Is Disney Springs Fun? To Me It Just Looks Like A High-End Outdoor Shopping Center

[yulilin3]

The reasons Pleasure Island closed were:
Guests complaining they had no where to go with their children after the parks
Pleasure Island wasn't creating enough money
You had to walk around Pleasure Island if you wanted to reach the other side of DTD
So they closed it and transformed the entire area into what is DS now.
At DS on any given night you can enjoy a performance from a Spanish guitarist, a capella group, bluegrass trio, Irish duo, blues duo, pop group, rappers, classical trio, kids party, living statues, rolling piano, and that's without naming entertainment inside the restaurants, I know that Boathouse has live entertainment inside.
I always say that if you liked the marketplace area it's still there, but they have added other things. The lounges are pretty neat as well, at Jock Lindsey's, Margarita bar, Boathouse, sake bar at Morimoto, Shine Bar and Homecoming, bar at Ragland rd.
I think it is now a good mix of family offerings and adult entertainment. Once the Edison bldg opens think it will be really great

 

[Disneylover99]

I really love the world of Disney store there. But if that's all I'm going for, I'm wondering if it's likely that I can find everything there elsewhere on property? Is there anything exclusive to the world of Disney store?

I don't know if there is anything exclusive, but we found most of the same items in other shops around Disney. I used to love the Disney store at DS, but it's so big and crowded, it's hard to find what you're looking for. Two weeks ago, my daughter was looking for a backpack. Instead of one location, different styles of backpacks were scattered in different places all over the store.

 

[bweagle]

When we visit we also still stick to the Marketplace area. It feels more "Disney" to me and is what I remember visiting when I was a kid. We may wander around the newer area and pop in a specialty store or two, but that's mostly in transit getting to Characters in Flight and Disney Quest.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Back when Disneyquest was relatively well maintained, and the Adventurer's Club still existed, we loved DTD. We went there every night of our trips. Now? Meh. It's fine. Some of the stores are fun to wander around. There's live entertainment to listen to while wandering. There's even some rides for real little kids. But the OP is not wrong - it's a big outdoor shopping mall. We'll go once or twice, probably, to have a nice meal and check out some of the Disney focused stores, but there's no way you'd catch me making a special trip there like we used to. Also, the bussing situation the last time we were there was so terrible I would go out of my way to avoid having to travel there. If I haven't heard of it improving before my next trip I'll forego my Raglan Road and Morimoto ressies rather than deal with that pain again.

 

[Parker Clan]

I don't disagree that it is a shopping center but Disney Springs has become a sort of tradition for us on the first night like it sounds like it has for many families. For us, we look forward to the World of Disney where my hubby buys me my bday present (alex and ani bracelets) and our yearly Xmas ornament! We also get a sundae from Ghiradelli & just walk / chill on benches. I loved the new stores too.. The Coca Cola store & Sugar Boo.

 

[yulilin3]

Back when Disneyquest was relatively well maintained, and the Adventurer's Club still existed, we loved DTD. We went there every night of our trips. Now? Meh. It's fine. Some of the stores are fun to wander around. There's live entertainment to listen to while wandering. There's even some rides for real little kids. But the OP is not wrong - it's a big outdoor shopping mall. We'll go once or twice, probably, to have a nice meal and check out some of the Disney focused stores, but there's no way you'd catch me making a special trip there like we used to. Also, the bussing situation the last time we were there was so terrible I would go out of my way to avoid having to travel there. If I haven't heard of it improving before my next trip I'll forego my Raglan Road and Morimoto ressies rather than deal with that pain again.

I'm not arguing that it is not a shopping mall, part of it is, but, for the reasons I listed above it is much more.
Your typical shopping mall will not have Splitsville, Characters in Flight, AMC 24 with dine in option, DisneyQuest, Cirque Du Soleil, plus all the entertainment that I posted above. I know most of these are paid experiences but still when you go to your shopping mall you probably don't have that option, sure something like Mall of America has it but not your high end shopping mall.
Also all the unique dinning experiences in one place, gorgeous places like Morimoto or STK on the high end, but then the Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar is incredibly detailed with great food and drinks, Homecoming is probably one of the best dinning experiences I've had, Blaze pizza is unique, affordable and fast, DLuxe burger one of the best burgers I've had in Orlando, an all vegan-tastes good bakery, and of course Earl of Sandwich
I am not saying people will and are planning trips to Disney just to come to DS but the blanket statement that DS is now just an overpriced shopping mall is not correct. Of course if people don't like it that's fine I just don't like the generalization when it's not true
The bus situation is much better now since resort buses have a dedicated lane and a bigger bus loop to come in and out

 

[Micca]

I still miss Pleasure Island's Adventurers Club

You know, the Adventurers Club would fit nicely with the heavily themed eateries in modern day DS.

