Splitsville at Downtown Disney is a Strike Above The Rest

Splitsville Luxury Lanes is a fun-tastic bowling alley that opened in 2012 at Downtown Disney's West Side in Walt Disney World.  While it's focus is primarily on bowling (there are 30 lanes here), you can also play billiards, or just go in to dine or get a drink.  (They have a fantastic menu featuring lots of unique dishes, including rice bowls, mahi mahi, steak, and even sushi.  You really could just stop in for a meal!) We decided to head over there in the Summer last year and see what this hopping place is all about. 

Upon entering, you can either head in to dine or you can make your way over to register yourself to bowl.  For a walk-up, once you give them your name, if a spot is available, your Lane Concierge will take you to your lane, but likely, you will have to wait a little while before it's your chance to bowl.  You'll receive a beeper, so, my suggestion would be to head to one of the bars and grab a drink.

The cost of bowling depends on not only the day you visit, but the time you visit too.
 
Monday through Friday

• Daytime (open to 4pm): $15 person

• Evening (4pm to close): $20 person

Saturday and Sunday

• All Day & Evenings (open to close): $20 person

The nice part is that your shoe rental is included in your cost.


Once it's your turn to bowl, you will be taken to a lane where your names will already be programmed in, scoring will be done automatically, and balls and shoes will be delivered.  (Bumpers are available for kids who need them...and the neat part is that everyone can still play on the same lane.  The bumpers lower when the child is done with their turn.)

Now, I know you've probably noticed...the pricing is just a straight fee...is that per GAME?!  No.  It's actually not.  You are given a specific amount of time to bowl for the cost, that is dependent on your party's size.  You can bowl however many games you can fit in your time window.  Here's the breakdown of how long you have to bowl based off your party size: 

• 1 to 3 People: 1 hour
• 4 People: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• 5 People: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• 6 to 8 People: 1 hour and 45 minutes

On this trip, we were in it for the bowling.  We checked in in the afternoon on a weekday, so we only had to pay the $15 per person.  We waited for a lane to open and when it finally did, we headed up to our lane and got started.  We were a party of 8, (all Be Our Guest Podcast family) so we had an hour and 45 minutes to bowl.  (Which trust me...is a very long time.  We actually got a bit bored by the end of it and started screwing around bowling for each other and such.) 

The bowling alley itself is bright and colorful and I love some of the touches they did to make it a unique venue.  It is a really modern facility with a very retro feel.

The lanes all seem to have booths with tables, this way, if you would like to order a meal with your bowling adventures, you can. It also makes for a comfy place to sit and wait your turn.

During our experience, we all took turns bowling and it was exactly as you'd expect it to be.  It was so fun to watch everyone bowl.  Overall, it was a great experience, though I did super poorly.  I even came in last place to Mallory!  I think it's because (at least in the area we were in) the walking lane to get up to where you bowl (I don't remember what it's called) is actually shorter than normal.  So, I think it hampered my ability to throw the ball properly. 

If you are looking for something fun to do on a day when you don't want to head into the parks, or on a day when it's expected to rain, this is it.  It's a great distraction and a great way to spend the afternoon or evening while your visiting Walt Disney World.

 Overall, this was a great addition to Downtown Disney and if this is any indication on what we can look forward to when Disney Springs comes on line in the next few years, then I think the area will be a real winner.

If you would like to find out more about Splitsville, make sure you check out their website.


What's your thoughts?  Would you spend part of your vacation bowling or would you rather do something else?  Be sure to let me know on the Facebook page.

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