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Walt Disney World/Animal Kingdom

At Disney's Animal Kingdom, you can take flight aboard a Pandoran banshee, dig for dinosaur bones, challenge the mysterious Himalayan yeti, and view hundreds of live animals in authentic settings.

This sprawling park in the southwestern corner of Walt Disney World is equal parts theme park and zoological park, with both aspects receiving a unique Disney touch. Nearby is the second-most-popular water park in the world, Disney's Blizzard Beach.

Understand

 * "Welcome to a kingdom of animals, real, ancient and imagined: a kingdom ruled by lions, dinosaurs and dragons; a kingdom of balance, harmony and survival; a kingdom we enter to share in the wonder, gaze at the beauty, thrill at the drama, and learn." — Michael D. Eisner, April 22, 1998

Walt Disney World's fourth and newest theme park opened in April 1998, joining the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney-MGM Studios. When it opened, park advertising used the faux-African word "nahtazu" ("not a zoo") as a slogan to emphasize that it was not just a collection of animals in small iron cages. The animals here spend their days in expansive habitats that are as close to their natural environments as possible, with subtle and camouflaged barriers keeping them away from guests (and each other). At night, they sleep comfortably indoors in the park's extensive housing area backstage.

Although the animals are nominally the main attraction, the park has slowly expanded its ride offerings, allowing the park to stay open later after the animals are put to bed. The marquee attraction from that perspective is the wild roller coaster, Expedition Everest. Towering 200 feet over the surrounding terrain, this mini-mountain is visible from some distance away and even threatens to overtake the Tree of Life as the park's most visible icon. The Tree, perhaps by contrast, is most impressive up close, where its size and detail can truly be appreciated.

The other major rides and attractions include It's Tough to be a Bug, a 3-D movie based on the Pixar film A Bug's Life; Kilimanjaro Safaris, a jeep ride through the recreated African savanna; Kali River Rapids, a soaking raft ride; and Dinosaur, a time travel ride into the late Cretaceous. Two musical stage shows are also very popular: Finding Nemo: The Musical and Festival of the Lion King

The newest addition to the park is Pandora – The World of Avatar, based on James Cameron's blockbuster space fantasy film. The land features two major rides that take visitors aboard a flying banshee and on a gentle river cruise through the bio-luminescent forests of Pandora.

Not far from Animal Kingdom is Blizzard Beach, a large water park themed as a melting ski resort.

Get in
Animal Kingdom used to close at 5PM, so the animals could get some sleep. But with the addition of more rides and special nighttime shows and attractions, the park can be open as late as 11PM. Many of the animals will be off-exhibit after dark, but others will be out and visible, and the Na'vi River Journey is an entirely different experience in the dark. The park also participates in the Extra Magic Hours program (morning only).

By car
Animal Kingdom is in the southwestern part of the Walt Disney World property. Head west on Osceola Parkway from World Drive. Parking is $25 per car, although Disney resort guests can park for free—just show your Key to the World card at the toll gate.

Blizzard Beach is on Buena Vista Drive between World Drive and Osceola Parkway. Parking is free.

By Disney transportation
Due to the security measures in place for the protection of the animals, you cannot walk to Animal Kingdom, not even from the Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you're not driving, you'll be taking a bus no matter where you're coming from.

From Disney Springs
There is no direct transportation from Disney Springs. Take the bus to any resort hotel (or walk to the nearby Saratoga Springs resort) and transfer to the Animal Kingdom & Blizzard Beach bus.

From all other parks and resorts
Just take the direct bus marked "Animal Kingdom & Blizzard Beach". From the Magic Kingdom, you'll need to get to the Transportation and Ticket Center first.

Get around

Animal Kingdom is a very large park, and most of the attractions are outdoors. You will be walking, and walking a lot, so prepare accordingly.

After going through the entrance gates, you'll be in the Oasis area. While there are no rides or shows here, there are two well-shaded paths that pass by a number of animal enclosures. The main purpose of the Oasis is to lead you into the park toward Discovery Island, which is the hub from which you'll explore the rest of Animal Kingdom. You can't miss Discovery Island, thanks to the humongous Tree of Life in the center. It's here you'll find most of the shops and a couple restaurants, along with the 3-D movie It's Tough to Be a Bug.

Animal Kingdom has four themed "lands" that surround Discovery Island. The first, clockwise from the Oasis, is Pandora – The World of Avatar, with its floating mountains and bio-luminescent forests. Next is Africa, where the Kilimanjaro Safaris take you into the park's savanna. Asia has the Kali River Rapids and, at its far end, Expedition Everest. Finally, DinoLand U.S.A. is where you'll find Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama and the Dino Institute.

Rafiki's Planet Watch, a "backstage" area with information on the park's research projects and animal maintenance, is accessed via a short train trip from Africa.

Although Discovery Island is the hub, there is an outer pathway that connects the four outer lands without needing to return to the center.

See and do
Animal Kingdom has a broad mix of attractions, from simply looking at the many animals on display, to tuneful stage shows, to high-energy thrill rides. There's a little something for everyone here, but families with divergent tastes may want to split up, so Grandma and Grandpa can take a stroll through the animal enclosures while the kids go on Expedition Everest for the third time.

If you want to get good views of the animals, remember that it can get very hot during the day, and it's not just tourists who seek shade when the sun beats down. The animals will be more active and more visible first thing in the morning and at the end of the day, and that means closer looks and better pictures for you.

As you walk around, you may spot an animal handler exhibiting one or two small animals up close to a small crowd of guests—these encounters occur randomly throughout the day at a variety of locations, so keep your eyes peeled. There are also several character greeting locations; these will be marked on your guide map and schedules will be listed in your Times Guide.

FastPass, the system that allowed you to go to an attraction and get a ticket to come back later and skip the standby queue, is no longer available. All Animal Kingdom guests will be using FastPass+, where you choose your own return time for each of three attractions. FastPass+ queues are available for virtually every ride in the park, along with some shows and character greetings.

FastPass+ kiosks are found at Island Mercantile and Disney Outfitters on Discovery Island, at Harambe Market in Africa, and near Kali River Rapids in Asia. Cast members will be nearby if you need help. If you're staying at a Disney resort, you can also use a smartphone with the My Disney Experience app to schedule your FastPass+ reservations.

For parade and stage show performance times, which change daily, please see the Guide Map and the Times Guide you'll receive when you enter the park. You can also check the Wait Times Board on Discovery Island, which lists current wait times for rides and show times for shows.

The denotes rides with safety restrictions. See Stay safe in the main Walt Disney World article for more information.

Oasis
The Oasis is just the entrance area of the park, taking you from the gates to the central hub of Discovery Island. It's a wooded setting, with several animal enclosures; look for the giant anteater, capybaras, macaws, and many others. Make sure you take both the left and the right paths; each has different animals.

Discovery Island
Discovery Island is the central hub of Animal Kingdom. The Tree of Life is located here, as are the majority of the park's shops and a couple of very good restaurants. "Discovery" isn't just a name, either; if you wander off the main drag you'll find yourself in the Discovery Island Trails that wind around the base of the Tree. There you'll find a number of birds and other small animals on display. You'll also be able to take a look at some of the Tree of Life's animal carvings up-close, although the queue area for It's Tough to be a Bug provides the best vantage points.

Pandora – The World of Avatar
Animal Kingdom's newest land (opened May 2017) transports guests to the fictional planet at the center of James Cameron's epic 2009 film (and its upcoming sequels).

Africa

Welcome to Harambe, or as they say in this fictional east African town, "Jambo!" The detail here is incredible, from the consistent overarching storyline (of a town on the outskirts of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve) all the way down to a faded Coca-Cola advertisement painted on a wall. Take some time, if it's not too crowded, and see if you can't convince yourself you're in Africa.

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Rafiki's Planet Watch

is accessible only via the Wildlife Express train from Africa. This is an interactive learning center documenting wildlife conservation efforts around the world. Best of all, it includes a petting zoo!

Asia

Much like Africa, the Asian section is meant to represent a fictional community somewhere on that continent; in this case, it's Anandapur, a South Asian village on the edge of a jungle and not far from the Himalayas. Again, the attention to detail is incredible and worth some exploration if you have the time.

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DinoLand U.S.A.
Dinosaurs play a dual role in popular culture, representing both ancient mystery and thrilling fantasy. Both aspects are represented in DinoLand U.S.A.. As the story goes, when the Dino Institute, a dinosaur research facility, opened up along a dilapidated stretch of highway, the local service station owners, Chester and Hester, had a brilliant idea. They collected material from the junkyard nearby and created a roadside attraction called Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama! The Institute represents the educational, realistic side of dinosaur enthusiasm, while the carnival atmosphere of Dino-Rama represents the sense of fun and excitement dinos can generate.

 * [[Image:Stop hand nuvola.svg|15px|Ride has safety restrictions]]
 * [[Image:Stop hand nuvola.svg|15px|Ride has safety restrictions]]
 * [[Image:Stop hand nuvola.svg|15px|Ride has safety restrictions]]
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Parkwide

Blizzard Beach

What's a ski resort doing in central Florida? The Disney Imagineers who created claim that they built it after an unusual freak winter storm blanketed the area, only to have it experience a massive meltdown shortly thereafter. When a stray alligator splashed down the former ski jump on his belly, they realized the area would make a swell water park!

