New Rumor - Plans to Update Downtown Disney to all new Disney Springs

[Wendy]

Walt Disney World has filed an application with the South Florida Water Management District for "The BVD Corridor Stormwater Project" to change the storm water runoff patterns in preparation for work on a 269.11-acre parcel of land. The plan affects drainage in the Downtown Disney area. The plan generally details how the water patterns will be modified to allow for new master planning of the area.

According to a number of sources Hyperion Wharf plans have finally been abandoned and Disney has come up with another idea to bring some new life into the area.

"The BVD Corridor Stormwater Project" is the first phase of the project and is to change the storm water runoff patterns in preparation for work on a 269.11-acre parcel of land. The plan affects drainage in the Downtown Disney area. The plan generally details how the water patterns will be modified to allow for new master planning of the area.

Parkrumors states that the new The Downtown Disney area as a whole will be re-branded into “Disney Springs”, which encompasses six distinct neighborhoods: The Gateway, The Town Center, The Springs, The Landing, The West Side, and The Village Marketplace. Each neighborhood will have its own distinct look and feel, described briefly below.

The Gateway will be the main access point into Disney Springs. Its main goal is to improve the current parking and traffic nightmare Downtown Disney faces during peak seasons. The biggest addition to The Gateway will be a five level parking garage that will sit roughly where the current parking lots C and D are. Parking lots A-H will be removed to support the necessary infrastructure for the new garage, as well as a new, larger bus drop-off and pick-up area.

After The Gateway you’ll encounter The Town Center, located on what will have been parking lots E-G. The Town Center will be a busy area featuring many new retail establishments. Following The Town Center you’ll arrive in The Springs, a peaceful, relaxing area along the waterway that runs between it and the former Pleasure Island. Cross one of the new bridges, and you’ll end up in The Landing, full of dining and drinking options and offering nice views of Village Lake. Here you can expect to see several new restaurants and retail locations, as well as a new amphitheater by the water’s edge, next to Paradiso 37.

The West Side and The Village Marketplace will remain virtually the same as their current state, with a few small additions. On The West Side, the most notable changes include Planet Hollywood being turned into something called ‘The Observatory’ and losing its surrounding body of water, and a new Starbucks location replacing the current Wetzel’s Pretzels. An overhead railway (for thematic purposes only) will also run above the main stretch of path from Disney Quest down to the new Starbucks. Meanwhile, over in The Village Market Place, the former bus drop-off and pick-up area will become home to two new retail buildings, and a new bridge leading to Saratoga Springs will be constructed.

At this point it is all just a rumor, the only thing that is confirmed is the permit application for the stormwater drainage changes.

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[robertcraig]

Very interesting