Whilst little more than 2D façades with empty behinds were – and are – generally expected for this development, as the corner points of the building row forming a huge physical barrier between The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the park entrance, these two at least will be fully-formed, 3D sets.

We reported the first metal framework beginning construction last week, and since then this interesting square tower has begun to match even more exactly the expected finished design – a reproduction of the ‘Off the Page’ store entrance from Hollywood Pictures Backlot at Disney’s Calfifornia Adventure. Also depicted on the new Walt Disney Studios Park map, this building features a square, pointed spire on its roof, and the latest photos below show that construction of its skeleton has almost reached this point.

Adding to the development now is a second tower, much larger in floorspace than the first and equally impressive in height, already adding quite a landmark to the previously barren corner by the Place des Stars stage. Now imagine this with a few more façades inbetween the two and fully decorated in warm Pueblo Deco colours – as a new “heart” for Walt Disney Studios Park, this should really get things beating in a more true Disney style.

The exact design of the building can be seen on the new park map below, with a large square body and a round dome similar to those on The Hollywood Tower Hotel behind. It doesn’t appear to match exactly with a building on either of Disney’s other two Hollywood developments – at Disney-MGM Studios and California Adventure – and considering its size could easily be put to use as something more than an empty façade.

It’s already clear that these buildings on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard won’t just be a much-needed boost of glamour and style for the middle of the park. As the map shows, they form a major barrier between the current hub at Disney Bros Plaza and the entrance of Tower of Terror, forcing guests to walk towards Studio Tram Tour or around Production Courtyard to reach the attraction, perhaps a response to concerns in earlier years that this location was too close to the park’s entrance for such a popular attraction.

The impressive size of the frames already exaggerate the forced perspective design of the 183-ft Tower behind, making it appear taller and more distant, as if this 1950s Hollywood development gradully built-up around its decaying exterior in the decade since that fateful night…

Map © Disney; All photos by Photos Magiques.