Blizzard Beach is the second-most-visited water park in the U.S. (behind only its sister park Typhoon Lagoon), and the incredibly inventive theme is a big reason why. It's almost eerie to see guests walking around in swimsuits while there's snow everywhere. Enjoy the cognitive dissonance by going on some great water slides, including the tallest and fastest body slide on the continent.

Blizzard Beach is not far from Animal Kingdom, and in fact buses to the water park only depart from Animal Kingdom's bus depot. The park is usually open from 10AM–5PM (closing for a couple of months each winter and, ironically, whenever the temperature dips close to freezing), and admission is $52 for adults or $44 for kids ages 3-10. Admission to the water park counts as one of your "Fun Visits" if you've added the Water Park Fun & More option to your Magic Your Way tickets—and just one admission almost pays for the cost of the option.

Buy

Animal Kingdom is decidedly not a shopper's paradise. Oh sure, there are stores around, mostly on Discovery Island, and they do sell a variety of animal-related merchandise. But that's pretty much it; you won't generally find foreign specialties like you do in Epcot's World Showcase, or extensive licensed merchandise as found in Hollywood Studios.

But there are a couple of exceptions!

At the resorts, Zawadi Marketplace at the Animal Kingdom Lodge does have unique African merchandise not available elsewhere, not even at World Showcase. It's definitely worth a look if you're interested in handcrafted goods from exotic locales.

The Beach Haus, the largest of three stores at Blizzard Beach, is primarily a place to find swimwear, sundries, or other items you may have forgotten to bring for your visit.

Eat
Food at Animal Kingdom has improved in the last few years, with two table-service restaurants opening up inside the park. Added to a small selection of fairly good counter-service restaurants, you now have a decent variety of options for dining. If you have food allergies or sensitivities, be sure to drop by the Animal Kingdom Gardens kiosk on Discovery Island; cast members there are available 9AM-3PM to discuss dining options within the park, and you can purchase gluten-free, dairy-free, and other allergen-free packaged foods.

Keep in mind that, under AZA animal safety policy, Animal Kingdom's restaurants do not provide lids for drinks. However, paper straws are now available. The local duck and ibis populations like to stroll around looking for handouts, especially around Flame Tree Barbecue's outdoor seating areas. It's best if you resist the urge to oblige; human food just isn't healthy for them.

See Eat in the main Walt Disney World article for information on the Disney restaurant pricing system, character dining, dietary restrictions, and advance dining reservations. The telephone numbers below are for extraordinary circumstances only; for reservations and most health or diet issues, call the main Disney Dining number at +1 407 WDW-DINE (939-3463).

Opening and closing times may vary with the park hours; check your Times Guide for official restaurant hours. Breakfast is usually served until 10:30AM, and dinner usually starts between 3:30PM and 4:30PM.

Table service

All-Star Resorts
Each of the three All-Star Resorts has its own food court, virtually indistinguishable from one another except for the bold, colorful decor (which is heavily themed to each resort). You'll find End Zone Food Court at All-Star Sports, Intermission Food Court at All-Star Music, and World Premiere Food Court at All-Star Movies. Each one is open from 6AM until midnight (although only the pizza stations are open past 11PM or so) and offers the standard burgers, salads, chicken, and pizza options for $7-10.

Drink
There's not much in the way of nightlife around Animal Kingdom. You could venture over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, or head to Disney's BoardWalk or to Disney Springs.

The four sit-down restaurants do serve a limited selection of alcoholic beverages, and Tiffins has an adjacent bar area called Nomad Lounge. There are two other locales of note inside the park, although not for alcohol:

The All-Star Resorts, being value resorts, are similarly devoid of nightlife, but Coronado Springs and the Animal Kingdom Lodge have lounges:

Coronado Springs and the Animal Kingdom Villas also have pool bars: Siesta's at Coronado Springs, Uzima Springs at the Jambo House villas, and Maji Pool Bar at the Kidani Village villas.

Sleep
You'll find a full range of lodging options in this area of Walt Disney World. Unfortunately, none of them are connected to Animal Kingdom by anything but buses. Even at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you'll need to hop a bus to get to the park. Don't let that hold you back, though; the All-Star Resorts and the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Villas are among the most popular hotels on the property.

Budget
On par with the Pop Century Resort near Hollywood Studios, the three All-Star Resorts are the cheapest hotels at Walt Disney World. That doesn't mean they're in any way bad; they just lack many of the amenities that have become standard at other Disney hotels. They're also among the most popular, as parents discover that they can pay reasonable rates for a Disney hotel and know that their kids won't even notice the lack of a sit-down restaurant or concierge service. If all you need is breakfast, a pool, and transportation to the parks, these hotels will do just fine.

Each resort has exterior-entrance rooms grouped into one of five sub-themes. The decor varies among the three resorts, according to their themes, but in all cases it involves larger-than-life icons and bold, colorful shapes. The gigantic decor is great fun for kids but may be sensory overload for adults. Aside from the whimsically-shaped pools, there's not much to do besides catch a bus to the parks, but that's why you're here, right?

Unlike most Disney hotels, check-in time at the All-Star resorts is 4PM (rather than 3PM).

Splurge

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title: Walt Disney World/Animal Kingdom


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Walt Disney World/Disney Springs

''This article is about the Disney Springs complex at Walt Disney World. For the Downtown Disney district at Disneyland, see Disneyland.''

At Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney), you can design your own T-shirt or marvel at the biggest Disney store in the world; enjoy the fine cuisine of the world's top chefs or eat among the dinosaurs; see a the new hit movie as you dine at your seat or take a ride in a classic "Amphicar"; and in general just get away from the Disney parks for a while.

An outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex in the southeast corner of Walt Disney World, Disney Springs has been re-imagined and expanded to four districtsː Marketplace, The Landing, Town Center, and West Side. Although it's geared primarily to adults looking for something to do away from the parks, kids will find several things to occupy their attention as well.

Nearby is the most popular water park in the country, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, and several resort hotels and golf courses.

Understand
Visitors to Disney Springs will find that it has a split personality. During the day, it's a shopping district like no other on Disney property, with everything from mega-stores to smaller specialty boutiques. This is the place to go if you're on day six of your vacation and still haven't figured out what souvenirs you want, or if you decide you just need some good old-fashioned retail therapy. Most of the large stores are in the Disney Springs Marketplace area, with the specialty shops concentrated in the Disney Springs West Side.

At night, though, the lights come on and the place really gets hopping, with live music, stage shows, and sophisticated restaurant and lounges opening their doors to a primarily adult clientele. If you get tired of the relentlessly artificial environments of the theme parks, you can drop by Disney Springs at night for fun of an entirely different sort. The strongest concentration of activity at night is on the West Side, but The Landing gets its share as well thanks to its upscale restaurants and lounges.

Disney Springs also serves as a major transportation hub (especially late at night when the parks are closed), as it's the most reliable way to transfer buses in order to travel between two resorts via Disney transportation.

History
In 1975, just a few years after Walt Disney World opened, Disney created a small shopping district far to the southeast of the Magic Kingdom, which was at the time the only developed area of the property. As the Walt Disney World Village, and later the Disney Village Marketplace, it remained a remote and rarely visited destination for many years. The only real attraction aside from shopping was the Empress Lilly (Paddlefish in 2017), a non-functional replica paddlewheel boat named after Walt's widow that featured three separate dining rooms.

In the late 1980s, however, as Walt Disney World prepared to open its third theme park, executives realized that adult guests would want to have a place to go after the parks closed, where they could have a drink or go out dancing. And why, they reasoned, should Disney force such guests to go off-property to the city of Orlando to find nightlife, when they could keep them (and their money) on-property? The result was Pleasure Island, a themed collection of nightclubs (with a few restaurants and shops scattered among them) built right next door to the Marketplace. It proved successful, keeping Disney visitors on Disney property, and even attracting locals interested in unique nightclubs like the Adventurers Club and restaurants like Planet Hollywood.

The concept was expanded even further in 1997 with the renaming of the entire area to Downtown Disney, and the opening of the Downtown Disney West Side. The West Side, on the far side of Pleasure Island from the Marketplace, was anchored by the giant circus arena created for a Cirque du Soleil show, and the five-story indoor video play area DisneyQuest (1998). It also included several high-concept restaurants such as Bongos Cuban Cafe and House of Blues.

In 2008, Disney closed down the six remaining Pleasure Island nightclubs, leaving it relatively barren, although the restaurants and shops remained open. Disney had announced plans to convert Pleasure Island into a new district called Hyperion Wharf, but that plan was quickly shelved in favor of a new idea.

In March 2013, Disney released a 3-yr plan to re-imagine and expand the entire Downtown Disney area as Disney Springs, representing a fictional town that developed around a natural spring in central Florida. In this plan, West Side and Marketplace remain, with West Side re-imagined as an Exposition circa 1950s and Marketplace as American Craftsman circa 1930s, while Pleasure Island was transformed in 2015 to The Landing, a transportation hub and marina with re-purposed industrial buildings circa 1900s. A new Town Center was created in 2016, on former surface parking lots just to the south of The Landing, to be the central business district with Spanish revival architecture circa 1920s, complete with a bubbling spring running its length. The Town Center serves as the main entrance of the entire four-district Disney Springs complex. To make up for the loss of parking, Disney added two parking structures, Orange and Lime garages, adjacent to West Side and Town Center respectively.

With the area's transformation, Disney Springs remains an active and vibrant complex, with greatly expanded variety of non-theme-park entertainment, dining, and shopping for Walt Disney World guests and off-property visitors alike.

