Disney World Unveils New Look for Hollywood Studios Area After Months of Work
A quiet refurbishment along Echo Lake at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is nearing completion. Scaffolding has come down from one of the park’s quirkiest dining locations, giving guests their first look at the finished result.
A Drained Lake and a Long To-Do List
This summer, Walt Disney World Resort drained Echo Lake to tackle several projects at once. Crews repaired Gertie the dinosaur and her ice cream shop, and they also began restoring the Dockside Diner, a Quick-Service restaurant housed inside a fake boat known as the S.S. Down the Hatch.
Shortly after the lake was emptied, scaffolding and barriers went up around the vessel. For weeks, Walt Disney World Resort guests could watch cast members repainting and repairing parts of the structure. Last week, the scaffolding finally came down.
What the Boat Looks Like Now
WDWNT shared the first photos of the S.S. Down the Hatch on October 15, the first time the boat had been visible since construction started in mid-August.
The biggest change is a fresh coat of red paint along the base, the section most worn from years of contact with the water. Faux rust has been refreshed on the white portions of the hull, the blue trim has been repainted, and some of the lettering on the side of the structure has been touched up.
Work Elsewhere on Echo Lake
On the opposite side of the lake, Gertie the dinosaur received a new coat of paint earlier this month, as did the nearby fake tree stumps and logs. Some construction equipment is still scattered across the lake bed, so it will have to be cleared before Disney can refill the lake.
Disney hasn’t announced when that will happen.
Restaurants Stay Open
Despite the activity, both the Dockside Diner and Dinosaur Gertie’s Ice Cream remain open to guests, so a meal or a frozen treat is still on the menu as the finishing touches are put in place.
Have you ever eaten at the Dockside Diner at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Tell Disney Dining about your experience in the comments!
