Disney Springs – by Day or by Night?

Disney Springs is Walt Disney World’s shopping and dining district. Previously known as Downtown Disney, this area of the Walt Disney World Resort is free for all Guests to enjoy. This includes free parking too. The top dining and shopping brands that are featured around Disney Springs make it a popular destination in Orlando for Guests to visit, whether they are staying on Disney property or not. It’s also an ideal place to visit for those Guests who are visiting without Walt Disney World tickets for the theme parks.

Why we love Disney Springs

There’s something for every Guest to enjoy at Disney Springs. The shopaholics can browse a wide variety of stores, including well-loved brands such as Tommy Bahama, Zara, Sephora, Ron John Surf Shop, and many more. The Disney Springs Marketplace is also the perfect location to shop for all things Disney, as well as other stores dotted around Town Center, West Side, and The Landing (previously known as Pleasure Island). 

For food lovers, there is plenty of choices when it comes to dining; the Disney Springs restaurants cover all types of food. If you’re looking for a place to unwind and enjoy an alcoholic beverage, there are a variety of bars and lounges to enjoy; they also make the perfect place to retire to after a day in the Disney Parks.

And that isn’t all there is to enjoy at Disney Springs! It’s also the place to go in the Walt Disney World Resort if you’re looking for other entertainment. From bowling at Splitsville to seeing movies at AMC Dine-In Theatres, taking a ride in a hot air balloon with Aerophile, or enjoying live music – you will never be bored when visiting this part of the Walt Disney World Resort. There’s even the Lego Store that is likely to be a hit for the younger and young-at-heart Guests at your party!

But when is the best time to visit Disney Springs? When visiting Lake Buena Vista, Disney Springs offers a different experience depending on the time of day that Guests visit. Let’s explore the benefits of the different times of day bring to your Disney Springs experience.

By Day

Stopping by Disney Springs during the day allows Guests to take a break from the Disney Parks. Generally, the opening times for stores and restaurants open at 10 a.m. This means that it’s a great place to visit if you are hoping for a slower morning. Typically, the Walt Disney World Transportation System buses for Disney Springs will begin running around 9 a.m. If you are a Guest in one of the Resorts in the Disney Springs area, including Disney’s Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, and Port Orleans Resorts, the first Sassagoula River water taxi departs from each Resort around 9:30 a.m.

Here are the reasons why we love to visit Disney Springs during the day:

• Generally, fewer Guests are visiting Disney Springs during the day, particularly in the morning. Because of this, you can typically expect a really pleasant shopping experience, with more room to browse, shorter lines at the registers, and greater availability from Cast Members if you require assistance with anything.

• Lake Buena Vista is known for its high temperatures and long periods of sunshine. Exploring Disney Springs during the day won’t allow you to escape the heat and sun completely, however, it will reduce your time spent outside. Time spent browsing the stores will allow you to enjoy the AC, so it’s a chance to spend the day a little less sweaty than you would in the Disney theme parks!
• Whilst advance dining reservations are recommended where possible, the restaurants at Disney Springs are likely to have more availability for walk-ins during the day. We recommend stopping at a restaurant a little ahead of lunchtime to allow you to secure a table without a wait.
• The road alongside Disney Springs is known to get extremely busy at peak times of the day. As such, visiting Disney Springs in the morning or in the early afternoon should reduce the time you spend in traffic by a considerable amount. It should also make finding a parking space easier, with more convenient spaces available in the Orange and Lime Garages.
• If you want to stop by Gideon’s Bakehouse to purchase some delicious treats, visiting in the morning, as close to opening as possible, will reduce your wait time. Gideon’s Bakehouse is known to have lines of at least 90 minutes throughout the day, so we recommend arriving at Disney Springs close to 9 a.m. to be one of the first Guests in line.

• For Guests wanting to use the personalization service offered at Mickey’s Days of Christmas, a daytime visit to the store will allow you time to browse the rest of Disney Springs before collecting your personalized items. This is particularly helpful if you aren’t a Walt Disney World Resort Guest, as you won’t be eligible for shipping back to your Resort.

By Night

Generally, Disney Springs is open until 11 p.m. every evening. This offers Guests plenty of time to shop and dine even beyond the Disney Park opening hours. Traveling to Disney Springs from the Disney Parks is now easier than ever too. Instead of returning to a Disney Resort hotel first, Guests can use the direct Disney Springs buses from each Disney theme park from 4 p.m. onwards. 

Here are the reasons why we love to visit Disney Springs during the evening and into the night:

• Disney Springs comes alive in the evening. This is when music and entertainment is offered at the different stages located around the Disney Springs neighborhoods.
• Guests can view Cirque Du Soleil and Disney’s Drawn to Life at two different times during the evening. Combining the show with dinner at a delicious restaurant provides the perfect opportunity to get dressed up for the evening.
• The evening brings cooler temperatures to Lake Buena Vista, which offers the ideal temperature to walk around and take in the ambiance of the different neighborhoods of Disney Springs. 
• Looking for some cool spots to sip on a beverage? You’ll find plenty of them around Disney Springs. Our favorite spots include Jock Lindsay’s Hangar Bar and out on the porch at The BOATHOUSE.

• Being located right on the water of Village Lake, Disney Springs offers the perfect location to watch the sunset. We love to visit the Marketplace whilst the sun is setting and watch the Sassagoula River boats pass in front of Saratoga Springs whilst watching the sky reflected in the water.

Do you have a favorite time to visit Disney Springs? Or are you feeling inspired to visit at a different time to the one you usually visit? We love to plan a morning and evening visit to Disney Springs during a Disney vacation. This allows us to experience the best of both worlds during our Disney experience!