Disney set to unveil giant screen, new store near I-Drive
Testing will begin soon on the large, curved video screen installed atop a parking garage near the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road near International Drive. The display eventually will feature Disney characters, according to a post on the official Disney Parks Blog.
Disney likens the screen to an outdoor art display that will change periodically. First up will be imagery tied to the Fab 50 sculptures that are part of the resort’s 50th anniversary celebration. A video from Disney shows the figures of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Figment and Orange Bird connected by pixie dust with a 50th anniversary Cinderella Castle logo on the corner. Images will evolve to spotlight other characters and attractions.
It’s larger than life, of course. It’s larger than most billboards. The screen appears to be about two stories tall and covers the west end of the garage and a majority of the length of the north side with a ribbonlike motion. It is easily visible from I-4, particularly as the highway passes over Sand Lake Road.
“We took a lot of knowledge from setting up the 50th art installations in our parks and the Orlando International Airport and wanted to spread a little of that magic out into the world,” Will Gay, design director with Disney’s Yellow Shoes Creative Group, said on the blog. “It all started with a little idea and a question — could we do this? Could we turn this into a dynamic art display bigger than anything we’ve ever done before?”
Below the screen on the Hollywood Plaza garage, on ground level, will be a Walt Disney World store that sells merchandise and theme park tickets. It is set to open May 31, and that’s when the screen is expected to go into its regular routine.
The retail space will also include a Disney Vacation Club Virtual Discover Station, featuring floor-toceiling screens that tout the properties via virtual tours, photos and videos.