Get in
There is no admission fee for Disney Springs in general, although individual attractions may carry a fee. The main entrance is the Town Center opened in 2016 in the middle of the complex. Wheelchair, ECV and stroller rentals are available at the nearby Sundries location next to the Town Center bus loop.

Typhoon Lagoon admission is $49 for adults and $41 for children, unless you have added the Water Park Fun and More option to your Magic Your Way package.

By car
Disney Springs and Typhoon Lagoon are on Buena Vista Drive; drive east from Epcot Center Drive or west from Hotel Plaza Boulevard. Parking is free at both locations. During peak periods, valet parking may be available for $25.

Two parking structures flank the Town Center main entrance to Disney Springsː the Lime Garage on the right adjacent to Town Center and closer to the Marketplace, and the Orange Garage on the left adjacent to the West Side. There are surface lots on the far end of the West Side.

By Disney transportation
Buses and ferries travel to Disney Springs.

From any resort, you can take the Disney Springs bus from your resort's bus stop. The buses will drop you off in front of the Town Center. These buses sometimes also stop at Typhoon Lagoon after Disney Springs.

Ferries travel the Sassagoula River from Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Old Key West, and Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs. The three ferry docks are at the far end of the West Side, at the Landing, and on the bridge between the Marketplace and Saratoga Springs.

Saratoga Springs and Downtown Disney Hotel Plaza guests can also walk to Disney Springs.

If you're going to Typhoon Lagoon, take the Disney Springs bus. Before 1PM or so, you can stay on board and the bus will continue on to Typhoon Lagoon. After that time, you may have to switch buses; ask your bus driver for confirmation. You can, of course, arrive at Disney Springs by foot or by boat before transferring to a bus to Typhoon Lagoon.

From the theme parks
Because parking at Disney Springs is free, Disney doesn't provide regular direct transportation from Disney Springs to the theme parks or vice versa. Instead, if you want to make the trip, you'll need to transfer at a resort hotel. (The same is true for Typhoon Lagoon.) Your best option might be to take a bus to Saratoga Springs and then make the relatively short walk to Disney Springs.

Disney offers direct buses from the four theme parks to Disney Springs daily after 4PM until 11PM or 2 hours after theme parks close, whichever is earlier. There is no corresponding return bus from Disney Springs to the theme parks.

Get around

Disney Springs is long and skinny, running roughly northeast-to-west. The northeastern-most end is the Disney Springs Marketplace. The Marketplace curves down and around to the southwest, where it meets up with The Landing (on the water front) and Town Center (to the south near the bus stops). To the west is, of course, the Disney Springs West Side, with the Cirque du Soleil arena at the far end near the ferry terminal.

The entire long complex is sandwiched between parking lots/structures on the south side and Village Lake on the north. From Village Lake, boats can travel the Sassagoula River, which provides access to the Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, and Port Orleans resorts. The Downtown Disney Hotel Plaza, a set of inexpensive non-Disney resorts on Disney property, lies just to the northeast of the Marketplace.

If you're tired of walking and need to get from one end of Disney Springs to the other, a free shuttle boat runs among the three docks (West Side, The Landing, Marketplace) every 15 minutes or so—make sure you get on the Green Flag boat.

See and do

You may have come for the shopping or for the food, but you shouldn't overlook the other attractions of Disney Springs. You can go to the movies, bowl a few frames, or even take a trip on the tallest attraction at Walt Disney World. You'll also find live entertainment—music and comedy—at various venues throughout the complex, especially at night. (For example, look for Nova Era, a chamber trio playing classical music with a modern twist, Wednesdays and Thursdays across from the Lime Garage entrance.)

Typhoon Lagoon

According to Disney Imagineering legend, years ago, a fishing trawler named Miss Tilly found itself caught in a powerful hurricane. When the torrent subsided, the boat found itself perched precariously atop Mt. Mayday, with water still gushing down through channels and valleys to a lake below. What else was there to do but for the survivors to create Typhoon Lagoon?

Typhoon Lagoon is the second-most-visited water park in the world (Chime-Long WaterPark in Guangzhou, China, just barely passed it in 2013), and is a great place to beat the Summer heat from June through September. While its theme is not as whimsically inventive as that of its sister park, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon excels at providing guests a consistent and energetic setting for some of the best water rides in the world. But do keep an eye out for the unique touches the Imagineers have brought to the decor, including scattered remnants of ships' cargoes and even palm trees supposedly bent low by the hurricane!

Typhoon Lagoon is not far from Disney Springs, and the two often share bus routes. The park is usually open from 10AM–5PM, and admission is $52 for adults or $44 for kids ages 3-10. Admission to the water park counts as one of your "Fun Visits" if you've added either the Water Park Fun & More or the Park Hopper Plus options to your tickets—and note that just one admission almost pays for the cost of the option.

The direct telephone number for Typhoon Lagoon is +1 407 560-4141. Typhoon Lagoon closes for annual refurbishment every fall or winter, almost always including the month of December (during which Blizzard Beach remains open to provide a bit of Christmas-in-Florida atmosphere).

Golf
There is one 18-hole championship golf course in the Disney Springs area. See "Golf" in the overview for rules and regulations. Monday through Friday, 18 holes will cost $89 if you're staying at a Disney hotel, and $104 otherwise. On weekends, add $10. During the summer, 10AM-3PM tee times are discounted; ask for the "Summer Price Slice" when you call. Late afternoon tee times are $59 on weekdays and $69 on weekends for everyone. Call +1 407 WDW-GOLF (939-4653) to reserve a tee time.

Waterfront recreation
The Riverside section of Disney's Port Orleans Resort has an old-fashioned Fishin' Hole, with cane rods and plenty of bluegill, bass, and catfish to catch (though you may have some competition, in the form of a river otter). Hours normally 7AM-1:45PM daily.

Buy
Disney Springs is a retail mecca, a mall done Disney-style. The highest concentration of Disney-themed merchandise shops is in the Marketplace, the eastern part of Disney Springs. The new Town Center holds most of the chain stores one might find in any American mall, but also is home to more unique retailers not easily found elsewhere. Many of the stores here also sell exclusive Disney-inspired designs. The rest of Disney Springs has fewer shops, but the West Side does house some specialty retailers, with a lot less mouse ears.

For shops without direct phone numbers, you can call Guest Relations at +1 407 828-3150. Press '3' and tell the operator which store you wish to contact.

All stores at Disney Springs open at 10AM and close at 11PM (11:30PM Friday and Saturday).

Marketplace
The Marketplace is anchored by the 51,000-square-foot (4,700-m2) World of Disney:

If that doesn't suit your fancy, try out these other shops:

Gift shops inside the Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex restaurants also sell a variety of specialized themed merchandise. Inside of T-Rex specifically, the gift shop includes a Build-A-Bear Workshop outpost with a twist; Build-A-Dino allows you to create your very own dinosaur stuffed animal.

Throughout the Marketplace area, various kiosks sell goods ranging from pearl jewelry and custom rings to gifts for your dog and items made just for those that are left-handed.

Town Center
This is the newest and most "mall" section of Disney Springs, but nevertheless, many of the chains here have a very limited selection of brick-and-mortar stores, with their Disney Springs location being one of their only outlets.

Other, more standard "mall" stores here include Anthropologie, Coach, Columbia Sportswear, Everything But Water, francesca's, kate spade new york, Lucky Brand, MAC Cosmetics, Oakley, Pandora Jewelry, Sephora, Sperry, Tommy Bahama, UGG, and Vera Bradley.

There are also some unique specialty stores spread around the Town Center, with eyeglasses at Edward Beiner Purveyor of Fine Eyewear; handbags and backpacks at Kipling; jewelry at Alex and Ani, Luxury of Time by Diamonds International, and Na Hoku - Hawaii's Finest Jewelers; shoes at Johnston & Murphy, and Melissa Shoes; and art and home goods at Sugarboo & Co.

'''[https://planet-hollywood.myshopify.com/collections/the-store-at-planet-hollywood-observatory? The Store at Planet Hollywood]''' also sells a variety of themed apparel and souvenirs.

The Landing
Dominated by restaurants and bars, there are some smaller shops tucked in among the large eateries on this island.

Kiosks in the "Riverboat Square" plaza near the bridge to the Marketplace sell goods ranging from hammocks, to bath and body products, to movie-replica jewelry.

Both the Boathouse Boatique and Raglan Road's Shop for Ireland stock unique goods based on their respective restaurant's theme.

West Side
The West Side's stores are all larger, specialty shops focused on a specific type of merchandise or brand.

Bongos Cuban Café Souvenir and Gift Shop, Splitsville's Memory Lanes, and the House of Blues Company Store all offer unique themed gifts specific to each restaurant and venue.

Eat
Disney Springs is Disney World's largest dining destination, and while it is geared primarily towards adults, all of the restaurants are family-friendly (at least before nightfall). You won't find many "generic" restaurants here; each one has a distinct hook or drawing card that brings in the crowds. If you run out of time to try them all, well, now you have something to look forward to on your next visit, right?

See Eat in the main Walt Disney World article for information on the Disney restaurant pricing system, character dining, dietary restrictions, and advance dining reservations. The telephone numbers below are for extraordinary circumstances only; for reservations and most health or diet issues, call the main Disney Dining number at +1 407 WDW-DINE (939-3463).

Although most of these restaurants are run by outside companies, they all now accept the Disney Dining Plan. The Boathouse, Morimoto Asia, Paddlefish, and STK Orlando are Signature Restaurants and require two table-service credits; the other table-service restaurants require only one.