 

[PSUGuy]

I agree with the OP's assessment, especially in light of what PI once was. The Adventurer's Club and the Comedy Warehouse were worth a trip to Orlando by themselves, the other clubs were interesting, New Year's Eve every night, the West End Stage etc. On an 8 day WDW vacation we'd be there at least 4 nights. Now we hit Raglan Road one time and that's it for that area for us. There are enough places to buy over priced Disney stuff elsewhere without making a trip there.

Bill From PA

 

[goofy4tink]

Back when Disneyquest was relatively well maintained, and the Adventurer's Club still existed, we loved DTD. We went there every night of our trips. Now? Meh. It's fine. Some of the stores are fun to wander around. There's live entertainment to listen to while wandering. There's even some rides for real little kids. But the OP is not wrong - it's a big outdoor shopping mall. We'll go once or twice, probably, to have a nice meal and check out some of the Disney focused stores, but there's no way you'd catch me making a special trip there like we used to. Also, the bussing situation the last time we were there was so terrible I would go out of my way to avoid having to travel there. If I haven't heard of it improving before my next trip I'll forego my Raglan Road and Morimoto ressies rather than deal with that pain again.

I have to agree. The buses aren't awful, but it is a hike if you aren't hitting the shopping district! But, everything I else I will agree with. I miss PI....it could easily have been incorporated into the new DS...they could have left Adventurers Club and the Comedy Club...at least. Yes, there are more upscale restaurants, but to be honest? I have access to the same quality restaurants here at home, minus the theming, which jacks up the price! Unlike others, it would seem, I'm not in Orlando to go to Kate Spade or Sephora. It's pretty and all....but after a long day in the park, I'm just not interested in being there. I may go to the movies, or the the WoD store (and Basin and Ghiradelli). But Cirque? I've done it three times now...no need to go back. Bowling isn't my thing. And to be honest? I haven't seen a lot of entertainment out when I've been there. Even if I had seen some talent performing, I'm not at all sure I want to join a throng of people, standing there.
But, I'm older, so I doubt that DS was planned with me in mind. My 23 y/o dd? More likely. She seems to like it there.

 

[AngiTN]

Downtown Disney, in its various forms, was colorful and fun. From what I can see of Disney Springs, it looks like nothing more than a high-end outdoor shopping center. What is there to do at Disney Springs that doesn't involve eating or spending money at upscale retailers?

That's pretty much what it is. We rarely go, unless we want to get a meal there.
We do not go to just hang out/walk around

 

[elaine amj]

I think it is themed very well to the visitor who enjoys shopping and walking around nice areas with a cool vibe. I travel a lot, read a lot of trip reports/reviews from various destinations, etc etc and shopping districts with a great vibe is always in high demand. From my perspectives, with all the major brands, a mall is a mall is a mall wherever you go in the world. The shopping aspect is not my thing - but I admit there are a couple of stores I am really excited about (especially Uniqlo - which is reasonably priced, good quality clothes with a fun Disney section. I have a stash of their stuff I have picked up on my travels but no store anywhere near me/places I typically travel...so I was thrilled to see one open at Disney).

I have gone on a couple of trips with international visitors and they really like it. Keep in mind that while brands like Sephora are common place here (and around the world), their prices are often cheaper in the US. Ditto for many other major brand names. When I was there in September, my friend (who is from Asia) went several times and dropped a lot of money (and time!) in the Levi store, thrilled to bits to find some very unique offerings.

Also, many of my friends who go to Orlando to hang out in a timeshare/resort for a week and don't do Disney for more than a day or so all seem to end up at Disney Springs at some point - to shop and to eat. It really is a nice area to spend an evening out, especially for people outside the Disney bubble. There's plenty to engage the little ones.

And the old-time Downtown Disney area is still there. When my kids were younger, they LOVED the dance parties, hula hoop contests and all. We still stop and watch a performance in the main stage area and the street performers (sometimes). It is crowded and everything, but the whole area has a nice vibe. I love the new landscaping and the pretty fountains, etc.

Plus all the great new restaurants (and the awesome old ones) are going to draw me there a lot for my next trip. I'm there for 14 nights and plan to go there at least 4-5 times. I somehow have to fit in the Earl (my FAVE), WPE, Giradhelli, Cookes of Dublin, and Homecoming. Oh and some of the cool new snacks and other QS. I think I am going to be there a LOT!

