I see in the distance some tents.

After driving through the ticket buildings, I looked to my right and saw some security and tents and what looked like a Security Check Point. Did I say I arrived very early by monorail? Not many guests here.

I turned 180-degrees to my left and what looked like closed Ticket and Transportation Center buildings closed. And a wall of rolling bushes blocking my view of the TTC store.

I rolled straight ahead and took a left turn up those bushes. That is what I was told to do.

The actual exit is 180-degrees in the opposite direction from the photo earlier, but I just couldn't see it.

Plus I wanted to see that bus drop off and pick up area I mentioned earlier.

See the row of bushes on the far left. I rolled up from the other side and made a 360-degree turn and this is what I saw.

Straight ahead are some folks getting off the commercial buses for outside resorts.

To the left is a small Disney Store.

I rolled past the Disney Store on the left and I took a left turn down the sidewalk of the building where the commercial buses were dropping off guests.

Well, I didn't understand this sign at all. It was signed for many bus locations and letters and numbers. I rolled over to the left to the Bus Information building and they said the bus stop locations change all of the time and the guests are told which spot to go to load their particular bus to go off WDW property.

Taxis and Share rides can drop off here, too.

I turned back around where I was before in the photo above and saw the Disney Ticket and Transportation Center sign showing the 12-parking areas.

Remember, this is refurbishment time, so things may change in the future.

I did see the Handicap Parking area is in the same place in the lower left in the "ZURG" parking lot.

I come back to this area to walk through the road bars and walk underneath the bridge. You'll see what I mean later.

 

[RaySharpton]

So I continue from my last photo to the end of the store on the left and make a left turn because I want to see where these other buses are located.

I roll down the sidewalk and I come to this sign.

I had no idea what this sign was trying to tell me. It had 36-bus stop sections with a letter and number in each space.

I rolled around to my left and ask the cast member and they said this is for the commercial buses that drop off guest from other hotels.

The individual bus guests are given a bus stop to come back to and they just look up at the sign for the bus spot to go to.

They also drop taxis, share ride, Minnie Vans, etc.

I got here by turning around 180-degrees from the commercial bus drop off and I ran into this sign. To the left, you can see some guests starting to arrive.

This is the sign for the 12-Disney Parking lots.

You can see the bus and taxi designation in the lower left corner.

I see the Handicap parking in the "ZURG" parking lot.

I am going to come back that way, but I wanted to walk under the bridge since the Disney Trams are dropping guest off on the other side of the bridge.

Remember this is all going under refurbishment, so things will probably change over time.

I know that it is hard to see, but on the left is a sign pointing to a sidewalk to the Handicap Parking Lot in the Zurg section.

Straight ahead I see more guests arriving from the parking lots and heading to my right to the Security Check Point temporary Stations.

If you look at the top in the far distance you can see the colorful arch looking sign over the bridge. That is where I am headed to the parking lots.

I thought I would take a photo going to the TTC Security Checkpoints in the distance.

More guests arriving walking under the bridge. The road above is the road buses used to use leaving MK to go back to the resorts or the Polynesian Resort. The buses have a brand new highway in the sky that takes them back to the resorts now. No more speed bumps.

To the left is the fenced-in area sidewalk to the Handicap Parking Lot and other parking areas if the tram was not used.

But for now, the trams don't use the part of the entrance.

I am on the other side of the tunnel and I see guests coming around the corner going to TTC via the old tram road.

I don't see many cars parked straight ahead.

The Handicap parking is out of site to the left.

 

[RaySharpton]

So after coming out of the tunnel, I make a ride turn.

These are the signs that I saw to the right of the road.

Turning to the right again I see more guests arriving from the parking lots and tram drop off area.

I am going to roll up to that next sign ahead.

Yes, these are different signs for the other ones. I found them at the concrete barracades protecting the Disney Tram turnaround.

Everyone was walking in from the left of this photo, but to the right I saw another sidewalk to the tram area, too.

I drove down the sidewalk on the left and it looks like this might be a return area to load the Disney Trams when exiting. I am not sure.

To the left are the concrete barricades protecting the tram turnaround.

I see a tram arriving from the parking lots.

The Disney Tram has stopped and the guests are getting off on the other side from where I was sitting.

Everyone walking toward the tunnel.

The Disney Tram is empty and is about to make a turn around to pick up more guests from the parking lot.

Good job turning around.

I rolled back out of that sidewalk on the left to see where the guests had exited in the earlier photo. A few stragglers in the distance or either they just decided to walk from there car instead of using the tram. I guess this sign points to the other parking lots.

As I turn to the left, I notice this must be another tram drop off and tram turnaround that hasn't opened up yet.

Okay, that is it. Not too bad. Probably a little shorter walk than at the EPCOT Tram refurbishment.

I have another thread that I just posted photos about EPCOT walkabout.

I am turned around ready to head back to the Ticket and Transportation Center.

