What Is Going On Outside Magic Kingdom’s Crystal Palace?

If you are planning to visit Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World anytime soon, you might notice something new right near the center of the park. Just a few steps away from the main entrance of The Crystal Palace—one of the park’s most popular table service restaurants—a brand-new construction site has taken shape.

Here is what Disney is currently doing, what the site looks like right now, and what Imagineers might be building.

A Mystery Project Takes Shape

According to recent reports, green construction walls now line the walkway directly on the right side of The Crystal Palace. To further block the area from guests’ view, rolling hedge planters have been placed in front of these walls. These temporary barricades also serve as the sole entry point for crews conducting overnight work.

The construction site sits right along the well-traveled path that connects the entrance area of The Crystal Palace to both the entrance of Adventureland and the central Cinderella Castle hub. While the enclosed zone is highly visible to guests walking through, it currently does not affect guest flow. Visitors can still easily pass by the site and cross the nearby bridge without any real disruption.

Tearing Up the Terrain

The space hidden behind the green walls has changed drastically. Disney has actively cleared the site of the vegetation that previously occupied the area.

A swath of land directly behind the rolling planters was once filled with bushes, shrubs, and trees. Now, those plants have been completely removed. What remains behind the barrier is just a newly exposed patch of dirt. Just past this freshly cleared spot, the land naturally slopes downward toward a lagoon.

Additionally, crews have already staged some construction materials nearby. To further obscure the work, a green, fabric-wrapped wall has been erected inside the zone to block off specific areas from prying eyes.

What Are They Building?

As of right now, Disney has not announced what this land clearing is for. When reached for comment, Disney did not provide any information regarding the project. Without official confirmation, park reporters are left to speculate.

There are currently two prevailing theories:

• A Dedicated Stroller Parking Area: The most prominent theory is that Disney is building a dedicated stroller parking zone. The Crystal Palace is a table-service restaurant that is highly popular with families, so the area is often congested with strollers. Carving out a specific parking area right next to the walkway would help keep the paths clear. Disney has made similar crowd-control moves recently, such as transforming the former Laughin’ Place Playground into stroller parking for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
• An Expanded Waiting Area: Another possibility is that Disney is simply extending the existing pavement. By paving over the previously landscaped dirt patch, they could create slightly more space for guests to wait for their dining reservations without spilling out into the main walkway.

For now, this new Magic Kingdom project remains a total mystery. We will have to wait for Disney to make an announcement or keep a close eye on the site to see what rises from the dirt.