Head on over to Disney Springs’s Westside for non-stop entertainment that could keep you busy for days without ever stepping foot inside one of the parks at Walt Disney World.
The Disney Springs Westside is bigger than life – soaring buildings house movie theaters, bowling alleys, glorified arcades, and high end dining locations with sweeping views of Lake Buena Vista. You can’t miss the giant pineapple, enormous circus tent, or colossal planet that make this area so iconic.
The entrance to the Westside Photo by Joe Andy Mendoza
About the Westside
Today, Westside houses most of the entertainment options at Disney Springs, and coupled with some fun shopping venues and interesting food, it makes for a great destination especially for families with teens. Bright colors, modern design elements, and music are key theme elements in this area.
Shopping
Shopping focuses on collectibles and fashion at stores including Orlando Harley Davidson, Cirque du Soleil Boutique, D Street, Something Silver, PoP Gallery, Hoypoloi and Sunglass Icon.
Dad’s Disney Springs Stores Page
Dining
For a quick service meal or snack, visit Bongos Cuban Café, Forty Thirst Street by Joffreys, Wolfgang Puck Café, Wetzels Pretzels, Italian Ice Stand. If you’re looking for a table service location, try Bongos Cuban Café and Wolfgang Puck Café which have both quick service and table service options, or Planet Hollywood.
Dad’s Disney Springs Dining Page
Entertainment
Westside at Disney Springs offers some great entertainment options.
- You can check out a concert or attend a Gospel Brunch at House of Blues.
- Check out DisneyQuest for an indoor interactive theme park.
- Cirque du Soleil performs La Nouba exclusively at Disney Springs Orlando.
- Take in a show at AMC Theaters, or even try dinner and a show in their Fork and Screen theaters.
- You can take to the skies and get a view of he surrounding area with the Characters in Flight hot air balloon ride.
- And don’t forget about Splitsville Luxury Lanes – the newest addition to Disney Springs and a great spot for food and fun with the whole family or as a night-life destination.
Getting there
Getting to Disney Springs is pretty easy. You can drive and park for free, or take a Luxury Motor Coach from any of the Walt Disney World Resorts (except Port Orleans Resort, Old Key West Resort, and Saratoga Springs Resort – you can take a boat from those resort hotels). Buses and boast each have a drop off point on the Westside (near the entrance to Pleasure Island).
History
Westside is the newest area of Disney Springs, having opened in 1997. It’s addition brought ecelectiv shopping and a wider variety of entertainment options to Disney Springs with everything from music to video games to movies and live performance.
Future
In Disney’s most recent announcement about the redevelopment of Disney Springs, Westside will join Marketplace and (replacing Pleasure Island) Town Square and Landing, in the re-named complex to be known as Disney Springs – a family-centric shopping, dining and entertainment district themed to turn of the century Florida.
Disney Springs is the subject of much speculation since the folks at Disney haven’t given away too many details. Plans include doubling the number of shopping, dining, and entertainment options from around 75 to 150, and bringing in a number of new Disney-run establishments and third party vendors (such as Starbucks, which was previously confirmed to be coming to Disney Springs).
Dad’s Bottom Line
Westside is a great destination for families looking for entertainment options outside of the parks, and for adults looking to extend their fun into the wee hours with some nightlife.
