It’s no surprise that Walt Disney World is designed with kids in mind. From the parks to the resorts, there’s a million activities to participate in. Disney Springs is no exception.

Disney Springs is one part mall, one part restaurant district, and one part amusement park, filled with shops, shows, amazing restaurants, and plenty of iconic sites. If you have a day off from the Disney World parks, head to Disney Springs with your kids.

Here’s all the best things to check out.

(Cover Photo: Rusty Clark https://flic.kr/p/Qb1MiK )

Hot Air Balloon at Disney Springs
Lego MiniFigure Factory Experience
Bowling at Disney Springs
AMC Movie Theater at Disney Springs
Photo-Ops at Disney Springs
Best Stores at Disney Springs for Kids
Best Restaurants for Kids at Disney Springs
Coca-Cola Store at Disney Springs
Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs
Live Music at Disney Springs
Cirque Du Soleil at Disney Springs
Marketplace Train Express
Marketplace Carousel
Silhouette Portrait at Disney Springs

Hot Air Balloon at Disney Springs

The aerophile, or disney springs hot air balloon, sits on the water of lake buena vista at disney springs. you can see several other disney springs waterfront restaurants

One of the first things you’ll see when approaching Disney Springs is the hot air balloon, especially if it’s up in the air. The Aerophile is actually not a hot air balloon but a helium balloon. That’s why it’s always inflated. At $25 a person, it’s surprisingly reasonable considering the uniqueness of the experience. Take your kids 400 feet in the air and let them see up to 10 miles depending on the weather. It’s not an experience they’re likely to forget.

Lego MiniFigure Factory Experience at Disney Springs

Here’s my minifigure I made at Disney Springs. I did my best to draw the Second Dad to the Right Logo, but visual art is not my strong suit.

Right in the middle of Disney Springs is the iconic Disney Springs Lego Store. Surrounded by incredible Lego statues, including a Loch Ness monster in the lake, the Lego Store sparks creativity and wonder in kids and adults alike. You can buy various Lego sets, including a large selection of Disney-themed builds, but the most unique thing to do there is the Lego Minifigure experience.

The Lego Minifigure factory allows you to customize your own Lego character. You actually get to draw the torso on a computer, and they’ll print it out within a few minutes. Then you can pick from a large selection of pants, heads, hair, hats, and accessories.

You can sign up for this experience on the website or at the store. You have to wait for a callback. When we went the first time, there was no line for the store but a 45-minute wait for the experience. When we went the next time, there was a huge line for the store but no line for the experience.

I made a wizard character with my Second Dad to the Right logo, and my daughters made various drawings on theirs. Tip: plan out what you’ll draw ahead of time, so you don’t feel rushed with the crowd around you.

Here’s my full explanation of the Minifigure Factory.

Bowling at Disney Springs

Splitsville in Disney Springs serves as an upscale sports bar, restaurant, and bowling alley. Head there to bowl, drink, watch the game, and get a meal. We’re big fans of Splitsville because the food is great, and few people can say they bowled at Disney World. The most surprising thing about Splitsville is that they have really good sushi. Go figure.

AMC Movie Theater at Disney Springs

The Disney Springs AMC theater with the fountain in front of it. — The AMC theater at Disney Springs. My kids love the fountain, too.

Going to a movie theater to watch a movie at Disney World seems like a waste of time. After all, there are movie theaters everywhere playing the same movies, usually with smaller crowds. However, if you’re in town on or near a premier, particularly a Disney movie premier, and you like being in a theater full of passionate fans, this is the place to be. Every time a new movie comes out, all of Disney Springs is filled with moviegoers dressed for the occasion. We’ve tons of groups decked out in costumes for the Little Mermaid, Barbie, Haunted Mansion, and Black Panther over the years. I bet the Taylor Swift concert was insane. Inside the theater, you can expect a rowdy crowd that’s respectful of the art, cheering appropriately and laughing at the jokes.

Tip: if you’re going to see a popular movie at Disney Springs, get your tickets as early as possible. They sell out.

Photo-Ops at Disney Springs

Here’s a free activity—take pictures. Disney Springs is filled with unique and interesting decorations: life size Lego figures, princess and Toy Story statues, and other unique photo opportunities. My daughter loves taking a picture in front of the volcano at Rainforest Café when it erupts or, for some reason, the statue of James Joyce at Ragland Road. My other daughter wants a photo with each new installment at the Lego Store, particularly if it’s Star Wars themed. Above all, we return to the tea cup in Disney Styles trip after trip.

