Disney in a Minute: What is Disney Springs?

Disney Springs is a standalone part of Walt Disney World. This area is dedicated to shopping, dining, and enjoying a few entertainment venues. In fact, there are more than 150 venues to choose from here! If you picture a really big, really nice, outdoor mall, you’ve got the idea of what Disney Springs is all about. You don’t need an admission ticket to visit, but some places (like the movie theater) do require paid admission.

Disney Springs typically opens at about 10 am, and closes at 11 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. Individual shops and restaurants may keep their own, shorter hours.

Parking is mostly free: see Parking at Disney Springs for details and tips. And if you’re staying on Disney property, Disney Springs is easily accessible. Free bus transportation is available to/from all Disney World hotels during the hours when Disney Springs is open, until one hour after closing. In addition to the buses, Disney Springs is walkable from the Saratoga Springs and Old Key West resorts. And those resorts, plus the two Port Orleans resorts, have boat transportation to Disney Springs along the Sassagoula River.

Four areas comprise Disney Springs – The Marketplace, The Landing, Town Center, and West Side – but they all flow seamlessly together. Altogether, they cover 120 acres in a sort of long, narrow crescent shape. From one end to the other, it’s about three-quarters of a mile – or a bit more, depending on how much you zig or zag.

Within those areas, you’ll find many major retailers like Uniqlo, Vera Bradley, LEGO Store, Tommy Bahama and Zara. For entertainment, there’s the AMC 24-plex Dine-In theater, the Cirque du Soleil show Drawn to Life, Splitsville Luxury Lanes bowling alleys, and the Aerophile tethered balloon ride. Visiting with kids? What To Do with Kids in Disney Springs

Dining venues at Disney Springs range from food kiosks to quick service restaurants to full service options. Polite Pig BBQ, D-Luxe Burger, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’,  House of Blues, Morimoto Asia, and Raglan Road are a few among the many to choose from. Heading for a table-service meal? Where to Park for Your Disney Springs Dining Reservation

Finally, there are Disney-specific venues such as the World of Disney store (home to the world’s largest offering of Disney merchandise), Disney Guest Relations, a PhotoPass Studio, and more.

Disney in a Minute is a series of short posts designed to help you better understand a Disney term or planning topic. Do you have a Disney term that you think needs a little more explanation? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks to Erin Foster for an earlier version of this post.