4. The debut of La Nouba

La NoubaLa Nouba is the first major permanent production at Walt Disney World mounted by an outside company. Image: Wdwic Pictures, Wikimedia Commons.

Cirque du Soleil’s all-new show, La Nouba, premiered in a custom-built theater at the end of West Side in 1998. La Nouba is the third resident show in Cirque du Soleil history, debuting after Mystere and O, both in Las Vegas. The theater is the first freestanding permanent building designed to house a Cirque production.

La Nouba is the first large-scale permanent production show at Walt Disney World to be mounted by an outside company, and with more than 16,000 audience members per week, it remains incredibly popular. The show celebrated its 7000th performance in September 2013, and shows no sign of slowing down.

5. The arrival of big-name national brands

Harley-DavidsonHarley-Davidson is just one of the big-name brands now doing business at Downtown Disney.

Corporate sponsorship has been an important part of the Disney experience since the earliest days, but the daily operations were typically handled by Disney cast members. At today’s Downtown Disney, however, big-name corporations pay high rent prices for the privilege of operating a branch location on Disney property. Name brands such as Lego, Harley-Davidson, the Rainforest Café and the House of Blues all have Downtown Disney locations. Even the venerable Empress Lilly became Fulton’s Crab House, operated by Levy Restaurants, in 1995.

6. The creation of Disney Springs

Disney SpringsDisney Springs promises to tie all of Downtown Disney together. Image: Copyright Disney.

Announced in March 2013 and slated for completion in 2016, Disney Springs is being billed as the biggest Downtown Disney expansion yet. Taken together, the four themed lands of Disney Springs will tell the story of a small Florida pioneer town built around a single spring. With new shops, restaurants and entertainment experiences, as well as a completely reimagined infrastructure including a much-needed parking garage, Disney Springs has many insiders optimistic. After the failure of previous concepts such as Hyperion Wharf, however, many are remaining skeptical until the project is completed. Wherever you stand on the debate, it is clear that big changes are already underway at Downtown Disney.