Disneyland Resort Update: Crane-Mania!!

Disneyland Park, Anaheim, CA

Every time we go two weeks between updates, significant change seems to sprout around the Disneyland Resort.  Today, we're going to concentrate on the westward expansion at Disneyland Park, fittingly along its own frontier, as we tackle continued "Star Wars" Land progress and look at work going on around the Rivers of America.  For the first, a 2019 premiere date will roll around more quickly than most might think.  For the second, a target at reopening the River this summer is keeping things humming along.  All the while, more construction cranes continue meander into the Resort, as though Disneyland saw the crane that impeded the views of Walt Disney World's Cinderella Castle from time to time and thought, "Yeah, I can beat that." 

"Star Wars" Land

Steel has been the biggest actor in this play over the past couple of weeks.  Both the First Order and Millennium Falcon attractions have grown significantly since our last visit.  There are multiple cranes around the area of different sizes across the skyline from our Mickey and Friends Parking Structure view.  It feels like the pace of construction is starting to kick into a new gear.

We've had some great weather lately during the days I've visited the Disneyland Resort.

This view has grown vertically with the two cranes being routinely up while I've stopped to photograph.

It's again hard to realize that just four months ago, this whole plot was largely flat, outside of the roughly graded berms and hills in the distance.

Another item of interest... how many construction cranes can you count as you pan across this panorama?

It seems like there are more and more every week!

And with the growth of the Millennium Falcon show building, I'll be adding this angle to our overview shots.

The steel framing footprint of the First Order attraction has reached rectangular status after a while in which the building seemed more like an "L."  The beams and columns haven't been fully installed yet, but the progress is enough that over on the north side of the building, light gauge metal framing is going up to support the actual walls inside the building.  Meanwhile, foundation work and concrete walls continue to be formed on the south side of the building extents, with relatively sizeable walls rising up in their own right!

Welcome to the First Order attraction construction site.

This building has been growing larger and larger, and if it wasn't for all the secondary framing bits inside, you might think it was a new Costco or IKEA or something.

For the structural steel enthusiasts in our reading audience we will have plenty of photos that show erection.

The buildings', I mean.  Though if you get a stiffy seeing steel go up, hey, it's your thing.

Metal studs have started going up to frame walls inside the building.

That's kind of exciting.  It means we're that much closer to actual ride track and construction happening.

As you peer through all that steel, you can see a network of secondary columns and beams inside the building.

Meanwhile, the primary steel framing is moving further and further south (to the right).

If you love braced frames, here are some nice, prominent buckling restrained types.  And check out those slanted "columns" inside the building!  Interesting, right?

On the roof, they seem to be starting to install mechanical and electrical equipment too.

Fireproof spray has also started being applied.  This is a massive building, and building code actually requires a certain amount of fire resistance in the event of a fire. 

Given that this is a steel building, the fireproof is less for fear that the beams and columns will catch fire and more to protect them from radiant heat that could warp and melt the steel, leading to structural failure and possible collapse.

That's a bit of architectural nerd knowledge there.  You can also see some steel tabs sticking out the side of the columns.  I'm assuming those will help support the exterior wall framing in some manner.

Running out of dirt ground to place not-yet-installed steel beams and columns now...

A close look at another maze of braced frames, for people who love braced frames as much as Guy Selga loves rebar ("noodles").

Meanwhile, concrete continues to get formed over the former pit area.

I halfway think it looks pretty cool with all that scaffolding and that the scaffolding should stay.  That would obviously get in the way of whatever they have planned inside there, but I've always been fascinated by the supports to support construction elements and everything required to design the structure of the things that support the structure of buildings not yet complete.

More formwork for what are shaping up to be some tall concrete walls.

They're forming some concrete columns too.

Noodles for Guy!

As an architect and as someone with no confirmed knowledge of exactly what is going precisely where, I find it interesting that some buildings are primarily steel while others are concrete.  Things will make more sense what the building uses and extents become clear.

The bridge for the Disneyland Railroad that will also function as the gateway for the Critter Country entrance to "Star Wars" Land saw a new development, as wood trusses were added to create the impression of an old fashioned trussed railroad bridge.  Along the same area, some new grading and concrete retaining walls have sprung up beside the tracks and on the back side of future "Star Wars" Land, giving some indication of layout for this part of the land.

Oh hey! It's that new Guardians ride! But more on that later this week.

Lets take a look at the area behind the Hungry Bear, as we see some notable progress from the last time.

Check out that wooden truss spanning the bridge!

It looks like this from the park side, and eventually, guests will walk under it to enter "Star Wars" Land from Critter Country!

Plenty of steel has arrived for the Millennium Falcon attraction building too.  Things are starting to connect together, as the Fantasyland and Rivers of America sides of the building grow toward each other. 

