Downtown Disney Marketplace

I’m a Florida resident visiting in the off season and am thoroughly unimpressed with their decisions on navigating traffic. This is the worst. Disney has always had busy traffic but they usually make better decisions on how to diffuse the congestion. We sat next to the parking lot for 25 min just to have them detour everyone across the street and this isn’t even the busy season.

We didn’t have time to to go into the parks so this satisfied my Disney needs for the couple of hours we had to spare. Lots of food choices and shopping, everything from kids stuff to upscale ladies and men’s apparel, handbags, home décor and more.

Having stayed nearby to Downtown Disney for the whole of my holiday to WDW, it was a daily experience heading into the Downtown Disney Marketplace, whether it be to catch the bus to one of the Disney parks or just to eat, drink and shop of an evening.
The marketplace boasts the biggest Disney Store in the world, of which you could easily get lost, and sells souvenirs, toys, homeware — pretty much anything you can imagine. It’s definitely a must-​see.
There’s lots of things to see and do around the market place and some great places to grab a bite to eat.

We went to Downtown Disney when we were on vacation back in October. I had a friend tell me all about it, so I had high expectations.
The first thing we noticed when approaching Downtown Disney was all the construction. There were buildings going up in every direction and all the roads were totally torn up. Traffic was a bit of nightmare and we had to drive quite a long way out of our way to be able to make a left so we could double back and turn into the parking garage. It was a little ridiculous.
Once we finally arrived, we enjoyed most of the day just shopping around in many of the stores. We also saw a movie in the movie theater and spent a couple hours inside Disney Quest (which I believe is now or will soon be closed). There were a few especially interesting stores. I really liked the store that sold all the pop art and the House of Blues was cool. There was also a candy store that allowed you to watch them making very intricate candy apples.
We were slightly disappointed by Disney Quest (a one price — play all you want — giant arcade). That was one of the selling points for me having heard all about it from my friend. However, it was pricy to get in and what was actually available and working was not worth it. I could have spent much less money with just dollar bills in a regular arcade and had just as much fun. Many of the games were broken or out of order, and some had just been so badly beaten on they didn’t function that well. The virtual reality experience games might have been cool years ago, but the technology is so outdated now that it just looked cheesy and cheap… Those reasons are probably why Disney Quest is closing.
There was plenty of options for entertainment though with a bowling alley, Cirque du Soleil, House of Blues concerts, and more. There were also dozens of restaurants to eat at, though we ended up just going back to our hotel room instead of waiting 90 minutes for a table. MAKE RESERVATIONS EARLY IN THE DAY!

Personally, I would give Disney Springs (Downtown) one star, but I’m giving it two stars for the following reasons:
I’m biased. I hate shopping malls or any kind of mall, including strip malls, unless it’s architecturally oooooh and ahhhhh but, this is not. Disney Springs is a giant outdoor mall.
Secondly, aside from all of the shops the only things which peaked my interest were:
–the strapped in hot air balloon — $ 18.00 per adult, which is not bad as far as pricing goes with all things considered.
–Cirque du Soleil — Entertainment that stands out.
–Parking Garage — I’d rather walk up and down the aisles and check out the cars, design/​structure (s), piping, sensors, etc. than the shops.
–Miscellaneous bands/​dancers performing on the «streets» — Entertainment that’s catchy.
–Lego Sculptures
–A fake volcano (Rainforest Café) (I also have a unique attraction towards lava/​volcanoes)
–T-​Rex and Dinosaur Restaurant w/​the groovy fake octopus moving its tentacles.
–Being with my boo at the time.
–Accessible by boat and car/​bus.
We went to Bongos for dinner. It’s a cute Cuban café/​eatery. They have a lot of options and they organize their menu well, so it’s easy pickin’s. They do serve a heaping amount of food for the entrees — I guess I’ll make an entry for this spot afterwards.
If you love, and I mean LOVE Disney and if you love, and I mean LOVE shopping, then this is the place for you to lighten your pockets.
Happy shops!

