Decided to start a new series "Is it worth it?" here on the blog where I will share about some of my travel experiences. I love to travel and feel that a review of different places are often helpful for me when planning an upcoming trip. This series will consist of reviews of different locations that I myself have visited and I feel are worth mentioning.

This year my husband and I had the pleasure of visiting Orlando Florida but knew that a visit to Disney world was not in our budget. We were blessed to have our flights covered completely by flier miles thanks to my mother and father in law. Our lodging was covered by a wonderful couple who are like family to me. We were blessed to stay in their home free of costs and they not only allowed us to stay with them, they treated us like family. They even blessed us with allowing us to use their vehicle while we were in town which was an even bigger blessing.To me traveling is always the one thing that I prioritize in my life that may seem like an unnecessary expense to some. I find that traveling and experiencing new places is very valuable to me and is one of the things I live for. I love the ocean which is no where near my hometown of Toledo, Ohio and I look forward to creating travel memories with those I love.So enough about me and my love of travel. Let me explain how I think Disney Springs can be a great alternative for those of you who cannot afford the Disney Parks experience. If you do not have the budget to visit Disney but have the opportunity to visit the Orlando area, you need to at least visit Disney Springs.

What is Disney Springs?

Disney Springs is a shopping and dining experience in Orlando Florida just outside of the Disney Parks. The shopping center holds far more than just shopping opportunities it also has many delightful restaurants and experiences to be enjoyed. The great thing about Disney Springs for those of us on a tight budget is there are no fees for admission and most of their parking is free.

The LEGO store

There are so many things that you can enjoy and even the kids will enjoy. Like the LEGO store that has more legos than you could ever imagine seeing and even a chance to play with legos right outside the store. They also have such a fun creative set up of legos that kids and adults will enjoy.

Disney themed shopping

There is a store with some of the most beautiful Disney artwork and figurines that you have probably ever seen. I thoroughly enjoyed this store myself and it was tough not to spend some money there.

Things that kids old and young will enjoy

The kids will enjoy all of the Disney and Disney character experiences that can be enjoyed throughout the shopping center. You can sit in a tea cup to get your picture taken, Stand in front of the castle for a photo shoot, participate in a princess parade, visit the star wars store, the marvel store, the Disney Christmas store.Many children will still want to buy something while they are there so I suggest giving them a small amount and allowing them to pick something out themselves. Teach them a lesson on how money is managed and how they can enjoy something , but can only afford one or two items. Adults will likely enjoy some of the same things as they walk through the shopping areas but the scenery there is very nice as well. I felt the shopping center was well laid out and very clean which makes it even more inviting.

Dining options

The food options were great also and not too expensive. My husband and I enjoyed lunch at the Wolfgang Puck express and we found the prices reasonable and the food was excellent. Our waitress took this photo below for us and went above and beyond truly providing excellent customer service.Overall the whole experience was well worth it at Disney Springs and I highly recommend going if you are in the Orlando area. We could not afford a trip to Disney but spent my birthday with a friend at Disney Springs for only the cost of lunch and a few beverages.

A few quick mentions if you go on a birthday

If you do happen to visit on a birthday and eat in one of their restaurants here is a quick tip. Always make sure to let the waiter or waitress know because many restaurants tend to do a free dessert or something and I was even given a birthday button to wear.I also made sure to stop into Sephora for my birthday freebie while I was there at Disney Springs which was another added birthday bonus.As many of you know I love birthday freebies and I sign up for many different ones. You can check out my post below if you are interested in some more great birthday freebies like this one. Check it out here. I definitely feel that Disney Springs is a must visit location when you are in the Orlando area. Even if you cannot afford much a walk through Disney Springs can be a lot of fun for everyone in the family. Definitely dress comfortably because you will want to do a lot of walking while you are there taking in everything that there is to see. I have personally never visited Disney World because it was never in the budget. I was far less disappointed about visiting Orlando without going to Disney World after visiting Disney Springs.

DISNEY SPRINGS: IS IT WORTH IT?