Walt Disney World Announces New International Drive Location

The magical worlds of Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs make up the Lake Buena Vista bubble that is Walt Disney World.

Many Guests visiting Disney’s theme parks don’t often venture outside of the Walt Disney World Resort, particularly when staying at a Disney Resort Hotel.

Now, though, Disney has revealed a new Orlando location for all things Disney World – along the I-4/International Drive corridor!

Disney Parks Blog revealed the news today, May 20, that Walt Disney World will be adding a new art display and Disney Store on International Drive in Orlando. Disney explains:

Adding a little pixie dust is just what we do, so expect to see some extra magic soon when a new larger-than-life outdoor art display along the popular I-4/International Drive corridor in Orlando animates to showcase some of your favorite Disney characters and attractions in a whole new way.

The new Orlando store will feature Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and other Fab 50 Disney characters as they come to life in a ribbon-like Disney art display that envelops the outside of the Hollywood Plaza garage.

Outside of the Walt Disney World Resort bubble of a Disney vacation, Orlando’s International Drive is a popular retail, dining, and entertainment hotspot in Orlando, Florida. International Drive, known more often as I-Drive, is 11 miles long and is Orlando’s main tourist strip – similar to the Las Vegas Strip as the main tourism area.

Orlando Guests can find multiple attractions on International Drive, including Madame Tussauds, the Orange County Convention Center, SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica, Fun Spot America amusement park, the ICON Orlando Ferris wheel, the World’s Largest Entertainment McDonald’s, Wonder Works, and, of course, the Universal Orlando Resort. 

This will be the first Disney store in the area and will likely become a popular stop for Guests or locals wanting to plan Disney vacations or to shop for merchandise from Disney theme parks.

The new Walt Disney World Store will combine merchandise, ticket sales, and the first-ever interactive Disney Vacation Club Virtual Discovery Station. With floor-to-ceiling screens, The Disney Vacation Club Virtual Discovery Station will transport Guests to Disney’s theme parks, Resorts, and Disney Cruise Line destinations around the world via first-person virtual tours, photo galleries, and videos.

Guests visiting Orlando do not have long to wait for this new Disney store concept. The I-Drive Disney Store will open on May 31 and will give visitors to Central Florida a convenient way to purchase Disney souvenirs, Park tickets, and explore Disney Vacation Club membership. Will Gay, design director with Disney’s Yellow Shoes Creative Group, explains:

“We took a lot of knowledge from setting up the 50th art installations in our parks and the Orlando International Airport and wanted to spread a little of that magic out into the world. It all started with a little idea and a question – could we do this? Could we turn this into a dynamic art display bigger than anything we’ve ever done before?”

So, next time you’re in Orlando visiting Walt Disney World, keep an eye out for Mickey, Minnie, and other Disney favorites as you drive down the I-4/International Drive corridor!