Disney Springs is like mixing fantasy with nightlife. The entire complex is filled with places to shop, dine, and play! Whether you’re a local or from out of town, Disney Springs has something for everyone. However, the abundance of choice can be overwhelming. How are you supposed to narrow down a place to have dinner when just about every restuarant there is the best of the best? Springs is divided into four sections. West Side, The Landings, Town Center, and the Marketplace, I’ll break down all four to make your next visit as stress free as possible, starting with the West Side
Dining
The West Side of Disney Springs has to be the best place to spend date night in Orlando. It is my personal favorite part of Springs and I hope you’ll be able to share that love. Let’s start with diverse dining scene. My favorite has to be the recently opened, Summer House on the Lake. Are you someone who wants it to be summer everyday? Well if walking around Orlando isn’t enough for you, Summer House is. You know when you go on a beach vacation and everyone is showering and getting ready for dinner after a long day by the ocean? That feeling is brought to life in this restaurant. Their Frose is life changing and they have the best cookies in Walt Disney World.
Or maybe you’re feeling more adventurous for some Spanish cuisine. Jaleo, created by chef Jose Andres, is true Spanish tapas in a lively environment. Jaleo is famous for it’s paella cooked in guest view! A consistent surprise and delight has been the City Works Eatery & Pour House. Usually I don’t believe sports bars to be very special, but with their juicy burgers and almost overkill amount of beverages on draft, it’s impossible to write this off as your average Sunday night football outing.
No dinner is complete without dessert, and none is better on an Orlando summer evening (doesn’t matter what time of year you visit, its usually a summer evening) than some ice cream. Salt & Straw is one of the most interesting ice cream shops I have ever been to. During Thanksgiving I got a sample of ice cream that tasted like buttered dinner rolls. You know what, it was genuinely pretty good, albeit very confusing. Every month features new wacky flavors like this, along with classics if you aren’t feeling adventurous! Whichever you choose, there’s no disappointment in sight. Only full bellies and big smiles.
Entertainment
While it will never come close to the exciting nightlife of Disney Springs predecessor, Pleasure Island, it’s almost impossible to have a boring night here. As an avid movie goer, I frequently visit the AMC Disney Springs, which, as the name implies is a 24 screen movie theatre inside of Springs. It’s the perfect spot for dinner and a movie, as everything is just a short walk away!
If the night is still young after the credits roll, right next door is Splitsville Luxury Lanes. A two floor bowling alley with food, drinks, and live music! Speaking of live music, Disney Springs is also home to the Orlando House of Blues! This intimate concert venue (with quite possibly the coldest ac I have ever felt in my life) is a great place to see some of your favorite artists or maybe you’ll stumble upon one of their themed nights (if you’re a Swifite, you’re probably in luck)!
For a more family friendly show, Springs has it’s own Cirque du Soleil venue! Drawn to Life, combines the magic of Disney Animation with Cirque’s signature acrobatic spectacle bringing the drawings on an animator’s desk to life! At night, no matter what you choose to do, you might look to the skies and see the new, Disney Dreams that Soar drone show, running until September 6th! It’s a gorgeous show showcasing the dreamer’s that took to the skies during their journeys, something you truly need to see to believe. You can see this show in the sky from most of Disney Springs, but the best viewing area is on the West Side, especially on the water front
Shopping
Disney Springs is known for its shopping and West Side has a lot of the more fun options. While Town Center is more upscale and luxury, West Side has a lot more Disney related stores. Places like DisneyStyle, featuring trendy clothing featuring your favorite Disney characters! If you love ears or you need a last minute outfit for an upcoming park day, Disney Style is exactly where you want to be. If the kiddos in your family are bored in there, take them over to the Star Wars Galactic Outpost just next door! Specializing in Star Wars merchandise, it’s perfect for the jedi or sith in your party. You can even purchase the high end Legacy Lightsabers from Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, without even entering the park!
If your family prefers Marvel, one door over is the Super Hero Headquarters! Super Hero Headquarters features Marvel merchandise from the latest releases and your favorite heroes like Spidey or Black Panther! Do you miss the smells of Disney World after your visit? Bowes Signature Candles has candles, wax melts, oils, and more with park inspired scents like pineapple whip and haunts (based on Haunted Mansion). I’m not allowed in there anymore, because if my home smelled like Flight of Passage I would never leave my room!
What is your favorite thing to do that Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments!
Written by
Mateo Osorio
Mateo has been in love with the Disney Parks for as long as he can remember. During his childhood he spent any free second talking about Walt Disney World and Disneyland to anybody who would listen. Not much has changed! During his free time you can find him either at Hollywood Studios or trying to convince his friends to go on another trip to Disneyland.
