Is Disney Springs a waste of time ?

[GAphish]

Does DS have any character meetups?

 

[Breezy2]

Does DS have any character meetups?

Keep in mind Disney Springs is literally a shopping mall not a Disney Theme Park. Although it still has the Disney feel in the old Downtown Disney/Marketplace Disney stores but not in the Springs/Mall area. That said, other than Santa at Christmas Time and the Coca Cola Polar Bear I've never seen a Disney character there other than part of displays at the Disney Store.

 

[hhhaleybird]

If you get a chance to go to Disney Springs, check out the Food Trucks. There is live entertainment while you eat the food by the water. It’s an unique outdoor food experience.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/disney-springs/food-trucks/

The bacon cheeseburger Mac & cheese is my favorite from the Mac & Cheese truck!

 

[CatherineinNJ]

It's a nice break from the parks. That's all ... Decent shopping and food, and a Lego store for the kids.

 

[SwanVT2]

I think it's a good spot for a relax day mid trip like others have stated, but I probably wouldn't start my trip there. However, there is the Lego store which would be fun for little ones and you can pop into Ghirardelli for a free chocolate. Possibly the Characters in Flight balloon. If you're doing memory maker they have a studio in Disney Springs and that could be fun way to start your trip. Plus it might be neat to see all the trees and visit Santa.

What is the memory maker studio? Do they take pictures there? Thanks!

 

[Jennasis]

We LOVE Disney Springs. We aren't big shoppers but we love to eat and people watch and brows and enjoy the tremendous live entertainment. It's perfect for an evening when there is a MNSSHP going on and you need to fill an evening.

 

[Antaniasmom]

Our last trip we had 3 off days from the parks..so for us, Disney Springs was a way to keep the magic going..some of the stores had remodels since our last trip and we got to try Chicken Guy..which was good. But if you have a tight schedule then it doesnt make sense.

 

[IzzyBelle]

I would rather spend my time in the parks.

 

[ncc1701]

We enjoy going to Disney Springs & staying at POFQ go multiple times a trip. We aren't all day park people so we hit it a few nights for dinner . There are a lot of food options & prices have a wide range. I like checking out the World of Disney and Christmas stores.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We definitely enjoy DS if we have time. There have been short trips when we didn't go at all, but on our last trip, we went twice! DS loved the Void, and I really enjoyed the balloon and the Christmas stuff. There are a couple of pics in here:

Dec Trip Report

 

[Chickinvic]

Sounds like you've already decided its not worth it for you.
To each their own.
I enjoy DS mostly for Earl of Sandwich and a bit of shopping because I don't like using my park time to shop for souvenirs.
Sure its not as convenient as DTD at DLR but you have to consider that DLR is tiny in comparison so that's why everything is walkable.

I would go strictly for Earl of Sandwich (holiday sandwich is the bomb) and Ghirardellis ice cream shop lol. I couldn't care less about shopping

 

[Minniesgal]

Way better shopping and eating at disney Springs than any park or resort. Also you can't spend every second at the parks it brings some welcome downtime

 

[disneycat321]

We haven't been since it was Downtown Disney, so we want to see the changes. We also really like the shopping, and DH is dying to try Chicken Guy for a variety of reasons. It's a nice few hours of downtime for us. We really liked our DTD visits on our last trips.

I think it doesn't bother us as much as it might bother others because we're DLR vets, and DTD in Anaheim is very close and not bubble-ish at all, but we'll go there for a bit if the mood strikes. We love the bubble, but we're still so far from our regular life in CA that it doesn't ruin anything for us.

 

[traveler000mkl]

We went last time during our 7 night visit, and it was a nice shopping mall and a few interesting things. We ate at T-Rex and checked out lego store, etc. We are not going back this time during the same length trip. To our family, I think time is better spent at the park, or even the resort pool. Also bus transportation is not the most convenient. If we are staying at a resort closer by, maybe we would be more inclined to go.

 

[shu24]

DS is nice for shopping and food. If you enjoy shopping or you don't have any good shopping near where you live then it's probably going to worth your time. If you see a restaurant that appeals to you, I feel that the best dining in the Disney bubble is in DS. Otherwise, I'd skip it. My teen dd considers it a vital part of the trip, but most younger kids would probably enjoy more time in the park instead.

 

[DisArmyWife215]

What is the memory maker studio? Do they take pictures there? Thanks!

They sure do.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/shops/disney-springs/disneys-photopass-studio/

 

[Solfe]

Disney Springs is a total waste of time, but if you are mid-way through a vacation and are facing burnout, it can be a great refresher. All of the pacing drops away when all you have to do is walk and look around. You don't even need to but anything to get wrapped up in the place. On my last trip, I think we spend 10 bucks each "shopping". It wasn't a big deal, but a nice vacation from the vacation.

They have good restaurants for every budget. Personally, I like snacking there. Nothing better than a cold drink and watching the sun set over the water.

It is a sensory oasis.

 

[mom2rose&john]

We go at night for the lego store and Ghirardelli's ice cream. It's a tradition and we have gone to DS on our non Disney Park vacations also. I am interested in going to the Boardwalk and may exclude DS if we do.

 

[elaine amj]

Awesome place to go after the parks close

 

[mco65]

I do not think its a waste of time to go to DS... that being said, we have only gone on arrival or departure day. We don't plan a day, mid vacation and go to DS... I wouldn't mind it personally but we have only ever gone to WDW for a week so we can't justify missing a park day for a DS day.. at least not yet...