This place is just beautiful. I came at night and it was just as packed like if it was daytime. So many different things to see and try. I walked around and looked at all the different stores and saw all the different people playing. Every area had something different going on. One space had a guy playing the guitar which was such an awesome show another had a lady playing the violin. Walking by you see like a lake i think and inside you see a big dragon made of lego in front of the lego store plus you past by the huge disney store. At the very top you have stitch squirting water hahaha. I can’t wait to go back and take my nephew.

Oh My God…
This place is spectacular!
The family and I came here to kill time and eat lunch and it was mind-​blowing. There’s food and shops and more food and more shops. To the point where we lost track of time.
I can tell they are doing a lot of behind the scene work because there are fences and construction signs all over the place. I excited to see what they will build next. I will stay away for about 6 months just to be wow’ed when most if not all the
construction is done.
All in all I will be back…

We’ve enjoyed walking around this area on our last two Florida trips. The first time we visited we really liked having an activity to break up our time in the parks. The second time we stopped in because we were passing through Orlando for a couple of hours and wanted the Disney experience without paying for a full day at a park.
There is so much to do here for all ages. There are many shops, mostly Disney themed so not for the serious shopper. It’s more for browsing or collecting Disney goodies for the kids. The restaurants are nice and they have a few big name chefs obviously to appeal to the adults. There is also a movie theater that has a side that offers dining during your movie. It’s a nice way to relax away from the heat for a couple of hours. I’m from Las Vegas where there are tons of Cirque shows so we passed, but there is a Cirque show here! Disney really wants to make sure you have everything you need on site.
The first time we visited we were staying on property so we used buses and didn’t have to worry about parking. It was very convenient. Unfortunately, on second visit we were just passing through and were driving so we had to use the parking garage. It was a hassle and unnecessarily time consuming to get in as well as a hassle to get out. As mentioned, I’m from Las Vegas so I use parking garages regularly and don’t normally detest them, but Disney botched this one. Hopefully this is just the situation during construction.

This place has changed, ALLOT, since it first opened years ago.
They have a great assortment of shops, restaurants and bars.
Great for family and friends to spend the afternoon/​evening.
It’s grown nicely, EXCEPT for the parking!
***What a chaotic mess!!!***
Although they have built garages, to cross into the boardwalk, you must take an pedestrian overpass on the 2^nd floor of the garage.
So, it’s up the elevator/​stairs, cross over, then down the stairs/​elevator, again, even when the boardwalk pedestrian entrance is 5 feet away, you can’t use it!
The entrance into, and exiting the garage is a huge mess!
There are construction comes everywhere and no clear written signs, ANYWHERE!

Lol.
Well there is certainly something for everyone. We go with family almost every year and it’s surprising to see how the youth in our group respond to this place.
We admittedly don’t shop there much (perhaps because we’re basically there so often that it’s not a temptation), but the restaurants are fabulous and the young people enjoy going back to their old favorite spots like the carousel and the Legoland flagship store.
There is a nightlife scene there now, but we tend to stick to things that everyone in the group will enjoy.

