Scrims on Main Street USA

[Buttercup]

I've been looking at other Disney sites with photos of several scrims on Main Street USA.
Right now it looks like the Chapeau (over near Tony's Town Square), the Crystal store, and the Main Street Bakery are all under very large construction scrims.

Crazy... last year at this time, the Emporium and Confectionary (among others) were under huge scrims. I wonder how long it'll take them to finish freshening up Main Street USA?!?!

Any idea how long these scrims are expected to be up? Anyone have any photos to share from this week?

[Melanie]

This pic up Main Street is from last Friday. Christmas should be gone by now. And yes, the Chapeau is under scrim as well.

What's bad about this as opposed to last year is that these scrims are just brown and well, ugly. At least the ones that were previously up were printed with the actual storefront and somewhat fit in.

As to how long they'll be up, I have no idea. I'm actually surprised there isn't one covering the ice cream parlor as well since it is under refurb until March, but maybe all it's changes are inside.

[Capt_redshirt]

Ive noticed that when they use painted scrim they plan on a long refurbish. maybe these will be just something short and sweet

[buzznwoodysmom]

Oh wow, that photo looks awful. Hopefully it'll be a quicky and the scrim will be gone real soon.

I don't think there were any scrims at all over our Christmas trip, and it looked great to finally see Main Street looking so clean and fresh! On our last several trips there were refurbs of some sort going on up and down Main Street.

[Melanie]

Oh wow, that photo looks awful. Hopefully it'll be a quicky and the scrim will be gone real soon.

It really messes up the view up Main Street to the Castle and that otherwise great photo op.

The one at the Bakery is strange in that it juts out so far and you can walk under it. I told my son while we were walking through that I felt like I was in NYC.

[buzznwoodysmom]

It really messes up the view up Main Street to the Castle and that otherwise great photo op.

The one at the Bakery is strange in that it juts out so far and you can walk under it. I told my son while we were walking through that I felt like I was in NYC.

Back in March there was one that stuck out far like that, and we could walk under it. I hated it. I guess they cleaned it up for Christmas because I don't remember seeing any construction/scrims during our trip. Back in March, and even last Oct. there was tons of work going on. So when in December I didn't see anything I thought they were done with Main Street, but apparently not. This big tan box in the photo is by far the worst I've seen of it. Makes the view of the castle horrible!

[Polynesian Dweller]

Yeah it's ugly and so was the one over the Canada Pavillion in Epcot and all the scrims on Main Street last year. But since the alternative is just to let the paint peel and wood rot this is the better choice.

[Ian]

From our very own News & Rumors forum, comes this Tidbit from Jason:


Ice Cream Freeze

1/7/12 The popular Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Magic Kindgom’s Main Street USA closed earlier this week for the duration of Winter 2012. From January 4 – March 27, 2012 the dining location is closed for refurbishment. Neither the reason for the multi-month closure, nor alternative offerings during the closure have been reported.So it looks like the scrim will be up until end of March time frame.


Yeah it's ugly and so was the one over the Canada Pavillion in Epcot and all the scrims on Main Street last year. But since the alternative is just to let the paint peel and wood rot this is the better choice.No ... the better choice is to use the painted scrims they've used in the past that are far more visually appealing. I'm sure the switch to these ugly brown things is just one more in a long line of nickel and dime cutbacks WDW continues to foist off on guests.

But don't worry ... the 12% ticket increase they're sure to hand down later this year most certainly won't lead to painted scrims next year. Next year some bean counter will probably ask why they need scrims at all and we'll have a bunch of guys crawling around on a scaffolding right out in the open. :rolleyes:

[Polynesian Dweller]

Painted would be better Ian but from a couple of pictures I saw elsewhere this looks like heavier material than just scrim. It makes me think that something bigger is going on than just painting and that might require something stronger and less porous than scrim. It might not be as silk screen accommodating as scrim is. After all, scrim is made for silk screening in theatres but other materials like canvas are much harder to print on.

