Shopping and Sunshine: The 50-Year Journey of Disney Springs

Calling all lovers of Disney history and lore! Can you believe we are celebrating another milestone over at Walt Disney World?  After starting off in 1975 as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village with just 37 restaurants and retail locations, this year marks the 10^th anniversary of the property’s transformation into Disney Springs.

Now, Disney Springs boasts over 150 ways to shop, dine, and play and attracts more visitors per year than even Magic Kingdom. Take a journey through time with me to learn the rich history of Disney Springs and how it evolved into the popular retail, dining and entertainment district it is today.

Opening just four years after Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village was originally created to serve the planned residences on Walt Disney World property.

Original offerings included: Arribas Brothers, Bath Parlour, Captain’s Tower, Gourmet Pantry, It’s a Small World After All Shop, and 2Rs – Read’n and Rite’n.

Can you guess which of these original offerings has stood the test of time and continues to delight guests to this day? If your answer was Arribas Brothers, known for their fine glass and crystal artistry, you’re right!

Within a few short years, Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village underwent its first transformation into Walt Disney World Village, as the complex began to attract all Walt Disney World visitors.

The most notable addition to the property during this time was the Empress Lilly, a riverboat offering fine dining named after Walt Disney’s wife, Lillian.

The next evolution of the property occurred in 1989 when it was renamed to Disney Village Marketplace. As part of this expansion, the property attracted several known brands that will strike a chord of nostalgia with my fellow millennials out there and remain wildly popular today: Rainforest Café and LEGO.

This era also brought us the legendary Pleasure Island – an entertainment district with clubs, lounges and comedy venues for adults wanting to experience a taste of nightlife outside of the theme parks.

But the most beloved addition that draws shoppers today is World of Disney – although its famous Stitch figurehead didn’t come until much later. This started as a souvenir destination, and continues to grow to broaden its selection and make it even easier (and more fun!) for guests to shop.

In 1997, Disney Village Marketplace and Pleasure Island were combined and rebranded into Downtown Disney.

This was a period of significant growth with the addition of West Side to property, bringing memorable offerings like: La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil, DisneyQuest, AMC Pleasure Island Theaters, and eventually the Aerophile Balloon.

These innovative experiences transformed the property from a simple shopping destination to a true retail and entertainment complex that is the foundation of what we know and love today.

The Disney Springs we know today is home to local artists, talented chefs, and the cast members who make happy happen beyond the parks.

As Disney legend has it – a cattle rancher discovered the beautiful springs water source in the mid 1800s and chose to settle there. The official town of Disney Springs was established in 1850 as a historic waterfront town inspired by the coastal towns of Coral Gables and St. Augustine with four distinct lakeside neighborhoods: Town Center, The Landing, Marketplace, and West Side. Each neighborhood reflects its function and the fictitious time period when it was developed.

This current era of transformation at Disney Springs is the property’s largest expansion to date with 5,000 jobs created in its construction alone. This expansion doubled the number of available venues making way for smaller local businesses and a greater economic impact. In fact, Disney Springs features several Florida-based businesses including Joffrey’s Coffee, Wondermade, The Polite Pig, Basin, and Gideon’s Bakehouse!

Every shop and restaurant at Disney Springs has its own history, with elements of its imagined back story seamlessly integrated into the present.

For example, according to lore did you know the Morimoto Asia restaurant is in the building that was once the Springs Bottling Company? A dramatic chandelier made out of a former bottle conveyance system can even be found just inside the main doors to the restaurant.

Fast forward to today, Disney Springs is celebrating its 10^th anniversary as home to over 150 distinctive brands, world-class restaurants, and unforgettable entertainment spread across 1,210 acres so guests can “shop, dine and play” with the high standard they’ve come to expect from Walt Disney World.

I cannot wait to see how Disney Springs continues to grow while incorporating the high standards, legacy and tradition Disney is known for. I may not have a crystal ball, but I don’t need one to know the future is looking bright!