Actually I just realized that we were there on UNIQLO's first day open, July 15! UNIQLO has 2 floors and loads of Disney merchandise--even some that is unique to the Disney Springs location! My favorite find was the display of Disney patches that they could iron onto merchandise for you!
(photo from http://www.uniqlo.com/us/company/news/2016/disney-springs-store-opens.html)
I couldn't think of anything to patch at the time, but I was in LOVE with the Donald and Daisy mouse ears patches. I'm definitely going back (the possibilities are endless--shorts, polo shirts, the sleeves on a t-shirt, hats, the waist band on a skirt)! My brother and brother-in-law bought me a blue shirt I had my eye on with stripes by the chest and Daisy wearing heart-shaped sunglasses (my favorite kind of sunglasses)! I can't wait to wear it (as soon as it's under 90 degrees so I don't sweat in it).
They are also selling traditional Japanese Yukatas--less formal Kimonos is the only way I can think to describe them. They're beautiful!
Our actual first stop was the new Coca-Cola experience (which I was calling "The Coca Cola Experience"), "World of Coke." I follow Disney Food Blog on instagram (and you should, too! @disneyfoodblog) and saw a picture of the Float Tray (I had been calling it the Float Flight--much more fun to say) which I had to try!
They are 8 different sodas with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in each cup. Our favorites were orange soda, root beer (of course), coke, cherry coke, and cherry cream soda. Our least favorites: grape and Sprite. It brought me right back to one lazy summer day years ago when I decided to try making my own grape soda float. It's still gross.
Have you seen the videos of people meeting Coke Bear (as I fondly call him)? Coke Bear is meeting people in Las Vegas and is very energetic and silly! He blinks his eyes, opens his mouth, bites your head, smiles at the camera... I really can't wait for this character meet and greet at Coke World in Orlando!!
During my last visit I had seen construction facades to two kiosks and I couldn't figure out if they were jokes or the real deal. It turns out they were real! AristoCrepes and B.B. Wolf's Sausage Co. While the sausage co. was up and running, AristoCrepes was not open during our outing. It didn't occur to me to look at the sausage menu, but I took a picture of the crepe menu!
remember, you can click on any photo to see it enlarged!
cute!
Though I did get a picture of the cute detail on the roof of the sausage kiosk:
The balloon was finally up and running (I say finally because it wasn't operating due to HIGH WINDS [always in caps on the scrolling marquee] during my last 2 visits) and it looked beautiful. We were distracted by the new Town Center offerings and were exhausted from heat on our walk back to the parking lot, so we never had a chance to go up before the HIGH WINDS came back.
I can't wait to see what the view is like from up there!!
Meanwhile, at Planet Hollywood:
Not lookin' so good. The last time I visited in April, they had cranes and construction paraphernalia surrounding the big star ball, and it seems like nothing has changed. I appreciate that the construction workers have big beach umbrellas to provide shade, though! I imagine they're still examining things... Or doing very discreet work. They are adding an "observatory" which will have fun new menu additions, as reported again by Disney Food Blog, who must have been part of the "special event" at Town Center during my visit, closing a large part of Town Center after 4pm! (One day... one day...)
The big yellow supports I had seen around the Lego serpent in the water are gone now, which looks just lovely!
And, something that was being worked on the last time I was there... The completion of the "Springs!" The water is a beautiful, clear blue with lanterns scattered about on blown glass!
Just gorgeous! This is on the bridge between Town Center and the Boathouse area. An unexpected surprise!
Finally, I had to stop by the Ganachery, even on this HOT day, to pick up one of these cute Mickey chocolate ganache bars (it was strawberry flavored ganache on the inside):
Absolutely adorable!! I asked if they thought it would melt, and they gave me 2 options: 1. I could set my purchase aside and leave it behind their counter for pick-up when I was ready to leave the Springs, or 2. They could give me a complimentary ice pack in my bag, which should last about 4 hours! Without an ice pack it would last about 1 hour. I went for the ice pack, and it was the best option. Mickey survived the hour drive home and he was delicious!
I was excited to premier the backpack I had ordered after seeing it in a DisneyStyle post (also on instagram, @disneystyle) from the website shein.com:
I highly recommend traveling with a backpack around Disney--it leaves your hands free in a way a purse would not!! I just checked their website, and they have one in pink!! Adorable. I hope you enjoy your next trip to Disney Springs!!
