Exciting new things have been popping up all over Disney Springs lately.

Vivoli il Gelato is serving Sorbetto inside half of a pineapple (!!), there’s a new spicy Nashville Hot Chicken at Earl of Sandwich, and we even tried TWELVE new eats recently for the Flavors of Florida event happening all around the Springs. Soon, two new restaurants will join the scene — Summer House on the Lake and EET by Maneet Chauhan. But how are the stores doing? Well, it’s complicated.

At the start of July, we shared how five stores had closed in Disney Springs in 2023 — and in the following weeks, another store mysteriously closed as well. So, what’s going on — is this cause for concern? Let’s take a look at what’s happening.

It seems like stores are closing left and right at this shopping and dining hub, but is it actually bad news? Well, it turns out that some of these stores are just closing for refurbishments. Sunglass Hut, for example, was closed for a few months and then reopened with a shiny new facade.

Tren-D, a popular store adjacent to the Marketplace Co-Op, closed its doors suddenly without explanation in June. A few Cast Members we spoke with seemed to think that something new was coming

But, a few days later, the store re-opened with a new look. Apparently, it was just getting a refurbishment as well! The new design is brighter and more streamlined, with lots of soft, light pastels that give off a real princess vibe.

Everything But Water, a shop that featured swimsuits and other apparel, was open on July 19th, and then suddenly closed the next day. The sign above the door was removed and coverings were on the windows in no time. Could this store actually be closing?

Well, the Cast Members we spoke to couldn’t give us a clear idea of what was to come, but we did notice that on its website, it says it is only temporarily closed and expected to return in November 2023.

So, it turns out that many of these closures are actually just revamps to the stores. That isn’t a bad thing really, unless it’s in the middle of a refurb when you’re hoping to stop by. But not all of the store closures in Disney Springs have been refurbishments. For example, the UGG store permanently closed in March.

However, it didn’t take too long before construction started on this spot. Lululemon, which already has a location in Disney Springs (across from the Lime Garage), will be expanding into this larger store.

Melissa Clube, a shop that sold jelly shoes and other accessories, permanently closed in May.

But, again, it didn’t take long before a new spot took over. Alex and Ani moved into this space in June. Lastly, Sosa Family Cigars Shop closed permanently on January 3rd, 2023.

This shop was closed for a bit longer before we had any answers, but it turns out that Bowes Signature Candles will be getting its own location — taking over this old cigar shop.

We still don’t have details on when exactly this new shop is set to open, other than the fact that it should open later this fall.

So, Disney Springs has been going through some BIG changes this year. A lot of stores have closed, but it hasn’t been all bad news. Much of the closures have been for refurbishments, and while some of the stores have closed permanently, it didn’t take long for a replacement to be announced.

Sure, this could mean that it is a struggle for some shops to stay afloat in Disney Springs, but as a whole, this shopping hub doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon. There just might be some trial and error involved in finding the right stores for the job.

And with all of the new life coming to Disney Springs, like the new Summer House on the Lake and EET by Maneet Chauhan, we’re seeing a lot of exciting things happening here — so we’re not exactly worried.

We’ll continue to keep an eye on the situation, so stay tuned to DFB for more!

Everything We Know About the NEW Disney Springs Restaurant — EET by Maneet Chauhan

What has been your favorite Disney Springs addition lately? Let us know in the comments below!