West Side – Disney Springs


Disney Springs West Side Corridor

Disney Springs West Side opened in 1997 as Downtown Disney West Side. It is the home to Bongos Cuban Cafe, Splitsville, the AMC-24 Theater and more. The West Side is the largest of the Disney Springs areas and includes 344,000 square feet of buildings and a 9,500-square-foot area for events and entertainment.

At right is some of the new shade areas recently built.

There is no separate Disney Resort Bus Stop for the West Side, just the main bus depot at Town Center.

DINING

Bongo's Cuban Café
 

Bongos Cuban Cafe — Created by Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio, Bongos offers Cuban cuisine for express lunch and full dinner. The main dining area is themed to Cuba in the 1930s and ’40s. The restaurant seats 471 persons and encompasses 20,000 sq feet. The pineapple you see on the outside is 75 feet tall. The leaves alone weigh 37,500 pounds. The restaurant also has take out window service area called Bongo’s Cuban Express.

House of Blues — Southern cooking, live music, special folk art display and a Sunday Gospel Brunch! The 1,500 person House of Blues venue is modeled after the venue on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, its theme a tribute to the history of the blues. You can also find the House of Blues retail store with definitive CDs, clothing, folk art and blues accessories. For concert information call 407-934-BLUE or visit their website.

House of Blues at Disney Springs has the largest public display of folk art in the country. The collection includes more than 6,000 original paintings and sculptures from 60 untrained creators, mainly African American men and women from the rural south.

House of Blues
Smokehouse at Disney Springs
The Smokehouse – Located adjacent to the House of Blues, The Smokehouse opened in January 2014, serving up brisket and other BBQ favorites.
 

Planet Hollywood Observatory — Planet Hollywood has become a star-themed Planet Hollywood Observatory to match the look and feel of Disney Springs. As part of the makeover, the venue added a new outdoor terrace and bar space called Stargazers and will feature live entertainment. It reopened on 1/27/17.

Planet Hollywood Observatory
 

Chicken Guy — The new fast-casual chain, co-owned by renowned chef Guy Fieri, serves chicken tenders prepared in a variety of ways paired with more than 20 types of sauce. It opened on 8/2/18.

Chicken Guy
splitsville
 

Splitsville Luxury Lanes, a 50,000-square-foot upscale entertainment center that combines bowling with billiards, dining, music and nightlife opened December 19,2012. Splitsville covers two floors and has 30 lanes for bowling and an extensive menu that will satisfy even the pickiest eater. You do not have to bowl to dine here.

Starbucks — This West Side location, which opened on May 31, 2014 is the former home to Wetzel’s Pretzels. In 2015, this location began offering beer, wine and small plates after 4 p.m. daily.
Starbucks West Side
Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill — This new concept from the celebrity chef opened on the West Side on Nov. 19, 2018. Features Puck’s famous pizzas, as well as an assortment of sandwiches, entrees and a gelato bar.
 
Jaleo, a concept by world-renowned Chef José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup, will open on the West Side, bringing the spirit and flavors of Spain, with an extensive menu of tapas that reflect the rich regional diversity of traditional and contemporary Spanish cuisine. Think paella cooked over a wood fire, hand-carved Jamon Iberico de Bellota and wood-grilled Iberico pork. With five locations in the United States and Mexico City, this will be the first location in Florida. The first floor of the multi-level restaurant will feature a “grab-n-go” storefront with Spanish-style sandwiches. Opened March 17, 2019

Jaleo by José Andrés
  City Works Eatery & Pour House – Discover classic American cuisine and a massive selection of craft brews at this upbeat restaurant meets ultimate sports bar. Opening soon.

Exposition Park – home of four Disney-owned food trucks. This area opened November 26, 2014. Food trucks begin serving at 4 p.m. daily.

Food Truck Dining Reviews

Exposition Park Exposition Park
Fantasy Fare Hamaste Cafe
Superstar Catering World Showcase of Flavors
 

4R Cantina Barbacoa Food Truck — This food truck offers a variety of dishes, featuring signature meats from its affiliated restaurant chain, 4 Rivers Smokehouse. Meats like brisket and pulled pork are prepared using traditional barbacoa techniques – slow-cooked over an open fire. It opened on 8/21/18.