[Melanie]

Painted would be better Ian but from a couple of pictures I saw elsewhere this looks like heavier material than just scrim. It makes me think that something bigger is going on than just painting and that might require something stronger and less porous than scrim. It might not be as silk screen accommodating as scrim is. After all, scrim is made for silk screening in theatres but other materials like canvas are much harder to print on.

If that's the case (and it very well may be canvas), I vote they put the pretty scrim over the canvas. Really can't be that expensive in the big picture.

[Buttercup]

Hey thanks for the photo Mel - guess I'll have a funky view of the castle this year. Oh well!

In my research online, and I completely forget where I saw this, but someone actually figured out the scrims at WDW down to a science. It seems they come in 3 parts:
1. The first phase is ugly brown canvas, just as a cover up.
2. Next comes an intermediate scrim that usually has some generic painting on it, like trees or sky.
3. The final version of the scrim they use is the one that is painted to look exactly like the building underneath.

The reason it takes them 3 versions is because in Step #1, they just need to put SOMETHING up there. Within a few days, they stick up a prettier one, and that's when the artists start to actually measure the building and canvas, and how to lay out the replica of the building onto the third and final scrim. Seems like a lot of unnecessary steps, but they do it!

Apparently the whole process takes about 2 weeks, so it wouldn't surprise me that by the end of next week that ugly brown one over the bakery is replaced with the final building-shaped one.

Still not ideal for a shot up Main Street, but oh well, it's a necessary evil I suppose!

[Polynesian Dweller]

Very interesting Buttercup. Thanks. Do you have a reference where we could read about it. I would be interested in learning more. Scrim is usually silkscreened not printed.

[Buttercup]

Hmm... let me do some surfing and see if I can re-find it. I'll send you a PM with the link if I find it because we can't post links in the forums here. :mickey:
Stay tuned!

[Melanie]

Apparently the whole process takes about 2 weeks, so it wouldn't surprise me that by the end of next week that ugly brown one over the bakery is replaced with the final building-shaped one.

Still not ideal for a shot up Main Street, but oh well, it's a necessary evil I suppose!

Ah! Interesting. I'm going on Tuesday so I'll be sure to update on Twitter, and here of course.

And of course it's a necessary evil. No one is disputing that. It just seems like the improvements on Main Street have been ongoing since I moved here 2.5 years ago.

[Buttercup]

Oh for sure - like I said, Main Street was all clogged up with scrims this time last year, and the year before too. It sure is taking them long enough to freshen up some paint on the outsides of the buildings, eh?
And if they're working on the insides of the buildings, you'd think they could just cover the windows so nobody could look inside.
Weird.....

[Melanie]

And if they're working on the insides of the buildings, you'd think they could just cover the windows so nobody could look inside.

And that's exactly what the case is right now at the Ice Cream Parlor. They are covered from the inside with black. Thankfully no outside scrims/canvas.....yet. ;)

[Ian]

You'd think, since the facade of most of the buildings haven't changed in like 40 years, they'd already have painted scrims for each building they could use?

I find it nearly impossible to believe they re-paint a new one every time they paint these buildings?? :confused:

Although, I suppose exposure to the elements in Florida may make for a short shelf-life on something like a canvas scrim.

[ransam]

Buttercup, if you find that link, do you mind sending me the link through a PM? thank you very much.

[Stu29573]

I know this has been mentioned before but, didn't they used to do this sort of thing at night? It seems like scrims have become a way of life at Disney, and it didn't used to be that way...

[Patricia]

I know this has been mentioned before but, didn't they used to do this sort of thing at night? It seems like scrims have become a way of life at Disney, and it didn't used to be that way...

I agree with this.. I don't recall seeing these scrims years ago.

Maybe, it's because they can now.

[AgentC]

If Buttercup doesn't remember the site she found, I know one that put up pictures of the scrim evolution this month and I can pm those who are looking for it.

[Ian]

I know this has been mentioned before but, didn't they used to do this sort of thing at night? It seems like scrims have become a way of life at Disney, and it didn't used to be that way...You're absolutely correct. Many moons ago, they used to do the routine maintenance overnight, every night. Things like painting, changing bulbs, replacing ripped or torn fabric ... that was all done by a huge maintenance crew once the park closed.

