Credit: SJ Grant, FlickrFor years, Disney Springs has been one of the most flexible places to visit at Walt Disney World. Guests could spend an afternoon shopping, enjoy dinner at one of dozens of restaurants, catch live entertainment, and even use complimentary Disney transportation to visit nearby resorts.
That experience has changed dramatically over the past several months.
Disney has introduced permanent transportation restrictions, welcomed major new entertainment, expanded its dining lineup, and launched several new experiences that make Disney Springs feel very different than it did at the beginning of 2026. While many of the updates give guests even more reasons to visit, others may require some extra planning before heading out.
If it’s been a while since your last trip, here’s everything that’s new at Disney Springs.
Disney Permanently Changes Transportation Rules
The biggest change at Disney Springs isn’t a new restaurant or attraction.
It’s a permanent transportation policy that affects how guests travel between Disney Springs and Disney Resort hotels.
For years, one of Disney World’s most popular transportation tricks involved parking at Disney Springs and hopping aboard a complimentary resort bus or Sassagoula River Cruise boat to explore Disney hotels. Whether guests wanted dinner at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, drinks at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, or simply wanted to look around, transportation was available without much restriction.
That’s no longer the case.
Disney has permanently limited transportation from Disney Springs to Disney Resort hotels. Today, complimentary buses and boats are only available to guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel or those with a valid dining reservation or Enchanting Extras reservation. Guests with dining reservations may begin using the transportation up to two hours before their reservation time.
The change quietly eliminated one of Disney World’s longest-running transportation “hacks” and means many visitors will now need to rethink how they get around property.
If you’re planning a resort-hopping day, it’s worth checking Disney’s updated transportation policies before arriving.
LEVEL99 Gives Disney Springs a Major New Attraction
Transportation isn’t the only thing that’s changed.
Earlier this summer, Disney Springs officially welcomed LEVEL99, a massive interactive gaming venue inside the former NBA Experience building on the West Side. The attraction represents one of the biggest entertainment additions to Disney Springs in years.
Rather than focusing on arcade games, LEVEL99 features dozens of physical and mental challenge rooms where teams compete together by solving puzzles, completing obstacle-style games, and tackling skill-based challenges. Guests receive an RFID wristband that tracks their progress and allows them to return for future visits while continuing to build their scores.
The nearly 47,000-square-foot venue also includes a full-service bar and restaurant serving scratch-made food, making it easy to spend several hours there without ever setting foot inside one of Disney’s theme parks.
It’s another sign that Disney Springs continues evolving into a destination rather than simply a shopping district.
Six Ravens Is Finally Serving Guests
One of the most anticipated Disney Springs openings of the year has finally welcomed its first guests.
Six Ravens, the savory concept from the creators of Gideon’s Bakehouse, is currently operating in a soft-opening phase ahead of its official grand opening celebration. The early opening allows the restaurant to fine-tune operations while giving Disney fans their first chance to experience the new location.
Guests visiting during the soft opening should expect the experience to work a little differently than a traditional Disney Springs restaurant.
Rather than allowing an extremely long standby line to develop, Six Ravens plans to activate a virtual queue whenever demand becomes too high. Guests simply provide their phone number and receive a text message when it’s their turn to return, allowing them to continue shopping or exploring Disney Springs instead of standing outside waiting.
The restaurant itself is intentionally compact and designed as a grab-and-go experience instead of a full-service dining location. Seating isn’t available, making it easy for guests to pick up their order and continue exploring Disney Springs.
Visitors should also know that temporary purchase limits remain in place during the soft opening as the kitchen continues increasing production. The restaurant has indicated that some operating procedures could continue evolving before the official grand opening takes place.
Unlike Gideon’s famous cookies, Six Ravens focuses on savory offerings. Its signature “Coffyns” are scratch-made stuffed bread pockets inspired by traditional hand pies, giving Disney Springs another unique dining option unlike anything else currently available.
Wine Bar George Launches a New Culinary Experience
Disney Springs isn’t just adding restaurants—it continues expanding the experiences guests can book throughout the year.
Wine Bar George recently announced a brand-new event series called Uncorked, bringing together chef demonstrations, guided wine tastings, educational seminars, and curated food pairings.
The series is scheduled to run from September through mid-November and offers several ticketed experiences for guests looking for something beyond a traditional dinner reservation.
The addition reflects Disney Springs’ continued push toward offering more immersive experiences alongside its already extensive dining lineup.
Disney Springs Is Becoming More Than a Shopping District
These updates are part of a much larger transformation happening across Disney Springs.
The district has steadily grown into one of Walt Disney World’s biggest destinations outside the four theme parks. Guests can spend an entire day shopping, catching live entertainment, playing at LEVEL99, watching Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn to Life (2021), enjoying waterfront dining, or browsing dozens of unique stores.
New restaurants continue opening while existing favorites regularly introduce seasonal menus, limited-time offerings, and special events throughout the year.
For many visitors, Disney Springs has become a destination all by itself instead of simply a place to grab dinner after leaving Magic Kingdom or EPCOT.
Planning Ahead Matters More Than Ever
While many of Disney Springs’ newest additions are exciting, they also reward guests who arrive with a plan.
Transportation rules are no longer as flexible as they once were, meaning resort-hopping now requires either a Disney Resort stay or a qualifying reservation. Meanwhile, popular newcomers like Six Ravens may utilize virtual queues during busy periods, and LEVEL99 can easily turn into an hours-long experience depending on how many challenges guests want to complete.
The result is a Disney Springs that’s both bigger and busier than ever before.
For returning visitors, the changes may come as a surprise. For first-time guests, however, they’ll simply be part of the new normal.
Between permanent transportation restrictions, major entertainment additions, a brand-new restaurant that’s already drawing crowds during its soft opening, and expanded dining experiences arriving this fall, Disney Springs has entered a new chapter.
The next time you visit, don’t expect exactly the same Disney Springs you remember. In many ways, it’s become an even bigger destination—but it’s also one that now requires a little more planning to experience everything it has to offer.
