Downtown Disney set to become Disney Springs
Walt Disney World Resort recently announced the multi-year transformation of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs, a unique destination that will treat guests to significantly more shopping, dining and entertainment amid beautiful open-air promenades, meandering springs and waterfront charm. No doubt it will also lead to more parking nightmares… more on that later!
Disney says that Disney Springs will feature an eclectic and contemporary mix from Disney and other noteworthy brands. It will offer more boutique shops, unique flagship anchor stores and guests will be able to explore a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment experiences as well as discover options unlike any other currently available in Central Florida.
“Disney Springs will be a timeless, vibrant place where Walt Disney World guests and local residents can relax, shop, dine and be entertained in an imaginative setting where they’ll instantly feel at home,” said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, pictured below with Meg Crofton, President of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “Featuring distinctive brands, world-class restaurants and unforgettable entertainment, Disney Springs will be brought to life with the same focus on storytelling and attention to detail that goes into our theme parks, resorts and cruise ships, resulting in a welcoming space that only Disney could create.”
Disney Springs will double the number of shops, restaurants and other venues for guests to explore, resulting in more than 150 establishments. In addition, Staggs noted, Central Florida stands to benefit from the expansion with more jobs, tax revenues and business opportunities.
Drawing inspiration from Florida’s waterfront towns and natural beauty, Disney Springs will include four outdoor neighborhoods interconnected by a flowing spring and vibrant lakefront. In addition to a new gateway with a signature water tower and grand entry, the destination will feature:
- The Town Center, which offers a sophisticated mix of shopping and dining along with a promenade where guests can relax, refresh and reconnect.
- A colorful and thriving commercial district called The Landing with inspired dining and beautiful waterfront views.
- The family-friendly Marketplace that will continue to delight guests of all ages by combining new experiences, such as an over-the-water pedestrian causeway, along with classic Disney favorites, including an expanded World of Disney store.
- A West Side that provides an exuberant atmosphere with lively entertainment, along with a series of new elevated spaces that provide both shade and an overlook to the activity below.
Collectively, these efforts will not only have an impact within Walt Disney World, but will also have an economic ripple effect on Central Florida. The project will create an estimated 1,200 construction jobs and nearly 4,000 operational roles.
Disney will share more details on specific experiences coming to Disney Springs in the future. Construction is slated to begin next month with new areas opening in phases. Disney Springs is expected to be complete in 2016. Hopefully, somewhere in among all that will be some news in regard to car parking. Currently Downtown Disney is a nightmare to navigate and to get into and the doubling in size of the shops, restaurants and entertainment venues is only going to lead to more traffic problems if something isn’t done to move vehicles along more smoothly.
Anyone visiting Downtown Disney by car is now subjected to inevitable long delays and using Disney transport takes even longer. Both the Crossroads /SR 535 entrance to the west and the east corridor entrance are already slammed with more traffic than they can sensibly take and that greatly affects the overall experience of the guest arriving on property. Personally I find it puts me in something of a bad mood before I even start to contemplate the lines at restaurants or at the entertainment venues. Hopefully Disney will address it and work out ways to make the experience more enjoyable but if not, I’ll be advising guests to steer clear! Here’s some video of Downtown Disney today and what it’s about to become…
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