Have you ever spent hundreds of hours planning your Disney World trip only to get there and realize that you made more mistakes in the planning process than you can count on two hands?

We get it, it’s easy! You can end up hating the Disney hotel that you booked (and paid thousands of dollars to stay at), having to console your kiddos after taking them on a ride that you thought was well-suited for children, or end up walking around the parks with a hangry family after you come to find that the next mobile order window isn’t for another three hours. But, all these mistakes are avoidable and we’re going to let you in on all our little tips and secrets that will ensure you enjoy your visit to Disney Springs!

So, here’s everything you might be doing wrong at Disney Springs.

Not Trying Out The Seasonal Offerings at the Restaurants

Whether it’s a new Disney movie, a full-on holiday season, or a month celebrating different cultures, you can almost guarantee that several Disney Springs spots are cooking something special up! And, while a cookie from Gideon’s Bakehouse is certainly a must-try when you’re visiting, we recommend getting that cookie to go and saving room to try some of the seasonal offerings while you’re there.

For example, we’ve seen Tender Fried Gator Bites at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, a Coca-Cola Orange Cream Float at the Coca-Cola Rooftop Beverage Bar, Florida Shrimp Tacos with Watermelon Salsa at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar for the annual Flavors of Florida event in the summer. And, in September you can usually find some Hispanic and Latinx dishes on the menus for Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month.

The Disney Springs restaurants are constantly changing up their menus depending on the season, so you might get a completely different meal at a restaurant in the spring than you would in the fall! But, if you’re only reaching for the long-time favorites, you’ll miss out on some seriously good food.

Have You Been to Any of These Underrated Disney World Restaurants?

Thinking It’s Only Table Service Restaurants

It’s true that Disney Springs has some of the best table service restaurants (more on that later), but it’s not just sit-down spots boiling over with delicious food — there are also some GREAT Counter Service restaurants!

Looking for an epic chicken sandwich (and TONS of sauce)? Head over to Chicken Guy! How about some barbecue and delicious drinks? The Polite Pig has it! Craving something sweet? Get over to Gideon’s Bakehouse! Feeling a flare for the international? Grab some Candian-inspired options at Daily Poutine or a batch of UK-authentic fish and chips from Cookes of Dublin! And this is just the tip of the iceberg!

So, while there’s no doubt that the Table Service restaurants in Disney Springs are worth visiting, there are also several other spots that offer up a quick — and delicious — meal!

15,000 Fans Rank Every Quick Service Restaurant in Magic Kingdom

Skipping the Non-Disney Shops

So many people go to Disney Springs and only visit the Disney-themed shops like World of Disney and Tren-D. And, while we’re all for checking out the latest Minnie Ears and Baby Yoda merch, you’re missing out on all the other unique shops that are just a short walk away! In fact, Disney Springs is home to a lot of stores that you won’t be able to find at your local mall like the M&M’s Store (which is one of only 7 stores in the WORLD!), a LEGO Store, and a Coca-Cola store (with a rooftop bar and all the coke flavors you can try in EPCOT).

And, even if the store is one that you can find at home, the shops in Disney Springs often times have some exclusive Disney-themed items. For example, at Basin you can find Disney-themed bath and body products, LovePop has greeting cards featuring tons of different Disney characters, and you can even find your favorite Disney snacks on socks at the Just Fun Socks Kiosk.

So, you’ll want to be sure that you’re leaving enough time to explore all the different stores when you’re visiting Disney Springs — you never know what you’ll find!

See the 5 Things We HAD to Buy at Disney World’s New M&M’s Store HERE!

Eating at Franchise Restaurants

Sure, you can eat at House of Blues or Rainforest Cafe if you want (and we won’t judge you for that), but if you’re looking for quality food, there are SO many other choices at Disney Springs that you won’t find anywhere else. And, just like you want to shop at the stores you can’t find at home, it’s better to EAT at the restaurants you can’t visit on an average Thursday in your hometown.

Make a reservation for brunch at Homecomin’, visit the Indiana Jones-themed Hangar Bar, or dine on some of the BEST food in Disney World (in our humble opinion) at Wine Bar George. Even if you have picky eaters in your party, you’re sure to find something for everyone that isn’t from a chain restaurant — we promise!

