The NBA Experience will open in summer 2019 on the site of the old DisneyQuest building, which Disney is now tearing down.
Moment of silence for DisneyQuest pic.twitter.com/6NPKOpBkdf
— Dewayne Bevil (@ThemeParks) October 19, 2017
The new building will feature "interactive games and competitions, immersive experiences, a retail store and an adjacent restaurant," according to Disney's press release. Disney first announced the project in 2015, then put it on the back burner for more than a year, before announcing DisneyQuest's closure earlier this year. However, Disney's not provided any details on what the building's "experiences" will entail. Today's imagery provides the first look at any concept art for the project.
The NBA project appears to be one of Disney World's largest (to date) forays into creating branded experiences — theme park-like combinations of relatively small-scale attractions, retail, and/or dining designed specifically to promote a particular brand. Rival Universal recently brought a branded experience for NBC's Tonight Show into its Universal Studios Florida park with the Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon attraction.
While branded experiences attempt to connect visitors with the brand being promoted, it's likely that the NBA Experience's restaurant, at least, will fail to recreate the experience of going to an NBA game in one significant way.
One plus. NBA experience will prolly be the only spot at Disney where its prices are less than the real world equivalent they are copying pic.twitter.com/slRkmHO2Ni
— ??Drunk@Disney?? (@DrunkAtdisney) October 19, 2017
Smart move, partnering with a entertainment industry that charges even more for food and drinks than theme parks.
The NBA has had a presence in an Orlando-area theme park resort before, with the NBA City restaurant at Universal Orlando's City Walk, which Universal replaced with the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen last year. Back when Universal opened CityWalk, NBC (which is now part of Universal) owned the NBA's television broadcast rights. Today, those are the property of Disney-owned ABC. Which is why the NBA Experience is now coming to Walt Disney World.
Well, in a couple of years, at least.
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I just don’t understand why they couldn’t pick something more imaginative for this space. Or the property as a whole... the redesign of Pleasure Island is nice, trendy, and well-designed, but misses the mark for the resort’s biggest audience. Even all the new dining is nice, but families will probably stick to the aforementioned restaurants or Earl of Sandwich. The cuisine is nice, but there aren’t enough “Everyman” options.
I will check this place out though...
My two cents - The smart move would have been in turning this into a soccer-based restaurant. Not only is MLS expanding, but they have an Orlando club, futbol is the world's sport, and it's super popular in Brazil and the UK, where Disney World gets a ton of visitors.
I imagine they'll regret the choice a few years down the line.
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My family loved Disney Quest as unlike soccer or football as we call it there was nothing like Disney Quest in the UK, was great also for the kids to go play while the adults could sit and have some adult time all under one roof safe and sound.
The NBA concept to me sounds good but I wonder how limited on what it will offer outsid3 food an£ drinks.
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As for the exterior, I think it looks fantastic.
Question - in a few years, when the NBA television rights are picked up by...say, FOX or CBS, does that mean this will become the MLS or NHL Experience?