Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney is a bus ride away from all of the Walt Disney World Resorts and the Disney parks. It’s a great place to spend some time during the day or in the evening. Great shopping, dining and entertainment abound, in Downtown Disney’s three sections: Pleasure Island, Downtown Disney West Side and Downtown Disney Marketplace.

Pleasure Island features shopping and dining and is being transformed throughout 2011. Here you’ll find Raglan Road Irish Pub & Bar and Orlando Harley-Davidson, among other outdoor dining options.

West Side has the AMC theatre and the Cirque du Soleil La Nouba show (which is supposed to be amazing and requires advance tickets). This is also where the famed DisneyQuest can be found, a one of a kind gaming experience. Here you can design and ride your own roller coaster, among five floors of other interactive gaming.

Marketplace provides unique shopping experiences, including World of Disney store, the largest Disney character store in the world and has a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique tucked inside.

Across the street is Disney’s Pin Traders, the biggest pin trading location in Walt Disney World Resort and is great for experienced and novice pin traders and collectors. You can also trade with cast members and other pin traders.

If you are not staying at the resorts but are traveling to the Walt Disney World resorts or the parks, save the parking fees and park at Downtown Disney, where parking is free, and then take the free bus transportation to the parks or to the resorts.