Marketplace
The Disney Springs Marketplace is where you'll find the kid-friendliest food options; the restaurants close earlier so they don't have as many late-night entertainment options. Marketplace restaurants are open from 9AM to 11PM daily.

The Landing
Pleasure Island's nightclubs are a thing of the past, but The Landing is home to some new and very good restaurants. They're for the most part not heavily themed, but they're well worth checking out if you're in the mood for high-quality food without loud music—or loud dinosaurs—interrupting your meal.

West Side
The West Side is the home of the celebrity restaurant. Movie stars, comedians, singers, and even a celebrity chef have all created venues here that reflect their own personalities and proclivities. West Side restaurants are open from 11AM to midnight daily.

Food trucks
Disney's dipping their toe into the food truck phenomenon. They've constructed a Food Truck Park on the West Side near Bongos Cuban Cafe. There are four Disney food trucks, each one representing one of the four theme parks, but since they're mobile they may or may not be present on any given day. Non-Disney trucks may also be found on occasion, especially if one of the Disney trucks is elsewhere. The trucks serve food daily, opening between 1PM and 5PM (depending on crowd levels) and closing at 11PM. For the four Disney food trucks, entrees cost $8–15, or you can use a quick-service credit from the Dining Plan.

Snacks and sweets
There are several food locations at Disney Springs that don't really qualify as restaurants, but a couple are of particular note:

Resort dining
All restaurants at Disney resorts accept the Dining Plan.

Disney's Port Orleans Resort
Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter used to be two separate resorts, so they each have their own food courts for quick counter-service dining. They share a table-service location, though:

Disney's Old Key West Resort
Goods To Go is your standard basic counter-service location with burgers and chicken nuggets and not a whole lot else. For more substantial fare:

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort
Artist's Palette serves hot sandwiches, salads, and flatbreads from a counter. For table-service:

Drink

Several years ago, this section would have been chock full of unique late-night venues, with comedy, music both modern and classic, and even (briefly) rollerskating. Now, the nightclubs are gone (though you can find a couple over at Disney's BoardWalk: Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Hall), but you still have some options if you're looking for nightlife.

Keep in mind that many of Disney Springs' restaurants have full bars, letting you belly up for a drink without waiting for a table. Chief among them is Raglan Road, The Landing's Irish pub. Between pints of Guinness, you may catch some live music on selected nights.

On the other hand, if you're really in the mood to rock the night away, head over to the House of Blues on the West Side. They've got live music every night, though you'll have to pay extra to catch the best shows in their main hall. And if all you want to do is get your groove on, your best bet is Bongos Cuban Cafe; the music is deejayed but the dance floor is ready and waiting.

Of course, don't forget Splitsville's bowling lanes and the AMC Disney Springs 24 movie theater, both of which keep guests entertained well into the night.

Resorts
The resorts all have pool bars available with a small selection of refreshments. In addition:

Sleep

There is a full range of hotel options near Disney Springs, unless you're looking for a Disney Value Resort like Pop Century. The low-end options in this area are non-Disney hotels with none of the theming or amenities provided to Disney resort guests. The Moderate and Deluxe resorts, however, are Disney through-and-through, and possibly the most scenic and most tranquil resorts on the entire property.

The price you pay for tranquility, however, is remoteness; with the exception of Disney Springs itself, the parks are all a fair distance away by bus or car, with no monorail or boat transportation available. If this doesn't trouble you, however, it's hard to go wrong with any of these resorts.

Budget
The Disney Springs Hotel Plaza, adjacent to the Marketplace, is made up of seven chain hotels. These are fairly generic hotels that lack most, if not all, of the theming and amenities of their Disney-owned counterparts. They are, however, ideal for guests who are on a tight budget or who prefer a more traditional hotel experience. The Best Western, Buena Vista Palace, Doubletree, Hilton, and Wyndham have car rental kiosks in their lobbies.

Mid-range
A pair of "Moderate" resorts lie at the northern end of the Sassagoula River (with boat access to Disney Springs). Between the two of them, they cover all of the iconic aspects of Southern living, from the Mississippi bayou, to massive plantation mansions, to the lively French Quarter of New Orleans. Rooms at these resorts are smallish but adequate, with basic amenities and exterior entrances.

Splurge
The Deluxe resorts near Disney Springs are both dedicated Disney Vacation Club resorts, which means there are no basic hotel rooms. The smallest villas are studios, which have a kitchenette but no separate living room. It also means that DVC members get first crack at the entirety of both resorts, but they're both so large, especially Saratoga Springs, that you shouldn't have any problem getting a room.

At both resorts, you'll find a full array of amenities and recreation, including boating, tennis, basketball, playgrounds, and of course swimming pools. There are also special activities that vary each day; you'll get a full schedule at check-in. Both resorts also have general stores for stocking their villas' kitchens; prices are high and selection is poor, but they're awfully convenient.

title: Walt Disney World/Disney Springs


text:
Walt Disney World/Epcot

 Epcot is an expansive theme park where you can visit Mexico, France, and China, all in the same afternoon; survive crash tests in an experimental car; soar around the world with the wind in your hair; and learn all about human achievement and international cooperation.

Comprising World Showcase and Future World, Epcot is in the heart of the Walt Disney World Resort, close to several luxurious hotels, and to the dining and entertainment district called Disney's BoardWalk.

Understand

 * "To all who come to this place of Joy, Hope and Friendship—Welcome. EPCOT is inspired by Walt Disney's creative vision. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, wonders of enterprise and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all. May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire and above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man's ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere." — E. Cardon Walker, October 24, 1982

Walt Disney World's second theme park opened October 1, 1982, as EPCOT Center, joining the Magic Kingdom. Often likened to a "permanent world's fair", Epcot is divided into two distinct areas, Future World and World Showcase.

World Showcase features eleven different countries, focusing on authentic food and merchandise, each one hosted by citizens of that country. Don't miss the impossibly cheesy but fun Mexico ride, or the inspirational American Adventure stage show.

Future World comprises a variety of attractions, each one highlighting one aspect of human progress. The "future" in this case is not the fantasy of the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, but the promise of a future in which communication, imagination, and conservation have become mankind's foremost values. Test Track and Mission: SPACE are the most thrilling of the attractions, though Soarin' Around the World, a simulated hang-gliding adventure, provides thrilling visuals without the high-speed movement.

Epcot is sometimes derided as an "educational park", and though it is perhaps the most cerebral of the four theme parks, it's all presented in the usual entertaining Disney style. It's true that Epcot may appeal more to adults and older children, but young ones aren't exactly left out; they'll enjoy the character greetings and the Kidcot Fun Stops as well as the more colorful and character-filled rides like The Seas with Nemo & Friends.

Just outside Epcot's International Gateway is Disney's BoardWalk, a nightlife and shopping area themed as a mid-Atlantic beach community.

History
The name EPCOT was coined as an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow, Walt Disney's last and most ambitious project. His grand vision for EPCOT was as the real centerpiece of Disney World—a living, working city of the future, with 20,000 residents using the most modern innovations in urban planning, transportation, and technology. The rest of Disney World, even the Magic Kingdom, would exist only to draw people in to see EPCOT and the promise it held for the future.

Walt died in 1966, and though the renamed Walt Disney World and its Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, EPCOT was off the table. The vision was just too grand, too ambitious, for anyone but Walt himself to see through to completion. With Walt Disney World an unmitigated success, though, the company soon began developing concepts for a second theme park, and naturally turned to Walt's original vision for inspiration. When two competing proposals—one for a set of pavilions highlighting the history and future of human progress, and the other for an international plaza that showcased cultures and cooperation—became the leading candidates, someone pushed the two scale models together to create a combined park. EPCOT Center was born.

That name, with which the park opened in 1982, was intended to show that the new park exhibited the ideals that were to be at the core, or center, of Walt's EPCOT. The park was renamed in 1994 to Epcot '94, then to Epcot '95 a year later. The yearly numbering scheme reflected the "world's fair" theme, but it inhibited consistent branding, so in 1996 the park became just "Epcot".

While the original EPCOT concept might now seem a bit far-fetched, today's Epcot is dedicated to creating the brighter tomorrow that Walt Disney envisioned.

Get in

Epcot's two areas are open at staggered times. Future World usually opens at 9AM, and World Showcase at 11AM. However, the Norway and Mexico pavilions do open with Future World, due to the new and popular Frozen attractions in Norway. Despite being in World Showcase, the International Gateway opens at the same time as the main entrance; if you come in that way, you'll be able to walk past the United Kingdom and Canada on your way to Future World, although the shops won't be open.

In off-peak periods, some Future World attractions close down at 7PM, though the most popular "marquee" rides stay open until Epcot Forever at 9PM. World Showcase almost always closes at 9PM. During peak periods, all of Epcot is generally open until 9PM.

Due to the staggered opening, Epcot's Extra Magic Hours work a little differently than at the other parks. Morning Extra Magic Hours allow Disney hotel guests access to the most popular Future World attractions, while evening Extra Magic Hours see a somewhat larger selection of attractions, including some in World Showcase, stay open. A number of the restaurants continue to seat guests during Extra Magic Hours as well.

By car
Epcot is in the middle of the Walt Disney World property, exactly where Walt planned EPCOT to be. Take World Drive or I-4 to Epcot Center Drive and follow the signs for the parking lot. Parking is $25 per car, although Disney resort guests can park for free—just show your resort parking pass at the toll gate.