Click HERE for our ULTIMATE guide to Disney Springs Restaurants!

Not Using Your Discounts

Who doesn’t like to save money, right? If you’re a Disney World Annual Passholder or Disney Vacation Club member, you can use your discounts at many shops and restaurants at Disney Springs. PLUS, if you’re a D23 member, you even qualify for extra discounts at shops like Alex and Ani and Basin, along with restaurants like Paddlefish and Terralina Crafted Italian.

You can also sign up for the Landry’s Select Club to save at Rainforest Cafe AND T-Rex. You can also sign up for the Levy Preferred Frequent Dining Program, which saves you money at Paddlefish and Terralina Crafted Italian.

So, no matter where you might be getting the discount from, don’t forget to use them!

Click HERE to Learn How to Get the MOST Discounts During Your Disney World Trip!

Thinking Wine Bar George is Just For Wine Connoisseurs

Many Disney Springs guests see the words “Wine Bar” in front of “George” at Wine Bar George and think that this might be an establishment that’s just for wine connoisseurs — after all, the place is owned and run by a Master Sommelier (and yes, that IS a very big deal). BUT…if you’ve found yourself thinking this, you’d be WRONG! Wine Bar George isn’t a hoity-toity place for wine snobs — it’s a great place to learn about the kinds of wine you might like and discover your favorites!

The servers here are all excellent at helping guests select wine, even for guests that don’t know much about it. And we can’t forget to mention that the food here is also EXCELLENT. The bottom line is, you don’t have to like wine to LOVE Wine Bar George!

Click Here for our FULL review of Wine Bar George!

Skipping Disney Springs Entirely

So many guests think that Disney Springs isn’t worth visiting when they could be in the parks, so they just skip it entirely. And, if you’ve ever found yourself thinking this, you’d be WRONG. If you haven’t picked up on it already, Disney Springs is home to delicious restaurants, awesome shops where you can find unique Disney items, GIANT cookies, over-the-top donuts, entertainment, and so much more.

With so much to explore, Disney Springs is almost like a theme park in itself. And, the best part? You don’t have to purchase a park ticket to visit — it’s FREE (to look around at least ).

Torched Bacon and Aerial Performers? Check Out This Masquerade Ball in Disney Springs!

Not Stopping By During The Holidays

The Disney World Parks aren’t the only place you can see breathtaking decorations around the holidays — Disney Springs also gets festive for the season! And, with no need to buy yourself a park ticket, you can enjoy those decorations anytime you want through November and December.

Some of the highlights include visiting Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar (which turns into a HOLIDAY BAR every year) and completing the Christmas Tree Trail where you go on a hunt for all the Disney-themed Christmas trees.

Only Super Fans Know About These 6 Bizarre Disney Holidays — Do You?

Going to Disney Springs on the Last Day of Your Trip

There’s certainly nothing wrong with scheduling your visit to Disney Springs at the end of your vacation, but there is one BIG mistake that you don’t wait to make. You’ll need to be sure that you’ve allotted enough time to enjoy Disney Springs and then get back to your hotel, collect your stuff, and get to the airport (unless you’re driving, then you’re on your own time).

It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re shopping around and while we love that Disney transportation is free, it’s not always the most timely. So, if you DO plan to go to Disney Springs on the day you fly out of Orlando, be sure to give yourself plenty of wiggle room to get your luggage and get to the airport so you don’t miss your flight.

Click HERE to Learn About The BIGGEST Time Wasters in Disney World — And How To Avoid Them!

Thinking There Are Buses That Go To/From the Parks

Another way to build Disney Springs into your vacation is to split it with a park day. But, BEWARE — there are NO buses that go directly between Disney Springs and the parks as of this writing.

Instead, you’ll need to grab a bus from a Disney World Resort hotel or you can use a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft if you don’t want to spend hours finagling the bus system.

Not Stopping to Listen to Live Music

One thing that makes Disney Springs more than just an outdoor mall is all the live entertainment! No matter what time it is, you can usually find something going on at the Adventhealth Waterside Stage or near Riverboat Square. You’ll be able to find everything from high school choirs to local musicians who come out to entertain guests between all the shopping and dining.

