After previously approving a $3.1 million cut to road work around Walt Disney World, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District this week began exploring $100 million worth of roadway improvements.

Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Looking Into Walt Disney World Roadway Improvements

The three General Business items on the agenda for the District’s May 22 meeting were:

• Award of contract for the 2024 Milling & Resurfacing Pavement Program with Watson Civil Construction, Inc. in the amount of $3,457,000
• Award of three-year continuing services contract for roadway and maintenance construction services with Stage Door II, Inc. in the amount of $3,000,000
• Approval for the Finance Department to pursue bond funding to support infrastructure needs for the District’s Roadway Capital Improvement Program in the amount of $99,300,000

The first item covers various maintenance projects on Buena Vista Drive and Esplanade Avenue — the entrance to Disney’s Riviera Resort — and portions of Hartzog Road north of Western Way. It also includes guardrail removal and replacement on World Rive and EPCOT Center Drive.

The second item is for addressing issues like potholes, stormwater drainage structures, and drainage pipes.

The third item, presented by District Administrator Stephanie Kopelousos, has the largest scope. The Background of the agenda item reads:

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is responsible for execution of roadway, bridge, and drainage projects within the District to address aging infrastructure and to accommodate current and anticipated traffic demands. With the continuous growth in surrounding population and anticipated development within the District, there is a pressing need to expand and enhance our roadway network to meet the escalating traffic demands requiring the funding and execution of large capital projects.

Funding large roadway capital projects for local governments without significantly increasing millage rates or debt service payments requires careful planning and utilization of various funding sources. Issuing municipal bonds allows local governments to raise capital upfront for infrastructure projects and pay back the debt over time. Bonds can be funded through property taxes providing various roadway and interchange improvements.

The approved bonds would mostly cover Phase III of the World Drive project, which has been ongoing since 2019 to improve traffic around Magic Kingdom. Phase III would cover improvements between Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and the end of World Drive behind Magic Kingdom. Kopelousos said that District employees told her this project was a main priority.

The $99,300,000 would also go towards North Buena Vista Drive bridge replacements, Buena Vista Drive and Western Way interchange improvements, widening Western Way, and milling and resurfacing portions of Buena Vista Drive and World Drive. Board Member Charbel Barakat noted that the North Buena Vista Drive bridges were some of the oldest at Walt Disney World Resort.

The Board unanimously approved a motion to explore bond financing.

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Universal CityWalk Orlando is celebrating Pride with Love is Universal Nights at the Red Coconut Club this June.

Love is Universal Nights

The Red Coconut Club will be open on Thursday and Friday nights for Love is Universal Nights. Hours for Thursday nights are from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., and Friday nights from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. During these events, guests can enjoy exclusive drinks, live entertainment, and a DJ.

The Red Coconut Club is located in CityWalk and has no cover charge. There are two levels, three bars, and a dance floor, making it one of the best night spots in CityWalk. This venue typically offers fun seasonal events, such as the Dead Coconut Club and the Cursed Coconut Club.

Will you be visiting the Red Coconut Club for Love is Universal Nights next month? Sound off in the comments below and on social media.

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The refurbishment of the exterior of Mission: SPACE continues, with the Mars sculpture getting newly updated paneling.

Mission: SPACE Mars Refurbishment

New red panels have been added to the structure, above and slightly to the right of its entrance. Work on the exterior of Mission: SPACE began in May of last year, with updates being made not just to the planets, but also to the pavement, the attraction sign, and the building exterior.

The spaces with the new red panels were black just last week. The difference between the panels that have been updated and the ones that await updating is clear in the coloring and shine. The orange panels to the right have been particularly impacted by the Florida sun, as many of them have gone gray.

The Mars structure is the entrance location of the Green and Orange teams for both Lighting Lanes and Standby. The attraction remains open during the refurbishment.

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