What Disney Doesn't Want You Know about Disney Springs
Disney Springs | Walt Disney World Resort
It was getting painful to watch Downtown Disney slowly die on the vine at Walt Disney World. Pleasure Island, the once popular nightclub district had closed in 2008. By 2012, after more closures, the three sections of Downtown Disney felt disconnected and it was suffering badly. Eventually, after weathering economic uncertainty for several years, Disney went ahead with the project and Disney Springs opened to guests in 2015 - a much needed and aesthetically pleasing refurbishment to Downtown Disney. Disney Springs has a connected backstory now and a true “Disney” feel. Major improvements have also been made to parking with new “smart” parking garages (signs notify drivers where to find open spaces) and traffic congestion on Buena Vista Drive has been addressed with dedicated car and bus lanes.
However some of the feedback about Disney Springs is that the stores are, “pricey” or “just like the mall we have back home.” To be fair, tourists generally like to shop while on vacation so it’s not a far-fetched idea to offer a shopping district at Walt Disney World. But you might not know that there's actually a better place to shop while in Orlando if you're looking for great deals.
What Disney Doesn't Want you to Know
Orlando Vineland Outlet Mall
While Disney Springs is certainly fun, you'll find a more comprehensive shopping experience just 3 miles away at the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets. This outlet mall has over 100 name brand stores offering big bargains compared to regular retail locations - although much of the merchandise today is made specifically for outlet retailers. But the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets are located just five minutes from Disney Springs and it even has some of the same stores as Disney Springs - here's what they have in common:
- Kate Spade
- Kipling
- Oakley
- Tommy Bahama
- Ugg
- Under Armour
- Vera Bradley
There's also an official Walt Disney World outlet store, Disney's Character Warehouse. The prices are deeply discounted compared to the retail locations on property and it's a true outlet store (overstocks, past-season, etc).
I do think everyone should take a day or perhaps just an evening to explore Disney Springs. Highlights are The Boathouse Orlando restaurant, Morimoto Asia (try the Peking Duck) the World of Disney Store, and even enjoy some of the live music and entertainment. If you're into bowling, try Splitsville Luxury Lanes.
But if you're a shopper and looking for a some deals to take back home, then it's worth a short ride over to the Orlando Vineland Outlet Mall.
Orlando Vineland Outlets Address
Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets Address: 8200 Vineland Ave, Orlando, FL. 32821. Located just off Route 535, about 3 miles from Disney Springs. Taxi fare is an estimated $15-$20 each way from Walt Disney World hotels. Uber, about $10 each way. With traffic, it could take about 10 minutes.
Finding your way around
Additional Orlando Outlet Mall
If you want an even bigger selection of savings at the outlet stores, travel a little further to the Orlando International Premium Outlets. Located about 20 minutes from Walt Disney World on I-4 East, Exit 75A, you’ll find an even larger outlet mall, also offering many of the same stores as Disney Springs mentioned above.
Video:
The Story Behind Disney Springs.
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
New Restaurant Coming to Disney Springs
The Polite Pig coming to Disney Springs in spring 2017
I am a huge fan of smoked pork so I'm very excited to share with you that The Polite Pig will coming to Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in spring 2017. A sister restaurant to The Ravenous Pig of Winter Park, FL, The Polite Pig will feature a variety of wood-fired smoked and grilled items as well as an innovative beverage program that serves all drinks on tap, including locally-brewed Cask & Larder beer, wine and cocktails.
Disney Adds New Feature to My Disney Experience App
Now you can navigate Walt Disney World® Resort with the help of “Get Directions” – a new way finding feature on the My Disney Experience mobile app*.
“Get Directions” allows you to conveniently navigate to your favorite Walt Disney World destination whether walking or taking Walt Disney World Resort Transportation. Using GPS navigation, this new feature provides Guests with turn-by-turn walking directions to destinations across the Walt Disney World Resort including Theme Parks, Water Parks, select Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, Disney Springs and many other locations such as Restrooms, Guest Services, shopping locations and more.
How to use the new GPS feature in My Disney Experience
The “Get Directions” feature also provides information on transportation routes to and from Parks and select Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, along with bus, monorail and watercraft transit options.
I would like to remind you to please remain aware of your surroundings at all times while using “Get Directions” to avoid potential safety hazards.
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
Muppets Fans Take Note: PizzeRizzo Coming This Fall
First Look: PizzeRizzo Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios this fall.
PizzeRizzo will open this fall in Muppets Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort. Rizzo The Rat owns and operates the pizzeria, which is located in the former Toy Story Pizza Planet. Here, you'll enjoy a casual Italian-American dining experience in a whole new way, through the eyes of the lovable, wisecracking Muppet.
Walt Disney Imagineering hid hints of Rizzo, his extended family and friends who have visited PizzeRizzo over the years throughout the two-story quick-service location. In addition to the expansive indoor and outdoor seating area, you'll be able to dine in a “cheesy” banquet room, or take five in a special booth designated just for Rizzo’s celebrity friends.
