Walk Around the World Bricks Being Removed at Magic Kingdom
As work continues to transform the Walt Disney World park arrival experience, bricks from “Disney’s Walk Around the World” will begin to being removed from Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center in the coming months. This is occurring due to walkway reconfigurations, plus more bag check stations, metal detectors, and other measures to aid in the screening of guests to expedite the park entry process.
Since they were not designed to be removed individually, the retired bricks will not be available for guests to take home. Instead, guests who sponsored a brick may purchase a commemorative version between now and August 31, 2019 at Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. in Magic Kingdom, the Marketplace Co-Op at Disney Springs, or later this spring on shopDisney.com.
Those who participated in the original Disney’s Walk Around the World program can stop into City Hall at Magic Kingdom or Guest Relations at Disney Springs to verify their purchase, at which time they’ll be given a one-time use voucher to purchase one commemorative 6” brick at a special price of $10. For those who didn’t participate but would like to purchase one, souvenir bricks are available to customize and purchase starting at $30 for the 6″ size or $50 for the 8″ size.
In their blog post announcing this, Disney notes that the bricks “were sold with the commitment that they would be displayed until 2011.” Many fans online have stated that they were promised the bricks would remain forever when they were purchased, but there’s presumably contractual fine print that contradicts such verbal commitments.
Interestingly, in reading the pamphlet for Disney’s Walk Around the World, it also explicitly states that there would be no remedy other than the refund of the sponsorship fee if the bricks were removed before the tenth anniversary of their installation. (This explains the 2011 date above–the last bricks were installed in 2001.)
As such, Walt Disney World selling the bricks now seems like a cross between a goodwill gesture to fans who thought their bricks would be permanent, and a way to make some money from fans who didn’t have the chance to buy bricks two decades ago. Most of us probably fall into the latter category.
We played around with the kiosks a bit, customizing a few different brick options, but ultimately didn’t buy. I don’t know what we’d do with a random new brick like this at home; it seemed a bit pointless. It’d be one thing if we had one previously and wanted to recreate that–we’d absolutely buy a commemorative replica. Buying for the first time now to own and display a random brick without any added meaning? Eh, to each their own, I guess.
This is the second ‘guest legacy’ project Walt Disney World has announced would be retired or relocated within the last few weeks, following Leave a Legacy. As previously covered in our Play Pavilion and New Park Entrance Announced for Epcot post, those tombstones will be removed and destroyed, with the photos relocated outside the park.
We lauded that change, as we’ve long derided Leave a Legacy as a war memorial and visual clutter overdue for removal. In this case, we don’t feel the same way.
Unlike Leave a Legacy, there’s no visual blight associated with Walk Around the World. Rather, it takes normal bricks and adds a personalized touch to them, being important to the guests who have one without detracting from the guest experience of those who don’t.
I’d go a step further and say that, even as someone who doesn’t have a Walk Around the World brick, I think they add to my experience in a small way. They remind me of the powerful impact Walt Disney World has had on thousands of families over the years, the milestones celebrated at the parks, etc. They’re not a big thing, but they’re non-intrusive and a charming touch.
I feel the same way about the Disney Vacation Member photos adorning the walls of Olivia’s Cafe at Old Key West Resort. Those are even more personal, and have the added bonus of showcasing semi-vintage images of Walt Disney World. As with these bricks, those photos are a small way of humanizing Walt Disney World. Stuff like this helps rebuke the whole ‘faceless corporation’ label that’s sometimes given to Disney.
With all of that said, the operative word in all of the above should be “small.” These bricks are a small touch and add something small to my Magic Kingdom arrival experience. I’m far from upset about their removal, and if that paves the way for more efficient (or decluttered) security checkpoints and walkways, I’m all for it.
The other pressing question that should be on everyone’s mind right now is, “what does this mean for the walkway to nowhere?!” I assume that, like me, this has already caused you some sleepless nights.
For those who are unfamiliar with it, the walkway to nowhere is the walkway between the resort boat and monorail launches that looks like it leads to the Grand Floridian. It’s paved with the Walk Around the World bricks, has benches along the way, and street lamps marking the path…that results in a dead-end short of the Grand Floridian.
If you’ve ever watched this pathway from the monorail, you’ve undoubtedly seen people walking it, presumably bound for the Grand Floridian, only to (again presumably) get to the deep end with a confused look on their faces. This walkway is currently closed off, and it’s future is unclear.
The problem with finishing this walkway means some sort of bridge would need to be installed to connect the path to Grand Floridian. Such a bridge, if done incorrectly (or the least expensive route), could spell the demise of the Electrical Water Pageant. Obviously, there are other ways such a bridge could be done, but I’m not optimistic enough to think we’d get both a walkway to Grand Floridian and the continued run of Electrical Water Pageant.
