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Downtown Disney®

A giant LEGO® sea serpent, wall-climbing acrobats, robotic elephants, and magic-carpet riders aren't your typical downtown dwellers-unless you're talking about Downtown Disney®. Debuting in 1997 and 1998, this waterfront district has assembled shops, restaurants, and entertainment in three sections: Downtown Disney West End, Downtown Disney Marketplace, and Pleasure Island.

The most acclaimed draw is the "La Nouba" show of Cirque du Soleil®, the French no-animals circus. Audiences are engrossed by its magical artistry, theatrical dance, wordless humor, live music, and astonishing acrobatics (such as mid-air ballet, bicycling stunts, and trampoline and trapeze gymnastics). Just as engaging is the DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park, with such interactive high-tech fun as riding the rapids in a virtual prehistoric world, trying out a simulated roller coaster that you design, flying a magic carpet through a virtual city, and recording your own music CD.

In the mood for food? The 500-seat Bongos Cuban Cafe™ serves up authentic Cuban cuisine amid a South Beach deco décor. The House of Blues® features Mississippi Delta cooking and live music nightly, with headliner concerts in the music hall and Gospel Brunch performances on Sundays. In a tropical atmosphere that includes animatronic animals and simulated lightning storms, Rainforest Cafe® offers fare ranging from pasta to sandwiches. And the Wolfgang Puck® Grand Café specializes in such California cuisine as pizza, fresh seafood, and rotisserie chicken, and even features a to-go lane and a sushi bar.

Things tend to be oversized at Downtown Disney, where you'll find the largest movie theatre complex in the Southeast, the world's largest Planet Hollywood®, a Virgin™ Megastore, a LEGO® superstore, and the world's largest Disney character store. Other shops specialize in culinary gadgets, guitars, magic tricks, glass sculptures, toys, gardening tools, and swimwear. Special performances occasionally may grace the outdoor Dock Stage.

Location
Downtown Disney is located in the Walt Disney World complex in Lake Buena Vista, about 22 miles southwest of Orlando.

Hours of operation

• Hours for Downtown Disney Marketplace are 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and Downtown Disney West Side is open 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Cirque du Soleil® performs 90-minute shows at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. daily, but is closed Sundays and Mondays.
• DisneyQuest is open 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; and 11:30 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Cost

• Admission to Downtown Disney's restaurants and shops is free, as is parking.
• Concerts at the House of Blues® include a cover charge.
• Tickets for Cirque du Soleil® cost $72-$82 for adults, and $44-$49 for children (ages 3-9).
• DisneyQuest costs $29 for adults and $23 for children (ages 3-9).

Contact information and reservations

• For general information on Downtown Disney, call (407) WDW-2NITE.
• For Cirque du Soleil, call (407) W-DISNEY.
• For DisneyQuest, call (407) 828-4600.
• For House of Blues concerts, call 407-934-BLUE.

Additional information

• During the holiday season, Downtown Disney's Christmastime in the City includes carolers, stilt-walking toy soldiers, and appearances by St. Nick.
• Visit the Downtown Disney Web site.

Please note
Cost, hours of operation, or other information about this attraction is subject to change without notice. We suggest you confirm with the attraction prior to your visit.