We love doing date night at Disney Springs. The parking is free, the dining is marvelous, and it is so scenic. And now at Disney Springs, drones take to the skies above Lake Buena Vista with “Disney Dreams That Soar” – a summertime experience that's a late-night perk for visitors.
Here's what to expect at the new drone show at Disney Springs, plus date night ideas on where to eat and what to do.
“Disney Dreams That Soar” Drone Show
“You can fly” takes on a whole new meaning with this new drone show! Disney stories celebrating the joy of flight with state-of-the-art drones are choreographed to create designs in the sky and paired with a “soaring” musical score.
After spending a day delighting in shopping, discovering fun activities and savoring diverse flavors at Disney Springs, turn your eyes to the skies above the West Side with a show amongst the stars. “Disney Dreams That Soar” runs nightly from May 24 through Sept. 2!
Performances are nightly 9:00 PM and 10:45 PM, May 24 – Sept. 2. The beautiful drone show lasts 9 minutes. If the winds are too high the show can be delayed or cancelled.
Get ready for the fun by checking out our favorite places to dine at Disney Springs, and more.
Where to View the Drone Show at Disney Springs
Since “Disney Dreams That Soar” takes place at Disney Springs West Side, it's easy to enjoy along a broad viewing area. And there are plenty of places for a meal, snack, or drinks before and after.
Here are the closest restaurants to the drone show performance area:
- Summer House on the Lake (a new Disney World restaurant)
- Jaleo by Chef José Andrés
- House of Blues Orlando
My suggestion would be to bring your own picnic basket, and then load it up with bites and sweets from The Basket by Wine Bar George. You can even get an entire bottle of wine to go. Bring a blanket or something to put on the ground while you sit and wait for the show. Right at 9:00 p.m. or 10:45 p.m. you'll be dazzled by this new drone show in the Disney skies.
You can also grab some dessert or drinks from Summer House on the Lake, to go, which has a perfect viewing location.
There are some wonderful food trucks at the West Side, but these may become very busy right before showtime for “Disney Dreams That Soar.”
From July 1-August 11, you can also take advantage of Flavors of Florida. For a limited-time, you can try Florida-inspired dishes which are available at multiple restaurants throughout Disney Springs, from grab-and-go eateries to table service restaurants. You can also check out special culinary demonstrations and pairing events.
Disney Dreams That Soar Viewing Locations
The viewing area opens up to guests about one hour before showtime. Until then, the walkway along the viewing area is closed.
Here is a map of Disney Springs that shows the best viewing areas at Disney Springs. The green highlights are the best, then yellow highlights for being a decent view, and red highlights show a tough spot due to the dimensional nature of the drones and the direction the designs they make.
- Best: along the water directly behind Starbucks and Summer House on the Lake
- Second best: beside House of Blues, on the lawn
- Decent, but not great: restaurants and general area of The Landing at Disney Springs
There is only one entrance to the viewing areas. Disney Cast Members will direct you to walk all the way down to the Cirque du Soleil theater. The entrance to the viewing area is at the large grassy area next to House of Blues.
Once the entrance opens, follow the walkway to the waterfront viewing area behind Jaleo, Summer House, and Starbucks.
For comparison, the first photo below shows the view from the walkway along the water. And the second photo shows the view from the grassy lawn next to House of Blues.
You can expect to see towering elements that are 400-feet tall and creating images of some of your favorite Disney characters from Toy Story, Coco, Dumbo, Peter Pan, Up, the Star Wars saga and more!
The finale is full of characters – some well known, and some a little obscure. Many of them appear pretty quickly so put your phone down and watch with your own eyes.
Viewing for this nighttime show is first-come, first-served.
Be prepared for crowds, and traffic delays. The 10:45 p.m. is much less crowded by the way, and if you notice lots of crowds when you're ready to leave then grab a treat and relax for a bit.
The picture below shows the line and entrance to the viewing area. The entrance opens about one hour before showtime. You can choose to walk along the walkway to have the best view along the water, or grab a spot on the large lawn – where the view will be off-center.
Viewing Area on the grass
Viewing from the lawn is permitted. During my first time viewing the drone show I had the pleasure of being front and center – in between Jaleo and Summer House on the Lake. For my second time viewing the show, I brought towels for my group to place on the ground and sit. The grass is wet from summer rain.
There are speakers in this area and you will experience the full show, just know the view is off-center and askew – but it is still a delightful 9-minute show full of magical moments!
More Disney Springs Ideas
Make the most of your evening at Disney Springs with some of our favorite date ideas.