A Magical Indulgence

This month I hope you will indulge me as I step out of character and write about my July downtown experience that really isn't so small-business related. You see, in July, I finally got to indulge in a twenty-year dream to go to Disney World, and our last stop was to magical Downtown Disney. If you're in the Orlando area and haven't been to Disney, hopefully, you'll at least check out Downtown Disney, which is free of charge. If you have been to Orlando and to Disney World and Downtown Disney, hopefully, this will connect to some fond memories you made while you were there.

Downtown Disney has something to offer to literally everybody. Want to take in a movie? No problem. Not only is there an AMC Theater as you come in at West Side, but it's a Dine-In Theater. Want something a little more Rock N' Roll? Head over to House of Blues. Want to play around instead of shop? Then checkout Splitsville Luxury Lanes for some bowling or DisneyQuest for some interactive fun.

For me, though, I was there entirely for shopping. In West Side, my family and I hit Something Silver, which had beautiful jewelry in a range of prices from very affordable to expensive. Then it was off to the Candy Cauldron. I mean, who can't resist the old hag from Snow White dipping an apple into some caramel? Not only can you buy iconic sweets like their wide range of rice marshmallow treats, but you can also pick from a vast array of caramel and dipped apples, or even have one custom made. And if window shopping is more your style, they have the perfect window where you can watch the workers make the delectable treats for sale in the store.

From the Candy Cauldron we were off to D Street. This Disney Store was geared more toward the Sci-Fi world with shelves of Star Wars and Stitch products. And they'll get no complaints out of me. I picked up some pretty sweet Star Wars metal models to give out as Christmas gifts.

Once I had my bag of goodies from D Street, we were off to The Landing, where we checked out The Ship's Store. It's a shop connected to The Boathouse, a steak house that also offers cruises in a variety of choices from a steamboat cruise to a cruise in a '57 Chevy (and, yes, on water). The Ship's Store offered an array of nautical and nautical-themed items from clothing to lifesavers that could be personalized. My particular favorite, though, were the rubber ducks. My family and I enjoyed going through them all and seeing the different types of ducks for sale.

After leaving The Ship's Store, we were off to the Marketplace to get some lunch, but we would swing back by The Landing as were leaving Downtown Disney to check out Chapel Hats, which had everything from fedoras and panamas to cloches and steam-punk top hats. At the Marketplace, a bit pressed for time, we decided on lunch at the Earl of Sandwich. We don't have one of these in Oklahoma and, after indulging in their Holiday Turkey sandwich, that makes me a bit sad, because that sandwich inspired by Thanksgiving leftovers and consisting of turkey, cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, and mayonnaise was delicious.

 With a full lunch in our bellies, we were ready to head off to the stores the kids--and I--had been waiting to see. The first stop--the Lego Store. We didn't buy anything while we were there, but it is just one of those places where you can stand and stare in awe of the creations. From Snow White scenes to Woody and Buzz to the Loch Ness Monster in the marina, it was amazing, especially for me whose great Lego work of art is a tower.

 Equally as awe-inspiring as The Lego Store was The Magical World of Disney. It was the Disney Store on steroids. It was a huge rambling store that not only offered anything Disney you could imagine, but that also offered magical views of your favorite Disney films. In the children's section was also the ever popular Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where girls and boys alike could get a head-to-toe makeover in true Disney fashion.

 With our flight time looming near, once we left The World of Disney, we had to make a quick turn through Once Upon a Toy and Disney's Days of Christmas (where I decided I really need a Christmas tree decked out in nothing but high heel ornaments of Disney characters), both well worth the trip in before heading back to our car.

Sadly, we didn't get to stop in all of the shops or get to sample much of the dining at Downtown Disney, but I figure that's okay because it simply means that we'll have to make another trip someday, and now armed with the knowledge of how vast Downtown Disney is and how much it has to offer, I'll be sure to set aside an entire day for it.