The holidays are said to be the most wonderful time of the
year, and that is probably true even at Disney World. Yet
despite all its holiday specials, Disney is magical any time
of the year.
There is continually something new at Disney World, and we
know this because we go almost every other month. During one of
our holiday visits, we spent time at the new Disney Springs, which
has been reimagined from the former Downtown Disney area. This
waterfront development is filled with an amazing array of shopping,
dining and entertainment choices. Parking is a breeze at Disney
Springs in its new multi-story, high-tech, free parking garages.
We have consistently enjoyed the Cirque du Soleil’s performance
of La Nouba in its theater on the west end of the now Disney Springs,
but this visit we spent more time at the unique boutiques and
top-brand retailers toward the east. There is a multitude of shops
carrying fashion, toys and games, children’s apparel, jewelry, shoes,
electronics and specialty items.
While visiting these unique shopping opportunities we did not go
hungry, as Disney Springs offers a large variety of places to satisfy
its visitors’ appetites. We loved the hamburgers and fries at D-Luxe
Burger, a quick service spot that was centrally located. For dinner,
we chose two different restaurants. The first night we dined at
STK, a fine dining steakhouse with cool décor and wonderful food.
The next evening we headed to Morimoto Asia, which features a
Pan-Asian menu created by the Iron Chef Morimoto. We became
addicted to its Peking duck and spare ribs.
54 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE
| JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom
is an unforgettable landmark that creates a
lifetime memory.
TRAVEL
Seeing the Disney
property in this
tethered balloon from
350 feet in the air is one
of the many attractions
at Disney Springs.