More major roadwork to begin on World Drive near to the Transportation and Ticket Center

Apr 30, 2019 in "Magic Kingdom"

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Phase 2 extension and realignment of World Drive

Posted: Tuesday April 30, 2019 11:44am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney is nearing the completion of the first phase of redeveloping World Drive, which has seen new overpass roads greatly improve the traffic flow near to the Transportation and Ticket Center.

A $5 million landscaping package is currently being installed around those new ramps, and Disney is now turning attention to Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the World Drive project.

In a recent permit filing, plans are outlined for the next step, which will see more realignment of World Drive along a 1.3 mile stretch. (Thanks to danlb_2000 on the WDWMAGIC Forums for spotting the permit)

Phase 2 extension and realignment of World Drive

According to the permit:

"The project is the Phase 2 extension and realignment of World Drive and the associated ramps and frontage roads. Phase 2 of the World Drive extension will begin where Phase 1 ends near Floridian Way and east of the existing care care center. The end of Phase 2 ties in to Floridian Way approximately 800 feet south of Seven Seas Drive. The total project length is approximately 1.3 miles."

"The World Drive Phase III roadway project (currently under design and proposed for permitting & construction in late 2020) begins at the north end of the World Drive North Phase II project and runs north, passing Seven Seas Drive, running between the Polynesian Resort and Shades of Green and along the Grand Floridian Resort, ending at Maple Road."

Discuss on the Forums

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BrianApr 12, 2021

Reserving this space in the thread for when it inevitably happens. 🙃

marni1971Apr 12, 2021

Hence the new road.

LilofanApr 12, 2021

You will be out of luck at North Service area behind MK during MK fireworks. Those roads are shut down due to fireworks fallout zone adding to the traffic woes.

castlecake2.0Apr 12, 2021

That could be why they’ve been buying small chunks of land up in that area. With all that development they need to keep the buffer around the MK resort area.

maxairmikeApr 12, 2021

This is purely a local accessibility solution the way I see it. The north service area is no longer just an entrance to MK Cast parking, it's the entrance/exit to property for a lot of cast in other areas of the resort, even after the improvement that the Western Way extension made in that area (the developer(s)/owner on the Orange side of the Lake/Orange County line needs to get with the program and allow the connection with Sawgrass to further improve connectivity and traffic situations as well, but that's another story). Throw in the local APs that knew enough that you could get on to property from Reams Rd and both groups using the resort roads because it's generally a less congested and more direct route home than the other options, and there's enough traffic to make those 2-lane roads around the Magic Kingdom at least less comfortable. It also makes it easier for MK cast coming from the south because there are still 2 "choke points" that slow traffic due to volume even after adding the flyovers to bypass the toll booths to get to the resorts area. This improvement in the roadways has been needed for years, but the continuing residential development (and now at a very rapid pace despite COVID) north and west of Magic Kingdom makes it even more useful and necessary. So not really anything to do with "competition," just already needed infrastructure improvement. To answer the question of the post you quoted, I doubt it becomes an "official" entrance unless some developers decide that a bunch of hotels in the Summerlake/Summerport developments would be good and it becomes a popular area with park tourists instead of people visiting family that live back there (and I hope I didn't just speak that nightmare into existence...).

SirwalterraleighApr 12, 2021

I was staring at the new flyovers under construction last week... no doubt they are trying to make the western side as much of an entrance as the east. one obvious reason: comcast they’re more scared of them than they let on...no need for more car routes in the 21st century unless you’re trying to play “keep away”

castlecake2.0Apr 11, 2021

Makes sense. It looks like the last week or so they planted a lot more trees along the side of the road there. Hopefully that continues to hide a bit the cast parking area a bit.

drnilescraneApr 11, 2021

My guess is it'll remain a secondary entrance without gateway (much like the east service area and Sherberth Rd) as it does not directly lead to a major area highway (192/Osceola/Epcot Center) or commercial area with ramp (Hotel Plaza/Western Way). The only people using this entrance are going to be CMs and local area residents visiting WDW or cutting through. Doesn't require fanfare.

castlecake2.0Apr 11, 2021

Bump: do we think that at the end of this they will make Floridian Way an “official” entrance to WDW with signage etc? Right now when you enter property from that way you drive past the North service area that they have done nothing to hide from view, drive through some woods and then end up at grand Floridian. I’m wondering if they’ll do anything to make this look more official?

msteelSep 10, 2020

So, it looks like Reedy Creek Improvement District is building Phase II (partially) on an easement granted by Disney. I'm curious if either Phase I or the existing road being replaced were built under the same type of agreement? Interesting also that the easement includes a significant portion of the parking lot.