Disney’s New Magic Kingdom Central Plaza Offers 3 Welcome Changes

After months of construction wall mazes, guests are enjoying a new view at Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom park.

The refurbished area between the end of Main Street USA and Cinderella Castle, aka Central Plaza and The Hub, is greeting spring break crowds. Disney’s current construction boom is boasting much larger efforts, such as Animal Kingdom’s Avatar expansion and the Disney Springs renovations that are adding to the job market and the anticipation level of vacationers and locals alike. But this small-scale remake that doesn’t even include new rides, retail or restaurants is already reaping rewards:

Finding your spot: Any Disneyphile or first-timer knows what it’s like to stake out a spot for a parade or the fireworks. Wider walkways leading to Cinderella Castle help loosen the traffic while providing more room to stand and watch the festivities. Not to mention more room to make your exit at the end of a long day.

Gaining a garden view: Two new garden areas in front of Casey’s Corner and the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor provide picturesque views that include fountains and sculpted landscaping. This includes a new FastPass+ garden viewing area for the nightly Wishes fireworks show.

A place to “park”: The new Central Plaza gardens provide a relaxing distraction and some quaint accommodations. Not all of the landscaping is natural, however, as the small patches of grass are synthetic. But guests can still be seen seated at ground level with an ice cream or coffee, or just enjoying a few minutes off their feet — bringing some community park appeal into the theme park experience.