Disney Springs Impressions

[johnsonet]

I watched BigFatPanda's video and I think the area looks very pretty but I was never a DTD person and don't really plan to go to DS. I spend so much money on my resort and theme park tickets, I'm not ever looking to spend more time or money on shopping or dining outside of the theme parks or resorts.

 

[North of Mouse]

Yes, I know we are not Disney's targeted demographic, but 'gasp' we don't go vacation to shop!! Not to say we don't purchase a few items, but they're random souvie things.

When we go to DTD (that's what I still call it ), we usually just make a circle through Marketplace (thankfully they basically left it alone), then back over the bridge.

Went through the 'avenue' of high end expensive shops area 'once' and that was enough - just not what we go on vacation for - doesn't do anything toward giving us a warm, fuzzzy, relaxing vaca feel - we can buy same/similar things in other areas/time if we want to do so.

We really love the Marketplace area though for the Disney shops and the general ambiance.

JMO, I know, but we are not impressed with most of Disney's 'do over' of the area with the exception of the bridge addition - really like that.

 

[annej]

I think it looks lovely. We never spent much time on the shopping side but we would wonder through especially at night. Always spent our time on the side with the World of Disney etc but I am confused as to why everyone is saying that the new stores are all high end. I thought they always were higher end shops. Am i missing something?

 

[slbgnb]

I just saw some pictures of Disney Springs (the new stores that just opened I guess) I haven't been in 4 years, so it's obviously very different. However....it looks to me like it's a super upscale mall now, instead of a Disney shopping area. Is that what it has turned into? I liked to go to DTD to do some fun Disney shopping. Last thing I need to do is take my kids to an upscale mall when I'm already spending thousands on a Disney vacation. I hope that's not what's happened to DTD.....

 

[NYDisGuy]

Granted, the odds of me buying sunglasses or jewelry at WDW while on vacation is slim, but if you took out the retail, what would you replace it with?

Adventurer's club, comedy warehouse and mannequins

 

[JimmyV]

I am confused as to why everyone is saying that the new stores are all high end. I thought they always were higher end shops. Am i missing something?

I agree. The way I look at it, before there were two dozen shops that I never went into. Now there are six dozen. And they could put in 10 dozen more. I don't care. But if the addition of more stores carries with it the inclusion of additional dining venues, then I am a winner. If it took a massive expansion of stores to bring me Morimoto, STK, The Boathouse, Cooke's, Vivoli and a bakery, (among others), then I can live with that trade. If you think about the stores as servicing the 2+ million people who live in the greater Orlando area rather than tourists, then it starts to make more sense.

 

[JimmyV]

Adventurer's club, comedy warehouse and mannequins

That would be nice. But they tried to make that work and concluded that they couldn't. I'm sure that I spent more time at PI than the vast majority of people who post here, and I do miss it. Maybe we will see some themed clubs (like Edison) in the future.

 

[lroger01]

I was under the impression the shops are mostly for foreign tourists. The ones that come over here and find prices (even inflated Disney prices) to be a bargain compared to getting the stuff at home. I know a lot of Brazilians would spend as much time shopping as they do in the parks. I bet Disney is shaking a bit at the loss of tourists due to Brazil's poor economy right now.

 

[yulilin3]

I just saw some pictures of Disney Springs (the new stores that just opened I guess) I haven't been in 4 years, so it's obviously very different. However....it looks to me like it's a super upscale mall now, instead of a Disney shopping area. Is that what it has turned into? I liked to go to DTD to do some fun Disney shopping. Last thing I need to do is take my kids to an upscale mall when I'm already spending thousands on a Disney vacation. I hope that's not what's happened to DTD.....

If you read this thread you can see that all the old stores are still there, what opened was Town Center, yes part of DS but only one part. World of Disney, Christmas store, Art of Animation, Once Upon a Toy, the pin store...are all still there.

 

[JimmyV]

If you read this thread you can see that all the old stores are still there, what opened was Town Center, yes part of DS but only one part. World of Disney, Christmas store, Art of Animation, Once Upon a Toy, the pin store...are all still there.

Correct. The area got bigger, but they didn't plow under what was already there between Rainforest and Lego. It was the Pleasure Island area that got razed, rebuilt and expanded. If you want the Art of Disney, but not the Art of Shaving, you still have that. But now you have both.

 

[Biceratops]

I would strongly recommend if anyone hasn't already check out Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar if you needed motivation to make the trek to Disney Springs. The whole place is Indiana Jones themed right down to the drink menu and the ambiance is pretty great.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

I was there yesterday... Got my free cupcake at Sprinkles, had lunch at the poutine stand, went to MK, then came back and had dinner at D-Luxe Burger. Didn't go into a single new shop and probably never will - I'm not the target demo for luxury shops anyway. But the food places were great and I'm heading back today to try the Morimoto food carts and the sausage place - if I ever get out of my dentist's office, that is.

