Moats around the castle being drained for refurbishment starting tomorrow?

[MermaidMommy]

Wdwmagic is reporting that the moats around the castle are going to be drained for a refurbishment starting tomorrow. There's no confirmed end date.

They've also posted pictures from the refurb in 2010. Does anyone know how long that refurb lasted? Those pictures aren't pretty. . . .

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...ained-for-refurbishment-starting-tomorrow.htm

 

[Princess Katherine]

Ew! I can't wait to see what people have thrown into there. What will the ducks do?

 

[Princess Katherine]

I wonder how long it will take... Hope it doesn't interfere with our August trip!

 

[mesaboy2]

The ducks will get along just fine.

 

[unkadug]

It was also reported (by dubious sources) that the moat would be filled in with dirt to never be seen again. Something about Disney photographers could simply Photoshop the moat back into place for wedding pictures.

 

[themcive4]

Well that's just super. We get down there on Tuesday so not only will we have that ugly crane but we will have to deal with this ugly river of muck now? what a bummer.

 

[tcherjen]

I guess we are observent. I told dh about this and he says "What moat? I don't remember seeing any moat!" He's been going to DW since he was about 4. Lol. Oh well, won't bother him at all.

 

[shalom]

It was also reported (by dubious sources) that the moat would be filled in with dirt to never be seen again.

Going on the maps linked to on the reddit thread, speculation is that the two sections closest to Main Street are going to be paved over. But it looks to me more like there's going to be water going underneath and possibly they're going to add an in-water fountain thingie, like at SeaWorld.

They're also adding a second walkway, and possibly making the exit behind Main Street more official and less back stage.

Or just planning on tucking the parade floats back there, I dunno.

 

[ArwenMarie]

They need more walkways, so that is good. Although I always hate to see greenery taken out.

 

[mesaboy2]

There was water in the moats yesterday.

 

[shalom]

Looks like the reddit posters snagged the maps from a wdwmagic thread. More info on that thread indicates that those sections of the moat are going to be covered over for FP+ areas, presumably for Wishes viewing. Supposedly they're going to put in artificial turf (yetch) along with fountains and other greenery.

Going on New Fantasyland, and especially the Tangled bathrooms (another project partly driven by a need to ease traffic congestion), I'm optimistic.

 

[MermaidMommy]

The maps from wdwmagic do look promising, although I agree that it's a shame to lose too much greenery. Hopefully, they'll do it as thoughtfully as they did Tangled area.

Any reports today - have they started yet?

 

[ucfknight]

I hope they don't fill in the most because that would ruin my dream of having the Swan Boats return for the 50th Anniversary celebration.

 

[Jennasis]

Just when I thought they were finally going to be done with construction in MK for a little while...

 

[MermaidMommy]

Just when I thought they were finally going to be done with construction in MK for a little while...

Exactly what I was thinking!

Looking at the refurb pictures from 2010, it looks like they drained all of the waterways throughout the MK. I hope it's not as extensive this time. We leave in a week, and I had resigned myself to the crane being up all day, but having MK all torn up would be a real disappointment.

 

[wrighter]

Sigh.

 

[MermaidMommy]

The wdwmagic thread has a couple of pictures from today of the moat being drained. (Looks like they were taken around 12:30.) One picture shows the moat next to the castle, and the other is the section of the moat near Tomorrowland Terrace.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/attachments/1393349102986-jpg.46903/

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/attachments/1393350080054-jpg.46904/

I was hoping that there would be a way for them to block off the other sections of the moat, and just drain the area closest to the castle, but it's not looking that way.

 

[Dreams0308]

I'm thinking it has something to do with this:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3240739

 

[MermaidMommy]

I'm thinking it has something to do with this:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3240739

Absolutely.

 

[ucfknight]

If the renderings are accurate, I'm glad to see it. The hub changes, along with the Main Street Bypass, will help tremendously with traffic flow during parades and fireworks.