If you're going to Disney's BoardWalk, you can park for free at the BoardWalk Inn or BoardWalk Villas. During popular events or peak periods at Epcot, parking at the Disney-owned Epcot-area resorts may be restricted to registered hotel guests and guests with reservations at the resorts' businesses.

From Hollywood Studios and Epcot-area resorts
Disney's Hollywood Studios, the BoardWalk, the Yacht and Beach Clubs, the Swan and Dolphin, and Epcot are all connected via the  Friendship ferries. There is also a nice wide walking path that follows a similar route. In either case, you will enter Epcot through its back entrance: the International Gateway, located between the United Kingdom and France pavilions in World Showcase. Alternatively, a bus is available from the Studios that goes to Epcot's main entrance.

From the Magic Kingdom and nearby resorts
From the Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary, the Polynesian, or the Grand Floridian, take the monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). (You can also take the ferry from the Magic Kingdom, or walk from the Grand Floridian or Polynesian.) Transfer to the Epcot monorail, which runs between the TTC and the Epcot gates. When entering Epcot this way, the monorail makes a nice loop in the park before arriving at the station, giving a great aerial view of Future World and World Showcase.

From the Wilderness Lodge and Shades of Green, neither of which is connected to the monorail, it is possible to walk to the TTC. Both walks take about 10 minutes, and the walk from Shades of Green goes via the Polynesian Resort. However, the alternative and more convenient option is to take the direct Epcot bus.

To get to the BoardWalk, make your way to the Magic Kingdom and take the direct bus, or go to Hollywood Studios and walk or take the ferry. Taking the monorail to Epcot in this case is a bad idea, because you'll have to enter Epcot at the front and exit through the International Gateway at the back.

From other on-property resorts
From resorts not near Epcot or the Magic Kingdom, simply go to your resort's bus stop and wait for the Epcot bus to arrive. You will be dropped off in front of the Epcot gates.

To get to the BoardWalk, you'll need to make your way to a park and then to the BoardWalk. Disney's Hollywood Studios is the most convenient for this purpose, but late at night, you'll want to use Disney Springs.

From Animal Kingdom
From Animal Kingdom, take the direct bus to Epcot or the one to the BoardWalk.

From Disney Springs
Disney Springs does not have direct buses to the parks; you will need to make your way to a resort, then go from that resort to Epcot. The best option here might be to take the bus to the Beach Club, which is the closest hotel to the Epcot, then take the Friendship or the walking path to the International Gateway. Another option is to walk or take the boat to the Saratoga Springs resort, then the bus to Epcot.

If you're going to the BoardWalk, just take the direct bus.

Get around
Epcot might be the easiest of the parks to get around, because it's very open and spacious. The spaciousness has a drawback, though; because the pavilions are spread out, it can be a long walk from one side of the park to the other. Spaceship Earth is visible from anywhere in the park and provides a convenient orientation landmark.

The northern half of Epcot, formerly called Future World, is divided into three sections. From the main entrance, you enter World Celebration, with Spaceship Earth directly in front of you, along with Imagination!, CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, and Odyssey, and Club Cool hiding behind it. World Discovery—Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Guardians of the Galaxy ride, which is became part of "Wonders of Xandar" pavilion and the upcoming Play pavilion—is on the left side. World Nature is on the right and comprises The Seas with Nemo & Friends, which is became part of "The Seas" pavilion, The Land, and Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana.

Go past Spaceship Earth and through the former Innoventions Plaza and you'll see the World Showcase Lagoon front of you, with the eleven nations of World Showcase arrayed around the far shore. From left to right (east to west), the pavilions are Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, The American Adventure, Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The International Gateway, Epcot's "back entrance", is between France and the United Kingdom; exit here to get to the BoardWalk and the other Epcot-area resorts, or to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

The World Showcase Lagoon has a circumference of roughly a mile. To make a long trip short, there are two more Friendship ferries (yes, just like the ones you took to get here from Hollywood Studios or the resorts) that traverse the lagoon.

See and do
When it opened, Epcot had no thrill rides at all. Although that's been changing, you'll find that the majority of attractions are still fairly sedate dark rides or straightforward films. That's not to say they're not worth doing, but you're in the wrong park if you just want to get your adrenaline pumping. Epcot does have two high-octane thrill rides, Test Track and Mission: SPACE, while Soarin' offers excitement in smaller doses.

FastPass, the system that allowed you to go to an attraction and get a ticket to come back later and skip the standby queue, is no longer available. Epcot guests can purchase a system call Disney Gene+ which varies in price but gives access tio the lighting lane queues in the whole park, but some are upcharged from that. Note that Test Track, Soarin', Frozen Ever After, and Mission: SPACE have been known to have wait times of over two hours during peak seasons, making FastPass+ reservations very worthwhile. On the other hand, FastPass+ could be used to get into a preferred viewing location for Epcot Forever; choose carefully!

For parade and stage show performance times, which change daily, please see the Guide Map and the Times Guide you'll receive when you enter the park. You can also check the Wait Times Board in Innoventions Plaza, which lists current wait times for rides and show times for shows.

The denotes rides with safety restrictions. See Stay safe in the main Walt Disney World article for more information.

World Celebration/World Discovery/World Nature
Future World is an almost park-like setting, with broad expanses of grass and/or water separating the impressively large pavilions. Each pavilion is a monument to one area of human innovation, from communication and imagination to energy and transportation. Inside the pavilions you'll find some combination of a showcase ride, a theater presentation, and/or an activity area with a number of smaller hands-on exhibits. Each pavilion can be done in 30–90 minutes, depending on crowds.

Check the Times Guide to see when and where the JAMMitors will be playing—they're a percussion ensemble disguised as janitors, using their trash cans as drums.

Imagination!

The name says it all; the possibilities of imagination are on display here. The pavilion represents the importance of new ideas and innovative thought to the progress of humanity. Be sure to check out the jumping fountains and the backwards waterfall outside.

The Land

Perhaps the pavilion that most closely resembles Walt's original EPCOT concept, The Land is more than just a set of theme park attractions. The rear of the pavilion is actually a large working greenhouse, and it grows much of the food served at the pavilion's restaurants (and some items for other restaurants throughout Walt Disney World). The greenhouses are also involved in agricultural research, exploring new ways to grow food more efficiently.

The Seas

The aquarium within this pavilion was once the largest saltwater aquarium in the world; it's still impressively huge. Like the greenhouses at The Land, this is more than just a theme park attraction—the aquarium staff is engaged in research that is helping to maintain marine environments and protect ecosystems around the world. Two rescued West Indian manatees, members of one of Florida's most critically endangered species, can be found here.

Tours
There are a number of tours that get you out of the normal guest areas and in close on the aquarium and its inhabitants. Call +1 407-WDW-TOUR to book a tour. No park admission is required for these tours; you'll meet outside the gates and be escorted into the backstage area of The Seas pavilion.

Spaceship Earth
Yes, the ride really does go all the way up to the top inside that giant "golf ball", the geodesic sphere that is the icon of Epcot. This pavilion is centrally located because its focus is on human communication, without which all of the other innovations in Future World would be meaningless.

Test Track
Guardians of Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

 * Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is an enclosed roller coaster at Epcot at Walt Disney World, manufactured by Dutch company Vekoma. Based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe Guardians of the Galaxy films, it is the first attraction at Walt Disney World to feature characters from the Marvel Universe. Opened on May 27, 2022, it is Epcot's first roller coaster and Disney's first backwards-launched roller coaster. It replaced the Universe of Energy pavilion, which closed on August 13, 2017. The attraction is presented as the Wonders of Xandar Pavilion, the first Other-world Pavilion at Epcot. Much like the pavilions at the World Showcase, it features exhibits and models of the history and culture of the capital of the Nova Empire, Xandar, presented by the Nova Corps as a cultural exchange from them to the people of Terra (the name by which they refer to Earth).

World Showcase

World Showcase is the back area of the park, with pavilions representing eleven countries from around the world, all themed with architecture, food, drink and culture to match. Most of the pavilions have a ride or a film (or both) designed to highlight the nation's attractions, but the real attractions are sampling the authentic food, conversing with the cast members who come from each nation, and browsing the imported goods.

World Showcase is where you'll find the International Gateway, Epcot's back entrance, located between the United Kingdom and France pavilions. If you're coming in from Disney's Hollywood Studios, the Swan/Dolphin, Yacht/Beach Clubs, or BoardWalk, you can walk or take the ferry to Epcot and enter here.

Each of the pavilions will have some sort of entertainment occurring periodically throughout the day, from jugglers and "living statues" to musical groups and dancers. Some of the highlights are noted below, but check your Times Guide for the details of what's happening on any particular day.

Mexico
🇲🇽 Mexico The Mexican pavilion is dominated by a pyramid, loosely modeled after the pre-Columbian pyramid in Teotihuacan known as the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, dating back to 150-200 CE. Its use is still a mystery, but more than 200 sacrificial burials have been found around the original temple. The head of the mythical serpent creature Quetzalcoatl has been included in this replica along the entrance stairs. Inside the pyramid is a nighttime square with stars twinkling above, some Spanish-era colonial buildings, a restaurant, and a market selling various Mexican items.

The Mexico pavilion is opening early, along with Future World, to accommodate overflow from Norway.

