Enjoying Your Vacation in Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney, which is located at the Walt Disney Resort, is the perfect entertainment spot for those who prefer not to shell out expensive admissions fee, which is normally the requirement for most theme parks in Orlando, Florida. You can get inside Downtown Disney for free because the complex is open to the public and offers free transportation and parking to all Disney resorts.

The large entertainment complex is divided into three major sections: the West Side, Pleasure Island and Marketplace. Each area has numerous shops, restaurants and entertainment which cater to specific types of visitors. Originally known as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, Downtown Disney started operations in March 1975 as a shopping complex. Throughout the years, the complex has changed its name numerous times to keep as it evolves continuously to keep up with the ever-changing tastes of visitors and tourism trends.

The Marketplace at Downtown Disney is perhaps the most kid-friendly of all the three sections of the complex. Shops include the Once Upon a Toy, World of Disney, Goofy’s Candy Company and the Lego Imagination Center. Quick service and fast food restaurants in the Marketplace include:

Kids will surely love the cones, sundaes, shakes and floats here at Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop. The shop is known for serving a delicious selection of chocolate, which made Ghirardelli famous in the first place.

The McDonald’s at Downtown Disney is not your ordinary branch that you can find anywhere else. Here at the complex, the restaurant is made into Ronald’s Fun House, which makes it a favorite among children. Just like other McDonald’s restaurants, Ronald’s Fun House is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Enjoy sumptuous lunch and dinner while gazing at the panoramic view of the Buena Vista Lagoon. This waterfront setting makes dining on classic American food and seafood cuisine so much better, coupled with the restaurant’s superb service.

Animal lovers will surely love it here at the Rainforest Café, with its lively jungle theme, live tropical fish and animated animals. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner.

If you love fresh seafood above all else, then you must absolutely dine here at Fulton’s Crab House, where seafood is flown in daily, fresh from the sea. Take your pick from more than 50 seafood selections and dine in style at this authentic riverboat replica. The restaurant also serves non-seafood specialties.

Downtown Disney’s West Side is home to many of the complex’s most illustrious tenants. Planet Hollywood needs no introduction. You also have the Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba, the most famous circus act in the world. Highly-experienced performance artists, acrobats and athletes perform exclusively in this part of Downtown Disney. The DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park will surely fill your kids’ thirst for interactive gaming. It has five floors of cutting-edge technology games developed by no less than Disney’s imagination and innovation.

The House of Blues is one of the most famous establishments at Downtown Disney. Here, southern food reigns supreme, and you will enjoy the best Cajun treats such as Louisiana crawfish, slow-smoked baby back ribs, voodoo shrimp and Creole seafood jambalaya. For those who prefer classic dishes, the restaurant serves burgers, steaks and gourmet pizza. Of course, the House of Blues is also known for its excellent entertainment, which features both up-and-coming and world-famous performers of rock, jazz, reggae, blues, pop and even gospel. You should definitely make advance reservations here at the House of Blues because of the popularity of the place.

Another famous restaurant here at Downtown Disney is the Wolfgang Puck Café. The restaurant of the world-famous chef, Wolfgang Puck Café serves excellent California and Asian fusion cuisine for lunch and dinner. Those who want lively Latin entertainment should head to Bongos Cuban Café, owned by singer Gloria Estefan. Get transported back in time as you enjoy the energetic feel of a 1950s Havana nightclub and feast on Cuban cuisine and Latin beats.

Catering mostly to adults, the Pleasure Island houses mostly establishments for nighttime entertainment. 8TRAX is the place for those who adore music from the 1970s and 1980s. If you want to dance the night away, Mannequins Dance Palace has a revolving dance floor and dishes up dance, trance and techno beats. For those who want to hang out with friends, they can go to Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant, which serves classic pub dishes for lunch and dinner. Genuine pub atmosphere is very much alive here, complete with beer on tap and live entertainment.

For a classic Italian dinner, there is Portobello, which is located on the waterfront. Authentic, mouth-watering Italian dishes such as pizza and pasta are served with excellent wine. Portobello is also open for lunch.

Paradiso 37 is the place to be for those craving for South American and Mexican cuisine. Lunch and dinner is served here, and entertainment is provided nightly. Top each meal with the restaurant’s signature frozen margaritas or dare to try a drink from their extensive tequila bar.

To make your Downtime Disney experience as enjoyable as possible, you should book for accommodations at hotels near the complex itself. One such hotel is the Buena Vista Palace, which is located inside Walt Disney World Resort. Aside from luxury accommodations, the hotel offers special privileges to guests, which includes complimentary transportation to all Disney theme parks and access to the resort’s golf courses.

The Buena Vista Palace offers posh guestrooms with high-speed internet access. You can get relax at the hotel’s full-service European spa, which offer more than 60 spa services and treatments, or lounge at their three outdoor pools while getting a gorgeous tan. Business guests will have their needs satisfied with the hotel’s state-of-the-art meeting facilities, which can accommodate up to 2,080 people. For sports, the hotel has basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, as well as a children’s playground. Dining options are not a problem with the hotel’s six onsite restaurants and lounges.