Announced back in 2017, the NBA Experience is a currently under construction facility at Disney Springs that will sit in the area where DisneyQuest used to be and will be a one-of-a-kind entertainment destination with 13 interactive elements and hands-on activities across 44,000 square feet and two floors, with the goal of making every guest feel like an NBA superstar. And though this location has been in development for several years, we now know exactly when it will open:
The NBA Experience is coming this summer, just in time for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Disney confirmed earlier this week that the NBA Experience will open this summer on August 12, 2019, just before the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. When guests enter the NBA Experience, they will feel as if they’re walking through the players’ tunnel at an NBA or WNBA arena and will then be able to check out a variety of experiences themed to the world of basketball.
And fortunately, we now know what guests will be able to do once they exit that entry tunnel:
One all-inclusive ticket will give guests unrestricted access to the NBA Experience
A ticket to NBA Experience will be all-inclusive, and will allow guests to access every activity inside this entertainment complex. In addition to being able to experience whatever they want, whenever they want, guests will also be able to return to favorite areas and experience them over and over again if they wish. Some of the options will 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.
You’ll have to eat somewhere else, but there will be a big gift shop
Image: Disney
When it opens, the NBA Experience will not have a dining area inside. However, this location will be connected to City Works Eatery & Pour House, which will open later this year. It is unclear if an indoor food court will ever be built inside this location, but we’d imagine if the NBA experience proves to be popular this location will probably need to have some kind of dining option, eventually, especially since this entertainment complex seems like it would take all day for basketball fans to truly experience, and not having a dining option seems like a strange choice.
And while guests won’t be able to eat inside the NBA Experience, there will be a big shopping area that will include NBA as well as Disney-themed merchandise available, which will be great for NBA super-fans looking to get merchandise from their favorite teams as well as Disney.
No price details have been revealed yet
Image: Disney
Of course the biggest lingering question we still have about the NBA Experience is exactly how much one of the all-inclusive tickets is going to cost, and unfortunately we still don’t have any information about price. However, that will probably change in the coming months as Disney prepares to open this new location on August 12, 2019.
Though many are still disappointed by the closure of DisneyQuest, it looks like the NBA Experience will still provide a fun, interactive experience for guests looking for something interesting and different to do at Disney Springs later this year. And while this is definitely good news for the West Side of the shopping District, we still haven’t heard anything about what is happening with Cirque du Soleil….