My daughter in a pink jacket, looking up at a Cinderella statue that's in full color in front of the World of Disney Store at Disney Springs. — Hanging out with the Cinderella statue at World of DIsney.

My three kids with a Winnie the Pooh installation. My oldest daughter is trying to drink the honey. The baby is yelling at me. At Disney Springs in marketplace area. — Picture Perfect moment at a Winnie the Pooh installation at Disney Springs.

Best Stores at Disney Springs for Kids

If you’ve got souvenir money to spend on your Disney trip, Disney Springs has a much better overall selection of merchandise than any of the parks. They have a dedicated toy store, several clothing stores, Star Wars stores, the Lego Store, a Marvel store, a Disney-themed candy store, and even a Christmas store to buy ornaments and decorations year-round.

But dwarfing them all is the gargantuan World of Disney store. As big as any mall department store, the World of Disney has clothing items, toys, household products, stuffed animals, and other items from almost every Disney IP you can think of.

We have Disney mugs, ears, shirts, and stuffed animals from this store. We even have a large Mickey cookie cutter that was required for every peanut butter and jelly sandwich we made for years. If you forgot to pick something up at one of the parks, chances are you can find it here.

As a side note: it’s easy to lose your kids in here. However, the cast members are really good about finding middle children wandering around on their own and then returning them to their parents. Don’t ask me how I know.

Best Restaurants for Kids at Disney Springs

Disney Springs has a lot of phenomenal restaurants run by world-renowned chefs. Unfortunately, their culinary prowess is usually lost on my kids who only order chicken fingers and pizza. Luckily, many of the restaurants at Disney Springs also either have great food for kids or great environments for kids (or both). Here’s some places to check out if you’re bringing some picky eaters that get bored at nice restaurants.

Tip for Disney Springs dining: Unlike restaurants at Disney Parks and Resorts, you can get reservations for some Disney Springs restaurants through third party apps like Open Table. Give that a shot if you’re having trouble finding a good reservation with the Disney app, especially if it’s last minute.

Raglan Road

Far and away our favorite family restaurant at Disney Springs is Raglan Road. The food and drinks for adults are amazing. The Braised Be Beef is one of my favorite dishes at Disney World, and I get it every time even though it’s hard to finish. I’ll argue with anyone that their bread pudding is the best on property as well. As far as drinks, Arthur’s Old Fashioned has a slice of bacon in it, so…

For the kids, they have a decent kid’s menu, great chicken fingers, burgers, and fries. But where Raglan Road really shines is the show. They have live Irish musical acts and Irish dancers at dinner time. This show mesmerizes our three little kids each time we go. They never get sick of it. There’s also live music on the patio.

Tip: Get an early reservation then ask for a table where you can see the show when you get to the host stand. If it’s not ready yet, walk around Disney Springs until they text you.

T-Rex

Another kid-favorite is the T-Rex restaurant. With prehistoric animatronics (including a life-size T-Rex), sound effects, regular meteor showers, and the chance to sit inside a triceratops, it’s enough to enthrall any dino enthusiast. While you’re waiting for your food, kids can check out the Paleo Zone where they can dig for fossils, the panning for gold area, or do a dino Build-A-Bear.

There’s plenty of typical food options, a robust kids menu (10+ entrée options), and a prehistoric drink menu. Our kids’ favorite has always been the dino shaped chicken nuggets.

As long as your kids aren’t freaked out by the animatronics or other thematic elements, this is a great spot for little paleontologists.

Rainforest Café

A very similar restaurant to T-Rex (and same ownership), the Rainforest Café is another great choice for kids. Instead of prehistoric animatronics, it’s modern-day exotic animals like leopards, elephants, and tropical birds. Periodic simulated thunderstorms, an enormous, cylindrical aquarium, and tropical flora create an atmosphere that engages your kids’ senses. And the food’s okay, too, but that’s not why you’re there.

A child touches the glass of a large aquarium filled with tropical fish at Rainforest Cafe in Disney Springs, Orlando, Florida — My daughter finding Dory.

Tip: if you want to save a little money on T-Rex or Rainforest, join the Landry’s program and use their gift cards. This also works for Yak and Yeti at Animal Kingdom (also Landry’s).

