I feel like Disney’s shopping area has grown up with me. When I was little, it was quaint little Disney Village. When I turned 21, my mom and aunt took me to Pleasure Island. It turned into Downtown Disney in my 20s. And now that I’m in my 30s, it’s Disney Springs. It went from being a subset of Disney for little kids, to a roaring nightclub scene, to a downtown vibe, and now it has fully grown up into more of a suburb feel. The best part of the new Disney Springs? It’s free! Of course, you have to pay for whatever you get at the shops or restaurants, but it’s free to get in and just walk around.

Morimoto Asia Street Food

One of my favorite restaurants in Hawaii is Morimoto Waikiki. So of course I had to try Morimoto Asia at the new Disney Springs. However, the price tag in the sit-down restaurant is a little hefty for me, so I opted for Morimoto Asia Street Food. It has some of the same menu offerings as regular Morimoto Asia, but it’s quick service, so it’s a lot cheaper. I had the chicken-teriyaki bao tacos, the Morimoto baby ribs and the Singapore slush. OMG, can you say delicious?! I just love the texture of the bao as the “shell” of the taco, and the spicy mayo adds just the right kick. I have no idea what kind of magic they put on the ribs, but it’s amazing. The flavor is sweet and savory, and the meat just melts off the bone. Seriously incredible. The Singapore slush is like a frozen lemonade but better—because it has vodka in it, haha!

Who’s having a hurricane party? I wish I had a shanghai slush and some ribs from Morimoto Asia right now instead of Bud Light and burgers right now lol. 🍹 #morimotoasia #disneysprings #shanghaislush #bbqribs #wdw #waltdisneyworld #disneyworld #asiangirl #asianfood #asian #whasian #asianribs #frozendrinks #Disney #disneydrinks #disneydining #disneyfood #disneydrinking #disneyfoodie #disneyside

A photo posted by Disney Desi (@disney.desi) on Sep 1, 2016 at 4:43pm PDT

Sprinkles Cupcakes and Ice Cream

I had seen photos of the beautiful cupcake creations from Sprinkles, so I really wanted to see if they tasted as good as they looked. I knew you could get cupcakes; I knew you could get ice cream. But what I didn’t know is that you could order what they call a cupcake sundae. You order a cupcake and an ice cream flavor, and then they split the top off the cupcake, put the ice cream on top of the bottom half and then place the top back on. It’s basically an ice-cream sandwich but with a cupcake. Brilliant idea. I got the chocolate-marshmallow cupcake with the peanut-butter ice cream. So yummy! My aunt paired a red-velvet cupcake with the dark-chocolate ice cream, and that was delicious as well. We went inside, but they also have a cupcake ATM outside, which is a pretty neat idea. Overall, I would say it’s a bit pricey (about $8 for what’s basically one cupcake and one scoop of ice cream), but if you have a sweet tooth, you will love it.

Have you tried Sprinkles at Disney Springs yet? I got a chocolate marshmallow cupcake sundae with peanut butter cup ice cream. Yum! 😍 #sprinkles #disneysprings #sprinklescupcakes #cupcake #cupcakesundae #icecream #sweet #sweettreats #Disney #waltdisneyworld #wdw #disneyworld #disneyside #disneysnacks #disneyfood #disneydining #cupcakes #disneytreats #disneyblogger #disneyblog

A photo posted by Disney Desi (@disney.desi) on Sep 11, 2016 at 3:15pm PDT

D-Luxe Burger

D-Luxe Burger is a quick-service restaurant at Disney Springs with mouthwatering, juicy burgers and greasy, delicious fries. Actually, the best part about the fries is the dipping sauces. When you order your meal, they ask you what kind of dipping sauce you want. We opted for the curry ketchup and the chipotle mayo. They with both very good, but the chipotle mayo was my favorite. I also got El Diablo burger, which was easily one of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time (other than what my husband makes, of course). If you’re on a diet, I certainly wouldn’t recommend going to D-Luxe Burger, but if you want to indulge in some comfort food at a good price, D-Luxe Burger is a good place to go.

The Boathouse

After indulging in D-Luxe Burger, we needed to walk and shop around the stores at Disney Springs. We burned some calories and were ready for an afternoon drink and sweet treat. The Boathouse is a cute little restaurant by the water, but since we were still full from the burgers and fries, we just went to The Dockside Bar. You go through the restaurant and walk down a little dock to get to this outdoor bar. Don’t worry about the hot Florida sun though because it is covered. I got a prosecco, and my aunt and I shared the Double Chocolate Bundt Cake, which came with raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream. Perfect sweet afternoon treat! The best part about The Dockside Bar was the views. I loved watching the amphicars go by. They look like ’50s cars but can go both on land and water. How cool is that? Next time I go to Disney Springs, I definitely want to try that out!

Sipping on prosecco at The Boathouse, great place to wear my anchor Minnie ears from @dousedinmouse ⚓ #boathouse #disneysprings #dockside #docksidebar #boathouserestaurant #disneyside #mouseears #anchorsaweigh #anchor #anchors #wdw #waltdisneyworld #lillypulitzer #resort365 #buymelilly #summerinlilly #preppy #prosecco #champagne #bubbly

A photo posted by Disney Desi (@disney.desi) on Aug 27, 2016 at 12:41pm PDT

Chocolate lava cake with vanilla #icecream and raspberry compote from The Boathouse at Disney Springs. 😍🌋🍦 #disneycolorschallengeseptember16 #disneysprings #boathouserestaurant #chocolate #lavacake #raspberrycompote #sweet #sweettreat #dessert #chocolatecake #iwanttostuffsomechocolateinmyface #waltdisneyworld #disneyworld #wdw #igers_wdw #disneyside #disneydining #disneytreats #Disney

A photo posted by Disney Desi (@disney.desi) on Sep 12, 2016 at 4:38am PDT