Disney Springs Discussion

[Mr. EPCOT]

I love me some Italian. Never tried Portobello, though.

 

[SeventyOne]

I love me some Italian. Never tried Portobello, though.

The few times I've eaten there, was good, not "I need to go back" great. Just your basic Italian joint surrounded by over-the-top themed restaurants, so easy to overlook. With the increased competition of truly spectacular places around the Springs, menu revamp can only help.

That said, concept art looks doesn't look all that different than before.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

Just your basic Italian joint surrounded by over-the-top themed restaurants, so easy to overlook.

Exactly, I just literally forgot it was there most of the time.

 

[Nick]

The few times I've eaten there, was good, not "I need to go back" great. Just your basic Italian joint surrounded by over-the-top themed restaurants, so easy to overlook. With the increased competition of truly spectacular places around the Springs, menu revamp can only help.

That said, concept art looks doesn't look all that different than before.

All it looks like is they added more outdoor seating, which every Disney Springs restaurant seems fond of utilizing.

Exactly, I just literally forgot it was there most of the time.

It's almost like the building is covered in camo. You don't notice it because there's nothing going on in the area. I think the outdoor eating space will help simply because you'll see people eating and remember that there's a restaurant there.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

It's almost like the building is covered in camo. You don't notice it because there's nothing going on in the area. I think the outdoor eating space will help simply because you'll see people eating and remember that there's a restaurant there.

I don't think it helps that for the places I usually go to as a local, if you tend to park in the Lime Garage you'll usually very likely totally miss that little nook where Portofino is. For the Landing you'll tend to walk straight into the middle of it where Morimoto and the Boathouse and such are, or if you're going to the Marketplace you hook an immediate right and go in between Lego and World of Disney.

 

[Nick]

I don't think it helps that for the places I usually go to as a local, if you tend to park in the Lime Garage you'll usually very likely totally miss that little nook where Portofino is. For the Landing you'll tend to walk straight into the middle of it where Morimoto and the Boathouse and such are, or if you're going to the Marketplace you hook an immediate right and go in between Lego and World of Disney.

Same for me as a local, I rarely find myself back by The Landing now too just because all that's over there is restaurants, so unless I have specific plans (or want to bar hop - love Boathouse and Jock's for that).

I do know that since the Lime Garage opened, The Marketplace is struggling a bit as they aren't seeing nearly as much traffic as they used to (World of Disney aside).

 

[epcyclopedia]

That plaza near Lime is just really poorly conceived. It essentially hides Marketplace unless you go through World of Disney.

Lego and the Poutine place are existing where a garden walk sort of thing should be.

 

[Nick]

Wine Bar George, the only other establishment besides The Edison being built from the ground up currently, shared some concept art of the interior and exterior the other day:

 

[Nick]

 

[GadgetGuru]

Wine Bar George, the only other establishment besides The Edison being built from the ground up currently, shared some concept art of the interior and exterior the other day:

Maybe it's just me, but that's painfully generically modern.

Disney Springs seems to keep hitting home runs with dining though, so I'm sure it'll be good.

 

[Nick]

Two new restaurants announced for Disney Springs:

- Jaleó by Jose Andres (West Side, replacing Wolf Gang)

- Wolf Gang Puck Bar & Grill in Town Center (Guessing in the spot across from Polite Pig)

 

[epcyclopedia]

Two new restaurants announced for Disney Springs:

- Jaleó by Jose Andres (West Side, replacing Wolf Gang)

- Wolf Gang Puck Bar & Grill in Town Center (Guessing in the spot across from Polite Pig)

The new Wolfgang is going in the empty plot next to Coca Cola and Planet Hollywood.

 

[adjjb]

More on the new restaurants.

