Disney World’s “Fifth Park” Has CHANGED — Here’s ALL THAT’S LEFT

Disney Springs has been called Disney World’s “fifth park”, but over the decades, it has changed,

Disney Springs has had a long and varied history over its nearly 50-year existence. It has been a shopping village, a night scene, an entertainment district, and an outdoor mall in its time. However, there are still some elements of the area’s history still there… if you know where to look. 

The area where Disney Springs now sits was purchased by Disney during the land acquisition phase of the Florida Project. The land, allegedly selected by Walt Disney himself and purchased over the objections of others, marked the southern edge of the real estate Disney acquired. 

Plans initially called for the area to contain a housing development, as well as the Preview Center that advertised Walt Disney World to potential guests during construction. The building that housed this preview center actually still exists, and currently serves as the national headquarters of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). 

Following Walt Disney’s death in 1966 and through the construction and opening of Walt Disney World in 1971, plans still called for the development of a residential community in the area (close to where Saratoga Springs is located now).

Given that residents would need infrastructure, Disney constructed and opened the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village on the site in 1975. The area was the first major facility open to guests that was not located in the Magic Kingdom resort area. 

There are still several remnants of the original 1975 Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village present at the modern Disney Springs, including the buildings that currently house the Disney’s Days of Christmas Shop, the Art of Disney Shop, and The Art Corner, and the Star Wars Trading Post. 

The current location of the Earl of Sandwich also dates from 1975. The building was known as Mickey’s Pantry for a long time. At one point, the Earl of Sandwich and the currently separate Tea and Spice Exchange used to be one large space that served as a bookstore and then a full-scale grocery and bookstore. 

The building that serves as the current location of the Marketplace Co-Op — formerly known as Team Mickey’s, which sold sports memorabilia — also dates back to the area’s 1975 opening. These original buildings are recognizable for their distinct architectural style, including the pyramid-shaped sunroof located in the store. 

The Co-Op also currently houses a second batch of easter eggs for classic fans of the area. Within the Disney Vault section of the store, guests can find items from Pleasure Island, including a disco ball from the 8TRAX dance club, and props from the Comedy Warehouse and Adventurers Club. 

Not only is the building that houses the Crystal Arts by Arribas Brothers location original from 1975, but the business (which was known originally as Art Espana) is as well, as the vendor has been present at the Marketplace in one form or another since opening day. 

While the World of Disney store shares some architectural similarities with the original Shopping Village buildings, it does not date back to 1975. The building was originally constructed in the mid-90s, opening in 1996. 

Continuing through the Marketplace, we’ve reached the large faux-riverboat building currently known as Paddlefish. Originally, the structure opened up as the Empress Lilly — named for Walt Disney’s widow, Lillian — in 1977, serving as the home of four distinct dining options, including Disney World’s most formal restaurant at the time.

The space was Fulton’s Crab House from 1996 through 2016, when it closed to be renovated and remodeled into Paddlefish.

Moving past the Marketplace area, we reach the portion of Disney Springs currently known as The Landing. The area first opened as Pleasure Island on May 1st, 1989 (a momentous day in Disney World history which also saw the opening of the theme park then-known as Disney/MGM Studios).

The “adult” night club district was the brainchild of then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner, who wanted to keep young adults on Disney property at night instead of seeing them head to the Church Street Station complex, an Orlando nightlife attraction. 

After Pleasure Island closed in 2008, most of the area’s structures were demolished, meaning there’s little to none of the original Pleasure Island structures left at Disney Springs. So, for example, the Edison stands where the Adventurers Club stood, but uses none of the same structure. This stands for most of Pleasure Island… with a couple of exceptions. 

The biggest is that the structure that housed the legendary Mannequin’s nightclub — infamous among many for its rotating dance floor and pulsating music — still stands and is home to Morimoto Asia. In addition, the structure that housed the Superstar Studios retail location on Pleasure Island still stands as home to Sanuk. 

Finally, the AMC theater complex still stands in the same spot where it did when it opened in 1988, technically predating the opening of Pleasure Island. The areas currently known as the Town Center and West Side of Disney Springs date back to 2016 and 1997, respectively. 

The area currently known as Disney Springs has had one of the most tumultuous histories of change in all of Walt Disney World. However, remnants of the past are still there if one follows the right path to find them. Come back to AllEars for more Walt Disney World history! 

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Which era of Disney Springs has been your favorite? Let us know in the comments below. 

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