Echo Lake remains drained at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but crews are making visible progress around Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner. Newly applied rust marks now streak the side of the SS Down the Hatch, the lakebed has fresh paint, conduit lines run across it, and the faux tree stumps look refreshed. That said, scaffolding still surrounds the ship, and Disney has not announced when the water will return, but it looks like work is turning a corner. Here’s the latest.
Echo Lake Refurbishment Progress, Dockside Diner Rust at Hollywood Studios
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Newly applied rust marks now streak the hull of the SS Down the Hatch
- The Echo Lake lakebed has fresh paint and conduit lines running across it
- The faux tree stumps and logs around the lakebed look refreshed
Disney drained Echo Lake in August for a refurbishment centered on the SS Down the Hatch, the ship that houses Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner. Our latest photos show the work shifting toward detail work on the ship and the lakebed. Shallow puddles still sit in the low spots of the empty lake following days of rain. That said, it looks like the project is turning a corner with the arrival of thematic finishing details.
New Rust Weathering on the SS Down the Hatch
The most noticeable change is on the hull. Rust streaks now run down the white paint beneath the anchor mounted near the ship’s name. More streaks trail from beneath the red-rimmed portholes on the lower section. Along one vertical seam, several rivet heads have rust spots with drips below them, while the rivets between them stay clean. That variation gives the white paint a weathered look that should be quite convincing once the scaffolding comes down.
The red lower hull has also been refreshed, with the paint looking even along its full length in our latest photos. Our August coverage noted fading in patches across that red paint, so it appears crews have addressed it. The blue stripe along the white section above it appears freshly painted as well.
Lakebed Repainted With Conduit Running Across It
A tan coat now covers much of the lakebed. In one close-up, a glossy line separates the new paint from an older orange-toned surface, which suggests crews are painting in sections.
Gray conduit lines snake across the basin on square footers spaced every few feet. A clamp secures the pipe to each paver, and white sealant shows around the edges of several. The pipe carries markings for rigid PVC electrical conduit. Adhesive appears to hold the pavers in place, which would let crews route the line without drilling into the lakebed. Critical given that patches and repairs to the lakebed appear to have been made earlier in the refurbishment. The conduit crosses much of the basin, from Gertie the dinosaur across to the bow of the SS Down the Hatch.
Faux Tree Stumps and Logs Refreshed
Faux tree stumps around the lakebed edge look newly painted. One in our September 28th photos has a reddish-brown base coat with darker brown grain lines worked into the ridges and root flares. A second stump and the faux logs nearby carry a glossy chocolate-brown finish that looks freshly applied, and rock piles sit along the edge of the basin close to them. These will fade quickly under the unforgiving Central Florida sun.
Echo Lake has been through this before. When Disney drained the lake in 2017, the plan called for about two months of work, including repainting the lakebed, Gertie the Dinosaur, and the diner. Disney has not shared a timeline for this year’s work, which has continued since August. Scaffolding remains around the ship, and Gertie hasn’t been touched yet, so more work appears to be ahead.
Story So Far
- On August 20, we reported that Disney had drained Echo Lake and surrounded the SS Down the Hatch with scaffolding in Echo Lake Drained for Dockside Diner Refurbishment at Hollywood Studios
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!