Now bear in mind, that was back in the day when they only had Magic Kingdom. It was much smaller and more condensed and easier to do that way.

[Buttercup]

Ransam - I can send you the link in a PM right now. :)

[wmdaddy]

You're absolutely correct. Many moons ago, they used to do the routine maintenance overnight, every night. Things like painting, changing bulbs, replacing ripped or torn fabric ... that was all done by a huge maintenance crew once the park closed.

Now bear in mind, that was back in the day when they only had Magic Kingdom. It was much smaller and more condensed and easier to do that way.

I always bring this up on another board. It's ridiculous. There are stores and restaurants built and open from the ground up in the real world finished faster than it takes Disney to fix up the outside of a building these days.

[Ian]

I always bring this up on another board. It's ridiculous. There are stores and restaurants built and open from the ground up in the real world finished faster than it takes Disney to fix up the outside of a building these days.I think that's because they're just so big and bureaucratic now that it just takes them forever to get anything done.

Plus we all know they're stretched very thin and understaffed, so my guess is they move people around from job to job and leave things undone for long stretches of time.

[DisneyAggies]

uhh...the scrims aren't 'painted'--just an image printed onto the material.

They're photos taken of the building and blown up. Check out Main Street where the silhouette artists are...LOOOK at the scrim. It's a photo of the building. You can see reflection from the store across the street--all kinds of off things such as 'floating objects' (from the reflection showing when the photgraph was taken).

We had a CM point out all of the 'boo-boos" in December. She was more than a little disappointed that they even put them up in such a state!

[Melanie]

From our very own News & Rumors forum, comes this Tidbit from Jason:

So it looks like the scrim will be up until end of March time frame.

Thing is, this scrim/canvas/whatever isn't over the Ice Cream Parlor, which is the tidbit from Jason that you quoted. It's the Bakery. Ice Cream Parlor is closed and windows are covered black from the inside (I think I mentioned that in this thread??). Bakery remains open, but with this scaffolding and canvas on the outside.


uhh...the scrims aren't 'painted'--just an image printed onto the material.

I didn't say painted, I said printed. ;) :razz:

[Buttercup]

If I said "painted", I meant printed... I know that nobody is sitting there with an artist's paintbrush drawing it out! lol :blush:
But somehow I don't know if they're actual photographs printed on there -- they look at bit 'cartoony' to me in some spots, but they're a pretty good representation, I'd say.

[Polynesian Dweller]

I think that's because they're just so big and bureaucratic now that it just takes them forever to get anything done.

Plus we all know they're stretched very thin and understaffed, so my guess is they move people around from job to job and leave things undone for long stretches of time.

Not really. It's been like that since they went to Florida. It amazes me how long it takes for construction on anything in Florida not just at Disney. Maybe the cold weather up here means you have to work faster but nothing takes as long here as there.

[Melanie]

Here's a pic taken just a few hours ago by my father-in-law. Printed scrim is now up on Bakery.

[Buttercup]

Wow! Thanks Melanie's father in law!
That's so huge!!! Wow! There must be a lot of scaffolding behind there.

[Melanie]

That's so huge!!! Wow! There must be a lot of scaffolding behind there.

There is. You can, or at least could last weekend, look up into the scaffolding when you were walking under.

I've been thinking, and will say that if it's a significant upgrade for the Bakery like the Confectionary got last year, I can't complain much. The Confectionary looks grand with it's new popping color scheme.

[Aurora]

My brother and SIL are taking their kids for the first time next week. It does look TONS better with the printed version, but I still don't think I'll tell them... :(

[Ian]

The printed scrim looks much better!

[braindew]

See, we we were worried for nothing :) I think the moral of the story is expect this stuff in off season. The downside is that they don't acknowledge March Spring Breaks as important...and seem to schedule these facelifts to be finished by April (in time for Easter I suppose). We walked under the Confectionary scrim last March.

