Wednesday, February 26, 2014

DTD Update: West Side and Marketplace Construction

Yesterday we brought you the latest news from Pleasure Island and today the latest updates from Downtown Disney West Side and Downtown Disney Marketplace.  Bonus points to anyone that can tell me where the above sign is located!
First a visit to the West Side and to outside Planet Hollywood.
Work is underway on the installation of a new seawall.  This certainly indicates that the Waterfront is not going to be drained!
Construction proceeds of the conversion of Wetzel's Pretzels into a Starbucks.  As you can see, it's supposed to open in Spring, 2014 which means up into mid-June.  By the way, Wetzel's is supposed to open a kiosk over near Disney Quest but I've seen no indication that it's imminent.
Walt Disney World's first parking garage is well underway across from AMC Theaters. It has a long way to go before the first deck is completed.  I've read the goal is to get this thing open before the Christmas rush.
Looking east towards the Marketplace, we see the pedestrian causeway construction taking place across the former harbor.
It's designed to allow guests to circle through the Marketplace without having walk in and walk out the same way, something that causes extreme congestion near the Waterfront Stage and World of Disney.  It will begin here next to T-REX Cafe.
The concept art shows what it will look like and I had not previously noticed that there is a zig-zag pattern to part of it.
But construction so far definitely shows the zag of the zig-zag.
Barges with pilings and barriers with Rainforest Cafe in the rear.
And it's connection back to land near Rain Forest Cafe.
The other new Starbucks is under construction in a nook of World of Disney.
Construction is also underway of the new fixed link pedestrian bridge connecting the Marketplace with Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort.
This will allow guests at SSR to walk to DTD without having to use the sidewalk along Buena Vista Drive.
Team Disney is now closed.
And a good time was had by all!
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5 comments:

  1. MunchiesFebruary 26, 2014 at 1:13 PM

    anyone know what they are doing in the parking lot next to cirque? the one way in the back by saratoga

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  2. KingBobFebruary 26, 2014 at 7:55 PM

    Immediately next to Cirque is where the new management and castmember offices are going. But this is not near Saratoga so are you referring to something else?

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  3. AnonymousMarch 1, 2014 at 9:40 PM

    not sure if you read some of the other fan sites, but there's some interesting permits on this one.

    http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/wdw-permits-2014.878380/


    1/6/2014
    1620 East Buena Vista Dr - New construction of 22,000 sf restaurant attraction including site , structure, and interior finished
    http://or.occompt.com/recorder/eagleweb/downloads/20140007793.pdf?parent=DOC1382S10372
    "Boat House Orlando, LLC
    858 Decantur Ave, North Golden Valley, MN 55427"

    1/28/2014
    Mannequins Dance Palace - Roofing
    http://or.occompt.com/recorder/eagleweb/downloads/20140043198.pdf?parent=DOC1418S1484

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMarch 1, 2014 at 9:41 PM

    oh look what's at that address
    "858 Decantur Ave, North Golden Valley, MN 55427"
    http://www.schusslercreative.com/contact

    ReplyDelete
  5. KingBobMarch 3, 2014 at 10:16 PM

    Thanks for sharing. Yes, the Boat House is a concept from Schussler Creative and is apparently the name they're going to use. We reported this a few years ago, although the Minneapolis Star-Tribune called it Mahagony Bay Classic Old Boats and Good Food Restaurant at the time. That actually sounded a lot more creative than Boat House.

    ReplyDelete