If you love to shop and eat (who doesn’t?), keep the Florida Mall on your list of places to go to. This Orlando shopping experience is great now, but will be even better in the coming months.  A complete redesign of the mall’s entrance and an expanded food pavilion are in the works. While you may have to wait a year for everything to be complete, the new food court and mall updates are sure to be worth it.

The former Saks building facing Sand Lake Road will serve as a portion of the area where the new expanded dining experience will be. The number of seats will double with indoor and outdoor options. New dining choices and proven healthy fare restaurants, 16 in all, will be built.

This new food pavilion will span 105,000 square feet. To assist with this expanded feature, the mall’s entrance is being redesigned to provide better customer flow into the mall and dining area. Small shops and restaurants near this area are sure to be a shopper’s favorite.

Being able to dine and shop make it easy for families to enjoy a mall experience. This past fall the new Build-A-Bear Workshop opened inside the Florida Mall which allows families to create memories as well as a very interactive stuffed animal. Later this fall, the first American Girl store will open. It will be the only location in Orlando for this popular retail store.

Once the new food pavilion is in place, the old food court will be repositioned to make room for new retail stores. “We have great demand for any space at the Florida Mall,” said Brian Hanson, general manager of Florida Mall, “so the ability to reposition existing space and create new mini-anchors, stores, and restaurants is a fantastic opportunity for us to even better serve our shoppers.”

You don’t have to wait until next year to enjoy the experience of shopping in Orlando. There are plenty of great stores and eateries at the Florida Mall now. Be sure to check out the deals and discounts online before you go. You’re bound to find something you want or need. It could be as simple as a quick meal or dessert treat.

The Florida Mall is located at 8001 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32809.

Last Updated on February 21, 2024