4R Food Truck

 

ENTERTAINMENT

AMC 24 Dine In Theatre
 

AMC Disney Springs 24 Theatres – 24 separate theaters of which 18 have stadium seating. Recently renovated to include a Dine-In Theater, and state-of-the-art technology. The experience includes reserved seating, table-top dining, and a personal notification button that can be used to quietly call your server at any time during the movie. These theaters also offer an extensive menu that includes appetizers, entrees – like quesadillas, burgers, and flatbread pizzas – desserts, movie theater candy, and more. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages also are available. Catch the latest movies here in comfort. It’s also the home of MacGuffins, a full service bar. For a current schedule click HERE.

Aerophile – The World Leader in Balloon Flight — a giant tethered balloon that takes you 400 feet above the ground. Read more about Aerophile and see photos HERE.

Guest Reviews for Aerophile.

Characters in Flight
splitsville
Splitsville Luxury Lanes, a 50,000-square-foot upscale entertainment center that combines bowling with billiards, dining, music and nightlife opened December 19,2012. Splitsville covers two floors and has 30 lanes for bowling and an extensive menu that will satisfy even the pickiest eater.
The NBA Experience — For everyone who’s dreamed of getting scouted, throwing down a monster jam or hitting a game-winning jumper, it’s time to live out your ultimate basketball fantasy. Thirteen separate activities combine NBA action with Disney theme park magic so the whole family can get their game on like the pros. Seperate admission required. Opening August 12, 2019.  

SHOPS

Discounts may be available at several Disney Springs locations for Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Passholders.

 

Disney Style — Step up your fashion game with a stop at this West Side boutique. You’ll find a curated collection of fun, on-trend apparel and accessories inspired by beloved Disney attractions and characters. This store is in the former location of the Harley Davidson store which relocated to Town Center in July. It opened on 5/12/18.

Disney Style width=
Bongo’s Cuban Café Souvenir and Gift Shop — Latin inspired merchandise including clothing, music and more.  

Bongo's Gift Shop

 

 

Curl by Sammy Duvall — High-end Surf Shop featuring trendy Surf Wear clothing and accessories, skate boards, surf boards, and other water sport related gear. Opened January 10, 2008 in Pleasure Island. Moved to current location June 24, 2013. Open 11am to midnight daily.

Curl by Sammy Duval
Star Wars Galactic Outpost
 

Star Wars Galactic Outpost — features Star Wars themed toys, coffee mugs, t-shirts, and more! Replaced D Street on December 15, 2015.

Disney’s Candy Cauldron — Great theming, be sure to stop in and take a look! It looks like a fairy tale dungeon, but it is full of sweets (especially jelly beans and fudge).
Candy Cauldron
Fit2Run, The Runner’s Superstore, opened November 4, 2013. The store offers complimentary, videotaped gait analysis and iStep barometric scanning, which will help you find the ideal shoe. You can also test the footwear on Fit2Run’s indoor track, just to make sure the new pair is ‘just right.’ Fit2Run also offers first releases on many shoes, with some special products available only at this location. The store is located next to Curl and across from House of Blues. The store’s website is www.Fit2Run.com.
Fit2Run
 

House of Blues Company Store — merchandise including clothing, housewares and more. Located in the House of Blues.

Pop Gallery – Original, artist-signed limited sculptures and paintings, high-end gift items. (This is located on the former site of the Guitar Gallery, which has relocated elsewhere in Orlando.) Opened November 11, 2005.
Pop Gallery
Something Silver
 

Amazing Photos — This special effect photo booth was previously located in the nearby Super Hero Headquarters. Opened in this location formerly used by Something Silver on April 22, 2019

 

Sosa Family Cigars — Premium cigar store features the art of hand-rolling cigars. An authentic, solid cedar humidor room keeps the cigars fresh for a primo smoking experience. You will find cigars that aren’t common back home such as the very hard to get Opus X and Fuente Hemingways. They will also ship any of the cigars EXCEPT the Opus X anywhere in the US. A must stop for cigar aficionados. Opened September 15, 1997 as one of the original West Side shops.

Sosa Family Cigars
 

Sunglass Icon
 
 

Sunglass Icon — The store is designed like a small movie set. Designer sunglasses galore — some that are exact replicas of glasses worn by celebrities in recent films. This is a full-service eyewear boutique. Opened April 2004.

Super Hero Headquarters — opened April 26, 2015. Super Hero Headquarters brings a whole range of Marvel merchandise to Walt Disney World guests. The new store is located in the former United World Soccer shop space on the West Side, just across from the Exposition Park food truck area.
Super Hero Headquarters
Pele Soccer
 

Pelé Soccer — Score official club jerseys from around the world at this specialty shop named after one of the greatest soccer players of all time. You’ll also find unique gear, cleats and apparel for men, women and children. Opened July 13, 2017