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Your Thoughts
Do you have a Walk Around the World brick? Plan on purchasing a commemorative version? Do you agree or disagree with our perspective? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I’m sad that my brick will be gone. Our brick was getting worn down pretty badly because it was right near the end of the Monorail exit. Because of that it got increasingly difficult to actually spend any time locating it.
While I’m appreciative of the gesture of the commemorative brick, I’m still going to miss having an actual brick somewhere. With that being said, I’m all for Disney trying to make money, I’m a bit upset that they’re selling these to people who never actually purchased a brick. To me it devalues the gesture.
This was such a great idea in the beginning. Is there any chance Disney will offer bricks again in memory or honor of family and friends?
I feel the same way many do in the above comments. Many “families” come through WDW and may not notice the bricks, but there are the select families who did pay $100 or more to leaving their family name on the bricks. I personally try each time I go to MK to look at the bricks and realize what a momento some family has left! Will be sad to see them go. Why can’t they put security gates on top???
Because they are lazy. It could be done but will probably cost more and instead they opted to remove them. Could also be the excuse being used to get rid of the whole lot. It is too bad. But like the tagline for the final Matrix movie “everything that has a beginning, has an end”.
My husband and I bought one for our family. We made sure that it was a bit over to the side and not going to be one that would wear out quickly. Guess what? We never could find it. Mind you we only spent so long looking for it, but we never could find the dang thing. Hope others saw it and enjoyed it.
I’m personally going to miss this. My best friend and I sponsored a brick together while we were in college. We had worked extra after school jobs all through high school to save up for a 2-week trip to WDW as soon as the first of us turned 18 and could legally check into a resort! The $100 was a lot of money to us back then, and we’ve always been so happy that our names were part of that walkway – even if the location was, inconveniently, near the dead end just before GF. We’ve gone back together a few times over the last 20 years, and often reminisce about the lost attractions and touches that were part of the WDW of our childhood’s. Sad to see this go, but, then again, we’re still crying over the loss of the Dreamfinder and Kitchen Kabaret…
Electrical Water Pagaent > Walkway to GF!
I will feel sad when our brick is gone. My father is deceased now. Every year I go to see our family brick. When I see his name it brings back such good memories of our time at Disney. I thought we would always be part of Disney as he did that day we purchased our brick. Sorry Dad we were wrong.
I’m talking about how Disney is making you buy it back after you paid $100? Or more for it once. They should send it to you for free.
And then giving people the choice of buying a brick after the fact. No meaning to it if it wasn’t at the park entrance. Why would u want one now? Don’t be so sensitive. It’s a place for opinions and we all have our own.
My dad bought a brick in 1994. It’s right in front of the MK. We love visiting it on each trip. Lots of memories. Sad to see them go.
We bought both a brick and the leave a legacy photo of my granddaughters to commemorate the millennium, the girls were 2 and 3 at the time. Everytime we go to WDW we take a picture of them next to the plaque and brick. I am so sad to know that both are being removed. I see no reason to remove the bricks they enhance the entrance. I have often seen people just walking around reading them. As for having to purchase the commemorative brick it feels like another way for WDW to make money.
The bricks cost $100 to purchase and now we have to spend more plus shipping to get a commemorative brick how sad. Getting to see our brick and the girls legacy picture has always been part of our visit to WDW now we won’t have that.
Don’t kid yourself, there will be a new incarnation of this at some point in the near future. It is our dear Disney after all and they err… leave no stone unturned when it comes to generating profit.
Disney is an amusment park that has to upgrade and update its parks to be the kind of park you love today …and into the future Its not a museum
My family also purchased one of these bricks and have always felt alittle special having it Very disappeared they would destroy such a lovely thing Have you though of incorporating this into your new project It’s not like you don’t have the people to design it
My husband and I bought a brick for $100 back in October 1994. It was our 3 year annisversay. A few years later, for reasons I cannot remember, the bricks in front of the Magic Kindgom in front of the security check point on side of monorail entrance, were removed and replaced. When we came back the next year our brick was in the same place but had the year 1998 on it. When we asked about it and if it could be changed the answer was no. We are going to WDW in May and do not know if it is worth getting the 6 inch one with the $10 voucher they are offering.
I have a better idea, take your actual brick out and take it home with you. See how they like that. lol
Agree about buying a brick. Totally worthless and stupid.
About the walkway to the Floridian. I would LOVE it!
Wow. Not such a nice comment. The brick my family has there reminds me of good times – before losing loved ones. Janet….. have a nice day!
