You’ve probably heard the rumors brewing, but this is the first time that we’ve heard details about changes that may be planned for Downtown Disney Orlando!! Please note that all of this is subject to change (and probably WILL!).
Disney World's Downtown Disney
What’s the Latest?
Along with a new name (Disney Springs), parking garage (thank goodness!), and the re-imagining of Planet Hollywood, new restaurants and shops are now being named in these rumors!
A new “district,” which is being called the Town Center, may part of the proposed plan. Pleasure Island could be known as The Landing, and the Marketplace may return to its roots — The Village Marketplace. Only the West Side area would retain its current label in this structure.
Part of the remodel could bring a two-story entertainment area similar to City Walk at Universal Studios.
Possible New Restaurants?
This photo from Save Pleasure Island showcases a few possible options.
Possible Restaurants for Downtown Disney Orlando!
We can’t wait for more details to emerge, but of course we’re pretty excited about the possible addition of a Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, which we LOVE in Disneyland.
We'd love to see Trader Sam's in Disney World
Here a few other options that are apparently on the block for Disney World’s “Disney Springs:”
- Planet Hollywood would become The Observatory.
- Disney Character Dining (TBD)
- Disney Burger (TBD)
- Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar
- Wine Bar (TBD)
- The Edison
- Disney Bakery (TBD)
- Food Truck
- Powell’s Sweet Shoppe
- Italian Restaurant (TBD)
- Argo Tea
- Shake Shack
- Food Network Restaurant
- Temecula Olive Oil Company
- Yogorino
- Walt’s Place
- The Boathouse
- Morimoto
- Newt
Restaurants that look like they are definitely here to stay include Raglan Road and Splitsville. And sadly, no word on what this means for fans of the Adventurer’s Club.
According to WFTV Orlando: in a statement, a Disney spokeswoman said, “Work continues on bringing our vision for Downtown Disney to life. As with any project of this size and scope, our plans have continued to grow and evolve… We look forward to sharing additional details soon.”
Sources: Save Pleasure Island, WFTV, and ParkRumors. Hat tip to a forum member at WDWMagic.com.
What do you think of the rumored plans for Downtown Disney? Tell us in the comments below!
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I would be SOOOO stoked to see a Trader Sam’s at WDW!!!!!!! 😀
AJ, have you been to a Shake Shack yet? If not, next time you’re in NYC, we’re taking you!
That Disney Burger logo has the same vibe as the logo for Bobby’s Burger Palace (in terms of colors, font). With Morimoto and Food Network prominently displayed on that board, it looks like they’re trying to draw even more celebrity chefs down there.
I don’t even care about the restaurants….I am totally psyched about a parking garage! No more driving around in circles forever trying to find a spot!
Please oh please give WDW Trader Sam’s and Argo Tea!
Well, I’ve never heard of most of these eateries, but I’m just so excited that they’re going to do something with PI! We always go by WDW bus, but the parking garage sounds like a good idea since they are going to open up the entire area again. I’ll be so happy when it all becomes functional like it was originally. Thanks for this great news, AJ!
I would LOVE to see Shake Shack at DTD!!!
Omg, I just read your Trader Sam’s review and I hope so much for one in WDW! It looks like wonderful fun and like the review said, ‘typical Disney’! I think it would be a great asset to PI if they don’t bring back the Ad. Club.
Wait… what about Earl of Sandwich?!
I always thought that Guy Fieri from the Food Network would be a great fit for DTD. Now he has an affiliation with Carnival Cruise Line so that probably won’t happen. But there are some other Food Network chefs that would probably be successful.
I’m excited to see Shack Shack heading to WDW. We finally got one close by and it’s a really great burger, fries and shakes. It’ just so hard to get there in Philly because the parking in the location is so difficult and the place is so popular.
OMG!!! Shake Shack!!!! yay!!!
PS: are you on Instagram?
Shake shack please!!
The Temecula Olive oil company is right down the road from where I live. For those of you wondering it is pronounced Tem-e’-cu-la. (native American word). They have a great selection of High end flavored olive oils. Pretty good stuff but expensive.
Trader Sam’s, Trader Sam’s!!!
And – The Edison – if you haven’t been to the one in Los Angeles – check out their website:
http://www.edisondowntown.com/
awesomeness.
I’m very intrigued by Walt’s Place.
Morimoto, baby.
Walt’s Place?
I am just curious if anyone has heard about the parking prices and charges? I’ve been hearing for years that once Downtown Disney goes into a remodel, I guess now the name is “Disney Springs” I’ve heard at least 20 different names before this one. I liked others better then this. Also what’s wrong with just leaving it called Downtown Disney? Idk, anyways I’ve been hearing that cars will be charged for parking in the new “Disney Springs” area. I can only imagine how much more the garages will be to park in those. As a FULL time Kissimmee resident we visit often and for all of our family and some friends who don’t live here and cannot afford the parks or do not have time for them DD was a Perfect place to meet and show off our beloved Disney for no charge. I just was curious if you heard about this? I am really praying there won’t be a parking charge.
It would be pretty easy to turn the Adventurer’s Club into Trader Sam’s, no? That’s a natural fit. (Sorry, AC fans!)
I agree with Jasmine 100%!! Excited about Trader Sam’s & The Edison in LA is amazing!
I’m thinking the old Maniquins space would be a good location for Edison.
