NBA Experience, the brand-new destination coming to Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort, is officially set to open on August 12, 2019. This announcement was made at Amway Center in Orlando during last night’s Orlando Magic – Philadelphia 76ers game, where Mickey Mouse made a surprise on-court appearance.
In collaboration with the NBA, Disney is developing NBA Experience as a one-of-a-kind environment packed with 13 interactive elements and hands-on activities across 44,000 square feet and two floors. NBA Experience will give guests the chance to feel like a basketball superstar.
Stan Dodd, executive producer, Walt Disney Imagineering told the crowd,
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. We want to take that energy and help you feel what it’s like to be an actual NBA or WNBA player.
Upon entry to NBA Experience, guests will feel as though they’re walking through the players’ tunnel at an NBA or WNBA arena. A ticket to NBA Experience will allow guests to access every activity, in any order they choose, with the ability to return to stations to improve performances or learn even more about the game, players, and teams they love. In addition to the competitions and games, the experience will also include a retail store featuring NBA-themed merchandise.
Additional elements of the destination include:
- A slam dunk challenge, where guests can change the height of a standard 10-foot hoop to as low as seven feet to perform their own superstar moves – captured by burst photography.
- An activity that tests shooting skills with spots on a court that light up as guests move from one location to another attempting to sink as many shots as possible in 15 seconds.
- A way for guests to see how they stack up to some of the world’s best basketball players by measuring their vertical leap, wingspan, shooting, and dribbling.
- Personalization for various activities with guests’ names and associating the activity with their favorite NBA or WNBA teams.
- Real-time technology to aggregate statistics of NBA and WNBA games and players for continuous updates, while leaderboards will track top NBA Experience performers throughout each day.
Senior Editor for the DIS and DCL Fan | Disney Vacation Club Member | Thrilled to have been a '13/'14 Disney Parks Moms Panelist (now planDisney) | Lover of all things Disney; the Magic of Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line | ºoº
