Must visit Shopping Malls/Shopping places in Florida?

[sara969]

We will be staying in a Villa 15minutes drive to WDW.
But we have decided to explore Florida during weekend days as im sure the Disney Parks will be busier during weekends.

Are there any Shopping Malls / Shopping streets, places near that you reccommend us visiting?
Do you have their names & details of where it is so i can jot it down in my WDW notes or perhaps a website.

Also other than shopping malls are there any other attractions that you reccommend we visit during the weekend? Perhaps the crocodile park or anything else??

Many thanks, i do appreciate your help

 

[cannp123165]

We really enjoyed The Florida Mall - a huge variety of stores. Also, it may be worth a trip to some of the outlets - I really enjoyed the Prime outlets and the Orlando Premium outlets - you can get some great deals there, and there are lots of really nice stores, such as Polo Ralph Lauren at really discounted prices. I would also really recommend a trip to Walmart, which is really fun and a great place to get food. Otherwise you should definitely try and visit Downtown Disney.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We used to really like the Florida Mall but I think it's gone downhill slightly over the years, on holidays in the past we would have gone there 4 or 5 times but not anymore. It probably is still a good all rounder but prefer the Mall At Millenia, it's quieter and whilst some shops suitable for window shopping only has a real touch of class about the place, excellent department stores and a really nice/modern and clean food court.

Other than that Premium Outlets at the south end of I drive is our choice, some brilliant outlet stores here and a good chance of picking up some excellent bargains.

 

[Pegasus928]

Speaking personally we didn't think much to Gatorland and won't bother going again. That is just our personal opinion though.

Shopping wise - there are a lot of good ones over there. DW favourite is Premium Outlets because it has a really good Fossil shop.
My favourite is Mall at Millenia - but not for the shopping. At the other side of the car park for the mall is a little place called the Exotic Car Gallery and this is where me and DS14 (DD as well last time) head off to when the ladies in the group are in full on shopping mode.
I've put the link for this place below.
Our other favourite place is Old Town. Its located at the end of I-Drive - on the 192 - and maybe quite close to your villa. This gets mixed reviews on here but we love it. It's totally different from the parks and has a real atmosphere about the place. Thursday nights are bike nights and Friday/Saturday nights are car rally nights. I and some other Disers put some pics up recently so I have put the link below.
If you or hubby are not into cars then all of the above will be irrelevant though

Old Town Thread
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2222892

Exotic Car Gallery
http://www.exoticcargallery.com/

I thought I had some pics of the cars on photobucket but can't find them. If I have time after work I will upload them and put some pics in this thread

 

[iluvtot]

Hi,

Shopping, like others have mentioned, the Premium and Prime outlets. Premium is closer to Disney, and there is also an outlet at Beuna Vista; though not as good as the other 2, is still ok for a quick visit. We also like SuperTarget, and Marshalls is worth a look. It's a bit like TKMaxx, though it doesn't stock the big labels. I liked it for the foodstuffs. Last year I bought some really good Xmas pressies.
Another place we really like is Celebration. It's just outside Disney, (sorry, don't know which road, but someone will know) and doesn't take long to wander around; but there is a beautiful lake, with seating, and there is a great ice cream shop and cafe's. It's good to leave the hustle and bustle for a while and just chill

Jules x

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

We do love shopping!
try these sites

Altemont Mall (rather like florida mall but less tourists and more locals)
http://www.altamontemall.com/html/index2.asp

Festival bay (ex belz, not been for a few years)
http://www.shopfestivalbaymall.com/html/

premium outlets a must go
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=17

Florida mall
http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=139

The Mall At Millennia (what can you say!!!)
http://www.mallatmillenia.com/experience/experience.htm

Lake Buena Vista factory stores (one of Our favourites)
http://www.lbvfs.com/

Old Town Kissimmee
http://www.old-town.com/index.html

Winter park
http://orlandoonline.com/ParkAveDir.htm

West Oaks mall
http://www.westoaksmall.com/html/index2.asp

Pointe Orlando (never been)
http://www.pointeorlando.com/shopping.php

Shop 'tll you drop!

 

[Claire L]

We do love shopping!
try these sites

Festival bay (ex belz, not been for a few years)
http://www.shopfestivalbaymall.com/html/

Shop 'tll you drop!

The old Belz is now Prime, Festival Bay is still there but not alot happening as far as I can tell.

http://www.primeoutlets.com/locations/orlando.aspx

Claire

 

[natalielongstaff]

Mall at millenia is lovely ! we like Premium outlets as well

We have also done Boggy creek airboat rides

http://www.bcairboats.com/

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

The old Belz is now Prime, Festival Bay is still there but not alot happening as far as I can tell.

http://www.primeoutlets.com/locations/orlando.aspx

Claire

Ah! yes its been a while since we went there. Much better choices around tehse days it seems

 

[loobylou44]

I agree with Natalie 'Mall at Millennia' is fab, and we also enjoyed the boggy creek air boat rides. Also a trip to Celebration, nice shops and restaurants, definitely worth a visit.

