Splitsville at Downtown Disney is now open to the public after what feels like years of waiting, and we have some video to share with you. The following video was taken at the Disney Parks Blog Meet-Up on Monday, showing mostly the upstairs of the new Downtown Disney West Side establishment. Enjoy:
For those of you who make use of the Disney Dining Plan, you’ll be happy to know that a few new restaurants (mostly at Downtown Disney) are joining the fray in 2012:
-Bongos Cuban Cafe Window
-Bongos Cuban Cafe
-Marketplace Snacks
-House of Blues
-Paridiso 37
-Portobello
-T-REX Cafe
-Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney Marketplace and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park
They are are all non-Disney owned restaurants. Is this an attempt to bring more guests to the struggling Downtown Disney, or just some long overdue additions to the Disney Dining Plan?
The renamed AMC Downtown Disney 24 (Formerly Pleasure Island) debuted a new lobby and refreshment area a few days ago, including gourmet popcorn, Coke Freestyle machines, and a vastly expanded menu:
This is only the beginning of changes for the AMC 24. In January, the entrance across from Planet Hollywood will close to be turned into the entrance for “Fork and Screen” theaters which will include theater numbers 21-24 that will be remodeled. Meanwhile, the entrance in the middle of the West Side will be used to access all “regular” theaters, numbers 1-20.
Two very small press releases were just made available by Walt Disney World regarding the “Characters in Flight” balloon and the “Paradiso 37” restaurant at Downtown Disney:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The fun soars to new heights at Downtown Disney West Side with an iconic new tethered balloon that takes guests on ascents of up to 400 feet above the waterfront.
Guests board a gondola beneath the 105-foot-high balloon from a landing platform on Village Lake at the end of the main promenade at Downtown Disney West Side. Riders can catch flights seven days a week. Hours Sunday-Thursday are 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. while ascents Friday-Saturday are 10:30 a.m.-midnight. Tickets ($16 for ages 10-up and $10 for ages 3-9) can be purchased on site. Availability is on first-come, first-serve basis.
Characters In Flight operated by Aerophile is a 72-foot-diameter balloon with a whimsical design featuring silhouettes of a dozen of Disney’s “flying characters” – such as Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and Dumbo. The vibrantly colored balloon can lift up to 30 guests at a time on a six-minute trip – thanks to its enclosed volume of 210,000 cubic feet of lighter-than-air gas. The ascents, by day or night, provide guests with an unparalleled, 360-degree view of up to 10 miles.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Paradiso 37, a high-energy restaurant and bar featuring cuisine from North, South and Central America, welcomes guests to its table in May at Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort.
The lakeside eatery will offer a delectable variety of menu offerings representing the 37 countries of the Americas, plus an international wine bar, 37 varieties of tequila and 10 signature frozen margaritas.
The new concept was developed by Orlando-based E-Brands Restaurant Group, a multi-concept restaurant group which currently owns and operates Timpano Chophouse, Samba Room, Taqueria Canonita, Aquaknox, David Burke, Salsa Orlando and Canonita Express in a number of locations across the United States.
The lively Downtown Disney restaurant will feature nightly entertainment and will be open daily from 11 a.m. until late night.
WDWNT Reporter Jose Eber has provided us with the following video featuring the on-going construction of the “Paradiso 37” restaurant on a rather empty Pleasure Island, currently scheduled to open Spring 2009 (The video is available in high definition by clicking the HD button on the bottom of the video window):
UP, UP AND AWAY — Guests will get a bird’s-eye view of Walt Disney World Resort as they soar to new heights in a whimsical attraction that recently opened at Downtown Disney. Characters in Flight, operated by Aerophile, is a giant tethered balloon that ascends some 300 feet into the sky every 10 minutes (depending on weather). Riders can catch the flight daily for $16 ($10 for ages 3-9).
If you look really closely at this press picture, on the bridge you will find a man in a black shirt. That man is actually WDWNT Reporter Matt Paul. Just thought that was an interesting note….
Even though it has been open for a few months now, the remodeled Portobello restaurant at Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island has now launched its own updated website. The website features the story of the restaurant and their chef, as well as complete lunch and dinner menus and wine lists. The site can be found at portobellorestaurant.com and reservations can be made by calling (407) WDW-DINE.
As promised, here is a short video from Jose Eber of the new T-Rex Restaurant, now open at the Downtown Disney Marketplace:
In case you didn’t get the Dinosaur attraction joke in the article title, here are some details on Downtown Disney’s newest resident:
A two-story tall dinosaur is pictured August 13, 2008 being transported on a flatbed truck past a pedestrian crossing sign at the Downtown Disney entertainment district at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The dinosaur will be featured inside a new restaurant, currently under construction, called “T-Rex: a Prehistoric Family Adventure.” Developed by Schussler Creative, Inc. and operated by Landry’s Restaurants, the 600-seat restaurant will feature dinosaurs, waterfalls, bubbling geysers and a fossil dig site. “T-Rex” will open in mid-October at Downtown Disney. (Kent Phillips, photographer)
Notice that the restaurant is once again ahead of schedule and will now open even earlier than was last reported, Sometime in the middle of October. Stay tuned to WDWNT as we continue to update you on the progress of the T-Rex Restaurant at Downtown Disney.
Update: 11/1/11 Link to purchase tickets for a $5 donation: www.benefitsale.com. If you are looking to go for Vinylmation, please note that all Vinylmation will ONLY be sold at World of Disney. It also looks as if there will only be 25% off Vinylmation. Here is a report from Claudia:
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“FYI—-I was at Downtown Disney in Orlando today, and spoke to the Manager at the Pin Trader Store regarding the United Way Benefit Sale this Saturday Nov 5. The Store Manager informed me that the sale for Vinylmations will only be at 25% off and you CANNOT use any other discount (no Annual Pass or Cast Member Discount). I asked the Mgr about specific Vinylmations that would be on sale, and his reply was as followed: “Most VInylmations will be discounted with a a ‘few’ exceptions.” The Mgr did state they would have lots of DOORBUSTER SALES, and a few surprises, but the maximum discount on Vinylmations would be 25% off.”
The second annual Benefit Sale returns to the Downtown Disney Walt Disney World on Saturday, November 5, 2011. The Benefit Sale is a one day shopping event benefits the Heart of Florida United Way and gives guests the chance to purchase items at incredible savings.
As of today, 9/23, the website isn’t revealing any of the deals, but we do know, from a flyer given out at the AP sale over the summer, we can expect 75% off select Vinylmation. They have catagories such as “Door Busters”, “Gifts With Purchase”, “Buy One Get One”, “Percent Off” and “Product Launches.”
This is a ticketed event. Last year it was a $5 donation. We will let you know when the link goes live to purchase your Benefit Sale Voucher online directly from the United Way.
