Disney Springs Concept Art - second level looks interesting.

Disney Springs Construction Update: February 2014

It has been nearly a year since Disney announced that it would conduct an extreme makeover of Disney Springs, turning it into a new, larger, area with improved shopping, dining, and entertainment district that will be renamed Disney Springs.

Unlike the false start that happened in 2010 whenDisney announced it would remake Disney Springs into Hyperion Warf (which never got off the ground), this time the transformation seems real.

Not only has Disney released plenty of concept art, but construction walls are in place, old building are coming down, and new buildings are going up.

Parking Garages

One of the biggest changes that Disney Springs will bring is also one of the most welcome: parking garages.

If you have ever tried to find a parking spot during a busy holiday season or on a Friday or Saturday night, you know that parking at Disney Springs could be challenging. That is the polite way to say it.

Disney has cleared the old asphalt from several of the parking lots in the front of the complex that will be turned into parking garages. New cement pilings that form the foundation of the future parking garages are reaching into the sky.

I’m personally hoping that Disney will use some advanced parking garage technology and sensors like those used in Baltimore/Washington International Airport to point people to open spots, but I haven’t heard any information yet on how “smart” the new Disney garages might be.

There is also no word yet if or how Disney will rework the overall traffic flow of cars coming from the main I-4 interstate highway.  Some folks were hoping for a direct off-ramp from I-4, but I have seen nothing suggesting that so far.

For now, this part of the construction project is creating parking headaches. However, these will be short lived (if you call a few years short lived) and will mean a much improved parking situation when the work is finished.

Let’s take a look at some of the concept art that Disney has posted around Disney Springs, as well a photos of the construction work itself.

Concept Art

Disney released some concept art of Disney Springs a while back. Some of those same images, and what I believe may be a few additional ones, are posted on many of the construction walls.

Disney Springs Concept Art - on the water.
Disney Springs Concept Art – on the water.
Disney Springs Concept Art - happy people everywhere.
Disney Springs Concept Art – happy people everywhere.
Disney Springs Concept Art - old-Florida architecture.
Disney Springs Concept Art – old-Florida architecture.
Disney Springs Concept Art - open interior space.
Disney Springs Concept Art – open interior space.
Disney Springs Concept Art - great water views.
Disney Springs Concept Art – great water views.
Disney Springs Concept Art - second level looks interesting.
Disney Springs Concept Art – second level looks interesting.

Construction Photos

There are light blue construction walls everywhere you look in Disney Springs. The main path through the old Pleasure Island section of the complex is closed off, and a new boardwalk routes people along the water on the trek from the West Side to the Marketplace.

The walkway through Pleasure Island is closed.
The walkway through Pleasure Island is closed.
A new boardwalk along the water.
A new boardwalk along the water.
Construction on the waterways.
Construction on the waterways.
Construction walls are everywhere.
Construction walls are everywhere.
Construction wall near the old Mannequins club.
Construction wall near the old Mannequins club.

Are you looking forward to the new Disney Springs?