susislicker wrote:I love to eat at the Concourse Steakhouse and watch the Monorails go by. The whole thing is being remodeled as I understand it, the gift shop, restaurants, all of it except Chef Mickey's. Is that correct? Zazu, is the restaurant going downstairs where the recreation center is now? That is what I *heard*
You heard almost correctly. A recap:
So far:
*Fantasia Gifts has closed.
*The Arcade moved upstairs to the Fantasia location.
*First floor Food Center has closed.
*Contemporary Grounds, the 1st floor coffee bar has closed.
*A temporary quick-service foods location has opened on the 4th floor, across from the Concourse Steakhouse.
*A temporary coffee bar has opened in the lobby's SW corner.
In progress:
*The former Food & Fun Center on the first floor is being remodeled into a new, casual dining restaurant (to replace Concourse Steakhouse). Working name: The Wave. Planned cuisine: Asian (but no word on whether that means Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Indian, or Aussie Steakhouse).
*A new gift shop is being built on the 4th floor concourse, between Bayview Gifts and the new Arcade. Giant Mickey ears are up.
In future:
*Concourse Steakhouse will close in Summer 2008 (presumably when The Wave opens).
*Half of the Steakhouse will become additional seating for Chef Mickey's.
*The other half will become a new quick-service foods location.
*The temporary quick-service foods spot will close.
*A permanent coffee bar will open across from the temporary spot, which will then close.
Meanwhile, the lobby is being remodeled. So far they've finished the front desk (except the parts they broke), bell services window, and most walls. Work is under way on the restrooms, ceiling, and other walls. Still to come is the new kids waiting area, new lobby waiting area, coffee bar, entry icon (while a water feature had been proposed, it now looks like we may get the Stokowski statue back from the convention center), and maybe even the parts of the front desk that got broken.
All this, plus the new tower going up. If DVC is "Disney's Best Kept Secret", then the DVC nature of this project must be the worst kept.