Disney Springs Guide: Best Shops, Restaurants & My Polite Pig Review

Walt Disney World has its own shopping, dining and entertainment district: Disney Springs. It brings together everyday fashion brands like Zara and UNIQLO, Disney merchandise shops, well-known restaurants and lounge bars all in one place. In this post I’ll share the stores worth visiting, the popular restaurants, and my own first-hand review from our visit.

🛬 Visiting on Our Arrival Day in Orlando

Our flight was delayed, so we didn’t reach the hotel until around 6 p.m. By the time we had checked in and roughly unpacked, it was already dinnertime. We wanted to eat and see somewhere with a nice atmosphere, so heading to Disney Springs was the natural choice.

Disney Springs at night has a wonderful vibe: music playing, pretty outdoor lighting, and restaurants lined up along the water. It was the moment I thought, “We’re finally in Orlando.”

🎁 Must-Visit Stores at Disney Springs

• Coca-Cola Store

  The store sells all kinds of Coca-Cola merchandise, including Coca-Cola × Disney collaboration items that are great for collectors. On the top floor there’s a lounge bar with a terrace, where you can sample Coca-Cola flavors from around the world while enjoying the night view. It’s one of the most unusual experiences you can have at Disney Springs.

• M&M’s World

  Colorful M&M’s products, customizable merchandise and photo spots. The characters and colors are so bright that I especially recommend it if you’re traveling with kids.

• LEGO Store

  Around the store there are large LEGO sculptures, and this is a real photo spot. Disney characters and famous works recreated in LEGO are fun just to look at.

• UNIQLO

  We have UNIQLO in Korea too, but this one had a separate section at the entrance selling Disney-themed T-shirts and merchandise. If you didn’t get a chance to pick up Disney-style outfits before your park days, it’s an easy place to shop.

• World of Disney

  The largest Disney merchandise store at Disney Springs. Plush toys, accessories, clothing, pins, keychains: you name it, they have it.

You don’t need a park ticket to visit Disney Springs, so plenty of Florida locals come here just like they would to any shopping center. We went in the evening, and it was packed — we shopped in a bit of a whirlwind. (Go in expecting crowds!)

🍴 Popular Restaurants at Disney Springs

Disney Springs is practically a dining district. These restaurants are especially well known for their themes or their food.

• T-Rex Café

  A dinosaur-themed restaurant. Kids are guaranteed to love the atmosphere.

• Rainforest Café

  Rainforest theme, with regular thunder-and-lightning effects inside, so the experience itself is fun.

• The Boathouse

  A steak and seafood restaurant, and one of the best-known upscale restaurants at Disney Springs. You can also ride an amphibious car-boat in a 1950s–60s style.

• Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza

  If you want a quick, good-value meal, this is my pick. It’s especially appealing if you like choosing your own toppings to build your own pizza.

• The Polite Pig

  A barbecue and smoked-food specialist, known for its beer and BBQ meats. It’s also recommended in the MICHELIN Guide.

🍖 Where I Ate: The Polite Pig Review

I chose The Polite Pig, which is listed in the MICHELIN Guide.

Selected by the MICHELIN Guide!

It’s clearly popular — there was a short line at the order counter — but it moved quickly, so it was worth the wait. The indoor seating area is large, so we could sit down right after ordering.

When ordering, the staff explained that if you add a tip, a server brings the food to your table; if you don’t, you pick it up yourself. After a long flight we wanted to relax, so we added the tip. We didn’t even write down a table number, yet the server found us exactly — I was genuinely surprised.

Here’s what we ordered. We ordered for three, but the portions were generous enough that four of us ate until we were full. The total came to $120.16.

✔️ What we ordered

• Cedar Plank Salmon
  • Side: BBQ Cauliflower
• Butcher Board (for 2)
  • Side 1: Sweet Potato Tots
  • Side 2: BBQ Waffle Fries

The salmon was thick and moist with a gentle smoky aroma — really delicious. The Butcher Board is a satisfying choice because you get to try several barbecue meats at once; the Polite Pork (pulled pork) was especially tender. As for sides, the cauliflower was slightly sweet and salty and paired beautifully with the barbecue flavor, and the waffle fries taste like regular fries but have a fun shape!

We also ordered beer, which went well with the meat and was easy to drink.

• Bud Light (beer)
• Polite Light (beer)
• Polite Punch (non-alcoholic)

🗺️ Map of the Stores & Restaurants

I’ve marked the must-visit stores and restaurants on the map below. The red arrows show where you enter and exit when coming by shuttle bus. You can leave the same way you came in, but the exit arrow is the closest route to the shuttle buses.

That’s my roundup of the main stores and restaurants at Disney Springs, plus my own visit. If you have some spare time during your Walt Disney World trip, Disney Springs is well worth a stop.

I hope this blog helps make your trip a little more magical 💫 If you have any questions or want to know more, feel free to reach out through the contact page. Thanks for reading ❤