For reference, to the left is the unused tram area.

In front is the Handicap Parking in the Zurg parking lot with the sidewalk to the far left.

But everyone is using the road under the bridge for now whether coming from the trams or anywhere. You could use the Handicap sidewalk if you wanted to.

I saw some folks coming from the Zurg parking lot. I think they may be from the Handicap parking area. I don't know if they open the Zurg parking area this early for non-handicap sticker cars.

The truck is loading a lot of wheelchairs for the morning.

Turning a little to my left is the first row of vehicles parked in the Handicap section.

Turning left 90-degrees again. I see some of the unloaded wheelchairs.

To the left, if you see that cast member, then you see to the right the same old sidewalk Handicap guest and regular guest used if they walked and didn't use a tram before they stopped letting the Disney Tram drive under the tunnel

I have no idea what the refurbishment will look like.

Most people used the road to walk under the tunnel to get to the TTC.

 

[RaySharpton]

I am on my way back to the TTC to the temporary Security Check Points. The road on the left with guests and sidewalk on the right.

Yep, they are restocking the wheelchairs with a whole truckload.

Same old Handicap sign for the sidewalk.

Okay...I changed my mind and I decided to use the sidewalk instead of the road to see how it merges with the road to the TTC Security area.

Yes, I honked my horn going under the tunnel.

Same Handicap sidewalk heading to the commercial bus area.

Actually, I see some bushes separating the Handicap sidewalk from the commercial bus sidewalk ahead. I am going to bare to my left to get back on the road with everyone else.

Another sign before reaching everyone else.

Okay, I know security doesn't like us to take photos but this is the first of four sections that used for very early in the morning.

The sign says, "Guests without Bags."

Now I am with the main crowd.

Green construction fence on the left.

Security Check Point Stations on the right.

They seem to have four sections that they open up as it starts to get crowded. I was here before opening and I was directed to my left to the second area. Everyone else in front of me went through the first section.

I am still on the other side of the queue, but I notice a Handicap Sign on the chain between two poles. I haven't seen any wheelchairs or mobility scooters today, but a lot of handicap guests in strollers of various kinds. I guess they went through the regular security in this section.

There are a lot of tents and security tables. I was the first one to go to the second section and I haven't reached it yet. It is not as far as the photo indicates.

I am about there and I found the exit gates that I missed when I first started this journey.

I made it. It was strange to see guests ahead of me but security told me these folks came from the Disney Polynesian Resort sidewalk.

That is why the Poly doesn't have a security station on the sidewalk like the sidewalk between the Contemporary and MK.

I made it through the TTC security checkpoint and I rolled as far as I could to the left. I didn't want to go through security again, but this photo shows the end of the sidewalk to the Disney Polynesian Resort. Who knew? Well, I guess I know now...ha...ha...ha.

I turned around to my right and this is the complete opposite side of the TTC. They still have some bushes on wheels and that building is closed. I think that it used to be a store.

Further to the right, I see some ticket buildings open. I am going to roll straight ahead.

And then I saw the monorail to the right and the Ferryboat to the left.

That is all, folks.

 

[Disneypro1]

Great info. Love all the improvements!

 

[RaySharpton]

Great info. Love all the improvements!

Thanks. I wonder if they are going to build a permanent building for Security Checkpoints like at DHS?

The new DHS tram construction at the top left and the "L" shaped building will be the new DHS Security Check Point building.

When I was there last week, I noticed the extra patio umbrella Security area to the right

Edit to say I just saw Disney has opened the new tram drop off and the new Security building for bag checks and stopped using the old checkpointshttp://blogmickey.com/2019/05/new-hollywood-studios-bag-check-and-tram-lane-now-open/.

 

[joelkfla]

From the previous photo, since I was facing the exit, I turned 90-degrees to my right. Not to be confusing, but if you were exiting the monorail looking toward the tram area, you would be looking to your right. Sorry.

Actually, you confused yourself! This would be to the left as you exit the monorails.

This area was chained off and not being used. On the other side of the buildings to the right are where the commercial buses drop off and pick up guests. The Disney cast member told me that they use this space for overflow. It was very early in the morning when I arrived.

I also did not see a sign designation bus destinations here or anywhere around here.

There are no signs because buses run from this area only to the MK. They run only during peak mornings when the monorail and ferryboat are insufficient to carry the load, or when one of those 2 is out of service. There will always be cms directing Guests when the area is in use.

Usually, 3 to 5 buses will line up along the curb, and Guests will be directed to the front bus. When that bus is nearly full, they'll be directed to the 2nd bus, etc. If there's a lull, all the buses that haven't been loaded yet will move up, and more buses will fill in the rear spots.

BTW, it was before my time, but I'm told that this area, affectionately known as the "Mouse House", originally was the loading area for a tram between TTC & MK. That was before buses became so prevalent at WDW.