Construction walls have moved again, and crews have installed a new set of check-out counters in the Emporium at Magic Kingdom.
Emporium Construction
The Emporium refurbishment project began in January in the room closest to Casey’s Corner. Work has now moved all the way down Main Street to the first room closest to the park entrance.
Construction walls block off the back of the room, including one of the exits. Scrim covers the space between the construction walls and ceiling, effectively blocking the area from view.
The blocked area houses a set of check-out counters and a small selection of merchandise, usually jewelry and apparel. A column in the space was mounted with mirrors.
The construction walls run from the blocked-off exit door to the display of Loungefly backpacks.
Meanwhile, construction walls are all gone from the other end of the Emporium, although we don’t know if that means work is done. Last month, crews were adding structural details to some of the columns in this room. Some walls were demolished to open up the space, flooring was replaced, and ceilings were raised.
Movable merchandise displays replaced the built-in displays on the demolished walls, making it easier for Disney to rearrange the store depending on crowds. Right now, there are some large empty spaces, but these may be filled in with more movable displays. The dark wood-style flooring was replaced with a slightly lighter colored wood-style.
Perhaps the store’s biggest change so far is at the end of this space. This room, behind the magic shop facade, used to have built-in shelves and red wallpaper. All the shelves are gone, replaced by two new check-out counters. These replace the check-out counter demolished in the Casey’s Corner room next door.
The red wallpaper was also replaced with a white and beige-patterned wallpaper. Behind the check-out counters, which house four registers, are two cabinets for Cast Member use. The columns on the wall outline where shelves used to be. Like with the rest of the store, some movable displays might be added to this room later.
Except for the addition of two new round chandeliers, the lighting fixtures remain the same. The new chandeliers are a different shape but match the others with a frosted shade, gold-tone hardware, and a warm light. They are also similar, but not exactly the same, as the lights in the adjacent room.
The doorway, previously dark wood brown, was painted white. A new stained glass window is above the frame, where there was previously a plain window with chiffon curtains.
On the walls behind the registers are frames of vintage photos. These match photos and artwork in the rest of the nearby rooms, depicting sports teams.
Some frames hold memorabilia like medals. One features handheld fans with artwork of women playing sports. The theming goes along with the baseball-inspired Casey’s Corner.
The new check-out counters are light brown wood with bronze accents on the edges and corners.
There are bronze grates on the fronts of the podiums holding the registers.
During our Friday morning visit, the pin pads were on, but the registers were not open.
The mobile checkout podium remains nearby, between two of the Emporium’s exit doors. The chandeliers in this adjacent space have additional small lamps hanging around the main round lamp.
The new white and beige wallpaper continues through this room. The old wallpaper here was more blue-gray.
There are also new check-out counters in this room. They are the same style as the others, with four registers.
We noted in our last update that the ropes were removed from the check-out queue. The queue display structures have all been replaced with shelves that match the new counters, although they are similar to the old displays.
Instead of a third counter, there’s a large podium in this space close to the next exit door. New shelving units displaying tumblers and mannequins in apparel for sale are behind the counters. There is also new black and white vintage-style artwork and Emporium signs with a new red and gold “E” logo.
Crews have added the white and beige wallpaper to the fronts of all the columns in this room. The backs of the columns have the striped wallpaper of the back room. The columns are also adorned with sports photos.
The back room was one of the first areas refurbished, after the space closest to Casey’s Corner. There used to be a wall right here, which at one point displayed pins.
What was previously a room of plush and toys is now kitchenwares. The carpet here was also replaced with tile. The blue-gray wallpaper was removed, and the room currently has solid white walls, although new wallpaper could be added later, as with the other nearby rooms.
What do you think about the updates to the Emporium at Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments.
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