Over the past several months, the Making More Magic expansion has reached milestone after milestone across the mountain. The Crystal Express towers are up, the haul rope is tensioned, and cabins are riding the line. Firefly Village has a fresh coat of paint and new trim on its buildings, and the Treetop Skywalk is stringing its final bridges.
After months of laying the groundwork (literally and figuratively!), Anakeesta’s Making More Magic expansion is moving through its final stretch of Phase 1 work. If you’d like to learn more about how the park changed in April, check out the main milestones we reached over the past month:
Table of Contents
What Progress Did Anakeesta Make in April?
Over the past month, we’ve made significant progress, with work on the Crystal Express, FireFly Village, and Parkway entry drawing to a close. Check out the top milestones we reached in April as we prepare to reopen:
1. The Crystal Express Completed Its Load Test and Installation With Leitner-Poma of America
In early April, the Crystal Express reached one of its biggest milestones yet: the completion of the load test and installation process with Leitner-Poma of America (LPOA), the manufacturer behind the gondola system. LPOA specializes in high-capacity aerial lift systems and has been part of major gondola builds across the country. Having them see the Crystal Express through this stage is a significant step toward the gondola carrying guests up the mountain.
With that milestone behind us, our team has shifted focus to all of the work that follows gondola completion. Anakeesta is a full mountain destination, which means flatwork, paving, walkways, and finishing surfaces around both terminals still need to come together before guests arrive.
2. Firefly Village’s Rebuild Makes Significant Progress
Firefly Village is in the middle of the most substantial transformation in the park’s history. For months, our team has been rebuilding the village from the ground up, reworking pathways, overhauling building exteriors, and layering in new features that take the storybook charm guests have always loved to a whole new level.
This month, we added a new decorative stream feature that meanders through the village and anchors the space, inviting guests to slow down and wander. Reinstalled pavers and headers bring the pathways back to life, while new covered seating areas, a refreshed fire pit, and covered bridges add to the discovery-driven feel of the space. A new photo sales and information booth rounds out the experience, meaning there’s something new to find around every corner of Firefly Village.
The facades throughout Firefly Village have received a full refresh as well. Catching Fireflies, Adventure Outpost, Willows Workshop, Mimi’s Creamery, and the village restrooms all wear new exteriors fitted to the reimagined look of the space. On top of these additions, the restrooms have been refreshed on the inside, too.
3. Parkway Entry Work Is Nearing Completion
Down at the base of the mountain, work around the gondola’s Parkway terminal is wrapping up alongside the facility upgrades we previewed in earlier updates. New sidewalks, updated landscaping, and improved guest access are all part of making the arrival experience feel even more welcoming and streamlined.
If you haven’t already, sign up for our newsletter to be among the first to hear when we announce our opening timeline.
What Comes Next
The pace of finish work across the mountain reflects how close we are. As construction wraps in the areas surrounding the gondola, the full picture of what Making More Magic has built is starting to come into view: a reimagined village, a new lift experience, an expanded Treetop Skywalk, and a Firefly Experience still to come this season, with the production team arriving on-site in late May for full integration and programming.
We’re looking forward to sharing what comes next. In the meantime, our 15-month annual pass offer is available through June 1, 2026, which is a great way to make sure you’re there for the opening and every visit after it.
Leave a Reply