Norway
🇳🇴 Norway This area is built as a square representing a few Norwegian towns. The fortress-like restaurant building is modeled and named after the Akershus fortress in Oslo, guarding the sea approach to the city. The huge wooden church, which hosts rotating exhibits, is a replica of the traditional Stave Church in Gol in Western Norway, dating back to 1212; the original is one of very few surviving ancient wooden churches left in the world. The current exhibit is Norsk Kultur, Inspiration for Disney's Frozen.

Speaking of Frozen, that's pretty much all you'll see in the Norway pavilion these days. Although the film was set in the fictional kingdom of Arendelle, the artists took most of their inspiration from the people, landscapes, culture, and architecture of Norway.

The Norway pavilion opens at the same time as Future World, two hours before the rest of World Showcase.

China
🇨🇳 China Walk through the large Paifang gate. These gates were used in ancient China to mark entry into a new division (called Fang in Chinese), and this gate at Epcot is modeled after one in Beijing's summer palace. The courtyard is dominated by a large recreation of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing; it was used by the emperors to pray for a good harvest. The 12 columns supporting the roof represent the 12 months of the Chinese year, and the four columns in the center represent the four seasons. Many of the smaller buildings are recreations of the Forbidden City, also in Beijing. If all the Asian culture gets you in a meditative mood, the rough Chinese gardens are one of the most peaceful spots in Epcot.

Germany
🇩🇪 Germany Germany is a federation of 16 states, each with a separate and distinct culture and identity. The architecture of the German pavilion reflects styles from various regions of the country; for example, the Biergarten restaurant is Bavarian, but the statue of St. George slaying the dragon represents the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Of course, the influence of German architecture on Disney parks goes all the way back to 1955; Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, commissioned in 1869 by King Ludwig II, was the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle.

There are no rides here, and the only show is the band inside the Biergarten, but there's plenty of shopping to be had.

Italy
🇮🇹 Italy The Italian pavilion is a scaled-down replica of St. Mark's Square in Venice, right down to the bell tower (one-fifth scale) and the gondolas floating in World Showcase Lagoon. The original Doge's Palace makes heavy use of marble; Disney recreated the effect with fiberglass. In addition to the Venetian architecture, a stucco building with tile roof represents Tuscany.

The pavilion has no rides or theater shows; the main attractions are the shops and the restaurants. You might also catch the World Showcase Players performing their audience-participation comedy skit Kiss Me Shrew. You can also see a flag-throwing show called Sbandieratori Di Sansepolcro, several times daily.

The American Adventure
🇺🇸 United States The United States of America pavilion is housed in a building inspired by the colonial period of the 18th century. Inside, keep an ear out for the legendary harmonies of the Voices of Liberty a capella chorus, performing throughout the day; they're rightfully considered the pinnacle of Epcot entertainment. Check the Times Guide for details.

Japan
🇯🇵 Japan Mitsukoshi, a Japanese retailer founded in 1673, is the sponsor of the Japan pavilion. All the touristy classics of Japan are recreated, in a way that has little to do with reality. Start your visit by walking through the Torii gate. In Japan you walk through these gates before entering a Shinto shrine, to mark the passing into the spiritual world. The five-story Goju-no-to Pagoda was inspired by the Horyuji Temple in Nara, Japan's ancient capital. Rather oddly, it is named after the five Chinese elements, but built in five stories to represent the 5 Japanese elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Void. Surrounding it all is a large Japanese inspired garden, complete with koi fish swimming around in the ponds.

Morocco
🇲🇦 Morocco Morocco's is the only pavilion sponsored by a government. King Hassan II was heavily involved in the construction, and he dispatched native craftsmen to build the pavilion. The minaret (or tower) towering over the area is a recreation of the unique Koutoubia Minaret in Marrakech, which has inspired thousands of church towers across Europe. In Muslim countries priests call for prayers (fard) from these towers five times a day. The pavilion also holds a small recreation of parts of the Chellah necropolis, a burial place located in Rabat that is actually an ancient Roman structure. There is also a replica of the Nejjarine Fountain in Fez, a very intricate mosaic fountain. Also from Fez, the evenly-tiled Bab Boujouloud gate marks the border between the old town (the Medina) and the new town. Inside the Medina, there is a bustling marketplace, or bazaar. Because many of the structures, even as replicas, hold great religious significance to Muslims, the buildings are not lighted during the Epcot Forever show.

France
🇫🇷 France The French pavilion re-creates a Parisian street scene, complete with a miniature Eiffel Tower that uses forced perspective to appear as if it's off in the distance. Designed to represent Paris during La Belle Epoque, the pavilion features many of the typical Parisian sights—a sidewalk cafe, beautiful fountains, and distinctive architecture. There's a park, next to the International Gateway canal, based on Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Le Petit Rue, The Little Street in the back of the pavilion, represents rural France.

The World Showcase Players stop by France now and then, performing their comedic audience-participation skit, Cyranose de Bergerac. Serveur Amusant! is a humorous acrobatic show played out on the street of the pavilion five times a week.

United Kingdom
🇬🇧 United Kingdom This pavilion's street contains one building for each century of British history. The largest structure, a recreation of the royal Hampton Court Palace in southwest London, is massive patchwork of different periods' architecture, since it was successively expanded to compete with the French palace of Versailles. Elsewhere the adorable little thatched roof house is a model of Anne Hathaway's cottage in Stratford-upon-Avon. Anne was the wife of William Shakespeare. There is also a traditional hedge maze, modelled after the Somerleyton Hall Maze in Lowestoft, which dates back to 1846. Don't forget to get a photo of yourself in front of the iconic red British phone booths.

A couple of musical groups can be found gracing the United Kingdom stage. Quickstep is a quartet playing traditional but up-tempo Irish, Scottish, and English melodies. The British Revolution is a tribute band playing "British Invasion" pop and rock music from the 1960s and 70s. Check the Times Guide for the schedule.

Canada
🇨🇦 Canada The mountains, Indigenous wood carvings, and the (fake) hotel all represent various regions of Canada. Victoria Gardens was inspired by Butchart Gardens in Victoria in British Columbia, while the Hotel du Canada features a 19th-century chateau-style design. Around the base of the hotel is a village-like atmosphere evoking the Maritime Provinces. The totem pole outside the Trading Post was carved in 1998 by David Boxley, working "on-stage" in front of guests at the Canada pavilion; the other two (also by Boxley) were added in 2017.

Between the United Kingdom and Canada pavilions is the Mill Stage, home to folk band Alberta Bound.

Parkwide

Tours
Some very popular tours are available at The Land and, especially, at The Seas with Nemo & Friends. There is also a park-wide tour. All tours can be booked by calling +1 407-WDW-TOUR.

For the park-wide tour, you will need separate admission to the park.

Annual events
Epcot is home to three annual festivals, several concert series, and an annual holiday presentation. The festivals provide things to see and do (and eat!) throughout the park, while the Candlelight Processional is a nightly event at one location. All are quite popular; some people make it a point to attend one or more of these each year, sometimes without even visiting the rest of Walt Disney World. The concert series are more of a bonus to visitors who are already there (in particular, three of them coincide with the festivals) but if the timing's right, you're in for a treat.

Disney's BoardWalk
Disney's BoardWalk is just a short walk or ferry ride beyond Epcot's International Gateway. It's a resort, yes, but the side facing Crescent Lake is themed as a 1920s Eastern Seaboard boardwalk, with shops, amusements, dining, and nighttime entertainment. Rent a pedaled "surrey bike" and circle the lake, purchase a caricature of yourself, watch an impromptu magic show, buy some cotton candy, or just sit on a bench and watch the people go by. Be sure to check out the Buy, Eat, and Drink sections for all the details.

Buy

World Showcase is a paradise of international shopping. Every pavilion is chock-full of authentic merchandise imported from the host countries. Genuine German cuckoo clocks, British toys, Canadian maple syrup, Japanese kimonos, Chinese furniture, Mexican leathers, Italian wines—and that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what's available. The variety of items available is nearly endless. The racks are full of products normally available only overseas, including many handcrafted by native artisans. Dedicated shoppers could spend hours at World Showcase; it's safe to say there's no other place in the world that you could find goods from so many countries in such close proximity, and you can buy it all with just your U.S. credit card.

Note that in the pavilions, what appears to be multiple separate shops from the outside are usually interconnected inside and can be treated as departments of a single store. Germany, Morocco, France, and the UK have the most extensive shopping complexes.

Some World Showcase stores, including Mitsukoshi, sell real knives and swords. For safety, these stores are required to ship such purchases to your home (free to U.S. addresses).

While World Showcase is like a huge international shopping plaza, Future World is considerably less interesting to the intrepid shopper. It has only two stores of note:

The Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Imagination!, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilions have smaller themed gift shops.

Epcot-area resorts

Resort shops are generally open from mid-morning until late at night, though this can vary seasonally.

Disney's BoardWalk
There are a number of small shops and boutiques scattered along the BoardWalk. A couple of the more notable:

Other resorts
Each of the resorts has a small sundries shop with essentials you might need during your stay and resort-branded merchandise. The Walt Disney World Dolphin, though, has a number of other shops with upscale merchandise.

Eat
As with their shopping options, the international flavors of the World Showcase pavilions really come to the fore when it comes to dining. Each of the World Showcase pavilions (except the United States) has a table service restaurant, featuring authentic dishes prepared by native chefs. In addition, some of the restaurants even have live entertainment, such as belly dancing in the Morocco pavilion or teppanyaki cooking in the Japan pavilion. World Showcase restaurants are almost universally among the most popular at Walt Disney World, due to their authentic cuisines; Advance Dining Reservations are highly recommended, at least for evening dining.