More New Dining Spots for Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort | Disney Parks Blog

 

[Nick]

Descriptions of the two newest announced restaurants:

Jaleo:

• Jaleo, a concept by world-renowned Chef José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup, will open on the West Side, bringing the spirit and flavors of Spain, with an extensive menu of tapas that reflect the rich regional diversity of traditional and contemporary Spanish cuisine. Think paella cooked over a wood fire, hand-carved Jamon Iberico de Bellota and wood-grilled Iberico pork. With five locations in the United States and Mexico City, this will be the first location in Florida. The first floor of the multi-level restaurant will feature a “grab-n-go” storefront with Spanish-style sandwiches.

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill:

• And a new Wolfgang Puck concept will open in a new location in Town Center. Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, will modernize the traditional “bar and grill” concept in a setting inspired by traditional farmhouses with a touch of elegance. The restaurant will capture the essence of laid-back California dining made popular by Puck at Spago, his flagship restaurant in Los Angeles. The menu will highlight the best of Puck’s signature dishes with Mediterranean influences, innovative takes on comfort food classics and handcrafted specialty cocktails, beer and wine.

 

[GadgetGuru]

My foodie blog that I occasionally read was really impressed that Jose Andres is opening a restaurant at DS.

I have to admit that Disney Springs is becoming quite the culinary Mecca. All of the restaurants I want to try on my next Orlando trip are at DS.

 

[SeventyOne]

Interesting tidbit on Disney Springs, with possible effects on NBA City...

Disney Springs will not allow a "sports bar" because (a) they don't want to attract "the wrong crowd" or (b) they don't want to compete with ESPN Club (could very well be a mix of the two, contradictory as that seems).

Splitsville was built with exactly ONE less TV than ESPN Club, so it wouldn't classify as a sports bar. No idea how you make that same number of TVs cover a 4-story NBA City. General consensus among the groundlings is that NBA will fail harder than it did in CityWalk.

 

[GadgetGuru]

Interesting tidbit on Disney Springs, with possible effects on NBA City...

Disney Springs will not allow a "sports bar" because (a) they don't want to attract "the wrong crowd" or (b) they don't want to compete with ESPN Club (could very well be a mix of the two, contradictory as that seems).

Splitsville was built with exactly ONE less TV than ESPN Club, so it wouldn't classify as a sports bar. No idea how you make that same number of TVs cover a 4-story NBA City. General consensus among the groundlings is that NBA will fail harder than it did in CityWalk.

If that's true, it seems like a retooled DisneyQuest could potentially make more money than NBA City. Free admission, better food - make it more along the lines of a really nice Dave + Busters.

 

[Honor_Knight]

Interesting tidbit on Disney Springs, with possible effects on NBA City...

Disney Springs will not allow a "sports bar" because (a) they don't want to attract "the wrong crowd" or (b) they don't want to compete with ESPN Club (could very well be a mix of the two, contradictory as that seems).

Splitsville was built with exactly ONE less TV than ESPN Club, so it wouldn't classify as a sports bar. No idea how you make that same number of TVs cover a 4-story NBA City. General consensus among the groundlings is that NBA will fail harder than it did in CityWalk.

What do you mean, "wrong crowd?"

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Interesting tidbit on Disney Springs, with possible effects on NBA City...

Disney Springs will not allow a "sports bar" because (a) they don't want to attract "the wrong crowd" or (b) they don't want to compete with ESPN Club (could very well be a mix of the two, contradictory as that seems).

Splitsville was built with exactly ONE less TV than ESPN Club, so it wouldn't classify as a sports bar. No idea how you make that same number of TVs cover a 4-story NBA City. General consensus among the groundlings is that NBA will fail harder than it did in CityWalk.

This is FASCINATING. I could see both being true, Disney Springs is trying to go for a new "vibe" that doesn't have sports bars while they also think somehow that ESPN Club supports the whole resort (when it really just supports the Crescent Lake resorts and spill over from Epcot).

 

[SeventyOne]

This is FASCINATING. I could see both being true, Disney Springs is trying to go for a new "vibe" that doesn't have sports bars while they also think somehow that ESPN Club supports the whole resort (when it really just supports the Crescent Lake resorts and spill over from Epcot).

I don't know where that leaves NBA tho. Is it taking over the entire building? How do you fill that space?