Crews have installed more steel at Project Fedora, the mysterious construction site beside the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The pipe framework now fully wraps around the site, and it rises high enough to see over the planter wall from the walkway near Backlot Express. Walt Disney World has not responded to our requests for comment, and the purpose of the project is still unknown. Here’s the latest.
Project Fedora Steel Framework Update at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- How the steel pipe framework has grown since the first aerial photos
- What crews are building on the ground beneath the frame
- A recap of the Project Fedora timeline since March
Project Fedora sits on a small plot between the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular exit and Backlot Express. Rolling planters have enclosed the area since March, and the first steel only arrived this month. Our latest visit shows some progress since the initial aerial photos.
Steel Framework Now Wraps Around the Site
On October 9th, aerial photos from friend of the site Bioreconstruct showed the first steel posts at Project Fedora. At that point, pipes connected only some of the posts. Now horizontal pipes link the tops of the posts on every side, so the frame encloses the whole plot. A second, lower ring of pipes sits inside it, and a few angled pieces bend inward near one corner.
The posts appear to be galvanized steel pipe. Each one seems to sit on a square concrete pad like the anchored pad we spotted earlier this month. Couplings join the pipe sections, and several joints still have bands of orange marking tape. From the walkway near Backlot Express, the top of the frame now peeks over the planter hedge. Guests heading to lunch can see the progress for themselves.
Concrete Work Continues Beneath the Frame
Below the steel, the plot still looks like an active job site. Mounds of soil fill the middle, with stacks of fresh lumber, a wheelbarrow, and pink survey flags scattered around them. Along the back edge, a narrow concrete strip sits beside the wooden fence, with rows of rebar sticking up from it. That rebar points to another pour, possibly a low wall or curb, though we can’t tell yet what it will hold.
Black forming panels braced with wood still stand near the steps on the far side of the site. A floodlight shows that the work exclusively takes place overnight. Disney filed two Notices of Commencement on May 15th for general construction here. One names Artistic Entertainment Services LLC, which has installed set pieces for Donald’s Dino-Bash and Woody’s Lunch Box in Toy Story Land.
A frame like this could carry a canopy or themed pieces. That would bring shade back to a spot that lost its overhead netting in March, though that’s just a guess for now. The Project Fedora name also hints at an Indiana Jones tie-in, which could make the stunt show exit an even better place to linger.
Story So Far
- March 17: Construction began near the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at a former merchandise location, with overhead netting removed and rolling planters installed.
- May 15: Disney filed two Notices of Commencement for general construction at the site.
- July 24: A large tree near Backlot Express was removed, leaving a cleared plot marked with stakes and survey flags.
- October 3: Fresh concrete, rebar, and formwork appeared behind the planter wall.
- October 9: Aerial photos showed the first steel pipe framework rising beside the stunt show exit.
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!