I can’t speak for Janet, but I meant in the article that it would be pointless for me to buy a commemorative brick now–for the very first time. I can totally understand why those with one in the ground at Walt Disney World would purchase a take-home version, as there’s a lot of emotion, memories, and personal history tied into that.
Kinda short timing to book a trip to get a replica of my family’s stone. Is there a way to order from home or do I have to spend thousands on a vacation for a relica?
Tim, you’ll be able to order a replacement stone online in late spring. You can google Disney commemorative stone removal now and get the info you need.
I’ll be at Disney in the beginning of May and plan on getting my replacement stone then. My original stone was a wedding gift, so I’m hoping that fact won’t gum up the works since we didn’t purchase it. Also, you don’t have to keep the original wording, which works for me because I’m now divorced. Hope this helped.
Follow the link above to the blog post on the Disney Parks Blog, there are instructions for contacting guest services to get a voucher for your commemorative brick. I think you can order it through shopDisney.
Guests who sponsored a brick and would like to get a souvenir version should do the following:
If visiting in person:
Starting March 18, Guests can stop by City Hall at Magic Kingdom Park or Guest Relations at Disney Springs to verify their previous brick by sharing the name and hometown of the Guest who sponsored it.
After verification, they will be given a one-time use voucher to present by, or before Aug. 31, 2019, at Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. (at Magic Kingdom Park — separate theme park admission required) or the Marketplace Co-Op (at Disney Springs), enabling you to purchase one commemorative 6” brick at a special price of $10 (plus tax).
If a Guest can’t come to the park in person:
Guests should email [email protected] or call 407-828-2701 with the name and hometown of the Guest who sponsored the brick.
After verification, they will be provided a code to use by, or before Aug. 31, 2019, on shopDisney.com to purchase one commemorative 6” brick at a special price of $10 (plus tax and shipping) starting this spring. This code is for one-time use and will only be valid on shopDisney.com and may not be redeemed in person or at any other location. (Limit one voucher or code per verified Guest.)
Also available to any Guests, not just those who originally sponsored a brick in “Disney’s Walk Around the World,” will be a 6” brick ($29.99 plus tax — available now), 8” brick ($49.99 plus tax — available now) and ornament ($24.99 plus tax — on sale soon), all with customization included. These are at Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. (at Magic Kingdom Park) or the Marketplace Co-Op (at Disney Springs), or on shopDisney.com starting this spring.
The last time I walked down the walkway to nowhere, which was before they fully closed it off a couple of months ago, I returned to find myself berated by a security guard asking what I was doing / where I was going etc. Quite an unpleasant experience, actually.
Even though it is a “pointless” experience, it was actually one of my favourite MK attractions – there’s something otherworldly about being that close to the most crowded theme park in the world, and yet in almost complete solitude, staring at the bricks and the implied memories of decades ago. I hope Disney find a way to keep it or, better yet, extend it to the GF. Any ideas why they have decided to close it off?
I’m not sure why the path is closed; I assume it’s because of this, but maybe there’s some other reason.
Sorry to hear about your encounter with security. I’ve had a couple awkward experiences with them when taking photos of monorails back in 2009-2010, but nothing really since then. I do believe that the role can draw a certain type of person craving authority and sometimes abusing it, but I won’t delve into that one.
I want to get there (from Canada) to take photos and video before my late brother’s stone is gone. Does anyone know the timing? His is between the MK entrance and the Grand Floridian on the trail by the lake.
Disney has been vague about timing, but it seems unlikely that this type of project would begin before Easter given the current crowds. I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts in May in front of Magic Kingdom and at the TTC. That’s just a guess, though.
Ours was purchased to honor my husband’s birthday, whose hard work and sacrifices made it possible for our family to become DVC members in 1995 which started many memory making vacations in the World. I will certainly purchase one to have at home. I’m disappointed these are going away but hope that what changes come enhance our future visits. I’m glad we were given this opportunity and they just weren’t bulldozed first
I feel this is a disservice to the families who bought the commemorative stones, and see no point in there removal, other than to save a buck around new construction. Disney is OVERDUE for a change in Leadership!
” I don’t know what we’d do with a random new brick like this at home; it seemed a bit pointless.”
I would kinda think that if anyone would want a random hexagonal brick, it would be the Brickers.
Haha, well played.
My family also purchased one of these bricks and have always felt alittle special having it Very disappeared they would destroy such a lovely thing Have you though of incorporating this into your new project It’s not like you don’t have the people to design it
Ours was at the Polly and I rememebered when they sold it to my parents it was said to be for life (I of course didnt read the details) but after they did they work over there recently it’s already gone. At least other people are getting a heads up.