Downtown Disney (or whatever it's called now)

[Texas_Buckeye]

So, I started to look this up, but got lazy. Could anyone, please help??? If we are staying at the MCO Hyatt, arriving day before cruise, what is the approximate cost and time (depending on traffic), to get to and from Downtown Disney? Our flight is SUPPOSED to arrive, in Orlando, around 2:30 p.m. Since we SEEM to have several hours, my son-in-law suggested we visit Downtown Disney (if time allows). We will have a one year old and four year old with us.

 

[BeyondNeverland]

Sorry don't know much about WDW but I took to Google and you're looking at 23 mins.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

It's about a half hour drive with moderate traffic. You can make it in less if traffic isn't a problem, but it could also be longer if traffic is bad. I don't know about cost for a cab or Uber. When I stayed at MCO and visited Disney Springs, I had a rental car.

 

[Floppy-Dee33]

It's called Disney Springs (you could probably easily google now that you know its proper name).
Its about a half hour give or take depending on traffic.
Honestly though if you're staying at the airport hotel I'd just stick to handing out int he airport since you have a baby and toddler tagging along.
There are restaurants and shops in the airport. You could pick up some Disney souvenirs if you want.

 

[aggiedog]

Its a fancy outdoor mall with some good restaurants and a movie theater. If that's your thing, go, but I wouldn't make the trek with little kids. The one thing it has that's unique is a ginormous Disney Store. Seriously. Huge. So if you really, really want Disney merchandise, it might be worth it. There is also a store dedicated to just pins, but I didn't really see anything there that was so unique it would be worth the trip.

 

[ember1205]

I rented a car at MCO and drove over. With refueling, I think I spent about $45 and was able to go at my pace entirely. It's about 30 minutes between Disney Springs and MCO area.

 

[Bonnie1222]

I live in the area - I would say 30-45 minutes depending on traffic and the route taken. Disney Springs is a nice place to walk around if you like shopping and restaurants. You can sit down to eat or grab something light and a drink and wander.

Another suggestion if you want to do something at Disney is take a cab over to either the Yacht & Beach clubs or The Boardwalk resort and walk around the boardwalk area and visit the 3 hotels. You have multiple restaurants/bars, some Disney shopping and just a nice place to walk around. If you are really energetic and want a little exercise you can take the walking path to Hollywood Studios and back.

You can also do the same idea at the Monorail resorts - start at one and take the ride around and visit them, even hop a boat from the Contemporary to the Wilderness Lodge and Ft Wilderness to explore. (if you drive your own car this is not so easy unless you make dining reservations - they tend to be strict on parking because people try to park there to go to MK)

Then from any of the resorts you can hop a bus to Disney Springs to walk around and from there and hop a cab back to you hotel from there.

 

[Karin1984]

If you are a lazy person by nature and travelling with a 1 and 4-year old, I wouldn't bother, to be honest.

Are you coming in on a direct flight or a transfer (in other words: how long have you been awake for and is there a time difference)? Travelling with little ones can wear you out, it's an exciting time for a Disney vacation, so I wouldn't overstimulate them with Disney Springs. By the time you have your luggage and are checked in, it's probably 3:30 (at least). The MCO Hyatt has a pool, I would go there for a while, then have dinner and put the kids to bed at a normal time.

 

[Lisa F]

lol I still call it Downtown Disney too.

 

[ember1205]

Its a fancy outdoor mall with some good restaurants and a movie theater. If that's your thing, go, but I wouldn't make the trek with little kids. The one thing it has that's unique is a ginormous Disney Store. Seriously. Huge. So if you really, really want Disney merchandise, it might be worth it. There is also a store dedicated to just pins, but I didn't really see anything there that was so unique it would be worth the trip.

Downtown Disney used to be a place that was very decidedly "Disney". When they expanded and turned it into Disney Springs, it really lost most of its Disney aura. When they did the World of Disney store over, they tanked the place overall.

There's little to nothing left that makes it feel like a true Disney location - now it's a giant outdoor mall with a big Disney store in it, and you can't park anywhere near the stores - even the Disney buses can't drop you off close to the actual original area any more and you have to walk a very long way to get there. The World of Disney is now a large, open area store with poor signage and what feels like no employees on the floor (their uniforms are now very muted colors with no discernible identifying marks from more than 4 feet away). You can easily walk around the store time after time and never actually find what you're looking for because they don't have consistently grouped products any more - it feels like an over-priced WalMart that sells only Disney-logo'ed items.

With Disney throwing things out that are not based 100% on their own Intellectual Property (The Great Movie Ride, Back Lot Tour, Stunt Spectacular, Osborne Family Lights - just to name a few at Hollywood Studios alone), I am completely lost as to why they would do this to something that was already based PURELY on their own product (with some exceptions like the Lego, Ghiardelli, and Earl of Sandwich stores).

