Taking the Kids: The new, enhanced Disney Springs in Orlando

The whole area is eminently walkable (and stroller and wheelchair friendly) from the Town Center to The Landing (How about a gelato at Vivoli Gelataria, only the second location outside of Florence? Or a dim sum at Morimoto Asia. The pork bao steamed bun with pork belly was amazing!)

The West Side offers new elevated spaces with both shade and a vantage point to all the action. This is where you will find Cirque du Soleil with new acts (B-Boy -- acrobatic tricks set to music), food trucks and Splitsville, which may be the fanciest bowling alley you've ever seen.

You may recall Pleasure Island, which was designed for adults. That's gone. It has been replaced by the kid-friendly Market Place with all kinds of themed restaurant and bar options. You'll find themed dining and drinking options wherever you are in Disney Springs. Think sipping a drink at Dockside Margaritas while the kids dance to live music or a specialty cocktail while the kids have mocktails and sliders at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, themed to Indiana Jones, or Sprinkles with its cupcake ATM machines. Watch the chocolatiers at work at The Ganachery.

Ready to shop till you drop? The kids can make their own Mr. Potato Head or a droid at Once Upon a Toy, customize a T-shirt at Disney Design-a-Tee or create a personalized phone case. Let's not forget the chance to browse at the Super Hero headquarters and Star Wars Galactic Outpost or for the kids to play at the Lego Store where there is an entire wall to choose bricks in all different shapes and colors. Perhaps personalized flip-flops from Hats or personalized flip-flops at Havaianas. By this summer, there will be more than 60 third-party retailers in the Town Center neighborhood -- everyone from Lilly Pulitzer to Uniglo.

There are live performances during the day and evening at the Waterside Stage, a carousel and even the chance to lift off in a tethered balloon. Characters in Flight rises from the banks of Village Lake for 360-degree views (on a clear day you can see Florida's east coast).

Book your little princess the new "Frozen" package at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where people make reservations months in advance.

There are plenty of new Orlando attractions this summer -- Frozen Ever After at Epcot, Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Universal Orlando Resort and Mako at SeaWorld Orlando. Disney's Animal Kingdom will show off its attractions this summer for the first time at night.

But as much as you may love the parks, everyone needs a break. And you may stave off the kids from wanting souvenirs everywhere they go, if you promise plenty of time shopping, followed by a fun dinner at Disney Springs.

That's assuming you can decide on a restaurant. If not, there are always food trucks!

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If you're going to Orlando, check out Eileen's Kid's Guide to Orlando. And for more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and follow @takingthekids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.