The architecture and the landscaping are beautiful, and the new Guest Relations area is really nice. I was talking to some of the GR CMs and they seem very pleased with it. And the new garage is a much more central location than the other - I think I'll only be parking in Orange now when I go to the movies.

 

[Princess_Kirky]

Living in MN - near the MOA (Mall of America) we have all of these stores already (if not now soon - Zara is set to open soon and that one I'm excited about). I can see European tourists liking this - they enjoy our low taxes on consumer products. In MN we have no sales tax on clothing so when I travel, I usually stay away from buying anything that I can get at home. I personally don't go to Disney to shop for anything but Disney stuff (pins, cute clothes, fun mugs). Even those can be purchased online through the app now, for the most part... I still like the new feel of the area and will be checking out the food and evening entertainment when I visit again. Overall, that's the biggest draw for me.

 

[mickeymom629]

DH and I went to DS two days during our last trip (without kids) in January (we had escaped the blizzard and started our trip 3 days early!) and we didn't have any previous plans for those days. I thought it was just as nice as always for strolling and going through the shops to look at things we could buy (but don't) and fun to see some novel things for sale (some at crazy prices). We ate lunch impromptu at Morimotos and another day at Earl of Sandwich. We enjoyed watching the cars that go in the water. The bars looked fun if we had been there at night. We saw some entertainment. We enjoyed walking through Splitzville and thought it would be fun to do one day with the family. The tiny bakery was designed strangely for the line that was forming (we decided we didn't want to get anything).

Basically, it's a nice area for strolling/dining when you have nothing else planned - imo.

 

[serenitynow]

It would have been nice to have a larger Earl of Sandwich or maybe even 2, one in each end. It is always packed

 

[JimmyV]

It would have been nice to have a larger Earl of Sandwich or maybe even 2, one in each end. It is always packed

Not picking on your post specifically or saying that you do this, but I think that it is ironic how many people crow about Earl of Sandwich and at the same time complain that Disney Springs has been ruined by the inclusion of national and chain stores. For some reason, Earl of Sandwich is a great thing, and Sephora is a bad thing. Sort of like the irony of loving Edy's ice cream at the Plaza, and Nestle Mickey Bars in the parks, and then thinking that the World was coming to an end because Starbucks started selling coffee at the Bakery.

 

[slbgnb]

If you read this thread you can see that all the old stores are still there, what opened was Town Center, yes part of DS but only one part. World of Disney, Christmas store, Art of Animation, Once Upon a Toy, the pin store...are all still there

Sorry...I wasn't replying to this thread. Had not seen it yet. I posted my own thread and they "merged" it with this one...so, it kind of got stuck in the middle of a thread I hadn't even seen before.

 

[Poppybeach]

We actually spent a few nights at Dis Springs last trip this past Nov. and I have to say....we loved it. We puttered around....ate at some nice restaurants.....checked out the shops (soccer shop is DS fave!)....sat and listened to some music while having an ice cream (and a frozen margarita for me!). Just a nice way to spend some time without being in the parks. We really enjoyed it and are looking forward to seeing new places on our next trip in Nov.

 

[serenitynow]

Not picking on your post specifically or saying that you do this, but I think that it is ironic how many people crow about Earl of Sandwich and at the same time complain that Disney Springs has been ruined by the inclusion of national and chain stores. For some reason, Earl of Sandwich is a great thing, and Sephora is a bad thing. Sort of like the irony of loving Edy's ice cream at the Plaza, and Nestle Mickey Bars in the parks, and then thinking that the World was coming to an end because Starbucks started selling coffee at the Bakery.

No, that wouldn't be me. I don't care what they sell or how they sell it. I'd just like to able to grab a quick bite at a reasonable price without standing in a huge line and also being able to find a place to sit to eat said bite while at Downtown Disney/Disney Springs.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

There's a lot of live entertainment once the sun comes down. Even during the day there was a duo playing across from D-Luxe burgers, but yeah, most of entertainment plays after 5pm.
Just off the top of my head:
West Side: Live group outside of House of Blues, Splitsville, Exposition Park (where the food trucks are), outside of Starbucks
The Landing: Live music at Waterview Park (next to Jock Lindsey's) Inside Boathouse, T=Raglan Rd, Riverboat, Paradiso37
Marketplace: DJ Kids dance parties at the Main Stage across from World of Disney and at the fountain stage, live music at Dockside Margarita
Town Center: Living Statues and live music at Welcome Center across from D Luxe Burgers

As to everyone's opinion about it being like a mall I have to agree that Town Center is basically a high end shopping center, the main goal is to have guests come here instead of the Florida Mall or even the Outlet Malls. I found some stores to be priced fairly and others way expensive, this will make a killing with the South American groups that come every year, I'm sure.
There's a story to the whole concept of Disney Springs so it was well planned out.

I know that when we were there last September we were very impressed by the entertainment offerings in the evenings. Bands and musicians scattered throughout, it was very festival like to me. I will say that sitting next to the small stage at the Boathouse was a bit much, too loud to talk over the guy and his guitar. Looking forward to spending a couple nights there this September.