Another icon of the former Downtown Disney entertainment and dining complex at Walt Disney World Resort has entered the Disney Springs era with a new look and some old favorites.
Archive for Disney Springs
MAKING WAY FOR THE NBA EXPERIENCE: DISNEYQUEST AT DISNEY SPRINGS TO CLOSE JULY 3
Disney’s multi-year transformation of Disney Springs™ is continuing, as they bring new experiences to the West Side Neighborhood, including The NBA Experience at Walt Disney World® Resort. To make way for this basketball-themed experience, the West Side area will be undergoing changes – beginning with the closure of DisneyQuest on July 3, 2017.
Until July 3, DisneyQuest will continue to offer a great interactive experience for guests. Disney fans of classic arcade game favorites and virtual worlds featured at the indoor theme park are invited to come out and enjoy the experiences.
The NBA Experience at Walt Disney World Resort will be a one-of-a-kind basketball-themed experience featuring hands-on activities that put guests of all ages right in the middle of NBA game action. There will be immersive NBA video productions and numerous interactive experiences, as well as a restaurant and a retail store.
RE-IMAGINED PLANET HOLLYWOOD OBSERVATORY OPENS AT DISNEY SPRINGS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT
Planet Hollywood Observatory has opened its flagship location in the heart of Disney Springs™ at Walt Disney World® Resort, transforming its iconic globe into a four-story stargazing observatory with new spaces including an outdoor terrace, a new menu and an exciting new look and feel.
Inside it’s an immersive theatrical dining experience, with each floor providing a different ambience, including the fabulous curated collection of film-making memorabilia and a 4,500-square-foot video wall the uses trompe l’oeil 3D technology – images with such realism that they appear to be in three dimensions.
Classic Planet Hollywood dishes are on the new menu, as well as a selection of over-the-top burgers and sandwiches by celebrity Chef Guy Fieri. Desserts are a hallmark of the restaurant, like the hand-dipped milkshakes and generous sweets made for sharing.
Beer, wine and cocktails offer a little something for every taste, and Stargazers Lounge has a beverage menu that focuses on Florida craft beers (with 20 on tap) and 10 signature cocktails.
The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner. The new 5,000 square-foot Stargazers Lounge that will let your Clients relax under the stars will be opening soon.
Iconic Disney Destination Undergoes Complete Transformation
Levy Restaurants is excited to announce the grand opening of Paddlefish, its newest dining experience at Disney Springs, on Saturday, February 4. The seafood-centric restaurant, formerly known as Fulton’s Crab House, has undergone an extensive, multimillion-dollar transformation which involved a full renovation and brand new design that has transformed the vessel into a modern yacht experience.
The aesthetic of Paddlefish was inspired by a modern, seafaring yacht with its clean lines, crisp designs, refined woods and a sophisticated color palette of blues and grays. Purposeful elements will be showcased in the dining areas such as a bar that overlooks the newly re-activated paddlewheel. Unique design features include opening up all of the windows for an open-air feel and bar areas decorated with brass accents that resemble fish gills.
“We’re excited to embark upon Paddlefish’s next voyage, and can’t wait for guests to share this new experience with us,” said Andy Lansing, President and CEO of Levy Restaurants. “As Disney Springs evolves and grows, we’re looking forward to sharing this newly reimagined restaurant with both vacationers and Florida locals.”
Paddlefish’s menu will showcase fresh seafood including Maine lobster, King and Snow crabs and a selection of fresh fish including sea bass and salmon. Fan favorites and classic dishes from Fulton’s Crab House, such as Lobster Corn Dogs and Crab Legs, will still be offered on the menu alongside new, contemporary options such as Lobster Risotto and Jambalaya. The menu also features interactive dining experiences including tableside services like Lobster Guacamole and Branzino for Two.
“It’s been incredible to have this opportunity to not only completely redevelop the menu, but also the kitchen design to accommodate it,” said Executive Chef Mark Boor. “I’ve put my heart and soul into creating a well-balanced menu that will have something that appeals to every palate and I’m excited to finally welcome guests onboard and see that hard work and vision come to life.”
Paddlefish will be open for lunch and dinner in addition to offering a Sunday brunch. Paddlefish also offers versatile private dining rooms and event spaces to accommodate celebrations or meetings from 20 to 1,000 guests. For more information visit: www.paddlefishrestaurant.com
Disney Springs: Fast Facts, Fun Facts
A bustling metropolis of shopping, dining and entertainment locations, Disney Springs is the exciting reimagination of Downtown Disney. It consists of four neighborhoods: The Landing, Marketplace, West Side and Town Center.
