Trip To Disney Should Be Worth It For Bucs Fans
(Tampa Bay OnLine) -- Walt Disney World is famous for many things. Freebies are not among them. So con-sider the Bucs 2002 training camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex a unique opportunity to enjoy a day at the magical home of Mickey and Donald without the contents of your wallet disappearing. “It's going to be a terrific experience,” said Disney media relations representative Bill Hofheimer. “There's obviously a lot of excitement with the new season and Coach (Jon) Gruden. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.” The drive to Or-lando, for most Bucs fans, is considerably longer than a trek to the team's former training camp home at the University of Tampa. But once you arrive, you can enjoy Disney hospitality without having to contend with re-sort-area prices. Parking is free. Admission is free. Even Disney's NFL Experience -- an interactive area for children and adults with nine stations that let you throw, kick and catch footballs, among other activities -- is available to training camp fans. That's also free. Some other tips for fans:
· Try sitting in the bleachers on the east side of Field A. From there, you can see all the action on the main field and can check out what's going on at the adjacent track.
· If traditional concession fare (hot dogs, popcorn, etc.) suits your taste, you'll find plenty to eat right near the seats. Plenty of bottled water will be on hand. If you'd like to add a taste of Disney to your day, con-sider the All- Star Cafe, located in the complex near the baseball diamond.
· Autograph hunting might be more challenging than in past years, because the Bucs will be commuting with security to and from Celebration Hotel, which is off limits to fans and media. Hofheimer suggests standing near the fences separating the fields from the seats and trying your luck after practice sessions. “It will be different,” he said. “But I think the Bucs are going to go out of their way to thank their fans for coming out.”
· Downtown Disney is about a 5- mile drive from training camp and provides another family option that doesn't require a Disney admission pass. Once Upon A Toy, a new 16,000-foot toy store billed as “the ul-timate place for kids to play,” is scheduled to open Aug. 1.
(Tampa Bay OnLine) -- Walt Disney World is famous for many things. Freebies are not among them. So con-sider the Bucs 2002 training camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex a unique opportunity to enjoy a day at the magical home of Mickey and Donald without the contents of your wallet disappearing. “It's going to be a terrific experience,” said Disney media relations representative Bill Hofheimer. “There's obviously a lot of excitement with the new season and Coach (Jon) Gruden. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.” The drive to Or-lando, for most Bucs fans, is considerably longer than a trek to the team's former training camp home at the University of Tampa. But once you arrive, you can enjoy Disney hospitality without having to contend with re-sort-area prices. Parking is free. Admission is free. Even Disney's NFL Experience -- an interactive area for children and adults with nine stations that let you throw, kick and catch footballs, among other activities -- is available to training camp fans. That's also free. Some other tips for fans:
· Try sitting in the bleachers on the east side of Field A. From there, you can see all the action on the main field and can check out what's going on at the adjacent track.
· If traditional concession fare (hot dogs, popcorn, etc.) suits your taste, you'll find plenty to eat right near the seats. Plenty of bottled water will be on hand. If you'd like to add a taste of Disney to your day, con-sider the All- Star Cafe, located in the complex near the baseball diamond.
· Autograph hunting might be more challenging than in past years, because the Bucs will be commuting with security to and from Celebration Hotel, which is off limits to fans and media. Hofheimer suggests standing near the fences separating the fields from the seats and trying your luck after practice sessions. “It will be different,” he said. “But I think the Bucs are going to go out of their way to thank their fans for coming out.”
· Downtown Disney is about a 5- mile drive from training camp and provides another family option that doesn't require a Disney admission pass. Once Upon A Toy, a new 16,000-foot toy store billed as “the ul-timate place for kids to play,” is scheduled to open Aug. 1.
