Disney Springs visitors are about to notice a major change in one of the busiest sections of the shopping district.
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop is officially preparing to leave its longtime Marketplace location later this summer, temporarily relocating to Town Center while a major renovation project transforms the original space.
For Walt Disney World fans, this is much bigger than a simple refurbishment.
Ghirardelli has been part of Disney Springs for almost 30 years. For many guests, the location has become as recognizable as World of Disney itself. The smell of fresh waffle cones drifting through Marketplace, the free chocolate samples near the entrance, and the massive nighttime dessert crowds have all become part of the Disney Springs atmosphere.
Now, one of the area’s most historic storefronts is preparing for a temporary shutdown.
One of Disney Springs’ Longest-Running Locations
The company confirmed that Ghirardelli has occupied its Marketplace location since 1996.
That timeline spans nearly every era of Disney Springs history.
The surrounding district has changed constantly over the years. Downtown Disney eventually became Disney Springs. Pleasure Island disappeared. Entire sections were rebuilt. Dozens of stores and restaurants opened and closed.
But Ghirardelli stayed right where guests expected it.
That consistency helped turn the chocolate shop into a vacation tradition for countless families visiting Walt Disney World. Some guests stop there every trip for sundaes. Others grab packaged chocolate before heading back home. Many visitors simply associate the location with arriving at Disney Springs in the first place.
Few snack locations anywhere at Walt Disney World carry that kind of nostalgia.
Summer Crowds Could Feel the Impact
The timing of the move is particularly interesting because it arrives during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Disney Springs becomes extremely crowded during summer nights. Families flood the shopping district after leaving the parks, restaurants operate at full capacity, and snack locations become some of the most heavily trafficked areas on property.
Ghirardelli sits directly in the middle of much of that activity.
The Marketplace location naturally pulls guests moving between shopping areas, dining locations, and the waterfront sections of Disney Springs. Once the store relocates to Town Center later this summer, crowd patterns across the district could shift noticeably.
Even guests who never actually purchase anything there still recognize the storefront immediately.
It has become part of the visual identity of Marketplace itself.
For longtime visitors, seeing construction walls or an empty building in that spot may honestly feel strange after nearly three decades of consistency.
What the Renovation Will Include
The good news for chocolate fans is that Ghirardelli is not leaving Disney Springs permanently.
The relocation is tied to a large renovation project that will update and expand the existing Marketplace space. According to released details, the new version of the store will include more indoor seating, operational improvements designed to reduce wait times, and additional new elements that have not been revealed yet.
The upgraded location is expected to reopen in Spring 2027.
Given current crowd levels, the expansion honestly feels overdue.
During peak hours, guests often struggle to find seating inside the existing shop. Lines regularly stretch outdoors during holidays and weekends, especially when temperatures spike and visitors start searching for cold desserts.
Disney Springs has evolved into a much larger destination than it was when Ghirardelli first arrived in the 1990s.
Back then, the current layout likely handled demand fairly well. Today, though, the location regularly operates at capacity.
The renovation appears designed to modernize the experience while preserving the history tied to one of Disney Springs’ most iconic dessert destinations.
Still, for many Walt Disney World fans planning summer vacations, this temporary closure will absolutely stand out as one of the more surprising Disney Springs changes happening right now.