Blaze

My kids love pizza. They don’t care that the other restaurants are owned by award-winning chefs; they want pizza. If you want a fast and relatively cheap option, head to Blaze. It’s a quick service restaurant where you choose your toppings like a buffet. Basically, it’s a nicer Your Pie (if you have that) or a Subway for pizzas. The brick-fired pizzas are amazing, and if you’re not extremely hungry, they can be split, saving a lot of money. You’ll get in and out quickly as well.

Paddlefish

If you want to experience the finer dining at Disney Springs but have picky kids with you, maybe try out Paddlefish. It’s a seafood restaurant with great options, but it also has a decent kid’s menu with lots of different land and sea options.

The best part of Paddlefish is that it’s on a stationary riverboat with great views of the water. My kids enjoyed the view and colored their menus long enough for us to enjoy our fancy entrees.

Coca-Cola Store at Disney Springs

First and second daughters to the right with me on the Coke balcony.

I’m from Atlanta, so the idea of recommending a Coca-Cola experience to anyone is laughable given the size of our World of Coke. But the Coca-Cola store in Disney Springs offers some unique opportunities—possible photo ops with the Coca-Cola bear, interesting souvenirs, and a bar on the roof to get Coke products with or without alcohol. The rooftop bar also offers some amazing views of Disney Springs, so it’s worth checking out for the experience.

An enormous, costumed coca-cola bear. It's a polar bear with a red coke scarf. My daughter is smiling with glee while I hold her hand. At the Coca-Cola Store, Disney Springs. — Teaching kids that this apex predator is safe to take a picture with.

Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs

Few places at Disney Springs draw bigger crowds than Gideon’s Bakehouse. Every time I’ve been, the line has been wrapped around the building. However, it’s the preeminent place for giant cookies, cakes, and interesting, sweet beverages. It also has a whimsical, slightly creepy, 19th-century vibe (think Harry Potter) that adds to the experience.

Either get there early, go when it’s not busy, or leave somebody who doesn’t mind waiting in line. I don’t recommend waiting in line with kids. There is also a far less busy location in downtown Orlando if you find yourself over that way.

Live Music at Disney Springs

For an entirely free activity to enjoy with your kids, there are several areas in Disney Springs where musicians play a variety of genres. The largest stage is just in front of the World of Disney, overlooking the lake. Have a seat in the rows or dance in the aisles.

Me pushing a stroller with a girl on the front, sitting in front of a baby not seen, with another daughter on my back. In front of the waterside stage at disney springs. — An exceptional father pushing his kids in front of the Waterside Stage at Disney Springs. There’s a baby in the stroller, too. For more info on how to be this awesome of a dad at Disney, click here.

Cirque Du Soleil at Disney Springs

One of the most unique attractions at Disney Springs is the giant Cirque du Soleil tent. Here you can see unbelievable stunts, slapstick humor, mindboggling dancing and contortionists, and great music. It’s a bit pricey compared to the rest of the items on the list, but it’s an experience your kids aren’t likely to forget—though they may try to imitate the acrobatics at home. Check here for availability and the current show. (Affiliate link)

Marketplace Train Express

For really little kids, check out the adorable miniature train. This may feel like such a small attraction considering you’re at Disney World, but it’s a relatively inexpensive experience. My toddler son loved it, and even my eight-year-old daughter begged to go on it multiple times. Walt Disney himself loved trains and even built a miniature train track around his house, so ride it in his honor.

Marketplace Carousel

The same company that runs the train also has a carousel in Disney Springs. It’s obviously not the same as the iconic Prince Charming Carousel in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom, but if you didn’t get a chance to ride that one, check this one out. This was my 20-month-old’s first carousel, and he loved it!

Silhouette Portrait at Disney Springs

One unique keepsake that parents love is the silhouette portrait. Have your child sit still for a little bit, or if that’s impossible, use a photo. This was the most important souvenir my wife got on our very first family trip to Disney. Check out these cute faces.

Silhouette pictures of two little girls from silhouette cart at Disney Springs

The silhouette cart is located in front of the Arribas Brothers jewelry store. Head there to get one.

Conclusion and Further Reading

If you’re heading to Disney World with kids, don’t forget to check out Disney Springs with your downtime. This list should serve you well in providing a bunch of activities to make your little ones smile.

For more ideas for having fun outside the parks, check out my date night at Disney post and my things to do outside the Disney parks ideas.

To be better prepared for taking your kids to Disney World, check out my daughter’s favorite rides at Magic Kingdom, her favorite rides for kids at Epcot, the best rides for kids at Hollywood Studios, and her favorite rides at Animal Kingdom.

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