Downtown Disney - What to Do?

[DisneyFamily123]

Two trips and never went to Downtown Disney. What's best to do here for Mom, Dad, and DS5? ...that is different from what can be found in Disney's main parks.

Any thoughts on these? Thank you!

Characters in Flight
Cirque du Soleil
Disney Quest
House of Blues
TRex Cafe

 

[BellaOfTheWorld]

Well, DTD is mostly a shopping/dining area these days. For the parents, it's a great thing, especially at night.

My favorite things at DTD:
Getting lost inside of World of Disney
Getting your free chocolate square at Ghirardelli
Checking out the soaps at the Basin
Checking out the combo of Team Mickey and TrendD
Pin trade or buy a few pins at the Pin Trading center
See the Art of Disney store


For the kids, there's not as much to do, but there's a few things:
Disney Quest (expensive - but if you have it, it's good for spending several hours)
The Lego Store - the kids get to play with the lego bins that are set out for them to use
There's a few little kid "attractions" like the train ride outside of the pintrading station
Spend some time in Once Upon A Toy

The rest is about dining and pure shopping. Also, at night, they usually have some performers on the stage in Marketplace and some other street performers here and there along the way. It's a good way to spend an evening if you have nothing else planned.

 

[Planogirl]

Our son enjoyed World of Disney when he was 5. He was always a good browser though. He also got a kick out of the Rainforest Cafe.

 

[Hootch]

to the Lego store kids can build different Mr. Potato Heads and light sabers. My kids can spend quite a bit of time on those. The Disney store is always interesting. There is just so much stuff.

There is also a stage where there are ocassional shows.

DTD can be a fun place to visit. We have traditionally gone on our first night. I think in the future we will be adding this to our water park days instead.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

With a boy that age, I'd definitely go to the Lego store.

As for myself, I love going to Raglan Road when the band is on. But I'm not sure a 5 year old would enjoy that. Maybe if he's really into Irish music...

 

[AroundTheMouseBrian]

Our son loved DTD even at age 4 - it mostly had to do with the Lego Store (huge bins of legos to play with) and Once Upon A Toy (where you can play with Mr. Potato Head parts).

There's also the train that's next to the Pin Trading Station.

The (much) more expensive option, of course, is Disney Quest.

Aside from those, you're talking mostly about shopping/browsing/dining/snacking.

 

[rrkman]

Just a word of warning. I used to like stopping in DTD everytime we went to WDW until....a sunday in early december. The place was a zoo and worse than any park we've ever been to. So be careful on when you go.....there is lots to do but if I'm fighting crowds like that, I better end up on Toy STORY mania....not DISNEY STORE mania.

As far as your specific questions. I've eaten at House of Blues before and thought it was pretty good.....you may also want to check their website to see if you can find any information on special shows/events. I enjoy the cirque shows but since my DW hates them, we have not been to the one at Disney. Characters in flight is new since our last visit to DTD so no idea....although I would at least like to see it. Disney Quest - the only time we went here was on our first visit...some sort of promo ticket that came with our regular park ticket. For video gamers, kids, etc.....there is probably a lot to do but it wasn't really for us.

 

[PAcpl]

Cirque is an amazing show and I highly recommend doing it, but at 5 DS may be a little too young to appreciate it.

 

[vettegirl]

We really enjoyed DisneyQuest. There was so much to do in there and the virtual games were out of this world.

 

[need2travel]

We'll be in Disney in March (week before Easter-I know, crowded!) & will be at DTD one night. Can anyone tell me what time the Irish music & dancing is at Raglan Road, also is it possible just to stand/sit in the bar area & still see the entertainment? It's just 2 adults, no kids. Sorry if this is in the wrong place, feel free to move it if it is. Thanks!

 

[kohlby]

Disney Quest may be a bit old for him. I'd actually think he'd enjoy Cirque. And another vote for the Lego store! Rainforest Cafe depends on how your child does with waiting. We've done it and it wasn't worth the long wait to get in and then the long wait for our food - but our young kids don't do well with sit-down restaurants in general at home either.

 

[lauracitawita]

Do they still have the Mr. Potato head and My Little Pony boxes that you can fill up with all the parts?

 

[sters]

there were magic demonstrations at a magic shop that my kids enjoyed.

 

[michellewill4boys4]

We will be at Disney in April with myself, DH, DS 4, DS 9, DS10, and grandparents. Our first stop will be the Lego Store at Downtown Disney.

 

[Tink3rbell86]

If you have the water Park and more Opition on ur ticket Then Disney Quest is included!!!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Can anyone tell me more about the magic store? My SO is a professional magician, and this might be up his alley.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

If DH is into video games he'll really like Disneyquest. the five year old may enjoy it, too, but she woudl need to be escorted and then dad couldn't enjoy it fully.

It may sound sexist, but a visit to DTD is one time during a visit to Wdw that our family often splits up - the women go shopping and the men go to Disneyquest.

I too enjoyed Disneyquest, but I also enjoy the shopping aspect of DTD. In some sense, a trip to WDW doesn't feel complete unless we walk through those shops. The WoD is a great place to pick up souvies for yourself and any friends back home. plus, there are several ways to get a discount there. For me, I'd rather buy much of that stuff in one stop rather than getting one thing each day in the parks and having to carry it around the parks or have it delivered to the resort. Even then, you have to find time to pick it up in the resort gift shop. Much easier to get it all on the last day of the trip so you know exactly how much space you have left in your luggage.

 

[MagicalKingdom]

Outside the Lego Imagination Center in Downtown Disney is a 3,000 square ft area with bins and bins of Legos. Kids can build whatever they want like race cars that speed along sloping tack. Huge Lego sculptures, including a dinosaur, a robot, and a dragon emerging from a lake, are the work of professionals.

 

[disneylovin24]

Of all the things you listed the only thing I've been to is Disneyquest. I love it!! Loads of fun and a great palce to go if you want to take a break from the parks. I have always been on a weekday and it's never been crowded. Last year we went on the day after President's day and it was not crowded at all!!!

I mostly love DTD for the shopping aspect though. Pretty much everything sold in disney could be found here, it's your best source for one stop disney shopping!!!

 

[Scurvy]

OP, I highly recommend DisneyQuest. As far as I'm concerned, it's the one thing that's worth bothering to go to DTD for.

Can anyone tell me more about the magic store? My SO is a professional magician, and this might be up his alley.

It is Magic Masters. As a professional, your SO is probably familiar with the stuff they sell. They have books (like the Tarbell Course books) and lots of the different tricks, including props and instructions. When someone buys one of the tricks, they are taken into a back room and instructed on how to use it. It's neat for someone who isn't really familiar with magic, but I'm not sure a professional would enjoy it as much unless they happen to sell something he's been wanting/needing to pick up.