NBA Experience Tips Off August 12 at Walt Disney World Resort
NBA Experience Tips Off August 12 at Walt Disney World Resort
New destination at Disney Springs invites guests to personalize their experiences as they feel what it’s like to be an NBA or WNBA player
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – NBA Experience, the brand-new destination on the West Side of Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort, opens to guests Aug. 12, 2019. Disney developed this one-of-a-kind environment in collaboration with the NBA, where guests enter the world of professional basketball. The high-energy, family-friendly venue is packed with 13 different basketball-related activities across 44,000 square feet and two floors.
“When we were young, we played basketball in our driveways or in the park, creating those imaginary moments of making the game-winning shot for a championship,” said Stan Dodd, executive producer, Walt Disney Imagineering. “We want to take that energy and help you feel what it’s like to be an actual NBA or WNBA player.”
Upon entry, guests will feel as if they’re walking through the players’ tunnel at an NBA or WNBA arena. Once inside, guests can:
- Feel what it’s like to be part of the NBA Draft
- Improve their ball-handling skills
- Step onto the court to make clutch shots and highlight-worthy slam dunks
- Play basketball-themed arcade and video games
- Enjoy two different 180-degree cinematic experiences
- Take photos with NBA championship and MVP trophies
- Make the right call just like a real-life replay official
NBA Experience also provides ample opportunities to learn more about the NBA and WNBA via interactive displays, films and trivia. The destination offers something for everyone.
A ticket to NBA Experience grants access to every activity, in any order guests choose, and they can return to stations to improve performance or learn even more about the game, players and teams they love. They can also customize many of their experiences to showcase their favorite NBA or WNBA teams. The adjacent NBA Store features NBA apparel, collectibles and more, along with Disney products designed specifically for NBA Experience.
Quick Facts
Grand Opening
Aug. 12, 2019
Location
Disney Springs, West Side, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Overview
NBA Experience immerses guests in the world of professional basketball, both as a fan and a player. In this first-of-its-kind entertainment venue, guests of all ages and skills can celebrate and learn about their favorite teams and players while engaging in 13 basketball-themed activities in a high-tech, interactive, family-friendly environment.
NBA Experience Highlights
- Dribble! – Test ball-handling skills with an interactive coach who leads a variety of dribbling routines
- Dunk! – Execute the perfect slam just like a superstar, captured by cameras surrounding height-adjustable baskets
- Slingshot –Use an oversized slingshot to launch balls at hoops of varying heights, making as many baskets as possible before the clock runs out in this thrilling timed challenge
- Shoot! – Step onto the court and hear the roar of the crowd while maneuvering through a series of last-second shots before the clock expires
- Combine – Compare wingspan and vertical leap to NBA or WNBA players with this series of tests that replicates NBA Combine drills
- Draft – Experience one of the biggest milestones for a basketball player at the NBA Draft with a photo moment that re-creates the electric atmosphere of the Draft stage
- Replay – Take a seat at an interactive, multi-screen module to watch replay clips from NBA games and use tools at the station to make the right calls
- Players –Enter the off-court sanctuary of the locker room and explore current team rosters, records and highlights
- Champions – Be immersed in the rich legacy and history of NBA and WNBA championship teams and take a photo with replicas of the NBA championship and MVP trophies
- “Game Time” – Watch a heartwarming film about the in-arena game experience and the impact it has on a young woman and her father
- “Together” – Discover the amazing on- and off-court story of an NBA superstar in this inspirational, 180-degree cinematic presentation
- Arcade –Play interactive games, from the fan-favorite Pop-A-Shot to the latest NBA video games
- Trivia –Demonstrate knowledge of the NBA and WNBA – past and present – during a multi-player, real-time contest
NBA Store
The NBA Store adjacent to NBA Experience features:
- A collection of official NBA and WNBA merchandise for adults and youth, including jerseys, apparel, headwear, basketballs, home goods, accessories and limited-edition memorabilia
- Walt Disney World products designed by Disney specifically for NBA Experience, including Mickey Mouse Ear Hats with a basketball-inspired cap and a Mickey Mouse basketball-themed mini-backpack
- An assortment of Disney products featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck in new basketball action poses
- Customizable products, including phone cases, MagicBands and water bottles
- NBA Experience-branded items, including backpacks, drinkware, basketballs, headwear and apparel
