There really is something for everyone at Walt Disney World. Its size and year-round operating calendar provide ample opportunity to give guests experiences of all kinds – from character meetings that delight children to laid back spa treatments for the adults. If you’re old or young, love Disney or even hate Disney, there’s still something for you.
And yes, that includes the sports fans.
But when we’re talking about sports at Walt Disney World, we aren’t just talking about the oversized thematic elements at the All-Star Sports resort – we’re talking about real, competitive action.
It all started back in 1996, when the Walt Disney Company purchased television network ABC and, as part of the deal, picked up a moderately-sized all-sports cable network: ESPN.
A year later, the company opened Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. The complex, later renamed the ESPN Wide World of Sports, houses dozens of practice and competition fields for all varieties of sports, from the professional level all the way down to Little League. The appeal of a venue located within Walt Disney World has made the complex rather successful, and has even brought a few high-profile sports to Central Florida.
All in all, since purchasing ESPN, Disney’s relevance to sports fans has grown exponentially, and should you be a sports fan finding yourself en route to the Vacation Kingdom, make sure to time your journey so you can catch one of these five awesome events:
1. Atlanta Braves Spring Training
Image: Disney
In 1997, the Atlanta Braves began holding their annual Spring Training at the Wide World of Sports Complex. Seen as the spiritual opening of baseball season, Spring Training features an expanded roster of Major League Baseball players competing in organized competition with the hope of earning a callup to the Majors.
For baseball fans, Spring Training offers a unique opportunity to watch big-name stars compete in an informal and more open environment. Champion Stadium, the ballpark hosting the games, perfectly combines Major League Baseball’s glamour with the charm and intimacy of the traditional Spring Training experience – something Disney should be quite proud of.
While Spring Training usually lasts from late February to late March, the GCL Braves – a Single A affiliate for Atlanta – calls the stadium home through the summer months.
2. Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic
Image: Disney
Hey, did you know the U.S. has a professional soccer league? Well, it does: Major League Soccer has been operating since 1993, and ever since 2010, it has hosted an annual pre-season tournament at the Wide World of Sports Complex: the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic.
Technically, clubs outside MLS are welcome to compete, as the 2014 version of the tournament saw clubs from Brazil and an American minor league enter the fray. But, traditionally, the winners of the tournament have been MLS clubs like Columbus Crew or Montreal Impact.
While none of the soccer on display would rival what you’d see played by a world superpower like Barcelona or Bayern Munich, it’s still a fun, energetic tournament for fans of the sport to enjoy. For a lot of Americans, professional soccer is still something of a novelty, and many are unable to watch it in person – so the WDW Pro Soccer Classic is a fun way to enjoy the beautiful game in a unique setting.
3. Walt Disney World Marathon
Image: Disney
Runners often speak of their devotion to the sport with a spiritual reverence – they love to run and feel the most alive while doing it. A marathon has the added benefit of being incredibly challenging, asking more of the runner than they might have previously thought possible. It only seems fair, then, that those who attempt it be treated with beautiful theme park views.
The Walt Disney World Marathon is held every January in Orlando, and is the signature event of the RunDisney series. Frankly, it’s easy to see why: the 26.2 mile course takes runners through all four Disney parks, along with the Wide World of Sports Complex and the Walt Disney World Speedway. That’s pretty unique.
Marathon weekend at Disney World can be a pretty hectic time to attend, with thousands of people venturing to Central Florida to run the magical course, but those in attendance have the pleasure of watching the races, cheering on the runners, and even participating in one of the other events on schedule.
4. Orlando Classic
Image: Disney
The most famous college basketball tournament in the country takes place in March. It has a catchy nickname you’ve probably heard before. Farther down the list of notable college basketball tournaments, however, is the Orlando Classic (previously the Old Spice Classic). But while it may not be the first tournament you think of when you hear “college hoops,” it’s still full of great competition.
The tournament, held at the HP Field House at the Wide World of Sports Complex, features college teams from eight separate conferences, all competing in a single-elimination tournament held in late November.
Colleges of all sizes have entered the tournament – including the winners of the 2014 competition, the Kansas Jayhawks. That team alone featured four NBA prospects: Kelly Oubre, Cliff Alexander, Bobby Portis, and Wayne Selden.
If you’re a basketball fan, checking out the Orlando Classic is a must. The environment is fun, the competition is strong, and you never know when you might see the next generation of NBA stars.
5. The Super Bowl Parade
Let’s do a quick hypothetical:
You’re a football player. You’ve just spent the past six months of your life giving everything you have day in, and day out to your team. At long last, you’ve not only made it to the Super Bowl, but you’ve won. Your performance, specifically, pushed your team over the top, earning you the victory in one of the most watched events of the year.
At that moment, someone comes up to you with a microphone. They look you in the eye and say, “You’ve just won the Super Bowl. What are you going to do now?”
You already know the answer.
Super Bowl winners have been saying those words, “I’m going to Disney World!” ever since Phil Simms did it in 1987. Nowadays, the whole thing has the organizational power of a small military mission – the Super Bowl MVP will pretty much be immediately whisked away to the Vacation Kingdom.
In 2014, Seahawks defender and Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith found himself at Walt Disney World less than 24 hours later and, as has become the custom, lead a parade down Main Street USA.
If you’re a sports fan in America, there’s a good likelihood you’re a football fan as well, and if you can’t actually make it to the Super Bowl in person, being at Disney World just might be the next best thing. There are countless places to watch, people from all over the country to cheer with, and, if your team wins, you’ll get to celebrate with them at one of the most iconic destinations in the world, all while watching your the game’s most important player be showered with confetti.
Not a bad way to end a vacation, huh?
