NBA Experience opens at Disney Springs in Disney World
Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger opened the NBA Experience in Disney Springs Monday, Aug. 12, 2019, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and several current and former NBA and WNBA players on hand.
“NBA Experience lets everybody who loves the game, live it,” Iger said. “We’re excited to open the doors to a fun and unique experience for fans of all ages.”
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse cheered as confetti rained down toward the end of the ceremonial opening, which featured Basketball Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Grant Hill, along with NBA legend Dwyane Wade, Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez, Utah Jazz point guard Mike Conley, Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon, Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem and WNBA legend Swin Cash, now the vice president of basketball operations and team development for the New Orleans Pelicans.
“I want to thank Bob Iger and the Walt Disney Imagineering team for capturing the authentic NBA experience at this landmark destination at Disney Springs,” Silver said.
In collaboration with the NBA, Walt Disney Imagineering developed NBA Experience as an immersive, interactive venue. The high-energy environment is packed with 13 different basketball-related activities across 44,000 square feet and two floors.
Once you enter guests feel as if they’re walking through the players’ tunnel at an NBA or WNBA arena. Visitors can experience what it’s like to be selected in the NBA Draft and step onto the court to make clutch shots and highlight-worthy slam dunks.
The NBA Experience also provides ample opportunities to learn more about the NBA and WNBA via interactive displays, films and trivia. The unique destination offers something for guests of all ages.
Here are the 13 experiences
- 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
A ticket to NBA Experience grants access to every activity, in any order guests choose, and they can return to stations throughout the day. Tickets cost $34 adults and $29 for kids 3-9.
