With the world’s largest Disney character emporium, exquisitely themed celebrity restaurants, a new attraction that soars to the sky, retail boutiques for every taste and a virtual-reality arcade, Downtown Disney offers an extraordinary mix of entertainment, dining and shopping at Walt Disney World Resort. Plus, Downtown Disney parking is free.

Divided into three districts -- West Side, Marketplace and Pleasure Island -- encompassing 120 acres along the southern shore of Buena Vista Lagoon, Downtown Disney bursts with excitement for all ages, whether guests come to eat, shop or enjoy live entertainment.

“With the addition of terrific destinations like RideMakerz, D Street, Paradiso 37, Characters in Flight and T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, we’re continuing to re-invent the Downtown Disney area and deliver great shopping, dining and entertainment for our guests,” said Keith Bradford, Downtown Disney vice president. “Almost around the clock, this district offers unforgettable experiences that can’t be found anywhere else.”

Inspired by Broadway, Hollywood, traditional “downtowns” and the high-tech world of digital entertainment and virtual reality, Downtown Disney treats guests to a dazzling set of activities from morning until well after midnight.

Downtown Disney West Side features a permanent Cirque du Soleil theater with an original theatrical show, La Nouba, produced exclusively for Walt Disney World Resort; RideMakerz, a supercharged place to build customized toy vehicles; Characters in Flight operated by Aerophile, an iconic tethered balloon that takes guests on ascents up to 400 feet for a 360-degree view of Walt Disney World Resort and beyond; newly opened D Street, the home to Vinylmation figures, plus accessories and apparel; littlemissmatched, featuring colorful accessories and socks; DisneyQuest, a five-story, 100,000-square-foot indoor theme park filled with the latest in interactive entertainment and high-tech fun; Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s Bongos Cuban Café; House of Blues; Wolfgang Puck Café; Planet Hollywood; and AMC Pleasure Island 24 Theatres Complex with the first Enhanced Theater Experience (ETX™) in the United States.

At Downtown Disney Pleasure Island, Fuego by Sosa Cigars is where cigar connoisseurs can savor a smoke and enjoy other tobacco products in an intimate lounge setting where premium wine, beer, spirits, plus specialty coffees and other non-alcoholic beverages are served daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fuego by Sosa Cigars is open to guests of all ages; anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult of 21 or older.

Curl by Sammy Duval offers surfers a selection of trendy surfwear clothing and accessories plus skateboards and surfboards, and the Orlando Harley-Davidson Store features apparel, gifts and collectibles.

Fulton’s Crab House is a three-deck dining emporium featuring fresh seasonal seafood favorites flown in daily from seaports around the world; Portobello has rustic country trattoria ambience and offers contemporary regional Italian dishes; Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant features the very best of authentic Irish food, drink, heritage and live entertainment; Paradiso 37, a high-energy restaurant and bar offering menu items from the 37 countries of North, South and Central America.

Downtown Disney Marketplace features a wide variety of shopping and dining adventures for every age and budget, including Tren-D, a hip new women’s store with eclectic fashions and designer jewelry; Once Upon a Toy, a toy store filled with exclusive playthings from Disney and Hasbro; Disney’s Design-a-Tee presented by Hanes, offering customized T-shirts; Disney’s Pin Traders, the premier location for pin trading at Walt Disney World Resort; T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure restaurant, featuring a world of life-size animated dinosaurs that dwell among bubbling geysers, waterfalls and a fossil dig site; Rainforest Café; McDonald’s; Wolfgang Puck Express; Earl of Sandwich; LEGO Imagination Center; Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop; and the World of Disney store, the world’s largest Disney character merchandise location.