2007 we took a cruise out of LA and decided to visit Disneyland. It was interesting to see the differences between CA & FL. The Downtown Disney in California seemed more sophisticated, there were California wines being server and I heard a rockin’ mariachi band.
2007 in Florida, Corporate Disney was being pushed: Disney music, Disney toys, Disney videos, Disney Disney Disney.
That has all stopped starting 2015
Not only is the Florida Downtown Disney Marketplace larger and more adult driven, a NYC icon/​iron chef is coming to open a restaurant, Chef Masaharu Morimoto or just simply Morimoto is coming to the Downtown Disney Marketplace. I am so pumped to have this restaurant here! Why? The Disney Dining Plan.
What has transformed over the past two years in the Downtown Disney Marketplace is now a more adult driven experience. Sure they still have shops to buy toys & tee shirts but now they’ve added multiple areas with live bands. And booze! And a hot air ballon ride! Walking around last night, you can feel the energy of the new Downtown Disney Marketplace.
During the day you can still see families shopping and buying last minute items before heading back to the normal routines. But at night? Music and passion is always the fashion at the Disney. The Downtown Disney Marketplace…
Here are a few highlights:
–Virgin Record store? Gone, now replaced by a cool Lucky Strike Bowling Alley
–AMC multiplex movie theater, Gy-​normous!
–La Nouba Orlando is a show not to be missed
–Like beer? Stop into Raglin Road for a pint of Guinness
–The Starbucks here is the coolest looking Starbucks in the world. Out back facing the water is a huge fireplace
–Music! There are bands everywhere
–Food trucks! If you never experienced a chef driven menu off a food truck, Downtown Disney Marketplace has a circle of food trucks for your enjoyment
Right now traffic is a nightmare because the Orlando highway department is ripping up the main highway and building parking garages. Me? I’m DVC baby, I park at the Saratoga hotel and take a boat over. Hey, I got it like that, don’t hate!
The Downtown Disney Marketplace has made a change for the better. It’s tweaked now for less Disney and more adult fun. Did I mention all this access is free? There is (currently) no pass to purchase, just enjoy the festivities.
M.I.C…

I don’t throw around the 5 star like candy on Halloween, but downtown Disney needs this rating. I was pissed that I came here half way through the last of my non park vacation days, I would and could have spent easily 1 to 2 full days here, so much to see its so creative and beautiful. The stores are huge and so cool even if you aren’t spending money window shopping is so much fun. The amount of things you want to eat and drink are wicked, I had a great dinner, fun shopping, amazing drinks and ended my night with cirque DE soliel. Parking was free too… zero complaints here, it’s perfect. I love it.

Many things to do and is open late bring the kids, great place to people watch. It’s free to walk around and look at all the things and people. Some good food locations for dinner.

May in Down Town Disney, it’s not like November or even March… It’s OK.
You can still find your own parking, if you know where to park, and i’m not talking about the Borg Ship that is now the garage. I tend to park Disney Westside, near House of Blues, or La Nouba, I might have to walk a bit, but it’s Disney, that’s expected.
There are a bunch of shops, lots of unique destinations and of course, you get to do one of my favorite activities… People watch. There’s always someone interesting, Some unique group. From Celebrities (yes, you can see them from time to time) to tour groups, there’s something to see.
Currently, the former Pleasure Island, is undergoing a facelift to Disney Springs, and it’s going to be absolutely gorgeous! the BoatHouse sits right on the water, and they have aquacars!
Getting to the parks though, from DTD is a hassle. I wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom and ended up having to go to the Contemporary resort and walking over. Not the most convienient, but hey, not the worst either.

For someone new to Orlando, i do recommended going to Downtown Disney but do not have any expectations because there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to do for the most part. Downtown Disney is free parking, and you can travel to the Disney resorts or theme park with their own personal busses. Some of the busses do not take you directly to the parks but you can take a bus and from the resort you can take the monorail. It does take about 1 hr of your Disney experience but parking at the theme parks are about 17 – 20 $/​day.
Overall, Downtown Disney is enjoyable if traveling with kids or want to walk around and just relax. They have the air balloon, that lifts every morning. Delicious ice cream and sweets from Ghirardelli’s, which they also pass around a free sample and more shopping options.

I don’t think anyone can say anything bad about Downtown Disney (Disney Springs). The only negative is the construction they are doing to expand the parking at the open air shopping and dining plaza. It gets pretty packed during the weekends so come early. I normally come during the weekdays to avoid the excessive crowds.

