I’ve been covering NBA Experience construction since the demolition of DisneyQuest. Disney decided to update Disney Springs West Side. DisneyQuest was torn down in favor of a newly updated building which would house the NBA Experience and City Works Eatery & Pour House. Cirque du Soleil would end La Nouba and will receive a new show based off of Walt Disney Animation in 2020.
Now I’ve seen the NBA Experience has gotten a lot of flack. Which proves that Disney parkgoers may be blind to the success of sports and the NBA in general. The NBA is continuing to grow in popularity. It is growing here in the states and in the Chinese market.
I’ve followed the NBA Experience since the beginning and even make it a stop to take construction photos. Here is its evolution from my perspective.
I hope you enjoyed that photo gallery. The NBA Experience is turning out nice with a great LED big screen from outside the experience which will play NBA games during the season. Which will add a nice touch for Disney Springs at night during the NBA season and playoffs. The usage of glass and attention to detail is what makes this project fascinating. If the inside has the same care and detail as the outside we are for sure getting something worthwhile.
NBA Experience will attract people. It may not attract all Disney parkgoers but it will bring in the crowds for those who love the NBA and don’t have experiences like this near them. Yes, the price point is high and I’m sure that will change but Disney’s strategy isn’t as radical as some are saying. The NBA is one of the fastest growing leagues in all of sports, some even debated that it will soon eclipse the NFL due to its soap opera drama and its year-round storylines. So, creating an NBA Experience where kids and fans can have fun isn’t a stretch and it sure beats a rotting arcade that did nothing to attract visitors in its later years. With the NBA it is always changing and that’s where NBA Experience can flourish. Constant updates and new experiences will make it a much more attractive and desirable Disney Springs location.
Not to mention the NBA Experience will feature a store, and if it takes note from Cirque du Soleil and DisneyQuest it will be free for the public to access bringing in more sales. Remember when Pelè Soccer was only supposed to be a limited time store? Now it is at Disney Springs permanently. An NBA Experience store will fill the void that Team Mickey left Disney Springs (Downtown Disney).
Not to mention City Works Eatery & Pour House looks promising. As Disney Springs needs more sports bars with TVs. Also, it will be fun to get another upbeat restaurant with American cuisine.
In conclusion, both NBA Experience and City Works will provide a much-needed refresh to the West Side. Not to mention a new Cirque du Soleil show will debut in 2020 but that’s another article for another time. For now, I see this as a necessary change and it highlights what Disney Springs is truly becoming a place for tourists that don’t always quite get to the parks.
Let’s see what happens but I’m excited to test out both. The NBA Experience opens on August 12, 2019. City Works Eatery & Pour House is expected to open by Winter 2019.
Zach Perilstein is the Editor-in-Chief of the Boardwalk Times