 

[jtlover]

We do love shopping!
try these sites

Altemont Mall (rather like florida mall but less tourists and more locals)
http://www.altamontemall.com/html/index2.asp

Festival bay (ex belz, not been for a few years)
http://www.shopfestivalbaymall.com/html/

premium outlets a must go
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=17

Florida mall
http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=139

The Mall At Millennia (what can you say!!!)
http://www.mallatmillenia.com/experience/experience.htm

Lake Buena Vista factory stores (one of Our favourites)
http://www.lbvfs.com/

Old Town Kissimmee
http://www.old-town.com/index.html

Winter park
http://orlandoonline.com/ParkAveDir.htm

West Oaks mall
http://www.westoaksmall.com/html/index2.asp

Pointe Orlando (never been)
http://www.pointeorlando.com/shopping.php

Shop 'tll you drop!

Obi where is Altemonte mall? Is it near Disney?

 

[scottishgirl87]

Personally loved the Mall at Millenia

Although, felt it could be a bit stuck up, few shops we went into were ignored like the plague then as soon as the purse/wallets came out they were all over you like a rash!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Obi where is Altemonte mall? Is it near Disney?

Its north of Orlando and south of Sanford

 

[sara969]

WOW WOW WOW!!! I cant believe all these lists of shopping Malls

Thanks soooooooooo much for the links. I will have a browse through and choose a couple to visit.
I REALLLLLLLLLY think we are going to have to find a way to increase the amount of spending money that we are taking

Does anyone know where the 'Levis Shop' is? Or any shop in these Malls that sells LEVIS?
I have browsed through a couple of the links and looked through the shops directory and can not find a LEVIS shop.

My hubby really wants to buy a few pairs of LEVIS as they are a little cheaper over there

Thanks everyone, all your help with my planning is going to make our holiday wonderful.

 

[jtlover]

WOW WOW WOW!!! I cant believe all these lists of shopping Malls

Thanks soooooooooo much for the links. I will have a browse through and choose a couple to visit.
I REALLLLLLLLLY think we are going to have to find a way to increase the amount of spending money that we are taking

Does anyone know where the 'Levis Shop' is? Or any shop in these Malls that sells LEVIS?
I have browsed through a couple of the links and looked through the shops directory and can not find a LEVIS shop.

My hubby really wants to buy a few pairs of LEVIS as they are a little cheaper over there

Thanks everyone, all your help with my planning is going to make our holiday wonderful.

My hubby bought a pair in a shop at Premium Outlets last time we went.

 

[castanea1985]

We will be staying in a Villa 15minutes drive to WDW.
But we have decided to explore Florida during weekend days as im sure the Disney Parks will be busier during weekends.

Are there any Shopping Malls / Shopping streets, places near that you reccommend us visiting?
Do you have their names & details of where it is so i can jot it down in my WDW notes or perhaps a website.

Also other than shopping malls are there any other attractions that you reccommend we visit during the weekend? Perhaps the crocodile park or anything else??

Many thanks, i do appreciate your help

Sara
Do you know where your villa is? As you're nearest shopping area might be Posner Park (jnt 55 of I4)? Many villas are situated down the 27 and this is the junction where it crosses the I4.
Worth a look, there is a new Target, JC Penney, Dicks Sporting Goods, Belks, Books a Million and Ross to name a few.
Tracy xx

 

[UKDEB]

With the exception of the Mall at Millenia we've started to get a bit jaded as far as the shopping options are concerned. However, if you've never visited any of them before, I'm sure you'll love them all as we used to. My recommendations, for starters, would be Mall at Millenia, Florida Mall, Premium Outlets and Prime Outlets.

Celebration and Winter Park are great places to visit, but the shops are possibly more suitable for browsing rather than serious shopping. As well as the town center shops, Winter Park also has a mall similar to the Mall at Millenia, but you'd need to move the car if you wanted to do both (they're not within walking distance of each other). From the town center, though, you can walk to the Scenic Boat Tour, which is well worth doing provided the weather's good.

We avoid all the shopping venues at weekends as they're always mobbed. It's a bit of a myth that the theme parks are crazily busy at weekends. When they are, there's more likely to be some other significant factor rather than simply because it happens to be a Saturday or Sunday. For years, MK had the reputation of being the park to avoid on a Saturday and that hang-up persists despite the fact that it's actually a good option these days as it no longer hosts EMHs on Saturdays.

My favourite is Mall at Millenia - but not for the shopping. At the other side of the car park for the mall is a little place called the Exotic Car Gallery and this is where me and DS14 (DD as well last time) head off to when the ladies in the group are in full on shopping mode.

I didn't realise it was possible to look around this place. Twice last November we followed this Lambo (which was part of their inventory) into the MaM.

 

[Pegasus928]

I didn't realise it was possible to look around this place.

As promised I thought I would post a couple of pics from when me and the kids went for a look around the Exotic Car Gallery

Please son - don't scratch the $1,000,000 car, don't scratch the $1,000,000 car, don't scratch the $1,000,000 car.

 

[disneyholic family]

great pictures Kenny! thank place looks like fun!!! (can you hear the former detroiter in me talking?)

 

[sara969]

WOW Kenny, what amazing cars!!!!