In many cases in the news articles here on WDW News Today, we tell you when attractions, eateries, shows, etc. will be closing, but often there is not enough advance notice for you to say your goodbyes. This time, however, you have at least a few years to say farewell to the Crossroads at Lake Buena Vista shopping center on SR 535 at the intersection with Hotel Plaza Blvd.
Anyone who’s traveled that stretch of SR 535 in the past 10 years has realized that the traffic in this area is a nightmare. Perhaps going to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner? Sweet Tomatoes for lunch? Goodings for groceries (Oh the horrors!) or maybe you remember Jungle Jim’s? The shopping center that is home to these locations and more may one day be no more. As you can see from the aerial imagery, the SR-535 exit from I-4 Westbound is a single exit ramp for traffic heading in both directions on SR-535. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Florida Department of Transportation has looked at a number of options for reconfiguring this interchange, possibly with one of those fancy flyover ramps or maybe a direct connection to Hotel Plaza Blvd. But whatever the final design, the Crossroads Shopping Center looks to be clearly in the way, along with the Radisson and Waffle House just south of the shopping center.
Disney originally owned the land on which the shopping center sits, and originally developed Crossroads at Lake Buena Vista in 1988. The shopping center was sold off in 2005. It is likely that Disney would benefit from the demolition of a shopping center so close to Disney Springs, as it would drive more traffic to its own eateries and shops. Personally I’d be sad that I’d have to travel much farther to find a Sweet Tomatoes or Buffalo Wild Wings, but the loss of the shopping center would have been much harder to take if Jungle Jim’s had still been there.
Isn’t Sweet Tomatoes closing a bunch of stores anyways? and there’s another Buffalo Wild Wings on the Southeast corner of the SeaWorld complex just 5 minutes up I-4.
Keyword is May.
So does this include everything or just everything in the main building? Between all the different restaurants not connected to the main building, that’s an absolutely ton of jobs that will be lost for traffic improvements.
I can’t see eminent domain closing every single thing there because no highway exit is that important to close that many shops and restaurants and entertainment like the mini golf. I think there must be an error or info missing.
Just as long as they don’t screw up Hooters.
This is misleading or just a plan phase. The city would loose major money
We had a Chevy’s a couple of minutes from our house, but then it closed. When I get a yearning for their Smothered Burrito, I have to drive a half hour to get to the one at Cross Roads. Hope this one doesn’t close, too, because I don’t know of any other Chevy’s nearby.
Lies.
The Orlando Sentinel used the word “demolish.”
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/the-daily-disney/os-disney-crossroads-535-20161216-story.html
They also mentioned the business “shifting” to Disney Springs.