The NBA Experience

[AlexanderMBush]

From Bio,

 

[Joel]

 

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

Gotta say, it sounds underwhelming:
Disney Announces Attractions, Exhibits, and More for the NBA Experience at Disney Springs - WDW News Today

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Gotta say, it sounds underwhelming:
Disney Announces Attractions, Exhibits, and More for the NBA Experience at Disney Springs - WDW News Today

I’m even more confused what this is now. At first I thought it was a restaurant with attached shop/activities, now it’s just interactive stuff? Is it free? Do i have to pay?

 

[Mad Dog]

This sounds a lot like "The Steeler Experience" land that Kennywood is opening along with it's new Steel Curtain coaster in 2019 Summer.

 

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

I’m even more confused what this is now. At first I thought it was a restaurant with attached shop/activities, now it’s just interactive stuff? Is it free? Do i have to pay?

That's the thing... I THINK it's just DisneyQuest turned Basketball. If this place has a hard ticket entrance fee it's going to be empty.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

This sounds a lot like "The Steeler Experience" land that Kennywood is opening along with it's new Steel Curtain coaster in 2019 Summer.

Well that has an anchor atttaction to support a kids play area and restaurant.

 

[tielo]

• Access a team locker room...

This got some people very excited.

The rest is pretty much how you can act, and get photo's as, a professional basketball player without actually having any talent. That sure will be a hit with this generation of kids that get a trophy when they show up.

 

[Imperius]

Ahhh yes having a minimum wage paid cast member teach me dribbling.

 

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

• Access a team locker room...

This got some people very excited.

The rest is pretty much how you can act, and get photo's as, a professional basketball player without actually having any talent. That sure will be a hit with this generation of kids that get a trophy when they show up.

Except kids make up a small percentage of the NBA's viewership. It's around only 13%. 62% are between 18-54 and 25% are 55+. From my standpoint the demographics don't line up for a kids activity and from the descriptions, it doesn't sound like it entirely is.

 

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

Ahhh yes having a minimum wage paid cast member teach me dribbling.

I wonder if they'll suffer the same fate as DisneyQuest PopTarts and all be the incredibly awkward CPs, because Disney needed bodies to operate it but didn't want them to be exposed to too many guests.

 

[Nick]

I’m even more confused what this is now. At first I thought it was a restaurant with attached shop/activities, now it’s just interactive stuff? Is it free? Do i have to pay?

City Works is the restaurant portion. And just like the Coke exhibit in Atlanta, yeah, you probably have to pay.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

City Works is the restaurant portion. And just like the Coke exhibit in Atlanta, yeah, you probably have to pay.

So it sounds like they spun off the food to a vendor instead of doing an NBA restaurant. This sounds a lot like the College Football Hall of Fame (which ironically is also in Atlanta).

 

[Nick]

Ahhh yes having a minimum wage paid cast member teach me dribbling.

I want to address this.

First of all, no one on Universal or Disney property is making minimum wage. But that aside, these won’t be your normal cast members. This is a third party and third party vendors in DS hire independently for what the needs are.

If they have a need to hire a few people who have strong dribbling skills, it probably, then that will be a requirement. Hell, I’ve seen the guys who are at the entrance of Under Armour showing off their dribbling skills as I walk by... this won’t be hard to find.

 

[Imperius]

I want to address this.

First of all, no one on Universal or Disney property is making minimum wage. But that aside, these won’t be your normal cast members. This is a third party and third party vendors in DS hire independently for what the needs are.

If they have a need to hire a few people who have strong dribbling skills, it probably, then that will be a requirement. Hell, I’ve seen the guys who are at the entrance of Under Armour showing off their dribbling skills as I walk by... this won’t be hard to find.

I know. It was sarcasm/joke.

 

[Nick]

I know. It was sarcasm/joke.

And that’s fine. I was simply explaining that there won’t be just your average joe off the street teaching someone how to dribble.

—————
On another note, the more I read what the experience will be like, the more it sounds almost exactly like the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. I’ve been there many times and it’s a fun place and people always enjoying themselves. The one thing it lacked? Food. So luckily that’s where CityWorks comes in.

 

[Nick]

Just realized that this concept art of what seems like the entry looks a lot like DLs (former) ESPN Zone...


ESPN Zone:

 

[tielo]

Still sad this thing isn't a Walt Disney Museum.
The poor chap is kicked more out of it's own Story cinema at Studios more often than I can count and I heard that the Walt Disney Family Museum in California is amazing and has more stuff than they can show.
At least it would bring some much needed real Disney into WDW.

 

[NuteGunrayWasFramed]

Just realized that this concept art of what seems like the entry looks a lot like DLs (former) ESPN Zone...
View attachment 8546

ESPN Zone:
View attachment 8547

This may be the most baffling idea, why wasn't it an ESPN Zone XL? Instead of just having the third most popular sport in the US, they could've included all of them.

 

[SeventyOne]

So it sounds like they spun off the food to a vendor instead of doing an NBA restaurant. This sounds a lot like the College Football Hall of Fame (which ironically is also in Atlanta).

As I alluded to on Twitter, really curious how this plays out. Last I heard restaurant was still under development, tho that could easily have changed. It makes no sense to me having three more-or-less sports bars right in a row. That said--DQ had a QSR that dominated the fourth floor. That could make a lot of money and draw in customers to sell on the upcharge experiences, assuming they go that route.

This may be the most baffling idea, why wasn't it an ESPN Zone XL? Instead of just having the third most popular sport in the US, they could've included all of them.

ESPN would be run by Disney itself; this is third party.