Orlando is a city known throughout the world for its theme parks. Millions of people visit this city every year to have fun at Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Legoland or one of the many other attractions here. And with so many tourists, Orlando also has plenty of places to shop. We will tell you which are the best malls in Orlando, which places have the best stores as well as talking about the outlets in Orlando and where to get good bargains.
Best Malls in Orlando you need to visit
The Mall at Millenia
The best of luxury fashion is at The Mall at Millenia. This is one of the best malls in Orlando and one of the most exclusive as it has fabulous high-end brands like Chanel, Hermès, Burberry and Louis Vuitton. There are also specialty luxury department stores including Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus as well as other name-designer brands like Christian Louboutin (where you can get their famous red sole heels), Gucci and Saint Laurent.
This mall opened in 2002 and since then it has become one of the malls that receives the most tourists each year, as in addition to luxury fashion there are many more stores such as Ted Baker, Urban Outfiters, Armani Exchange, Vineyard Vines or Abercrombie & Fitch. A mall of this magnitude must also have good restaurants and The Mall at Millenia is no exception as you can go to good places like Earls, Brio, The Capital Grille or The Cheesecake Factory.
- Other Stores: Aldo, Anthropologie, Athleta, Lacoste, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tiffany & Co., Tous, Untuckit
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 11AM to 8PM, Friday & Saturday 10AM to 9PM, Sunday, 12PM to 6PM
Disney Springs
In Walt Disney World is one of the best malls in Orlando. It’s called Disney Springs and not only does it have several interesting shops, but it also has a wonderful outdoor design. Being owned by Disney you can expect that this is not a normal mall. There are no department stores, and many of the stores are Disney merchandise. The largest is called World of Disney and you can find all the products you can imagine from the characters in the company’s movies and TV series. In addition there are shops only for clothing, toys, Christmas products and more.
But there are also other types of stores, including many clothing stores. They include well-known fashion brands such as Uniqlo, Zara, Anthropologie, Under Armour, Lacoste and Columbia, as well as Coach and Lululemon. But there are also stores that you can’t find in any mall, like the official Coca-Cola and M&Ms stores. In both they sell clothes and various products but they have some special things. For example, in the M&M’s Store you can personalize your own chocolates, while in the Coca-Cola they have a bar where you can try the company’s most popular drinks, including those from other countries.
In addition to the stores, Disney Springs also stands out for its extensive selection of restaurants. There is a huge variety of dining options ranging from fried chicken at Chicken Guy, burgers at D-Luxe, southern food at Homecomin´, exquisite desserts at Amorette´s and Gideon’s or seafood at Paddlefish.
- Other Stores: Alex and Ani, Fabletics, Lego Store, Levi´s, Kate Spade, Tommy Bahama
- Hours: Monday to Sunday 10AM to 11PM
The Florida Mall
Among all the malls in Orlando, the largest of all is The Florida Mall. It may not have the same luxury brands as The Mall at Millenia or the restaurants and shops of Disney Springs, but there is no other mall in the area with more than 200 stores like this place. There is something for everyone here as its offer includes various department stores, restaurants, jewelry stores, shoe stores, entertainment venues and more. Fashion brands at the Florida Mall include Original Penguin, Banana Republic, Adidas Originals, Michael Kors and Coach.
Orlando is the city with the most theme parks and attractions in the world and there is also one in this mall. It is The Crayola Experience, which, as its name indicates, is a complex that has different activities and games for children based on Crayola. In addition to a food court with many options, there are several restaurants that include Shake Shack, Bucca Di Beppo or here is Carlo’s Bakery where you can eat cakes, cookies and more from the Food Network star, Buddy Valastro.
- Other Stores: American Girl, Armani Exchange, Coach, H&M, Sephora, Tous, Uniqlo, Zara
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 11AM to 8PM, Friday & Saturday 10AM to 9PM, Sunday, 12PM to 6PM
Altamonte Mall
After the inauguration of Walt Disney World in 1971, the first large malls in Orlando began to open, one of them being Altamonte Mall. Unlike other malls such as Orlando Fashion Square, this mall is still in force with good stores to visit. It is located north of the city (about a 20-minute drive from Universal Studios) and is a local favorite as it is not as crowded as The Mall at Millenia or the Florida Mall. There are three department stores (Macy’s, JCPenney and Dillards) and more than 120 different stores. Some of these are Sephora, Forever 21, Miniso, H&M, White House Black Market and JD Sports.