I love Downtown Disney.
It’s like a free Disney experience. Based around shopping. Which I love. The Marketplace is the busiest of the sections — it has the largest shops, the Ghiradelli store, and the most traffic since the buses drop off here usually before the West End.
The new Marketplace Co-​Op store is the best place ever. Mini-​stores live within this large storefront. It’s great because if something doesn’t do well, it goes out and is replaced quickly. It’s a neat concept and has great stuff — like Centerpiece, Disney-​themed home items that are really great. I’ve spent too much on it already ;)

In the midst of Downtown Disney’s biggest transformation to date, the soon to be Disney Springs is bursting with unique dining spots sure to suit any appetite. With the crowds dying down and the tourists headed home, February is the prime month to visit as a local. And since Downtown Disney can get especially crazy, we recommend checking out these eats soon before the mobs of spring breakers arrive!
Exposition Park — The permanent home for Disney’s food trucks. Two or more of the Disney food trucks will be at the park most days: Superstar Catering (featuring favorites from Disney’s Hollywood Studios), Namaste Café (Disney’s Animal Kingdom dishes), Fantasy Fare (Magic Kingdom tastes) and World Showcase of Flavors (Epcot Food & Wine Festival). The park is next to Bongos Cuban Café and also includes an area for live entertainment, seating for diners and ample shade.
Fulton’s Crab House — Seafood is flown in from around the globe, but also celebrates Florida’s waters with seasonal catches such as stone crab claws. Choose from the nautical dining room or one of three outdoor decks. Fulton’s is an 11-​time winner of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence, with more than 2,000 bottles in their cellar.
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop — The chocolatey smell wafting from the rooftop is enough to draw anyone inside. This spot offers everything from scoops to floats, sundaes and malts. You must try their World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae, with house-​made fudge. At the very least stop by for the free chocolate square samples!
Portobello — Grab a seat on the waterfront porch for the best views in this trattoria that serves wood-​burning-​oven pizzas, antipasti and hearty dishes like ravioli filled with ricotta and spinach, gnocchi and penne Bolognese.
Splitsville Luxury Lanes — Sushi, wine and grilled avocados probably don’t come to mind when you think about bowling. For a sport recognized by ESPN, it sure is a shame that bowling has a reputation for being unglamorous and associated with inedible food. But, at Downtown Disney’s Splitsville, this two story 50,000 square foot space is redefining the modern bowling experience with good eats and an enjoyable atmosphere.
With one of these choices your sure to have a magical (and tasty) day at Downtown Disney!

Laughing my ass off at all the miserable looking dads being dragged by their wives and kids around here shopping for overpriced Disney merchandise! I’m childless and loving it!
It’s like DisneyWorld threw up and projectile vomited this shopping emporium a few miles away from the parks to make another reason for tourists to spend money, minus the theme park rides.
Yet, we always hit this pit of shopping madness for a least one time while we are in the area on vacation. It does offer a last minute purge to grab a gift or two for friends and family. Good way to kill a few hours if you have a late afternoon or early evening flight home as we did.
Lots of places to shop at, live entertainment, places to eat. Cool Lego statues too. Parking is a bit of a pain. At night the whole place is lit up and and looks fun but the annoying hoardes of people sometimes take all the fun out of it. Especially the obnoxious do-​nothing parents who refuse to control their spawns from Hell children as they irritate everyone in sight.

You can easily spend hours on end here especially if you’re a big Disney fan. Even if you’re not a big fan, there’s a lot of things you can do here… shop, eat, go bowling, watch a movie, etc. If you need to buy any Disney merchandise, you’ll pretty much find it here without having to spend money on a park pass. There’s also plenty of restaurants to choose from here with different price ranges. Sometimes there will be even a stand selling those famous turkey legs. If the weather is nice, it can get a bit crowded.
Remember to packed your patience if you are using the Disney resort shuttles, it can get a little chaotic. Be prepared to wait as you might not be able to get on the first bus that you see for your hotel. If you come here by car, parking can also be a bit crazy.