Also hoping Walt’s Place is a clone of Walt’s at Disneyland Paris!
Oh please oh please let Shake Shack come to DTD! That would just be amazing! I’d also love to go to Morimoto. Walt’s Place sounds like it could be interesting as well. Hopefully it’ll be a combination of established and new concept restaurants.
If we can’t get Adventurer’s Club back, Trader’s Sams will have to do!
Just a quick note for everyone, NONE of these are official. I wouldn’t get our hopes up just yet. A website posted a similar slide of proposed shops for the expansion, and I had to remind myself they’re all just proposals and not official. What I’d give for Topshop and Uniqlo on Disney property…
I have to agree with Shannon, I really hope they keep Earl of Sandwich as it is wonderful and I couldn’t go to any other one.
There is a lot more Disney branding here than I expected. For a long time they seemed to take a hands off approach to Downtown Disney, preferring to bring in contractors. I hope all this comes to pass. A few random thoughts:
Disney Burger? Lord, I hope it’s not like the typical ones in the park.
I’m almost sad to see Planet Hollywood go. Almost. It wasn’t that good, but I’m nostalgic.
A stationary food truck?
I think we are all for Trader Sam’s.
Morimoto’s would be great!
Trader Sam’s on both coasts? That would be awesome!
This list has just sparked my interest in the Disney Springs concept! I’ve had positive experiences at Morimoto, Yogorino, and Shake Shack, and many of the other concepts also sound interesting (Trader Sam’s and a collection of food trucks? Yes please!)
This whole project sounds incredibly ambitious, so I’d be happy if even half of these ideas actually came to fruition.
Don’t know how I feel about a parking garage at downtown disney -where would it go so that it wouldn’t be an eyesore, but Shake Shack at Disney World!!! Amazing! Or maybe even a BurgerFi. There are a few BurgerFi locations in central Florida but they need one a little closer to Disney.
This is amazing!!! Im so excited to see them finally do something with this area! Bring on Trader Sams!!!!!!!
WHY!!!! High-End stores enough… New Resturants great Disney Marketplace, wonderful. When you at Disney World, you want to enjoy the experience. Change is good but too much change sometimes takes away from the ideal.
Good thing I just planned my Disney vacation with my family. I’ll be headed down for the holidays this year so hopefully this new place will be open!
I’ll admit it, I am a Disneyland girl, but I am really hoping to go to WDW in the next two years. This said, I do not want to see Trader Sams #2 opened, or really any uniquely Disneyland eatery recreated to a “T” with the same menu, decor, as any of the restaurants at WDW. I like having the parks having different foodie experiences. I totally appreciate certain things being shared amongst the Disney parks like churros, Dole Whips, and other snack fare, but with the unique eateries that are not national chains, I hope each Disney location around the world has something special to offer. So in the end my vote is for something completely new for the Disney properties opening up at WDW.
Praying that by some miracle they will decide to bring back the adventurers club alongside all these new ideas!!!
i have my fingers crossed for shake shack & hopefully they bring in chipotle!!!!
And I would bet Starbucks, assuming there’s not one there already. That seems kind of obvious with the new deal.
Maybe Walt’s Place is going to be along the lines of the Walt’s restaurant in Disneyland Paris or Carthay Circle?
Wow, they all look great to me. I’d have a hard time figuring out which one to try first. Iam however really interested in what would be Walts Place.
Yeah Walt’s Place and Disney Burger have particularly sparked my interest with this. Excited to see how it plays out
Not sure how accurate or up-to-date these are. They list Rugby Ralph Lauren as one of the retailers and they are now out of business.
A Bobby Flay ‘s Burger Palace might be the way to bring good burgers to DTD. There isn’t that much room on PI but they should add on to the far end of the West Side.
Burger 21 is vastly superior to Shake Shack. They just opened a location at UCF…I’d really love to see one at DTD!
There are too many national chains in Disney as it is. Leave Shake Shack in NYC and Washington, DC. Visit Starbucks when you get back home. Keep Disney unique and special.
Anna, if I thought for a second that Disney was interested in running its own top-shelf dining establishments, I’d be right there with you, but they aren’t—especially in the Downtown Disney area. Those days are long, long gone.
We love Trader Sam’s at DL. Was just there last week. It would be nice for WDW to have one also. A lot of these potential restaurants sound terrific…esp Morimoto, SS & I wonder if Walts Place will be along the lines of Club 33 or Carthay Circle/1901.
Parking garage sounds divine, but paid parking doesn’t. I hope locals won’t have to be subjected to that.
Anyone notice the Raglan Road logo looks like it says Raglan Road Expansion?
WOW…a few dozen more national chain restaurants! How does that carry the theme of old, small-town, Florida? Sorry to say, it sounds more like the world’s largest food court.
I hope they keep Captain Jack’s my husband and I really like this restaurant and everytime we are at Disney World we eat there at least 3 times.
I would be more than happy to see Planet Hollywood go! – I holiday every year in Orlando and down town Disney is the place to go!! – it seems that one side of down town disney is getting new builds and looks nice while the other – split vile side is in dia need of Renovation!
Planet Hollywood was just not up to scratch on my last vacation – it needs a shake up ….. I feel bad saying this but It just doesn’t fit in at down town disney anymore 🙁
It will be too sad to see Planet Hollywood go, every year we go to disney and eat at planet hollywood, the whole family loves it, the food, atmosphere, people. It will really be missed.