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
Club Villain Returns to Hollywood Studios
First Look: Club Villain returns to Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2016
Club Villain returns Fridays and Saturdays from September 2 – October 29, 2016 with an additional offering on Halloween, Oct. 31. This two-hour show experience will take place at 5:15pm and 8:30pm nightly inside the Sunset Showcase. Guests can check-in 30 minutes prior to the right of the entrance to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
The price is $129 per person (tax and gratuity included) and includes decadent delicacies with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Advance reservations are recommended and can be made up to 90 days in advance by calling 407-WDW-DINE or online at Disneyworld.com/Dine. A separate ticket admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios is required.
Club Villain provides a spellbinding evening for you to enjoy fiendish concoctions from the Potions Bar, savor culinary delights from New Orleans and beyond, mingle with the villains and dance the night away!
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
Available Today: Epcot Food & Wine Premium Events
Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2016 Premium Events now available.
Here’s just a sampling of what’s in store for you this year:
Four all-new interactive culinary adventures: ask the experts, taste and cook alongside the chefs at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney Yacht Club Resort.
The new “Mix It, Make It Celebrate It” hands-on workshop gives you the opportunity to learn from the pros – cake decorating, garnishing, cocktail mixing and other fun activities.
The always-popular Cheese Seminars return. You can learn “the wheys of the world” paired with wine, beer and other beverages with Max McCalman along with other experts.
Rockin’ Burger Block Parties are back for just three Fridays at World ShowPlace – and each party features a celebrity chef and all-you-can-eat specialty sliders paired with beverages. Guests can join Chef Maneet Chauhan on Sept. 30, Chef Alex Seidel on Oct. 14, and Chef Jehangir Mehta on Nov. 11.
You can masquerade in chic yellow and black for the Yelloween Masquerade Party for the Senses Oct. 28 and 29, 2016 an elegant, dance-the-night-away, gourmet tasting party with Champagne, wine, craft beers and specialty cocktails paired with food.
This year’s Party for the Senses will be every weekend in October.
What’s Cookin’ With … some of the country’s top celebrity chefs will begin the morning with a delightful plated brunch and sparkling wine toast. The fun starts with a demo, and the chefs answer questions from the audience and share secrets of their successes. The brunch is on select Fridays and Sundays at 10 a.m. Guests include:
- Friday, Sept. 16 – Elizabeth Falkner
- Sunday, Sept. 18 – Bryan Voltaggio
- Friday, Sept. 23 – Andrea Robinson
- Sunday, Sept. 25 – Robert Irvine
- Friday, Sept.30 – Graham Elliot
- Sunday, Oct. 2 – Buddy Valastro
- Friday, Oct. 7 – Jamie Deen
- Sunday, Oct. 9 – Cat Cora
- Friday, Oct. 14 – Emily Ellyn
- Friday, Oct. 21 – Andrew Zimmern
- Sunday, Oct. 23 – Rock Harper
- Sunday, Oct. 30 – Geoffrey Zakarian
- Friday, Nov. 4 – Alex Guarnaschelli
- Sunday, Nov. 6 – David Guas
- Friday, Nov. 11 – Sarah Fioroni
- Sunday, Nov. 13 – Jehangir Mehta
Be sure to book reservations for you when the phone lines open: 407-WDW-FEST (939-3378) at 7 a.m. on Thursday, July 21, 2016.
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
STAR WARS: A GALACTIC SPECTACULAR DESSERT PARTY AT DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
After enjoying an assortment of sweets — including themed cupcakes, cookies and brownies and a selection of savory snacks including cheese and flatbread and dip (as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages) — you'll be escorted to a VIP viewing area for the Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular.
Dessert party check-in takes place in front of Star Wars Launch Bay, located in the Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Check in begins at 7:30 p.m., and Guests can enter the party at 8:15 p.m.
The cost for Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party is $69 for adults, $39 for children age 3-9. Admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios is required to attend, and is not included in the price of Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party.
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel.
Early Morning Magic - Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios Early Morning Magic
I recently shared with your that Magic Kingdom Park would be offering Early Morning Magic Hours. Today, I can share news with you that beginning Aug. 1, 2016, a select number of Walt Disney World Guests can experience Disney Early Morning Magic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
You can experience Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, Toy Story Mania!, Pixar Place character greetings (with Woody and Buzz), and Mickey and Minnie on Commissary Lane and Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight – all with little to no wait before the park opens. And to get fueled up for the rest of the day, you can partake in a hearty all-you-care-to-enjoy breakfast at ABC Commissary from 8-10 a.m. Disney Early Morning Magic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios takes place Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:45-10 a.m.
Please note Disney Early Morning Magic will be offered on different days than Extra Magic Hours. Disney Early Morning Magic requires a separate ticket - $69 for adults and $59 for children ages 3-9 (plus tax), in addition to regular theme park admission.
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel.
The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney Springs has Moved
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique - Disney Springs has new location.
