New Disney World permit shows plans to re-route Floridian Way and raises questions on future expansion near to Magic Kingdom

Gallery / 2 Photos
World Drive Phase III plans including Floridian Way re-routing

Posted: Monday October 18, 2021 10:35am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has filed a new permit with the South Florida Water Management District for the World Drive redevelopment project at Walt Disney World.

The World Drive project has been underway for several years and has brought new flyovers and roadways to improve the traffic passing near the Magic Kingdom and the area resort hotels.

This latest filing shows that Floridan Way will be re-routed across the Oak Trail Golf Course and behind a parking facility for Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. (Thanks to @danlb_2000 on the WDWMAGIC Forums for location the permit)

World Drive Phase III plans including Floridian Way re-routing

Notable, this frees up a piece of land north of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort in very close proximity to Magic Kingdom.

The piece of land that will become available is shown in the yellow circle

It is far too early to suggest that a new resort or an expansion to Disney's Grand Floridian is in immediate plans. Still, the roadway changes mean that Disney may have some long-term plans for that piece of land and need to move Floridian Way to achieve it.

Disney's Grand Floridan Resort overview

Disney sparked new interest in Magic Kingdom area resort possibilities this past summer when a simple barrier and fence installed near the Seven Seas Lagoon suggested that Disney may once again be exploring building on perhaps the most valuable piece of unbuilt land at Disney World near to Disney's Contemporary Resort.

Venetian Resort shown on pre-1971 concept art

Discuss on the Forums

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Master Yoda30 days ago

You are correct in that you can build anything anywhere as long as your pockets are deep enough, but this area has the added complication of being designated as wetlands. This can be mitigated, but it is a long and often political process to do so, especially for an area of this size.

Andrew2530 days ago

WDW should cap at 4 parks. So much they can do to improve capacity (and attendance) at the existing parks before going to the wormhole of a 5th.

larryz30 days ago

I'm not disagreeing that it would be expensive, but If "they" can put a 51-story skyscraper in the middle of the swampy bowl that doubles as a major port city on the Mississippi River, "they" can put a theme park on 600+ acres of land that is already higher in average elevation than Epcot, DHS and DAK.

danlb_200031 days ago

Yes, that's why I said unlikely, not impossible. It would be a big piece of land to offset, and it's conservation because it's not suitable for construction thus making it expensive to use.

MisterPenguin31 days ago

Oh no, are you about to start rapping? About hiway situations and migrainiations?

larryz31 days ago

Designations can be changed with mitigation, can they not?

danlb_200031 days ago

It's tattooed on my arm. ;)

JoeCamel31 days ago

So you have a blow up of the land use map on your wall or is it your desktop background? No shame just admiration

danlb_200031 days ago

That is all conservation land so unlikely to be developed.

larryz31 days ago

I don't like it -- it cuts right through the largest area available for additional parks. Admittedly, you could probably put one north and one south of the cut-through, but I'd like to think WDW would save that spot for a MEGA park, perhaps based on another major franchise like LotR. Then again, I'm not sure I'd appreciate what today's "State-of-the-Imagineer" would do to the LotR universe... :(

Master Yoda31 days ago

The official term for what you are describing is Induced Demand. (This same thing can me applied to the congestion at the parks as well) About the only constant situation where road widening reduces traffic is when the lanes added are toll lanes.

etc98Apr 01, 2025

Adding lanes pretty much never decreases congestion

Andrew25Apr 01, 2025

Even if widening finished work today, it wouldn't meet the demand required for Orlando's sprawl. Problem with Horizon West/Davenport is that there's really only one way in and out of Orlando.

JoeCamelMar 31, 2025

Hasn't worked for the last 20 years so why start now. I'm in SLC and they built 6 -7 lanes in each direction with 3 -4 in the feeders and it is locked each day. They will never build their way out of it just like Bob will never increase capacity enough to relieve crowding in the parks