Future World pales in comparison, dining-wise, but there are still a few good options. The resorts are loaded with great restaurants, including two "Signature Restaurants".

See Eat in the main Walt Disney World article for information on the Disney restaurant pricing system, character dining, dietary restrictions, and advance dining reservations. The telephone numbers below are for extraordinary circumstances only; for reservations and most health or diet issues, call the main Disney Dining number at +1 407-WDW-DINE.

Please note that exact opening and closing times may vary with the park hours—and that World Showcase's operating hours are generally two hours later than Future World's. Check your Times Guide for official restaurant hours. Breakfast is usually served until 10:30AM, and dinner usually starts between 3:30PM and 4:30PM.

Table service

Note: if two prices are separated by a slash, the second price is for children ages 3–9.

Disney's BoardWalk

Here you can find plenty of traditional boardwalk fare: corn dogs, cotton candy, funnel cakes, popcorn, ice cream, and so on. If you're in the mood for something more substantial, though, you have a wide range of restaurant options, too.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
Note that these restaurants do not participate in the Disney Dining Plan. The Swan and Dolphin restaurants share a web site, reservations phone number, and e-mail address (dining@swandolphin.com). Reservations for the table service restaurants can also be made though Disney Dining, like any other Disney restaurant.

Drink

Some Epcot visitors enjoy an unofficial adventure known as "Drinking Around the World": sampling a local libation in each of the eleven pavilions. From Mexican margaritas to German beer to French wines, there's no shortage of variety here.

All of the table service restaurants in the World Showcase pavilions serve native alcoholic beverages. Some World Showcase gift shops (such as Weinkeller in the Germany pavilion) sell alcohol in bottles; your selection will be sealed in a gift box that must not be opened if you want to remove it from the park. You can arrange for shipping to your hotel room or back home if you don't want to lug it around.

Of course, sometimes you just want a cup of coffee. You can stop by the bakeries in the France and Norway pavilions, or drop by Innoventions and visit Starbucks.

Sleep

Five upscale resorts are clustered between Epcot and Hollywood Studios, all of them connected by wide, scenic walkways and by the Friendship ferries that ply the waterways. The BoardWalk and the Yacht and Beach Clubs sit on opposite sides of Crescent Lake, while the Swan and Dolphin sit a little closer to the Studios, facing each other. Staying at any of these resorts means you have easy access to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios, as well as to the many attractions on the BoardWalk and the small marina on Crescent Lake.

You'll pay for the privilege of location, though, and rooms do fill up fast. This is especially true at the Yacht and Beach Clubs, which share Stormalong Bay, the best hotel pool at Walt Disney World. Featuring sandy, zero-entry beaches, twisting and turning water channels, gentle waterfalls, and a water slide fashioned out of a shipwreck, Disney has had to carefully restrict access to this pool; don't even think about getting in if you're not staying at one of the Clubs.

All of the resorts provide the highest level of service and amenities available at Walt Disney World. You'll find dedicated concierge services, mini-bars and refrigerators, turn-down service, upscale restaurants and shopping, and everything else you'd expect from luxury hotels. Each hotel also has some high-end suites available, all the way up to "Presidential"-level.

Swan and Dolphin
The Walt Disney World Swan and the Walt Disney World Dolphin face each other across a narrow waterway, each whimsically designed by architect Michael Graves to complement each other without looking like twins. The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve opened in 2021. It is part of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin complex and designed to be an intimate and tranquil oasis offering suites and family rooms. These hotels are great choices for visitors who want a more traditional (that is, less "themed") hotel experience but retain most of the benefits of staying on-property at Walt Disney World.

The hotels are not owned or operated by Disney. As such, you will miss out on many of the normal amenities granted by staying at a Disney resort: the Disney Dining Plan and Disney's Magical Express are unavailable, and you can't charge purchases at Disney shops and restaurants to your room. On the other hand, you still get many of the other advantages of staying on-property, including free transportation, guaranteed park admission, Extra Magic Hours, and package delivery. The hotels also offer character meals at their restaurants, just like the other Disney resorts.

In short, you won't forget you're staying at Walt Disney World—but you won't be reminded of it constantly, either.

Connect

 * Epcot Official Website

Go next

 * Explore the rest of Walt Disney World

title: Walt Disney World/Epcot


text:
Walt Disney World/Hollywood Studios

At Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park, you can help Indiana Jones escape from the Nazis, take a wild limousine ride through Los Angeles, play midway games with the Toy Story gang, and immerse yourself in iconic scenes from Hollywood's past and present.

This compact but fun-filled theme park is located at a major crossroads in the Walt Disney World Resort, with plenty of thrill rides and effects-laden shows. The ESPN Wide World of Sports is nearby.

Understand
"The World you have entered was created by The Walt Disney Company and is dedicated to Hollywood—not a place on a map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and wonder and imagine, a place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic. We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was—and always will be."

- Michael D. Eisner, May 1, 1989

Walt Disney World's third theme park opened in May 1989 as Disney–MGM Studios, joining the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. The park, billed as "the Hollywood that never was", features live shows and attractions based on movie and television favorites, from classic Golden Age films to modern-day blockbusters. In addition to the well-known Disney-branded productions, several Disney subsidiaries also have inspired rides and shows here; it's the place to go for fans of Lucasfilm properties, Pixar films, ABC television, and Jim Henson's Muppets.

Among the top attractions are two exceptional thrill rides, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (a 13-story vertical drop) and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (a launched coaster, 0-60 in 2.8 seconds), and a ride through a Toy Story-themed shooting gallery.

Just south of Hollywood Studios is the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves and host to countless other sporting events throughout the year.

History
The genesis of the "Studios" theme park was as a new pavilion for EPCOT Center's Future World that would provide an animatronic ride through cinematic history, much as World of Motion did for transportation and Spaceship Earth did for communication. This spark of an idea was so inspiring, however, that then-CEO Michael Eisner suggested that the new ride instead become the marquee attraction in an all-new theme park.

The original vision for this new park was to combine a traditional theme park atmosphere—rides, shows, restaurants—with a real working production studio. A team of animators began work even before the park opened to the public, working on real Disney animation—Mulan and Lilo & Stitch, among others, were animated entirely at the theme park. Live-action was also filmed here, from movies like Newsies and Ernest Saves Christmas to television shows such as Mickey Mouse Club and Adventures in Wonderland. Most importantly, all of these production facilities were viewable on the park's Backstage Studio Tour—guests could actually see animating and filming as they occurred, if their timing was right; if not, they still got to see the real sets and real studios where their favorite productions were created. A backlot was also created and placed on the tour, with house façades used in actual films and television shows and authentic props from movies like Flight of the Navigator and Star Wars.

Those days are gone; the park's sound stages have been converted to rides and stage shows, the animation facility has closed down, and even the backlot tour is no more. The original ride idea, the one planned for Epcot, survived for a while as the park's centerpiece, The Great Movie Ride, and new thrill rides opened up to become the park's main draws. Despite all the changes, though, the park retains its enthusiasm for the fantasy worlds created on film, and guests can still enjoy being able to "step into" their favorite productions.

By car
Hollywood Studios is just southwest of Epcot; it's on Buena Vista Drive, which is accessible from either World Drive or Epcot Center Drive. Parking is $25 per car, although Disney resort guests can park for free with their Magic Bands. Preferred parking, allowing you to park in the closest spots to the entrance, is available for $50 per car. Parking is per day and is good at all four Disney theme parks — just show your receipt if park hopping!

Parking is free at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, which is on South Victory Way, south of Osceloa Parkway.

From Epcot and nearby resorts
From Epcot, the BoardWalk, the Yacht and Beach Clubs, and the Swan and Dolphin, you can take the  Friendship ferries to Hollywood Studios. There is also a nice wide walking path that follows a similar route. If you are coming from Epcot, you must exit through that park's rear entrance: the International Gateway, located between the United Kingdom and France pavilions in World Showcase. From Epcot's main entrance, there is a bus that goes to the Studios.

From the Magic Kingdom
Take the monorail or ferry to the Transportation and Ticket Center, then board the Studios bus.

From Animal Kingdom and other resorts
From other areas of the property, simply go to the bus stop and wait for the Studios bus to arrive. You will be dropped off in front of the Hollywood Studios gates.

From Disney Springs
Disney Springs does not have direct buses to the parks; you will need to make your way to a resort, then go from that resort to Hollywood Studios. The best option here might be to take the bus to the Swan, which is the closest hotel to the Studios, then take the Friendship or the walking path to the Studios. Another option is to walk or take the boat to the Saratoga Springs resort, then the bus to the Studios.

To the Wide World of Sports
Public transportation to the Wide World of Sports is limited. Buses are available only from the All-Star Resorts, the Caribbean Beach Resort, and the Pop Century Resort, so you'll need to get to one of those hotels before switching buses. The buses regularly run only Thursday through Monday, from 5PM to 11PM. If there's a special event going on outside of those days and times, bus service will start one hour before the event and end no earlier than 11PM.

Get around

Upon entering the park, you'll find yourself on Hollywood Boulevard, the park's equivalent of the Magic Kingdom's Main Street, U.S.A. Shops line both sides of this street, perfect for grabbing a souvenir on your way out at the end of the day. (Feel free to browse on the way in, though; you can always come back later, or you can have it held for you or delivered to your Disney resort.) Here, it's perpetually the 1930s, so keep an eye out for young starlets, ambitious directors, suspicious policemen, eager autograph hounds, and the like—these Streetmosphere actors play out comedic vignettes throughout the day, and they may just pull you into their stories. At the end of Hollywood Boulevard, you can see the beautiful replica of Hollywood's Chinese Theater, the centerpiece of the park.