The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique - Disney Springs- has moved from it's former home inside the World of Disney Store to a new location near Earl of Sandwich and Once Upon a Toy in the Marketplace district. Fairy Godmothers-in-Training will continue to make magical transformations for Guests ages 3-12. Girls can choose a hairstyle then add make-up, nail color and accessories – even a Disney princess costume. Boys can join in the fun too, as they’re transformed into gallant knights. View a current map of Disney Springs
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
2016 Epcot Food & Wine Fest Highlights
A new lineup of popular celebrity chefs and a series of first-time Disney resort cooking and dining experiences will add culinary appeal to the 21st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival when it returns to Walt Disney World Resort Sept. 14-Nov. 14, 2016. View Special Resort Hotel offers currently available
- Geoffrey Zakarian
- Maneet Chauhan
- Duff Goldman
- Elliott Farmer
- Masaharu Morimoto
- Graham Elliot
- Robert Irvine
- Cat Cora
- Norman Van Aken
- Elizabeth Falkner
- Buddy Valastro
- Jamie Deen
For a second consecutive year, ABC’s Emmy-Award-winning lifestyle series, “The Chew” will arrive to produce a full week of programs on the show’s exclusive Epcot festival stage.
And, for the first time, you can enjoy the following festival experiences at Walt Disney World Resort hotels:
“Brunch with a Twist at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa” — a sumptuous 5-star, 5-course meal prepared by the resort’s award-winning chefs
“The Secrets of Flavor at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort” — a three-course lunch that gives you a ‘sensory-food connection’ at Yachtsman Steakhouse
“Culinary Adventures with a Master Chef” at Disney’s Contemporary Resort — a hands-on chef’s table experience in a professional working kitchen
“Behind the Scenes at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto” at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort — an entertaini ng tour of the whimsical Trader Sam’s, followed by lunch and a special mixology session
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
January - February Magical Deals Now Available
January - February Magical Deals Now Available to book www.saveatwdw.com/resorts
Today I'm pleased to share that the January and February 2017 Magical Deals from Magical Vacations Travel have been posted to Save at Walt Disney World. Stay tuned for more 2017 Magical Deals coming soon.
NEW YEAR'S OFFER - MAGICAL DEAL
Travel Window: January 2 through January 9, 2017 >>Learn More
EARLY FEBRUARY OFFER 2017 - MAGICAL DEAL
Travel Window: January 29 through February 5, 2017 >> Learn More
PRESIDENT'S DAY OFFER 2017 - MAGICAL DEAL
Travel Window: February 12 through February 24, 2017 >> Learn More
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
Book The Living Seas Pavilion for your next event
How would you like to book your special event inside The Living Seas Pavilion at Epcot? This dynamic private event venue serves as the perfect backdrop for an elegant dinner or awards presentation and can accommodate up to 500 attendees. The Living Seas Pavilion boasts a 5.7-million-gallon saltwater aquarium that holds over three thousand varieties of sea life, there is plenty to see at this one-of-a-kind space
Living Seas Salon Lounge
Just steps away from the attraction floor is the Living Seas Salon Lounge, one of the most sophisticated and astounding event venues. The room flows with soft and curving lines, representing of the motion of the sea. Acrylic panels line the walls to display the ever-changing backdrop as guests explore the variety of sea life.
Imagine how magical would it be to have your event here!
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
Booking the 2017 Princess Half Marathon Just Got Easier
Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World Resort
Did you know that 2017 Magic Your Way Packages and Run Disney race registrations can be handled by your travel agent? Race registrations for the 2017 Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend events listed below can now be included with a Vacation Packages.
Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017
Disney’s Princess Half Marathon – Here's the run that's fit for a Princess – a 13.1 mile magical course.
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017
Disney Princess Enchanted 10K – This event will take you on an enchanted journey throughout Epcot® before having a magical finish fit for a princess, or prince.
Saturday, Feb. 25 and Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017
Glass Slipper Challenge - A 19.3-mile adventure held over two days, participants will run the Disney Enchanted 10K on Saturday, followed by the Disney Princess Half Marathon on Sunday.
Friday, Feb. 24, 2017
Disney Princess 5K – A royal opportunity to share the magic as a family.runDisney Kids Races – Every Prince & Princess is a winner during the runDisney Kids Races!
Friday, Feb. 24-25, 2017
runDisney Kids Races – Every Prince & Princess is a winner during the runDisney Kids Races!
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
NEW! Shanghai Disneyland Exhibit in Epcot
New Epcot exhibit features Shanghai Disneyland
One of my favorite things to do at Epcot is to explore the cultural exhibits in World Showcase. They are usually tucked away in a quiet, off-the-beaten-path area of the pavilions but inside you'll discover a museum quality display of artifacts.
Here in Epcot's China pavilion you can now get a taste of the world’s newest Disney Park with the “Inside Shanghai Disney Resort” exhibit. It has just opened its doors in the House of the Whispering Willows Gallery.
The gallery showcases exclusive artwork, as well as a look at the classic and cutting-edge attractions within Shanghai Disneyland’s six lands of fantasy and thrilling adventure.
Darren Wittko - Specializes in Disney Destinations with Magical Vacations Travel. He is rated aBest of the Best Disney Travel Agent by readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World