 

[bumbershoot]

DS also serves the WDW client, like if you've ever had nail polish get on clothes when traveling .... so its nice to have somewhere to buy/replace clothing that you forgot/when your luggage is lost/you're (I'm) an idiot. My ex hasn't bought a bathing suit on purpose since before 2007. .... Its nice to be a quick Uber ride over to some decent shops that don't just carry stuff that my beloved Golden Girls would have enjoyed like in some of the resort gift shops

Edit. They serve the non very plus sized wdw client. No stores could have helped me get warm clothing in 2010 when we packed for the first week of the trip but the weather changes the second week. A short size 22W could find nothing. I'm smaller now but we still have to go offsite to find even Disney shirts for DH. Exact same shirts they sell in smaller sizes in property but they just don't carry them onsite in the larger sizes. They send them to the fabulously cheesy awesome Giftland instead. And there are definitely no swimsuits out of the relatively plus sizes for men.

So DS doesn't serve all of the wdw clients. Not at all.

And as far as Vera Bradley Disney collection, would that only be at the Vera store in Disney springs or can I find that in a park?

I found that at the gift shop in the contemporary.

Also, the bussing situation the last time we were there was so terrible I would go out of my way to avoid having to travel there. If I haven't heard of it improving before my next trip I'll forego my Raglan Road and Morimoto ressies rather than deal with that pain again.

We used the bus last month and it was just fine.

 

[crostorfer]

I miss it when it was Pleasure Island, before it was Downtown Disney. :-(

 

[Jennasis]

Huh?? Pre Sept 2008 ??

MG

I'm not sure what you're asking?. Since the premiere of the new Disney Springs, we have not gone into or shopped any of the high-end new stores. We go into World of Disney and the original DTD shops but we don't really have any interest in any of the high-end stuff.

 

[AngiTN]

Just looked on the website, and WOW! They sure added a ton of stores.

Two questions in case anyone knows the answer:

I really love the world of Disney store there. But if that's all I'm going for, I'm wondering if it's likely that I can find everything there elsewhere on property? Is there anything exclusive to the world of Disney store?

And as far as Vera Bradley Disney collection, would that only be at the Vera store in Disney springs or can I find that in a park?

I found that the store has less DISNEY themed stuff than a Disney store does. They have some but for a better selection we prefer stores in either HS or MK for Vera stuff. Epcot has some but didn't seem to be as much as the other 2. Of course, I'm awful with store names, I just know where they are in the parks.

 

[Farro]

ooofff....I'll be a dissenter here. Outside of Adventurers Club, Pleasure Island was LAME!!! Last time we were there we were in our late 20's in 2000, but I recall us walking around going, this is it? It was cheesy, and not in a good way.
The restaurants and bars now seem like they will be much more our style.

My opinion.

 

[BigredNole]

We tend not to go to the Commercial side of DS. We will eat at some of the places maybe, but definitely not shop. We go to the Disney side to look at the art work, trade pins, buy pins, and some shopping at WoD. That is about it.

 

[mco65]

DTD, now Disney Springs, has never been anything other than a throw away day for us. We typically would visit either the first day or last day when we had not park tix. This year, we crammed 8 days of parks into our trip but my wife did sneak in a last second (night) visit to Disney SPrings. I didn't go, my youngest son had come down with a cold and was feeling too ill to go.. so i stayed back at the resort with him.

DS is ok, its a nice break from the parks where you can go and still stay inside the bubble.. Its not a MUST do or see for me.. its a ho hum, yea whatever.. lets just kill some time here..

 

[jcdean]

It's been roughly 16 years since my last visit to WDW, when Pleasure Island was in full swing, but I was there also in 1991. I remember there being an area of shops that sold Disney merchandise away from the parks, but nowhere near as big as what DS appears to be. Does anyone remember this, or what it was called?

The Disney Village Marketplace

 

[amberpi]

Edit. They serve the non very plus sized wdw client. No stores could have helped me get warm clothing in 2010 when we packed for the first week of the trip but the weather changes the second week. A short size 22W could find nothing. I'm smaller now but we still have to go offsite to find even Disney shirts for DH. Exact same shirts they sell in smaller sizes in property but they just don't carry them onsite in the larger sizes. They send them to the fabulously cheesy awesome Giftland instead. And there are definitely no swimsuits out of the relatively plus sizes for men.

So DS doesn't serve all of the wdw clients. Not at all.

That sucks. I know Lucky carries plus sizes and I *think* Lille Pulitzer does. I'd think all regular places like Anthropologie would have some things, so its too bad that they don't carry a wider array. I was just making the point to the OP that it does serve a purpose.

Edited to add: I don't know all the shops at DS yet, just what I've hit or noticed while on a mission, I'd like to think there are more options, I mean, if they are trying to be a shopping destination, wouldn't think want to cater to all possible clients?