Visiting Disney Springs at Walt Disney World
Disney Springs is a perfect addition to any Disney vacation or a good way to get your Disney fix all by itself! Theme park tickets aren’t required and there is no entrance fee. You can even park for free 😲 shocking, I know. Disney Springs is a sprawling area encompassing restaurants, shops and activities. Disney Springs is made up of several areas. The Westside (closest to the Orange garage) contains Splitsville, House of Blues, the movie theater and the soon to open NBA Experience. The Town Center (closest to the Resort bus stops) is where you’ll find almost all of the shops and a handful of restaurants. The Landing is the most scenic area right along the water with the majority of restaurants and where you’ll be dropped off if you come via boat. I love walking between the other areas and the Landing as you get to see the ‘springs’ of Disney Springs. While not natural they sure did a good job of making it look like real Florida spring. The Marketplace (closest to the Lime garage) is where you’ll find the World of Disney and Lego Stores plus many of the other Disney themed stores and a few restaurants.
GETTING TO DISNEY SPRINGS
Disney Springs is probably the easiest thing on Disney property to drive to. It’s just off I-4 but expect lots of traffic and congestion. There are three parking garages, all fruit themed - Lime, Orange and Grapefruit. My favorite thing about parking at Disney Springs is that they have signs that tell you how many spaces are open on each level AND in each row. You don’t have to waste time driving up and down rows, just look towards the ceiling for the number to see if any spots are open. The Lime garage is closest to the Marketplace and Town Center areas while the Orange garage is near the Westside. The Grapefruit garage is the furthest. It’s across the street from the Lime Garage but a walkway over Buena Vista Drive is provided so you don’t have to deal with the traffic.
If you are staying at one of the Disney Springs hotels, you can walk to Disney Springs. Some will have a longer walk than others. If you are on Disney property then, of course, you can take a bus. Guests staying at Old Key West, Saratoga Springs or Port Orleans also have the option of taking a boat. It’s a fun and scenic way to go. Bus travel time to Disney Springs improved immensely after they built bus-only lanes.
All the parks have their icons so of course Disney Springs has one too - they get a water tower to go with the ‘springs’ theme
FAVORITE DISNEY SPRINGS STORES
My favorite stores at Disney Springs are the ones that are Disney themed. No stop at Disney Springs is complete without going into the world’s largest Disney store at World of Disney. I also like exploring Tren-D, Star Wars Trading Post, Mickey’s Pantry, DisneyStyle, Ever After Jewelry and the Marketplace Co-Op. The Lego Store is worth a look even if you don’t have a Master Builder in your group. I’m always amazed by the giant Lego creations that surround the store. The obvious one is the dragon in the water but they have several around the outside of the store.
In addition to Disney stores they have some ‘regular’ stores like Zara, Levi’s, Francesca’s and Sephora. A lot of these stores will have some licensed Disney merchandise like socks from Stance or bracelets from Alex and Ani. You can even find a store to buy a suitcase to carry home all your new purchases. 💸 A full list of Disney Springs stores can be found here.
FAVORITE DISNEY SPRINGS RESTAURANTS
Disney Springs has, no question, some of the best restaurants on all of Disney property. And you don’t need a park ticket to eat at them! They have a full range of options from snack kiosks to counter service spots to full service (and full bar) sit-down restaurants.
My favorite counter service is the Polite Pig for BBQ. You can smell it as you enter from the Lime Garage area. We also enjoy going to Blaze Pizza and D-Luxe Burger (both of which I can get gluten free options at). Wine Bar George and Morimoto Asia are both full-service restaurants but also have counter services spots so you can experience them too if you need a quick bite.
For full-service spots we enjoy both the aforementioned Morimoto Asia and Wine Bar George. Frontera Cocina has great Mexican and Raglan Road has Irish comfort food. The Boathouse is a great spot right on the water with a nautical theme on the inside. We often prefer to just sit at the bar and indulge in some of their oysters. They have an extensive list but some are grown just for them! We recently ate at Jaleo, a Spanish tapas restaurant and were highly impressed. The Spanish wine list was extensive and the bulk of their food is flown in from Spain. I’d love to go back but the downside is that it is quite expensive. I would recommend it for a special occasion that you’re okay with spending a large chunk of money for.
Almost every restaurant has a bar but if you aren’t looking for a full meal, Dockside Margaritas is a good place to get a drink and sit by the water. Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar is also a fun spot with what I describe as an Indiana Jones theme (they serve food too but I go for the drink list).
When it’s time for dessert Vivoli Il Gelato is always a good choice as is Sprinkles (they have a cupcake ATM!) and Erin McKenna’s Bakery for all gluten free treats.
The list of restaurants is constantly changing. New ones are being added faster than we can try them. I still have several on my list to go to that I’ve been hearing great things about: Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming, The Edison, Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante and Paddlefish.
To help decide where to eat, I love using AllEars.net for their always updated park menus. If you or someone in your party has food allergies like me, you can also check out Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW for the places that offer allergy friendly menus. If you’re a passholder be sure to ask for discounts in the restaurants. For a full list of Disney Springs restaurants, click here.
While the springs at Disney Springs may not be natural they certainly do a great representation of what they actually look like. Several of the restaurants have views of the springs.
THINGS TO DO AT DISNEY SPRINGS
While most people go to Disney Springs to shop and eat, there are also plenty of things to do for everyone. One of the more visible activities is the Aerophile balloon. It’s right on the water and at its peak height it can be seen from some Disney resorts and parks. It’s greatly affected by the weather so keep that in mind when attempting it. You can also take to the water in a Vintage Amphicar next to the Boathouse. The Westside area of Disney Springs is mostly made of up of Splitsville, the AMC Movie Theater and NBA Experience. You can bowl, eat and drink at Splitsville or catch the latest Disney movie while at Disney! All theaters have reserved seating with some having recliners and others offering food and drink service. There are even rides for the little ones in the form of a train and carousel. Entertainment abounds throughout the area. Several restaurants offer live entertainment (my favorite are the Irish dancers at Raglan Road) and you can even watch some concerts. Big names headline at House of Blues but many local musicians play on several small stages throughout the complex. Expect a lot more entertainment at nighttime than during the day. A full list of activities can be found here and entertainment, here.
The Aerophile balloon flies high above Disney Springs for some spectacular views.