[DisneyAggies]

If I said "painted", I meant printed... I know that nobody is sitting there with an artist's paintbrush drawing it out! lol :blush:
But somehow I don't know if they're actual photographs printed on there -- they look at bit 'cartoony' to me in some spots, but they're a pretty good representation, I'd say.

LOL
Phew...I was like, "uhh..."
:mickey:
But yes, if you get a chance to look at the street level ones on Main Street, do check them out!

[ronandjulie]

They still do routine maintenance at night. Some things take more time and the MK has the longest hours of any of the parks. The "Closed" hours have gotten much smaller over the years.

[Polynesian Dweller]

They still do routine maintenance at night. Some things take more time and the MK has the longest hours of any of the parks. The "Closed" hours have gotten much smaller over the years.

And that's the real issue IMO. There just isn't the time now to do maintenance on everything from lighbulbs to monorails. They maybe should look at some compromise so that they can get back to more prompt maintenance.

[Melanie]

Just for reference on the "printed" scrim and how far it juts into the sidewalk, here's a pic from today.

[brad192]

As an engineer, I'm dying to know how they manage to print on such a large piece of scrim/canvas.

On a side note - I'm really into the theater arts, and I can tell you firsthand that a lot of the scrims & backdrops used in live theater are hand painted. A rep from the local supplier of these told me one day that they had a full time staff of 20 artists doing nothing but painting scrims. Maybe Disney has this as well?

[Buttercup]

Question: See how on that scrim Melanie just posted, there is a picture of a couple trees in front of the bakery. Assuming the picture is an accurate representation, are the REAL trees that normally are outside of the bakery stuffed inside under the scrim in that walkway?!?!

[Aurora]

They still do routine maintenance at night. Some things take more time and the MK has the longest hours of any of the parks. The "Closed" hours have gotten much smaller over the years.

Not to get off track, but many moons ago in the summer I remember the Magic Kingdom being open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. or midnight every day. There were short overnight hours even back then.

Yes, there was just the MK then, but it's not like the same guy has to go to all four parks in one night now...

After seeing the daylight photo of the scrim, I'm relieved. Hopefully it doesn't take away too much for someone seeing the castle the first time.

[Mariano O'Kon]

Just arrived from the MK and I can confirm that the scrims are there... and that they are not "ugly-brown" anymore, now they are "ugly-painted"...

Not sure how long they will be there... but I do know they ruined the view for me...

Disney should sell the tickets this time of year at a lower cost. For the same price you get:
- Thunder Mountain Railroad: CLOSED
- Fantasmic: CLOSED
- Scrims all over the place: Main Street USA, Pecos Bill, etc

Thanks,

Mariano :mickey:

[Terra]

Just arrived from the MK and I can confirm that the scrims are there... and that they are not "ugly-brown" anymore, now they are "ugly-painted"...

Not sure how long they will be there... but I do know they ruined the view for me...

Disney should sell the tickets this time of year at a lower cost. For the same price you get:
- Thunder Mountain Railroad: CLOSED
- Fantasmic: CLOSED
- Scrims all over the place: Main Street USA, Pecos Bill, etc

Thanks,

Mariano :mickey:

Oh man, how long is Thunder Mount. closed for???

[Melanie]

Oh man, how long is Thunder Mount. closed for???

Info Central (http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/calendar/refurb.asp#Magic_Kingdom) is full of wonderful information! Big Thunder Mountain is closed until May 27th.

[Terra]

Info Central (http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/calendar/refurb.asp#Magic_Kingdom) is full of wonderful information! Big Thunder Mountain is closed until May 27th.

Duh, forgot about Info Central! Thanks :)

Oh no :/ That means it will be close for our March vacation. I was really hoping my DH would be able to ride it with my oldest son. First time at Magic Kingdom for DH and first time of course riding the rides with our sons :) But at least there's Space M. and Splash M.! :)

[Butters]

Anyone know if this scrim is still up? We leave on Sunday and hope its down now...

[ransam]

i just got back and i can honestly say it's not that bad. Nothing ruined any magic for me...but then again, i'm pretty easy to please. haha