More neat new stuff!

[SimonV]

OK, here's some more inside track - especially for those folk who like eating and shopping (and I think that probably accounts for about 99.9% of the people here ).

Let me introduce you to The Loop, Orlando's (well, Kissimmee's, to be strictly accurate) latest shopping and dining complex, and the newest development of the massively successful Wilder Companies of Boston, Mass. Their concept is an open-air plaza where you can walk around from store to store and enjoy the outdoor scenery, so get ready for a heavily-landscaped (when finished) open-plan shopping centre that features some interesting names (not all strictly of relevance to us) as well as a good mix of cafes and restaurants, and a 16-screen cineplex, which will open in October. It is all centred around a huge car park (which rather lessens the impact of their 'open-air' style), but it should be easier to negotiate than the Belz malls and more fun than Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores.

First of all, The Loop is located right on the junction of Oscoela Parkway and John Young Parkway, so it is relatively easy to get to (especially if you use the Osceola Pway, and don't mind the $1.50 toll eastbound). Several stores have already opened but the official opening is June 29, when around half of the stores and restaurants should be completed. More will then be added from July-Oct.

In all, there will be more than 40 shops, restaurants and cafes (spread over 61 acres), including some great choices for bargain-hunters like Ross, Kohl’s, Pier 1, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kirkland’s, Famous Footwear, Pacific Sunwear, Sports Authority, Michael’s, Dress Barn and Old Navy. The Ross stores are particularly noteworthy for bargains on lable-brand clothes, shoes, linens, toys, perfumes and more; Kohl's is a big (if very drab-looking from the outside) department store, which has great sales periodically and Old Navy is another bargain basement outlet for clothing.

Their refreshing restaurant choice includes Panera Bread (excellent for salads, soups and sandwiches), the stylish Macaroni Grill (one of our favourite Italian chains), Chili’s (fairly standard Tex-Mex), Johnny Rockets (1050s diner style), Ben & Jerry’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill (a new one to me) and the innovative Asian-fusion cuisine of Mama Fu’s. There is also a Barnie's Coffee Store.

You can check out the full listings and more info on their website: www.attheloop.com/kissimmee/

Happy shopping.................!

 

[Hilary]

There are some great stores listed but, for me, one of the attractions of mall-shopping in Florida is being able to window shop in the comfort of air-conditioning! I'm not sure that I'd want to be taking in all that open-air ambience in the heat of the summer

 

[mandymouse]

Hilary, I totally agree, when the heat gets too much for us we like to escape to an air conditioned shopping mall. But yippee, somewhere else to go shopping !!!

 

[magicmouse2]

Thats great news! I prefer the open air type as I feel that I am wasting precious Orlando sunshine when shopping in the indoors malls.

 

[wicket2005]

Thanks for the update Simon.

I like wearing activity clothing (eg Rohan) which are convertible, light weight, sun protected, crease resistant, etc. What are America's equivalent type brands?

Thanks.

 

[disneyholic family]

What is the point of an open air mall in a place that could second as Hades during part of the year? and what happens when the sky opens with one of the daily torrential rains in the summer?

I live where the weather is similar to Orlando's (but with no rain in the summer). There is a magnificent open air mall about a half mile from me that I have been to exactly twice in 10 years. Why bother? You sweat like the devil in between stores. Who wants to try on clothes when you're sweating????

Thanks but no thanks. I'll stick with the indoor malls.

At home, when i'm not in the mood for our local indoor mall, then I go shopping on our main street, which is much nicer than any open air mall (or closed mall for that matter).

 

[Mumof2]

Oooh I love Ross and Bed Bath and Beyond. My sis lives in LA and I always go to these shops for bargains. Now I can do it very easily when I'm in Florida next month.

 

[SimonV]

Hi there Wicket. You should make Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World at Festival Bay your first port of call for this kind of thing - they have a HUGE selection of outdoor wear, from lightweight to heavyweight for the most intrepid hunting and fishing types. You will find a lot of the Polartec/Goretex-type garments here, while you should also look for brands like XPS, Oakley, Carhartt and Worldwide Sportsman. Other stores to look out for that will stock activewear are the likes of Everything But Water (Florida Mall), Quiet Flight (CityWalk) and PacSun (Pacific Sunwear - Florida Mall, The Loop and The Pointe), while other possibilities include the big department stores like Dillards and JC Penny's.

Hilary, Mandy and Beth, I hear what you're saying about the negatives with the open-air style, but some of the open plaza developments like Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, The Village Shoppes at Winter Park and even Downtown Disney itself all do very well business-wise in Florida (LBVFS does huge business with the Brit market), and the bottom line is that they are much cheaper to build than malls. Also, the size of stores like Ross, Kohl's and BB&B means you can browse in there for quite a while before you need to step outside! It is purely a matter of horses for courses - the malls do offer more convenience in many ways (especially in the summer heat, when it can be hard to breathe outside, let alone shop!), but they do tend to be a bit pricier and they don't attract stores like Ross and BB&B. And, for the other 8 months of the year when it IS nice to be outside, the outdoor plazas are great places to shop (if you've ever sat for a cup of tea or a pastry in the outdoor terrace at World of Coffee at LBVFS, you will know what I mean).

 

[slinky101]

its always great news to have more shops! I like the fact that florida mall is air conditioned but after you have been in there for a while you forget its sunny outside, at least with LBV and the like you are in and out of the sun, at the end of the day, more shops is a good thing no matter what! thanks for the update simon, hot off the press as usual!!

 

[Miffy2003]

More shopping and eating options can never be a bad thing!

Thanks, Simon

 

[disneyholic family]

Point well taken.
Ignore what I said. Since I come from an area of the US, which is second only to New York in terms of shoppers paradise, the concept of wasting my precious WDW time shopping in any mall in Orlando is something that's hard to overcome.

But I can certainly understand how Brits would love it, if only for the bargain prices (from what i've seen in london, just about any price in the US is a bargain price in comparison).

And since I now live in a country with year round sun, warm weather, and with cafes lining every street, the need for an open air plaza in an orlando shopping mall isn't all that critical for us. But again, coming from the UK, I can imagine it must be a very nice change for you.

 

[wicket2005]

Hi there Wicket. You should make Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World at Festival Bay your first port of call for this kind of thing - they have a HUGE selection of outdoor wear, from lightweight to heavyweight for the most intrepid hunting and fishing types. You will find a lot of the Polartec/Goretex-type garments here, while you should also look for brands like XPS, Oakley, Carhartt and Worldwide Sportsman. Other stores to look out for that will stock activewear are the likes of Everything But Water (Florida Mall), Quiet Flight (CityWalk) and PacSun (Pacific Sunwear - Florida Mall, The Loop and The Pointe), while other possibilities include the big department stores like Dillards and JC Penny's.

.

Thanks Simon, I appreciate the info.

 

[Disney owl]

Great news, thanks Simon

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

Another place to shop And eat
I agree it is always nice to escape the heat and its much better when you can eat and shop, and stay cool,