( CNN ) -- Downtown Disney is set to fade into history , making way for a bigger new community . Over the next three years , the entertainment district at Florida 's Walt Disney World will be transformed into Disney Springs , a new shopping , dining and entertainment area that will double the size of the existing complex . `` Disney Springs will be a timeless , vibrant place where Walt Disney World guests and local residents can relax , shop , dine and be entertained in an imaginative setting where they 'll instantly feel at home , '' said Tom Staggs , chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts , in a Thursday press release . The new area will feature `` distinctive brands , world-class restaurants and unforgettable entertainment , '' Staggs said , `` with the same focus on storytelling and attention to detail that goes into our theme parks , resorts and cruise ships . '' Disney Springs , which will be modeled on Florida 's waterfront communities , will feature four outdoor neighborhoods with more than 150 shops , restaurants and other establishments . The four areas will be connected by a spring and lakefront . Construction is scheduled to start in April and sections will open in phases . The project is expected to be finished by 2016 . The largest private single-site employer in central Florida , Disney estimates it will add 1,200 construction jobs and 4,000 operations jobs .
Downtown Disney will become Disney Springs over the next three years . The number of establishments will more than double . The four `` neighborhoods ' will be connected by a spring and lakefront .