I finally got a chance to go up in the Characters in Flight balloon at Downtown Disney at night. I’d been up twice before during the day and got some great pictures, but I wanted to see the view at night. It was a particularly neat time to go, not just because it was dark [...]

The Characters in Flight helium balloon ride at Downtown Disney officially opened on April 21, 2009. The balloon, operated by Aerophile, takes up to thirty guests 400 feet in the air for around five minutes, providing 360-degree views of all of Walt Disney World and the surrounding Orlando area. One of the most-discussed aspects of [...]

Actor Alfonso Ribeiro (Most famous for his roles in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Silver Spoons) shops with his daughter Sienna on April 10, 2009 at the new Tren-D store at Downtown Disney. The store blends both vintage and modern designs with stylized Disney characters. Photo by Gene Duncan

The Characters in Flight tethered hot air balloon ride has been running off and on for guests the past few days. It’s been windy so the balloon has been down more than up since it opened. But when it’s up, you can see it from miles away. I’ve seen it while driving down Apopka-Vineland Road [...]

Tren-D, a stylish boutique with designer flair and eclectic offerings became Downtown Disney’s newest shop with its grand opening on April 9. The urban-inspired specialty store is a one-of-a-kind, hip destination for fashion-conscious shoppers seeking trendy apparel and novel accessories. “This unique environment, filled with textured fabrics, new silhouettes, and whimsical art and design allows [...]

With the Virgin Megastore at Downtown Disney closing next month, the closeout sale has begun. Starting today, everything is up to 30% off. Music, DVDs and books are 20% off and electronics are 10% off. I expect the discounts will increase as closing day nears. In addition to all merchandise being on sale, the store [...]

Paradiso 37, a high-energy restaurant and bar featuring cuisine from North, South and Central America, will welcome guests in May at its location in Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney. The lakeside eatery will offer a variety of menu offerings representing the 37 countries of the Americas, plus an international wine bar, 37 varieties of tequila [...]

Recently, we have added downloadable high-definition versions of our most recent videos to our Videos section. These include: MC Hammer at Universal Studios Mardi Gras A tour through The Holy Land Experience Racing experiences at the Walt Disney World Speedway Zipline Safari at Forever Florida 2009 Epcot Flower & Garden Festival opening celebration The American [...]

The AMC Theaters Web site is listing their Downtown Disney location as a future spot for an IMAX theater. They don’t list any time frame for when the theater may open, but some are speculating that once the Virgin Megastore closes next month, the space would make a perfect location for an IMAX theater. We’ll [...]

I stopped by the Lego Imagination Center at Downtown Disney tonight and noticed this very cool Digital Box display. If you hold certain Lego boxes up to the camera, it’ll show you an animated 3D model of the completed set right on top of the box you’re holding. This augmented reality technology is from a [...]

Volume 2, Issue 3 (April / May 2009) of Orlando Attractions Magazine is now available for preview and pre-Order. FEATURES: • COVER STORY: Idol Opportunity Visitors to Disney’s Hollywood Studios get into the act in the new American Idol Experience. • Unleash Your Inner Celebrity VIP tours offer a unique way to see Orlando’s theme [...]

I just returned from Downtown Disney where they were securing the new hot air balloon down for the night. Characters in Flight should be operating in the next couple of weeks. As you’ll see below, the former information building is now where you’ll buy tickets to ride up to 400 feet in the tethered balloon. [...]

Our friend Dewayne Bevil from the Orlando Sentinel took the above photo this morning of the balloon that will eventually take guests 400 feet into the air at Downtown Disney. Dewayne is reporting the ride will be ready for guests next week. Click Here for more pictures and information from the Sentinel.

Chef Partner Kevin Dundon at Raglan Road, an Irish restaurant located at Downtown Disney, has released a new cookbook called, “Great Family Food.” Inside, home cooks will find recipes that Dundon regularly prepares for his family in Ireland. The book is split up into seven categories: one-pot wonders, quick & easy suppers, roasts & family [...]

An eclectic new women’s boutique with trendy apparel and novel accessories is now open at the Downtown Disney Marketplace. Tren-D blends vintage and hip designs with whimsical Disney characters in a unique setting befitting the trendiest fashion salons. This new shopping destination showcases the artistry of favorite designers including Tarina Tarantino, Roxy and Kidada Jones.

The Mexican / South American restaurant from E-Brands Restaurants that is currently under construction at Downtown Disney is officially going to be called Paradiso 37. The restaurant is being installed into a former Pleasure Island club location. Restaurant Marrakesh in Morocco at Epcot is partially owned by Rashid Choufani who also owns E-Brands. Update: Some [...]

From orlandosentinel.com: Virgin Megastores around the country — including the one in Downtown Disney — will close this summer, a company spokeswoman confirmed Monday afternoon. Link Update: It was originally reported that Virgin’s last day at Downtown Disney would be May 31. Now it’s been changed to May 12, 2009.

The Disney / Hanes Design-A-Tee store officially opened at Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney on January 9, 2009. Inside, guests can customize their own t-shirts with Disney characters and up to four lines of text. Multiple colors, sizes, and styles of shirts are available for a fair amount of flexibility, but you won’t find subtlety [...]

The Design-A-Tee store by Hanes is now open in the Downtown Disney Marketplace. Here’s a look: The store consists of eight computer kiosks where you can select the type of tee (long or short sleeve), the size, color, and a graphic design for the front. Some of the categories include characters, celebrations, Pixar and Disney [...]

This holiday season, Downtown Disney has gone to the dogs. Disney’s new “Santa Paws” invites dog owners to bring their pooches for a photo opportunity and meet and greet with Santa Claus. It’s doggone fun for pups as they enjoy the yuletide cheer, pose for pictures and share their Christmas wish list with St. Nick [...]