- The 120-acre Disney Springs is in the east-central portion of Walt Disney World Resort. Disney Springs borders the south shore of Lake Buena Vista at the intersection of Buena Vista Drive and Hotel Plaza Boulevard.
- The location dates to its March 22, 1975 opening as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village. Since then, it has taken several names in its evolution including, most recently, Downtown Disney.
- Disney Springs was inspired by the welcoming, waterfront towns of the early 1900s; early Florida settlers were attracted by the springs and their natural beauty. “In Disney Springs, you enter more than a place to shop and dine,” said Keith Bradford, vice president of Disney Springs. “You enter a story–as only Disney can tell it.”
- The multi-year makeover from Downtown Disney to Disney Springs more than doubled the number of locations. Today, more than 150 venues call Disney Springs home.
- Entertainment ranges from street musicians to shows at Cirque du Soleil and House of Blues–in all, 25 different acts every night.
- Shopping ranges from unique boutiques to high-end brand name retailers to Disney locations to everything in between.
- Uniqueness stamps many shopping/dining/entertainment venues. In Town Center, UNIQLO’s Disney Springs location is the first in the southeast U.S. for the Japanese retailer. Dessert lovers can order from a cupcake-dispensing ATM at Sprinkles. Guests to the rooftop lounge of the Coca-Cola Store can pick from more than 100 drink choices. Vintage cars drive right onto the lake at The BOATHOUSE, among the waterfront restaurants and bars of The Landing. The Lego Store, Rainforest Café, World of Disney and Dockside Margaritas help anchor Marketplace. Or guests go for strikes, spares and sushi at Splitsville Luxury Lanes (West Side, home to House of Blues, Characters in Flight tethered balloon experience and the breathtaking performances of Cirque du Soleil).
- Admission to Disney Springs is free. Disney Springs may be reached by car, bus, boat or via pedestrian bridge. Drivers can access either the Orange or Lime parking decks, steps from the action. Each is a “smart” garage: available parking spaces are designated by an overhead green light, eliminating the need for jockeying up and down rows of cars. Parking is free. Valet parking is available for a fee. Complimentary motorcoach service to Disney Springs is available to guests of Disney resort hotels and all four theme parks. Complimentary water taxis are available from several nearby Disney resort hotels; arrival docks are located at the Marketplace and The Landing neighborhoods.
- Designated parking spaces for Guests with Disabilities are available in both the Orange and Lime garages. Wheelchair, ECV and stroller rentals are available in the nearby Sundries location at the Town Center bus loop.
- Dining choices range from grab-and-go kiosks to food trucks to fast casual to table service to destination experiences. Disney Springs boasts five James Beard Award-winning chefs: Masaharu Morimoto (Morimoto Asia), Art Smith (Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming Kitchen and Southern Shine), Rick Bayless (Frontera Cocina), Tony Mantuano (Portobello), Wolfgang Puck (Wolfgang Puck Café). More than 50 food and beverage locations are open now, with more to come.
- More than 57,000 recycled bricks from nearby Rollins College were used in the hardscape of The Landing, one of the four Disney Springs neighborhoods.
- Featuring beautiful Spanish Revival architecture, the Town Center neighborhood utilized 15 shades of white paint.
- The springs coursing through Town Center contains 1.2 million gallons of water. The distance from one end to the other is the same as the walk down Main Street, U.S.A. to Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom.
- At the Marketplace, there are two “Hidden Mickeys” in the murals found inside World of Disney, the world’s largest Disney merchandise store.
- Guests can source complete information about Disney Springs via the web site disneysprings.com
Photos – Construction of Planet Hollywood Observatory at Disney Springs
Take a look at some photos of the ongoing construction of the Planet Hollywood Observatory at Disney Springs. The restaurant is set to open in 2017.
Photos – Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail – Character Trees
Take a look at the Character Christmas Trees along the Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs.
Ringing in the 2017 New Year at Disney Springs
Walt Disney World Resort is sending off 2016 with a bang…and pops of light and thrilling musical scores. Typically known as the most fireworks-filled evening of the year, guests will celebrate New Year’s Eve with new experiences across the resort: new shows, new music, and new spectaculars.
Guests can wish upon a New Year’s Eve star at Disney Springs over the West Side waterfront during “Starbright Holidays | An Intel Collaboration” with shows at 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
