Jambo TRE, and welcome to planDisney! Thanks for sending a great question our way. I'd be happy to assist you today.
I love your itinerary! An adventurous day at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park followed by some shopping and dining at
Disney Springs is a fantastic plan. Direct bus transportation is available from all four theme parks to Disney Springs beginning at 4:00 PM until approximately two hours after park close. If you wish to depart earlier, I recommend using a ride share service like Uber or Lyft for the most direct route. Fellow panelists have recently used both companies in and around Walt Disney World, and have reported excellent health and safety precautions taken by area drivers. Another option is to take bus transportation to a nearby resort and from there transfer to a Disney Springs bus. If you board a bus bound for
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and disembark at the Congress Park stop, the Marketplace area of Disney Springs is just a short walk away. Florida weather in December is usually ideal for a stroll.
TRE, if dining is part of your plan for Disney Springs, be sure to make reservations in advance at your preferred establishment. There are so many places to choose from, but a few of my favorites are
Art Smith's Homecomin' and the
BOATHOUSE®. Both offer outdoor seating, and I especially love to take advantage of this when Elsa is starting to make things frosty up north.
I hope this helps as your very merry vacation approaches. If there is anything else we can do before you head off to the Most Magical Place on Earth, please come back again; we love to help!
See ya real soon,
Betsy