6 ideas on what can replace the NBA Experience at Disney Springs

Disney is wasting no time making changes to the shuttered NBA Experience at Disney Springs, but it might be only cosmetic for now.

A permit has been filed for “structural steel upgrades” to the location, but that could just mean the exterior, which is now still a large billboard for the NBA, could be changed. It is unknown if the work is for the interior or not. 

We do know the NBA Experience isn’t coming back. The attraction opened in August 2019, about seven months before the resort was closed due to COVID-19. Developed by Walt Disney Imagineering with the NBA, this was an immersive, interactive venue that didn’t get off the ground before the shutdown.

So, what’s next for this massive, 44,000-square-foot, two-story location? Disney is staying mum, but we’ve got some ideas:

1. DisneyQuest 2.0 — This is probably the most obvious idea. The location was home to the first DisneyQuest. The idea for Disney was to build these venues around the country to give people in other areas a touch of Disney if they could not make it to a theme park. Although one location was built in Chicago and lasted about 2 years, the idea didn’t take off. The Disney Springs site had a lot of fans among guests to Walt Disney World — especially on rainy days. But Disney Quest didn’t age well, as the experiences inside didn’t keep up with rapidly changing technology. This could be brought back with new attractions and interactive experiences,  but while people may enjoy the nostalgia of such a thing, it might be time to let the brand as it was fade into Disney history. 

2. Walt Disney Archives East — Speaking of history, Disney has more items in its archives than can ever be displayed at once. This is the perfect location to let guests experience some of the many historical pieces that are now in boxes or storage facilities. The opportunities for such a space are endless: 

• Recreate some movie moment sets for selfies. 
• Create interactive historical exhibits.
• Repurpose some of the exhibits that are only shown at D23 events and most people will never have the opportunity to see.
• Create trivia challenges, where people can compete against themselves or others to see who has the best knowledge. 
• Add Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and the Muppets to the mix as well. How about a walk-through experience of the ultimate official Star Wars timeline where you can see how the Star Wars universe developed. Or experience how Marvel characters have changed over the years, both in the MCU and the comics. Take Pixar characters and create your own digital stories. As for the Muppets, well, Disney has never been able to figure out what to do with this franchise, but you can witness the history and then go and perform your own Muppet stories.

3. Innoventions — You might say, “Ugh, that place was boring in EPCOT.” But stay with me on this. One of the issues in maintaining a large area is that technology and mini-attractions become outdated fast and need to be refreshed. This concept could bring in a number of different companies creating these mini-attractions that can be updated and swapped out faster. A great example is The Sum of All Thrills by Raytheon Technologies at Innoventions. Many guests never discovered this amazing attraction, where you designed your own roller coaster and then sat in a simulator to experience the ride. It was fun and—dare we say it?—educational. And, let’s remember Disney is still big on its Disney Accelerator program where it works with companies on developing technologies. The VOID, which was a fun virtual reality attraction that was shuttered by the pandemic, was part of that program. These companies would be able to test out new technologies and it would allow people to experience new and different things. There could still be an area where Disney Imagineering could try out some of its technologies and interactions with the public for the future. And, it could push the STEM program for kids. 

4. Imagineering East — The concept is a bit similar to the that of The Walt Disney Archives and of Innoventions, but the focus is completely on the Imagineers and the work they do. Here you could see history and get a look at the some of the future technologies in the works. California’s Imagineering office was at one time home to an animatronic dinosaur that was designed to roam around Dinoland at Animal Kingdom. How about allowing guests to try their hand at controlling technology like that? Why not create your own fireworks show (virtually, of course), or program your own audio-animatronic? In addition, it could offer lunch or dinner with an Imagineer. 

5. Disney Escape Rooms — With all of the interactive tools already in existence from the defunct Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom there are numerous stories that can be told and adventures you might want to go on with various rooms where you need to escape, or more likely help DIsney characters escape from peril.

6. Disney Multiverse — Maybe this isn’t the best name, but let’s try it out. A trip to Walt Disney World for many is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The rest of the Disney universe is even further out of reach. There is so much out there in Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney Resort, Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, as well as the Disney Cruise Lines, that many fans may never have the opportunity to experience. How about we give people a taste of the differences around the world? A different virtual parade or fireworks show could begin every 30 minutes. Versions of some of the rides could be created in simulators, and interactive queues from various versions can be brought into the building. You can do comparisons of how attractions are different in different locations.

What would you like to see in that location?