While it’s easy to walk right by these things, we suggest stopping just like you would if you saw a parade coming down Main Street, U.S.A. Not only will you face way fewer crowds, but you’ll also be enjoying the Disney Springs ambiance, which is half of the excitement!

Planning to Go on Weekend Evenings

So, you know how we said that Disney Springs is free to visit? Well, that tends to draw out the CROWDS on the weekends, particularly on weekend nights. Many locals and other vacationers tend to opt to visit on the weekend, so you might find that parking is harder, making a reservation is harder, and, well, your overall experience is just less enjoyable.

Now, there’s no doubt that the weekends can still be a fun time to visit, especially if you’re looking for some Disney nightlife. But, if you can avoid it, we’d suggest planning your Disney Springs visit for a weekday. And, if you really don’t want to be around hundreds of other people, go early in the morning! Not only will you feel like you own the place, but that’s also a great time to secure those super popular Gideon’s Bakehouse cookies without much of a wait!

Here’s Our Step-By-Step Guide To Getting The One Treat That Can Have a 7 Hour Line in Disney World!

Waiting Later to Get In Line at Gideon’s Bakehouse

Speaking of Gideon’s Bakehouse cookies, we’ve seen some pretty long wait times (like 7 HOURS!) since it opened at the beginning of 2021. If you ask us — yes, the wait is worth it, but there’s a way to get your hands on the GIANT cake slices, dream-worthy cookies, and coffee WAY faster — be there when Disney Springs opens and head there first!

We use this tactic all. the. time. because it works. All of the cookies and cakes come packaged and in a to-go bag so if you don’t want to get a sugar rush at 10AM, you can easily take these along with you for later.

Gideon’s Just Added a SECOND Hot Cookie Hour at Disney Springs! Find Out When It Is Here!

Not Knowing When Stores Close

Just because Disney’s website says that Disney Springs is open until 11PM doesn’t mean that the stores are actually open that long. So, if there’s somewhere that you really want to shop, be sure that you check the hours either on the Disney World website or on the My Disney Experience app so you don’t end up disappointed.

Likewise, it could come in handy knowing when stores open, as not all open when Disney Springs opens in the morning. And, this is also true for restaurants.

Here Is EVERY Late-Night Dining Option in Disney World Right Now

Not Realizing That There Are Celebrity Chefs In Charge of Restaurants

We’ve talked a little bit about all the tasty Quick Service and Table Service restaurants in Disney Springs already and there’s a reason that they are SO good — many of them are either owned or run by celebrity chefs! And, we’re talking about some of the best of the best!

For example, Guy Fieri owns Chicken Guy!, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto owns Morimoto Asia, The Polite Pig is owned by James Beard Award Nominees James and Julie Petrakis, Jaleo is owned by award-winning chef and philanthropist José Andrés, and Wine Bar George is owned and run by Master Sommelier George Miliotes.

With chefs like that planning out the menu, you’re sure to find some of the BEST dining in Disney World here!

Here’s How to Eat at Disney World’s BEST Restaurants With NO Reservations!

Thinking It’s JUST Shopping and Dining

Yes, Disney Springs has some pretty amazing shopping and dining, but that’s not the only thing you can do! For example, did you know that you can ride in a tethered hot air balloon or even take a “drive” in a Vintage Amphicar ON WATER?! Disney Springs has them both!

In the mood for a movie? There’s an AMC movie theater! Want to check out a world-class show? Get tickets for Cirque du Soleil: Drawn To Life. Kids can even ride a train AND a carousel (though they’re more like the ones you’ll find in a mall). Or you can take in some authentic Irish music and dancing while you dine, go for a round or two of bowling, and sing your heart out at karaoke. There’s SO much more to do at Disney Springs than you probably ever thought!

See 36 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do at Walt Disney World HERE!

So if you’ve been doing Disney Springs wrong, it’s okay — we’re here to give you ideas on how to do it right! So, be sure to make time for Disney Springs during your next Disney World vacation, and let us know how it goes! And, stay tuned to DFB for more Disney planning tips, tricks, and updates!

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What’s your favorite thing to do at Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments!

The post Everything You’re Doing Wrong at Disney Springs first appeared on the disney food blog.