- Other Stores: Apple Store, Box Lunch, The Children´s Place, FYE, Hollister, Locker Room by Lids, Vans
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 11AM to 8PM, Friday & Saturday 11AM to 9PM, Sunday, 12PM to 6PM
The Loop
The Loop is a shopping center in Orlando that although it is not that big, it has a little bit of everything. It is located in Kissimmee near Gatorland and within walking distance of Walt Disney World. Its flagship stores are Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bed Bath & Beyond, Five Below, and the department store Kohl’s. But this area stands out from other malls in Orlando for its options for buying cheap clothes, since in this shopping center you can find Old Navy and Ross, as well as other discount stores a short distance away.
For example there is a Burlington and a T.J. Maxx several outlet stores of well-known fashion brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Guess, Hurley and Nike as well as the discount shoe store DSW. This area also has several restaurants such as Chili’s, Johny Rockets or BJ’s as well as Regal movie theaters.
- Other Stores: Aeropostale, Books-A-Million, Michaels, JCPenney, Rue 21, Ulta Beauty
- Hours: Monday to Saturday 10AM to 9:30PM, Sunday 11AM to 6PM
Best Outlets in Orlando
Vineland Premium Outlets
The Simon Group has two outlets in Orlando: Vineland and International. In both there are excellent stores with good discounts, the main difference being their location (both near a theme park). Vineland Premium Outlets will be your best option if you are staying near Walt Disney World. In addition to the location, the outlet at Vineland is distinguished by having outlet stores of several luxury fashion brands. These include Bottega Veneta, Versace, Gucci, Hugo Boss and Jimmy Choo, so it is a great opportunity to purchase some of their products with discounts of up to 70% off.
A store that you cannot miss is the Disney Character House, where you can buy souvenirs and theme park products at good discounts (although they are usually products from past seasons). You also cannot miss out on visiting the outlet stores of big fashion brands like AllSaints, Michael Kors, Coach, Superdry, Lucky Brand or Carolina Herrera. There is a food court with more than 10 options in the outlet so you can eat during your shopping day.
- Other Stores: Banana Republic, Burberry, DKNY, Kate Spade, GAP, Lululemon, Puma, Tommy Hilfiger
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 11AM to 8PM, Friday & Saturday 10AM to 9PM, Sunday, 11AM to 7PM
International Premium Outlets
The other great outlet in Orlando is near Universal Studios and its name is due to the avenue where it is located: International Premium Outlets. They mostly have the same stores as Vineland (except for the luxury brands) so you can expect to find the most famous clothing stores, plus some exclusive ones (like Psycho Bunny). These include Polo Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Armani, The North Face, Adidas, Ted Baker and J.Crew among many others.This outlet also has the Disney outlet store, and many people prefer to visit this one since it is a bit bigger and has more variety of products.
Right next door is another small mall, owned by the same company, called the Orlando Outlet Marketplace. Here there are more stores like Under Armour, Lee-Wrangler and New Balance as well as having some stores that are also in the main outlet like Lacoste, Nike (in its Clearance Store format), Tommy Hilfiger or Carter’s. If you want to which is the best outlet in Orlando, the correct answer is both. The two of them have great shops, and the main difference between them is their location.
- Other Stores: Coach, Columbia, Diesel, Rack Room Shoes, Reebok, Saks Off Fifth, Ted Baker, Tory Burch
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 11AM to 8PM, Friday & Saturday 10AM to 9PM, Sunday, 11AM to 7PM
Other Places to Go Shopping in Orlando
Universal City Walk: Like Disney, Universal Studios also has its own entertainment and shopping complex. It’s called CityWalk and unlike Disney Springs & other malls in Orlando it doesn’t have as many stores, but instead focuses more on restaurants. It only has a couple of theme park merchandise stores or restaurant stores like Margaritaville or Hard Rock Cafe. While its restaurants include Vivo (specialized in Italian food), Toothsome Chocolate Emporium or the sports bar: NBC Sports Grill & Brew.
Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores: The two main outlets in Orlando tend to be very crowded every day, but there is a third smaller but quieter option. They are the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, which are also the closest to Walt Disney World. Some of the outlet stores that you can find here are Calvin Klein, GAP, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s, Eddie Bauer and Carter’s as well as a store for the city’s sports teams.
International Drive Value Center: Very close to the international Premium Outlets is this place with several discount stores. If you want cheap clothes you can go to Ross or T.J.Maxx as well as dd’s Discounts where you can get great deals on clothes, shoes and accessories for the whole family. Also this small mall has Bed Bath & Beyond, Perfumania or Dollar Tree.
Waterford Lakes Town Center: This place is a bit far from the theme parks, but it is still a good option for shopping in Orlando if you are in the area. Waterford Lakes Town Center is a mall that has big box stores such as Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond or discount stores: Ross and T.J.Maxx, as well as other smaller stores and a Target. In addition, there are several clothing brands in the mall such as Old Navy, Victoria’s Secret, American Eagle or Nike, as well as the Forever 21 and Banana Republic outlet stores.
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