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Main Street USA
Theme Parks ⇒ Magic Kingdom ⇒ Main Street USA
Description
Main Street is reminiscent of turn of the century Marceline, Missouri where Walt spend some if his childhood. It is your introduction to the Magic Kingdom. As you make your way under the train station and into Town Square, you are greeted along the way by attraction posters which act as your “coming attractions” as movie theater posters would at your local theater. From there, you’ll proceed up Main Street toward Cinderella’s Castle as you journey further into the Magic Kingdom, along the way passing the Emporium, the Confectionery, the Main Street Bakery, and other shops and restaurants. More information about these shops and restaurants can be found on Main Street Shopping and Main Street Dining pages, respectively, which are linked to below.
Additionally, City Hall can be found on your right after entering Town Square. City Hall is home to guest relations at the Magic Kingdom. It is where you stop to buy Disney Dollars, make dining reservations, pick up buttons for any celebration, or for any questions or concerns you might have. Also, to the left of City Hall is the Chamber of Commerce where you can pick up any items you have purchased throughout the day and had delivered to the front of the park.
This land is perhaps at its most charming early in the day when the horse drawn trolley, fire engine, and other main street vehicles are providing guests a relaxing ride Town Square to the Castle and characters can be found greeting guests in Town Square. As the day progresses, Main Street becomes a favorite spot two what the park’s parades and fireworks.
Details
- Take a look at the windows on Main Street which reference some of the Imagineers and others involved with the creation of the park. These act as opening and closing credits when entering and leaving the Magic Kingdom. How many references can you find?
- Forced perspective is used in most Main Street buildings to make them seem larger than they actually are. The effect is accomplished by making the second and third floors progressively smaller. This effect can also be seen on the Caste where the windows and other details get smaller the higher you look on the Castle. The only building built to full scale is the Main Street Theater which was done to shield guests’ view of the out of place Contemporary Resort.
- Forced perspective is also used to make the train station seem closer than castle when standing at opposite ends of Main Street, so at the end of the day when you’re tired and you’re feet hurt it doesn’t seem like such a long walk back to the park exit.
- Did you know you could get a haircut at the Harmony Barber Shop on Main Street? They offer haircuts for adults and children as well as baby’s first haircuts.
- Main Street is laid out with the most of its food offerings on its right side when entering and shops on its left because people generally walk on the right side of the street. Therefore, they can stop for food in the morning on the way in and for souvenirs on the way out.
- Look closely at the flags on the top of the Main Street buildings (well you might need binoculars for this one). Each flag only has 49 stars, so they are not actually American flags. This allows Disney to leave them up all night since American flags are supposed to be brought in at the end of the day.
- Depending on when you visit Walt Disney World Main Street might look a little different as it is decorated for both the Fall and Christmas seasons.
- You might note that the Fire Station on Main Street is “Engine Co. 71”, this is in reference to the year the parks opened, 1971. Likewise, the fictitious year that the Emporium opened, 1901, is a reference to Walt as that was the year he was born
