Land clearing is underway west of Magic Kingdom for an expansion and rerouting of Floridian Way north of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. The work is part of a multi-year project that includes adding roundabouts near Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. There is speculation that the roadway rerouting is to support a new hotel near or attached to Magic Kingdom, but no such plans have been officially announced by Walt Disney World. Here’s a closer look at the permitting.
Floridian Way Reroute and Expansion Near Magic Kingdom
The land clearing is taking place near where there will be laydown yards for construction equipment for the upcoming Cars-themed expansion to Frontierland and Villains land in Magic Kingdom. It’s important to distinguish that the work taking place here is not associated with the theme park project, which is still awaiting approval from the state to move forward.
Going back to the recent land clearing west of Magic Kingdom, the permit below shows the planned roadway adjustments for the Floridian Way/World Drive Phase III work. We can see Magic Kingdom on the right side of the screenshot below, the Grand Floridian near the middle of the image, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort in the lower left. The work is outlined in purple, with the most recent land clearing taking place at the light blue section.
For reference, the image below shows the northern portion of the World Drive Phase III permitted work with a look at the unrelated laydown yards (blue) that are still awaiting final permit approval from the state. While the work is in the same area, the cleared areas are separate. The roadway reroute is clearly part of some bigger plans, but it’s unclear what those plans are right now.
It’s also worth noting that while the Magic Kingdom laydown yards/Rivers of America demolition is still awaiting final approval from the state, the roadway project has been approved for years. Other impacts from the roadway project include adjustments to Disney’s Magnolia golf course and a new entrance to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
In terms of where a hotel could go, the area below outlined in orange could be a great spot for a new hotel. It could even go a bit closer to Magic Kingdom depending on what Disney’s long-term plans are for the laydown yard right next to it. In theory, two of the three laydown yards will not be utilized for theme park projects and could be used for either further expansion over the next few decades, or a new hotel.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!