 

[mmouse37]

You can rent a car for about a $45 at MCO. We go to Disney Springs pretty often when we are at WDW. You can easily spend a few hours there. I suggest renting a car from MCO (you can pre book it before you arrive). Head to Disney Springs via 417 (not I-4) for less traffic. You will encounter a few tolls but a much easier ride. I can't remember if 417 is cashless now so check that out. You can rent car seats right from the rental car place but you will probably have to install yourself when you get the car.

Figure 30-40 minutes (maybe less) to get to Disney Springs. We always park in the LIME parking garage. Closest to the heart of Disney Springs. When you come down the stairs from the parking garage (If you park above the ground level) make a right to head to the "old" section where the World of Disney is and Earl of Sandwich and some of the places that were originally there before the redo. Make a left from the main stairs and it is all the new area. There are some wonderful restaurants and plenty to keep busy. We ate at the Edison last month and that is a really cool restaurant themed like a 1920's power plant but for kids there is Rainforest Café, T-REX. The Polite Pig had some good food. I'd say if you don't want to stay hanging around the airport its a viable option.

We just stayed at the Hyatt last month after our cruise (had a 6 am flight the next day) and it was very convenient. I actually wish I had more time to just hang at the hotel. We were there for less than 12 hours. Had dinner in the Macaroni Grill (not so good). Didn't even get a chance to use the rooftop pool.

MJ

 

[FigmentSpark]

Just another thought, if you don't want to go far, but would like some shopping, there's always the Florida Mall literally minutes away from the airport.

 

[hrhdhd]

There's little to nothing left that makes it feel like a true Disney location - now it's a giant outdoor mall with a big Disney store in it, and you can't park anywhere near the stores - even the Disney buses can't drop you off close to the actual original area any more and you have to walk a very long way to get there.

I don't understand this part of your comment. I am a local who hadn't visited Downtown Disney in years because of the traffic and parking issues. Now, as Disney Springs, it's much easier to access. I sail into the Lime parking garage, can see which rows have open spaces, and park. Then I go down an escalator and voila! I am there. (Now, to be fair, I go first thing in the a.m. to hit one or two stores and then hightail it out of there, so an afternoon visit may be more trouble than it's worth.)

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We visited there after our cruise- rental car is key. Fun place to walk around, even with little ones. Coke store is a blast. Maybe consider a car rental. It is easy peasy

 

[daisyx3]

On one of our cruises we stayed the night before at the Hyatt and arrived mid-afternoon. We had a nice dinner and explored all the mall stores we usually are running by on our way to/from WDW. If your kids are that little just going into one of the Disney "earport" stores should be enough, LOL. And get some pool time. That way you are more relaxed to go to Port Canaveral the next morning.

 

[ember1205]

I don't understand this part of your comment. I am a local who hadn't visited Downtown Disney in years because of the traffic and parking issues. Now, as Disney Springs, it's much easier to access. I sail into the Lime parking garage, can see which rows have open spaces, and park. Then I go down an escalator and voila! I am there. (Now, to be fair, I go first thing in the a.m. to hit one or two stores and then hightail it out of there, so an afternoon visit may be more trouble than it's worth.)

When it was Downtown Disney, the Disney buses could drop you off very close to the actual stores run by Disney and the walk was pretty manageable (near the splash pad). Now, even the Disney buses drop you off where you have to walk at least 15 minutes to get to those same stores. They have strategically designed it so that you HAVE to walk through all of the "mall stores" to get to stores like World of Disney or the Disney Xmas Store.

Prior to the parking garages, the walk from the lot (if you drove) to the Disney stores was slightly shorter than it is today.

 

[DietCokeMommy]

We love Disney Springs. Even with little kids we find a lot to do there. In December we went to the Disney Store, rode on the carousel and the train, my kids played in the fountain/splash pad, we walked around the Christmas tree display, and my son and husband did a Stitch themed scavenger hunt. One of these days we'll go up in the balloon. They also have lots of great food options. I don't know what the cost is, but go over there and walk around and have dinner, and do an Uber there and back.

 

[hrhdhd]

When it was Downtown Disney, the Disney buses could drop you off very close to the actual stores run by Disney and the walk was pretty manageable (near the splash pad). Now, even the Disney buses drop you off where you have to walk at least 15 minutes to get to those same stores. They have strategically designed it so that you HAVE to walk through all of the "mall stores" to get to stores like World of Disney or the Disney Xmas Store.

Prior to the parking garages, the walk from the lot (if you drove) to the Disney stores was slightly shorter than it is today.

Gotcha. So it's like getting off any ride and being forced to go through the souvenir shop. (Another reason I don't go to the parks.)

 

[Texas_Buckeye]

Thank you, everyone, for the replies! I have read them all, and will pass the advice on!