Last month, steel started from the right side of this photo.  Then they started a second point from the back.

As of this past weekend, that steel had grown to this.

Looking pretty impressive.

That is a pretty sizable layout!

This will be a one story building, but it'll be a pretty tall one.

Meanwhile, the circular concrete footprints for the two ride rooms of the Millennium Falcon attraction remain relatively open.

Elsewhere along the site, things have been tidied up a bit.  That berm that separates "Star Wars" Land and the Rivers of America seems to get just a little bit denser with more trees each time I check.  It's sort of subtle, but the vegetated wall will create a pretty nice visual barrier for the upcoming reopening Rivers of America before the completion of "Star Wars" Land fully completes the scene's perspective from the park side.

It was easier to notice developments here when there were NOT trees blocking the view.

But all that vegetation is pretty dense, and it'll serve as a great buffer while "Star Wars" Land continues being built.

Another crane along the Critter Country side of the Rivers of America has appeared.

There's also a crane for the Downtown Disney construction of Splittsville too.  Though I didn't quite have time to snap some photos, that building has a lot of steel up now!

"Rivers of America"

Over on the Rivers of America, work seems to be focused on two areas: along the backside anywhere abutting "Star Wars" Land, and also on Tom Sawyer Island itself, where it looks like testing and adjusting is ongoing for FANTASMIC! 2.0.  The past couple of visits, I've seen the fountain rigs up in maintenance mode, while workers have been on the island itself working on all the hidden stagecraft systems and infrastructure that have been enhanced for the new version of this beloved classic show.  With bigger fountain screens, sharper projections, and promises of new effects, things should be visually stunning when the show and the Rivers as a whole return later this summer!

This scene is almost back to a fully finished look, and on certain afternoons, the clear reflection makes for a gorgeous view.  If only those cranes weren't in the way...

Workers were on hand Friday to work on the FANTASMIC! stage area of Tom Sawyer Island.

The water wheel to the right was also running.

Little by little, exciting signs are coming online to mark the impending completion of the Rivers of America redo.

FANTASMIC! barges continue to be hidden by day.  Eventually, they'll have their own permanent backstage storage area on the backside of the river, by the new rockwork and waterfall area past Critter Country.

Back to the stage...

The fountain rigs have been receiving adjustments the past couple of weeks.

Don't worry, these safety rails will not be prominent during normal daytime functions.

That window is so blatantly painted.  It looks like a false panel hiding some sort of equipment.  Should be interesting to see what part this plays in FANTASMIC! 2.0 (if any).

Working on important theater support stuff.

This view shows both work on the fountain rigs and a glimpse at the part of the river beyond the now-non-existent dam point.

Hidden panels removed for show testing work.

During the show, only the tops of this rig poke out above the waterline, but in full maintenance mode, one can see just how extensive the systems are.

Look similar to World of Color lights and fountains to you?

"Yo dawg, I heard you like construction cranes, so we crammed more cranes next to your other cranes, you're gonna have to crane your neck to see them all!"

The view to Big Thunder Trail is getting more and more obstructed, but here's a small view corridor that shows what's upcoming.

A postmaster's office?  Will we be able to send real mail from here, similar to the mailboxes on Main Street?

The Columbia has also been getting show improvements for FANTASMIC! this entire time.

Here's a closer look at the butt.

Lighting has been cleverly hidden in with the mast and sort of camouflaged behind the rigging.

The rigging itself has been replaced too, and it looks great!

Expect some cool new special effects from this old ship as part of the show.  Should be interesting!

Moving toward the back of the Rivers of America...

It's interesting... until this weekend, every time I had shot these rocks, they had been isolated, making their forced perspective pretty convincing. 

Until I saw people on them, I actually thought the rockwork was bigger and taller than it actually is!

With people present, though, the scale is more accurately conveyed.  And I suppose the Disneyland Railroad chugging by will also be a giveaway against any forced perspective otherwise.

It's looking pretty nice, and I'm excited to sail around the River to see the finished product!

Mr. Crane must make so much money off Disney...

They were also shifting dirt around from the Rivers over to the "Star Wars" Land side.

See?  Moving dirt.  That's all this really is... just a bunch of soil transplanting.

That does it for today's Disneyland update, but we'll cover a few other developments around the resort later this week, including a look at the opened Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout! attraction.  Beyond that, we also have an exclusive look at some new offerings up north, over at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, which debuted their first new tour in decades over Memorial Day weekend in the form of the Explore More tour.  And, alright, so the look won't technically be exclusive, but since guests aren't normally allowed to take photos inside the house tours, it kind of will be?

Fun things to looking forward to as we've reached June and march on toward summer.

Boo bah!