5 Mistakes Rookies Make at Disney Springs

We’ve got all the insider tips to help you experience Disney Springs as only a true expert can!

Disney Springs is the go-to spot to find tons of great shopping, dining, and entertainment options in Disney World without a park ticket! If you’re visiting Disney Springs for the first time, you might be tempted to “follow the crowd,” or go for the first things you see. But beware, that may lead you astray. Here are 5 mistakes rookies make at Disney Springs and how you can avoid them!

Missing Out on Your Bucket List Dining Reservations

Disney Springs has no shortage of amazing restaurants, including some seriously destination-worthy spots like The BOATHOUSE, Raglan Road, and Homecomin’, to name a few.

But just because there are plenty of options to choose from doesn’t mean you can count on popping into a popular restaurant last-minute. If there’s a Disney Springs table service restaurant on your must-try list, be sure to make a reservation to ensure you can get in! Since Disney Springs is open to the public, it can get crowded (especially on weekends and holidays), which means the popular restaurants will be booked up and rarely have open tables for walk-ins.

Another Disney Springs reservation tip — if you look for a reservation on the My Disney Experience app but can’t find one for the restaurant you’re interested in, there may still be hope. Lots of Disney Springs restaurants can also be booked on OpenTable, so check there before giving up on your dream spot!

One more bonus tip, you can also call the super popular Southern cuisine restaurant Homecomin’ directly to try to make a reservation if you can’t find one online!

Underestimating Weekend Traffic

As we mentioned before, since Disney Springs doesn’t require a park ticket to get in, it can get pretty crowded. And that is especially true on weekends! The crowds on Fridays and Saturdays are often super intense, which means LOTS of traffic getting there and finding parking.

We can tell you from experience that there have been Friday and Saturday nights when it’s taken us over an hour to get to Disney Springs, even though we were coming from somewhere close on Disney World property.

While the crowds can descend at any time, it may be best to avoid visiting Disney Springs on Fridays, Saturdays, or holidays, if your plans are flexible and you have other dates you could opt for instead. And if you do visit on a weekend, be sure to leave plenty of extra buffer time to get there and park, especially if you have a dining reservation to get to.

Parking in the Wrong Place

Speaking of getting to Disney Springs, if you’re driving there for the first time, your first instinct might be to park in the first garage or lot you see. But heads up, Disney Springs is pretty large, and if you’re headed there just to visit a specific restaurant, store, or attraction, it’s best to park strategically!

You can look up the specific place in Disney Springs you’re heading to in the My Disney Experience app, and see which parking lot or garage is the closest.

Also, the Lime Parking Garage is typically the most crowded, so unless you’re heading somewhere right outside of that garage, you may want to steer clear to potentially avoid some traffic!

Skipping Other Amazing Desserts to Wait in Line at Gideon’s

Don’t get us wrong, we love the cookies at Gideon’s Bakehouse…but we aren’t the only ones. This popular cookie spot can rack up serious lines, with wait times regularly reaching 30-60 minutes.

We do love a Gideon’s cookie, but don’t think that it’s the only incredible dessert option in Disney Springs! There are plenty of places to get a sweet treat, and some of them can absolutely hold their own against Gideon’s. A few AllEars team members shouted out the Disney Springs desserts that they would take over a Gideon’s cookie, including the Millionaire Shortbread at The Basket at Wine Bar George and the cookies at Summer House on the Lake.

If you’ve been itching to try a Gideon’s cookie for yourself, by all means, grab one! But if you don’t want to wait in line or want to go for an under-the-radar option, give one of those alternatives a shot.

Assuming There Are No Happy Hours

You might not expect to see a happy hour at a restaurant in Disney World, but there are actually several around Disney Springs that can help leave some extra money elsewhere in your vacation budget!

For example, STK Steakhouse’s happy hour features specialty cocktails, select wine, and food for $3, $6, and $9 from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM Monday through Friday, and 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Jaleo has happy hour daily from 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM, with $7 iced or frozen sangrias and Spanish wine. And from Monday through Friday, if you sit at the bar at Summer House on the Lake, you can snag a $10 martini, $5 glass of wine, or $4 draft beer.

If you’re looking for a drink or small bites in Disney Springs, be sure to check for any happy hour deals at your place of choice so you don’t miss out on some unexpected savings.

There is so much to enjoy around Disney Springs, and if you avoid these five rookie mistakes, you can make your time there even better! We love sharing the tricks we pick up from being in Disney World every day, so stay tuned for more pro tips!

4 Top Secret Shortcuts at Disney Springs

What rookie mistakes have you made in Disney World? Share with us in the comments!

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