Credit: DisneyAs one door closes, another one opens – as is the case at Disney Springs right now.
While everyone gets hyped about new additions to Disney’s theme parks, a tough pill to swallow is that this usually comes with a handful of closures. Over the years, Walt Disney World Resort has been forced to shutter several locations to make way for new developments (and not all of these closures have been pleasantly welcomed by diehard Disney fans).
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Some are easier to accept, such as Primeval Whirl in Animal Kingdom’s DinoLand U.S.A. Others, however, prove a little bit more challenging – such as whenever we’ll inevitably have to say goodbye to the rest of DinoLand U.S.A. to make way for Disney’s Tropical Americas land.
When Splash Mountain took its final trip to a laughing place at Magic Kingdom Park in January 2023, some guests were so devastated that they launched their own petitions to stop its successor, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, from being built in its place. These efforts were clearly in vain, as the attraction opens in Frontierland on June 28, 2024 (if it can sort out its ongoing technical issues, that is.
Progress isn’t just limited to the theme parks. Disney also routinely swaps out features at its hotels and Disney Springs. The latter previously underwent a total overhaul, transforming from Downtown Disney to its current identity in 2015. However, things still continue to change in the shopping and dining district, as Disney has proven with its latest announcement.
The recently closed Ever After Jewelry Co. & Accessories is reportedly undergoing a makeover in Town Center, and it will soon reopen as Disney Ever After.
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Unlike its predecessor – which sold Disney-themed jewelry from the likes of Alex & Ani, Crislu, and Pandora – this will focus on general Disney merchandise (because, you know, you can’t find that anywhere else).
Disney shared the full announcement via the Disney Springs Instagram page.
Our team is currently hard at work transforming Ever After Jewelry Co. & Accessories into Disney Ever After. ✨ This refreshed concept will bring a bright and fun feel to the space. Expect to see collections featuring your favorite characters, trendy merchandise, and plenty of huggable plush! Opening later this month.
The store is confirmed to reopen to Disney Springs guests later this June, so the interior makeover likely won’t be that extreme. Disney is yet to update the store’s page on the official Walt Disney World Resort website, with it currently just noting, “Ever After will be closing temporarily on June 16.”
Judging by the responses on Instagram, guests aren’t exactly overwhelmed with joy about this Disney Springs replacement. As one user put it, “Seriously?! Just what we needed another store to buy stuffed animals.”
Ever After Jewelry Co. & Accessories isn’t the first closure to hit the area this year. Both The Art of Shaving and ALEX & ANI have also closed in 2024, while the demolition of Disney’s failed NBA Experience – which has been closed since COVID-19 – is currently ongoing.
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Amid the closures, Disney has also debuted something new at Disney Springs recently. Earlier this month, Disney Dreams That Soar, presented by AT&T, premiered in the shopping and dining district. Free to all guests, this involves “hundreds of state-of-the-art drones ‘dancing’ across the sky, choreographed to a soaring musical score of iconic Disney music and memorable dialogue from beloved Disney movies,” as per the Disney Springs website.
The drone show creates “towering elements that are 400 feet tall” as well as recreations of “some of your favorite Disney characters from Toy Story, Coco, Dumbo, Peter Pan, Up, the Star Wars saga, and more!”
What’s your favorite store in Disney Springs?