As you travel down Hollywood Boulevard, you'll find the famous intersection with Vine St., a smaller street that heads off to the left towards Echo Lake. The next intersection is with Sunset Boulevard, another major thoroughfare that branches to the right. Here you'll find more shops and more Streetmosphere, and looming in the distance is the 199-foot-tall Hollywood Tower Hotel, which houses the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. (Why 199 feet? If it were one foot taller, it would require a blinking red light at the top under federal aircraft regulations.)

Past Sunset, as you approach the Chinese Theater, to the right will be a large gateway, through which you'll find the Animation Courtyard. Through the gate and to the left, starting behind the Chinese Theater, is Mickey Avenue, which leads to the new Toy Story Land, where you'll shrink down to the size of a toy and meet Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang.

From there, you soon hit a dead end where the former backlot used to be. Now, if you were to peek over the construction walls, you might see the mountains of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge rising. You can't get through here yet, so head back to the Chinese Theater. Off to the left of the theater is Echo Lake—just look for the giant Dinosaur Gertie. Here, you'll find the Lucasfilm attractions. Or you can take Commissary Lane towards Grand Avenue and the Muppet Courtyard (which is another dead end, pending the opening of the Star Wars land).

See and do

Hollywood Studios' attractions separate into one of two camps: sedate but fun stage shows and up-tempo thrill rides. There's very little in-between, but this is changing with the three rides of Toy Story Land, added in an attempt to fill the gap.

FastPass, the system that allowed you to go to an attraction and get a ticket to come back later and skip the standby queue, is no longer available. All Studios guests will be using FastPass+, where you choose your own return time for each of three attractions. FastPass+ queues are available for virtually every ride in the park, along with some shows and character greetings.

FastPass+ kiosks are located at the Wait Times Board, at the far end of Sunset Blvd, at Toy Story Mania, and at Muppet*Vision 3D. Cast members will be nearby if you need help. If you're staying at a Disney resort, you can also use a smartphone with the My Disney Experience app to schedule your FastPass+ reservations.

For parade and stage show performance times, which change daily, please see the Guide Map and the Times Guide you'll receive when you enter the park. You can also check the Wait Times Board at the corner of Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards, which lists current wait times for rides and show times for shows.

The denotes rides with safety restrictions. See Stay safe in the main Walt Disney World article for more information.

Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard is mostly a location for shops, restaurants, and Streetmosphere, but at its far end is where you'll find the park's centerpiece, the Chinese Theater. While there, be sure to check out the cement plaza in front—just like at the real Chinese Theater in Hollywood, you'll find a number of celebrities have placed their handprints and signatures there. Everyone from Donald Duck and R2-D2 to Carol Burnett and Michael Jackson has left their mark.

The park's marque attraction, housed within the Chinese Theater, was The Great Movie Ride. It closed in August 2017 in anticipation of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. This dark ride, using state-of-the-art Disney-invented tech that enables you to see 3-D images without the need for glasses, is scheduled to open sometime in 2019. It's also, surprisingly, the first ride-through attraction the company has built that stars Mickey Mouse.

Sunset Boulevard
In addition to more shops, restaurants, and Streetmosphere, Sunset Boulevard is home to the Studios' two major stage shows and its two popular mega-thrill rides.

 * [[Image:Stop hand nuvola.svg|15px|Ride has safety restrictions]]
 * [[Image:Stop hand nuvola.svg|15px|Ride has safety restrictions]]
 * [[Image:Stop hand nuvola.svg|15px|Ride has safety restrictions]]
 * [[Image:Stop hand nuvola.svg|15px|Ride has safety restrictions]]
 * [[Image:Stop hand nuvola.svg|15px|Ride has safety restrictions]]

Animation Courtyard/Mickey Avenue
Through the gate is this courtyard, which segues into Mickey Avenue as it heads toward the back of the park. The courtyard was once the gateway to the backstage area, with access to the animation department and the Backlot Tour; the Animation building is now the Star Wars Launch Bay. And there used to be working sound stages along Mickey Avenue, but they've been converted into semi-permanent exhibit space and attractions.

Toy Story Land
Opened in July 2018, everything is larger-than-life in this new land built on former backstage space. With light-posts built from tinker toys and Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and Rex standing watch over Andy's backyard, the two new rides here add in some much-needed kid-friendly attractions to a park that was sorely lacking in that regard. The entrance to what is probably the park's most popular ride, Toy Story Mania!, has been rerouted to face this land, and the former entryway, Pixar Place, is closed.

Echo Lake/Grand Avenue
On one side of Echo Lake is a large steamboat, known as Min and Bill's Dockside Diner; on the other is a large dinosaur, with Dinosaur Gertie's Ice Cream of Extinction. Around the perimeter of the area are attractions based on Lucasfilm properties, restaurants, and a couple of soundstages. Running north from the lake is Grand Avenue, themed to present-day downtown Los Angeles and home to the Muppets Courtyard and the future main entrance to Star Wars Land.

ESPN Wide World of Sports
South of Hollywood Studios is the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex (formerly Disney's Wide World of Sports), a state-of-the-art sports complex with fields, stadiums, and arenas for a variety of sporting events.

The complex is the flagship facility of the Amateur Athletic Union, which has its headquarters on Hotel Plaza Boulevard in the Disney Springs area. Regularly-scheduled AAU-sanctioned events are held at the complex from January to August. Outside of that time-frame, whether you'll find something going on is hit-or-miss. If there is something happening, it's probably a high school game with just a handful of spectators, though several national cheerleading competitions take place here.

Admission to the complex counts as one of your "Fun Visits" if you've added the Water Park Fun & More or the Park Hopper Plus option to your tickets, however, considering the low cost of admission it could be said that it's better to save your "Fun Visits" for one of the more expensive options. Admission is $18.50 for adults and $13.50 for children ages 3–9.

Buy

Shoppers will find plenty of generic souvenirs and apparel, of course, making up the lion's share of merchandise found along the main shopping areas (Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard). One of the less generic establishments on these two streets is Sunset Boulevard Shops, with menswear, timepieces, housewares, and collectibles.

But Disney's Hollywood Studios is an especially rich location for themed merchandise that's hard to find elsewhere. Most of these locations are found at the exits from associated attractions. Fans of the Muppets, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones should be particularly pleased.

Eat
Disney's Hollywood Studios probably has the most unique restaurants on the property, with most themed around movies and television.

See Eat in the main Walt Disney World article for information on the Disney restaurant pricing system, character dining, dietary restrictions, and advance dining reservations. The telephone numbers below are for extraordinary circumstances only; for reservations and most health or diet issues, call the main Disney Dining number at +1 407 WDW-DINE (939-3463).

Exact opening and closing times may vary with the park hours; check your Times Guide for official restaurant hours. Breakfast is usually served until 10:30AM, and dinner usually starts between 3:30PM and 4:30PM.

Resort dining
The Caribbean Beach resort's Centertown marketplace is undergoing renovations and expansion: the food court, restaurant, and merchandise locations are all closed until 2019 or 2020. To compensate, Disney has opened temporary locations for merchandise and dining. Centertown Buffet is the main temporary dining location; it offers breakfast and dinner buffets, and there's usually a food truck nearby. There are other food stands scattered through the resort's villages during Centertown renovations.

At the Pop Century or Art of Animation Resort, you'll dine at a food court:

Drink
The Hollywood stars of the 1930s might have enjoyed a libation or two in their day (at least once Prohibition was repealed), but the nightlife around Hollywood Studios is virtually nonexistent. The Tune-In Lounge is attached to the 50s Prime Time Cafe and themed the same; it's often crowded with "family members" waiting for their table in the restaurant, but if you need a drink, Dad's liquor cabinet is open. The Hollywood Brown Derby also has a lounge, opened in 2013, with drinks and tapas-style appetizers. In fact, all of the table-service restaurants have drinks of some sort available; Mama Melrose's has some particularly interesting cocktails. Newly opened on Grand Avenue is the Baseline Tap House, the Studios' first stand-alone pub. Specializing in California wines, beers, and cocktails, some small plates are also on the menu to be enjoyed inside the industrial-themed building or outside on the leafy terrace.

Each resort has a poolside bar as well; Petals Pool Bar is at Pop Century in the 1960s section, and the Finding Nemo section of Art of Animation has The Drop Off. Banana Cabana at the Caribbean Beach resort is closed, but there's a temporary bar trailer available.

If you're looking for something more, just take a leisurely walk or ferry ride from the Studios to Disney's Boardwalk, or take a bus from one of the resorts to Disney Springs.

Sleep

If you really want a hotel close to Hollywood Studios, you'll want to stay in one of the Epcot-area resorts. The Yacht and Beach Clubs, the Boardwalk, and the Swan and Dolphin are all within easy walking distance of both Epcot and Hollywood Studios, and the Friendship ferries connect the two parks and five resorts.

The three resorts listed here are not very far from Hollywood Studios, but there are no provisions for walking. You'll be taking a car or bus no matter which park you want to visit.

According to Disney's classifications, Caribbean Beach is in the "Epcot resort area", while Art of Animation and Pop Century are in the "Wide World of Sports resort area".

title: Walt Disney World/Hollywood Studios