PHOTOS - More of the Lilly Pad area opens after being updated to Disney Springs look

G00fyDadAug 10, 2014

I think you misunderstood what the other poster stated. Of course they did not custom build the lamp to have a removable plate. Yes, it is the wire access panel. What they were referring to is that the plate could have been a simple blank plate. However, Disney was forward thinking enough to have the name Disney Springs placed on this panel because it would be an easy fix if they decided to change the name again down the road.

DisneyCaneAug 10, 2014

I doubt it was that forward thinking. The plate isn't there just for the logo. It is the plate that covers the access hole for the electrical connections. Most likely, the lamp posts are "off the shelf" but the plates can be customized for each customer. I honestly doubt they would spend the money to change them if they changed the name to Disney Winters due to an overlay of the whole project with a "Frozen" theme.

roj2323Jul 19, 2014

It's deffinetly more appealing than the slash and patch job that was there. The concrete had been cut into an patched so many times it looked like the Illinois Tollway.

Next Big ThingJul 14, 2014

Personally I think it looks really nice. The bricks give it a nice vibrant, eye catching look.

jt04Jul 14, 2014

Still think they plan to restore some details to the EL. Also, I really think the details here hint at what will be impressive new adds. The new glass promenade and water features should impress even an Empress. Not expecting World Showcase level theming but not too far from it. Optimistic as ever.

The Empress LillyJul 13, 2014

Hmmm...I wish I could see the Lilly Pad area myself. The pictures don't seem to give me a good impression. I can't say I'm greatly enamoured by the current look, but maybe it looks nice in person. It doesn't seem to do anything for the Empress Lilly, merely affirming her status as 'former ship, now concrete restaurant with weird shape' I do appreciate the nod to Lillian, who was in danger of losing everything in WDW named after her. If you specifically name the resort after Walt, then you can't not mention her somewhere.

jt04Jul 11, 2014

Really appreciate what they are doing with the metal work. Something really cool about that era and the aesthetics of the early 20th century. Also they have done a great job of blending the ship and restaurant. Perfect.

wdwmagicJul 11, 2014

Yep. There are still some walls in that area, but Portobello is beginning to emerge from the walls.

roj2323Jul 11, 2014

looks great. I'm sure portobello is glad to have there entrance easy to see again as well. This area was a real Mess for about 2 months.

wdwmagicJul 11, 2014

More of the Lilly Pad area opens after being updated to Disney Springs look

Kman101Apr 28, 2014

It does look nice, and promising. I agree with most of what TheEmpressLilly said also, but I'm looking forward to seeing the entire project complete. It was time for an update to DTD.

jt04Apr 27, 2014

Agreed. It will depend on how the entire project fits together. Thanks for your thoughts.

The Empress LillyApr 27, 2014

I don't read every thread! I don't know, jt. Maybe DS will be really nice with really great looking sidewalks. I hope so! TBH I haven't been following DS superclosely. For the EL, based on those few pics Steve shared, this does not seem to mean much, apart from the surroundings looking marginally better than before.

The Empress LillyApr 27, 2014

Found it at last! @jt04 I think the walkway looks ok. I'm not superenthusiastic about the sudden trend to theme every bit of concrete walkway. It's not that I resent it, but I do think the cleverness of that is vastly overrated in the halls of WDI. It is a layer of detail, it is ornamentation, it is elaborate set dressing. But as the Repurposed Fantasyland Areas showed, all of that feels empty if it is not part of truly inspired design, of real placemaking. If I were a movie producer, I'd hire this current WDI crop for art directors, but not for directors. They understand sets, but less so mood and story progression and moviemaking. They feel more interested in the act of design, in adding layers of detail (that is not necessarily a good thing!), than in the spectators and their experience of the product. To make that point more concrete (groan!), if you make the pathway look like wood, then make it look like a proper pier. So put the palm trees and lampost elsewhere, and add a mooring. If you don't then all you've done is make your concete pathway look like an wooden pathway. And why not just use wood for that then? (Which was a rethorical question! If one would answer it, I guess the proper reply is: because wood is more expensive and needs to be replaced more often. In which case, the entire exercise is thus reduced to cost cutting. Fake wood for want of the real thing)