Downtown Disney gets a Full-on Makeover

By Joseph Cardenas//Contributing Writer

As with anything in life, sometimes a brand new look can make something fresh and exciting again. Walt Disney World has come to perfect this idea within the past five years: giving its Magic Kingdom park a next generation magical makeover, releasing the much anticipated World of AVATAR in Animal Kingdom this coming new year and already preparing a Star Wars takeover for Hollywood Studios (a name change for this park as well.) Recently, Downtown Disney has received a similar, albeit much larger scale, treatment.

Gone is the 90s “hip nightlife” culture that defined Downtown Disney since its third rebranding, now we enter the shopping district’s new image. Disney Springs was announced in March of 2013, confusing many with this new name “‘Disney Springs?’ Is it a spa resort? Seriously, what’s going on here?”

Disney Springs officially made the name transition in the fall of this year, no more will we be seeing “Downtown Disney” on guide maps or marketing material.

Springs opened with a new section available to guests called The Landing with two new restaurants; The Boathouse which sells mostly seafood but also has a well themed bar and gift shop and Jock Lindsay’s Hangar Bar, themed to Lucasfilm’s “Indiana Jones” franchise. Most Recently, it added Morimoto Asia, owned by Iron Chef Morimoto. As well as few retail outlets like Chapel Hats and the Art of Shaving.

The next and last area opening for the expansion, Town Center, does not have a projected opening date yet but the complete transformation of the district is expected in mid 2016. The Town Center has been confirmed to include The Edison, an Industrial-Gothic themed restaurant, in addition to retail outlets such as UGG and PANDORA.

If you haven’t been to the resort in a while, other things to look out for as part of the Disney Springs development is a bridge in the Marketplace area leading to The Landing, as well as new touches to the West Side area like a plaza where food trucks are licensed to sell, a Marvel merchandise store and a new next generation parking garage.

Just in case visitors need that shot of caffeine to keep them going on their shopping spree Springs boasts not one, but two Starbucks. (Thanks to Disney’s deal with Starbucks, there are also locations in each theme park with special location based coffee mugs depicting each park.) Things expected to change soon range from the Marktetplace’s World of Disney store to undergo a massive expansion and the closing of DisneyQuest, the district’s very own interactive video game theme park.

There is no cost for parking at Disney Springs and it is within walking distance of Hotel Plaza Boulevard, which is lined with non-Disney resorts such as Hilton, Best Western and B Resort. They also offer free Disney shuttles. Disney decorates for all the seasons and holidays just like the parks and even has entertainment at its Waterside Stage. Visitors can spend an entire day there and never lack for things to do from bowling to shopping, and from eating to catching a movie. There is even a permanent Cirque de Soleil show called La Nouba. So for those who just want a taste of Disney, without paying exorbitant park fees, Disney Springs may be just the place for you.

All Photos by Joseph Cardenas