NBA Experience at Disney Springs

Kman101

Well-Known Member
Me either. I guess I wasn’t really thinking too much about it. There wasn’t much chance of me checking this place out to begin with, but obviously a cover charge moves that needle to 0.

Agreed with this. And I agree I wasn't really thinking too much about it either. I won't be checking it out either. I still scratch my head a bit with this decision (of the overall decision to go with NBA Experience). It's even more limiting than DisneyQuest. I imagine there's a reason they added on a sports bar/brewery thing ... guess time will tell.
 

WDWtraveler

Well-Known Member
Photo update as of Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Glass installed at this end and panels complete. Ground floor still open and not fully enclosed.

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At the Cirque du Soleil corner, most of the stainless steel panels have been installed.

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A close-up of the panels shows holes drilled into the metal in the shape of basketball players in motion.

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Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
I still scratch my head a bit with this decision (of the overall decision to go with NBA Experience). It's even more limiting than DisneyQuest.

Me too. A giant building JUST for basketball? Without any games (professional, college or semi-professional)? With a cover charge? At WDW prices?

I guess there's a market for it or they wouldn't be building it.
 

Kman101

Well-Known Member
Me too. A giant building JUST for basketball? Without any games (professional, college or semi-professional)? With a cover charge? At WDW prices?

I guess there's a market for it or they wouldn't be building it.

I suppose there is.

But it seems like there's a reason City Walk has an all encompassing sports bar now compared to NBA Experience (not sure who's choice it was to abandon the idea there, NBA or Universal? I can't remember honestly). I guess it worked enough that the NBA Experience wanted to come to the Springs. I guess there's a market for it, and maybe they think with Disney "more for kids" (blech) - than Universal, which feels targeted more towards teens, and the 25+ crowd - that it will be more attractive here? Just trying to figure out what went into the decision making here ...

NBA is indeed very popular but it feels hard to see something like this truly succeeding. Just seems like it was a decision based on "well, at least we aren't running it ...". So, I guess time will tell, lol.

Disney could have updated DisneyQuest. I mean, The Void was a nice addition. Could have easily gone into DisneyQuest ... but I also can see why they dumped it, personally, even though we clung to the 'nostalgia' of it and the idea that it could be better than what it was.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
If the NBA sees this as marketing then it may not have significant profitability goals. It is also being built to spite Universal, so just keeping it open would be part of that. Either way, Disney gets their rent and a cut of the revenue.
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
So no restaurant? I could see us eating and checking out stuff before we decide whether to do it if there was one. Although the boys in my family watch basketball games and have their favorites none are what you would call “athletic” and I don’t see us paying to just horse around on a court.
The restaurant is a separate venue, CityWorks and will open in Winter 2019.
The NBA experience is just an interactive basketball museum.
 

threvester

Well-Known Member
Article seems to confirm there will be an entry fee like DisneyQuest...

"A ticket to NBA Experience grants you access to every activity in any order you choose, and you can return to stations multiple times to try and improve your performance or learn more about the game, the players and the teams you love."
I wonder if admission will be included in the water park add-on like Disneyquest was. I dont see them filling this place otherwise
 

jmp85

Well-Known Member
13% of the US population say basketball is their favorite sport to watch. About 150k people visit WDW daily. So, among them, close to 20,000 basketball fans are at WDW daily.

Not so niche.

You're assuming 100% of the US population visits WDW. Your population assumptions are very flawed.
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
You're assuming 100% of the US population visits WDW. Your population assumptions are very flawed.

No, you're assuming I'm assuming that. I'm not assuming that at all.

I am discounting the international visitors since the bulk of attendeed are U.S. residents. Also, there are international basketball fans, too.

The point is, on average, there are enough people for whom basketball is their favorite sport to number in the thousands.

And that's not even counting those for whom basketball is their second or third favorite sport, and thus, would also likely to interested in TNE.

IOW, people who thing there'd be no interest are way off.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
The interactive elements that were part of espn weekends were fun. I imagine it's that on a grander scale. The target demo should be families with those 8-15 yr old boys who want to physically do stuff not just shop, etc.

I wonder if they would have something that tries to simulate what it would be like to be on a actual arena floor with the crowd,etc

Imagine how many kids are cycling through wwos... all those baseball kids etc. this will be trying to draw on those visitors.
 

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