As the lights dimmed for the final time on March 16, 2020, few realized that the NBA Experience at Disney Springs had just completed its last full-court press. After entertaining basketball enthusiasts for a mere seven months with its interactive games and immersive exhibits, this ambitious collaboration between Disney and the NBA closed its doors—initially for what was thought to be a temporary pandemic shutdown, but ultimately forever. Having witnessed both its grand opening celebrations and quiet operation during its brief existence, it seems fitting to document this unique sports-meets-Disney experience as it fades into theme park history, leaving behind a 44,000 square-foot reminder of how even the most promising concepts can sometimes fail to score with audiences.
Walking past the gleaming blue-and-black façade during its construction, visitors watched as the aging DisneyQuest building was transformed into something that promised to be cutting-edge and innovative. The final result was visually striking – a modern, sleek building that stood out even among the reimagined Disney Springs landscape. The high-tech video marquee above the entrance displayed dynamic basketball imagery, while Cast Members outside often performed ball-spinning tricks to entice guests to enter.
Location: Disney Springs – West Side
Theme: Basketball/NBA
Opening date: August 12, 2019
Closing date: March 16, 2020 (never reopened after pandemic closure)
Replaced: DisneyQuest
Replaced by: Level99 (announced February 2025)
Location and Layout
Situated prominently on the West Side of Disney Springs, the NBA Experience occupied the former home of DisneyQuest, which had operated from 1998 to 2017. The backstory of Disney Springs positioned this area as part of the fictional 1950 Springs Centennial Expo, and the NBA Experience building maintained this narrative element in its exterior design.
The 44,000 square-foot, two-level destination was strategically positioned near other entertainment venues like Splitsville and the AMC Theater, creating an activity hub on the West Side. The adjacent City Works Eatery & Pour House was designed to complement the NBA Experience, though it opened much later (February 2020) and has outlived its companion attraction.
Inside the NBA Experience
Stepping inside the NBA Experience was like walking through the players’ tunnel into an arena on game day. The atmosphere hit you immediately – the polished hardwood floors gleaming under dramatic lighting, the rhythmic bounce of basketballs echoing throughout the space, and the constant movement of digital screens displaying NBA highlights. Visitors first encountered the NBA Store, freely accessible without an admission ticket, where the scent of fresh merchandise mingled with the excitement of basketball fans browsing team gear. The store offered apparel from all NBA franchises alongside Disney-exclusive items featuring Mickey and friends in basketball poses. Particularly popular were the specially designed sports tumblers showing Mickey playing for your favorite team – a perfect blend of Disney magic and NBA fandom that captured the essence of this unique collaboration.
After purchasing a $34 admission ticket (or using the Water Park and Sports Option from a Walt Disney World theme park ticket), guests entered the main experience. Unlike most Disney attractions, this wasn’t a guided journey but rather a collection of 13 interactive stations that could be enjoyed in any order and as many times as desired.
The activities ranged from physical challenges to educational experiences:
- Dribble! allowed guests to practice ball-handling skills with an interactive coach demonstrating different dribbling patterns
- Dunk! let everyone experience slam dunks on adjustable-height hoops with burst photography capturing your moves
- Shoot! challenged players to make baskets from spots that lit up across the court while racing against a 15-second clock
- Slingshot featured oversized slingshots to launch basketballs at various hoops
- Combine measured your vertical leap and wingspan against NBA and WNBA players
- Draft recreated the electric atmosphere of draft day with photo opportunities
- Replay put you in the referee’s position to make calls using multiple camera angles
- Champions showcased NBA and WNBA championship history with trophy photo-ops
- Players offered a locker room experience with current statistics and highlights
- Game Time presented a heartwarming film about the in-arena experience
- Together showed an inspirational 180-degree presentation about NBA superstars
- Arcade featured both traditional basketball arcade games and modern video games
- Trivia tested your knowledge of NBA and WNBA history
What made the experience unique was its personalization. Upon entry, guests created a digital profile that followed them throughout the attractions, tracking scores and statistics across different activities.
The Hidden Details
As with any Disney attraction, the NBA Experience contained subtle touches that emphasized authenticity. The entrance was designed to mimic the player tunnel at NBA arenas, complete with the same flooring texture. Each activity station featured actual NBA court specifications and dimensions.
The locker room area showcased authentic designs based on real NBA facilities, with digital nameplates that cycled through current players. Even the basketball-themed Mickey ears sold in the store incorporated a realistic ball texture on the cap portion.
For basketball aficionados, the Hall of Champions section was particularly rich with historical artifacts and information. The entire experience was designed in collaboration with NBA experts to ensure basketball authenticity met Disney’s storytelling standards.
What Went Wrong?
During its brief run, the NBA Experience suffered from several challenges. First and most noticeable was the lack of crowds. Even during peak hours, the massive space felt underpopulated, creating an awkward atmosphere for an attraction designed around the energy of basketball.
The pricing structure ($34 for adults, $29 for children) positioned it as a premium experience, but many Disney visitors didn’t see enough value to justify the additional cost on top of their theme park tickets. For casual basketball fans, the activities could be completed in about 90 minutes, making the price point seem steep.
The interactive elements, while innovative, were somewhat limited in replay value. Once you’d tried each station, there wasn’t a compelling narrative or progression to encourage return visits. Disney Cast Members were eventually given free admission for themselves and guests to help boost attendance numbers.
Perhaps the biggest challenge was the fundamental mismatch between the core Disney audience and hardcore NBA fans. The overlap between these demographics wasn’t as strong as Disney and the NBA had hoped.
When COVID-19 forced the closure of Disney Springs in March 2020, the NBA Experience shut its doors along with everything else. But while other locations eventually reopened, this one remained closed. On August 16, 2021, Disney officially confirmed what many had suspected – the NBA Experience would not reopen.
Article Continues Below
The Future: Level99
After sitting vacant for nearly five years, the former NBA Experience building is finally getting new life. In February 2025, it was officially announced that Level99 will be taking over the space. This immersive entertainment concept features over 50 interactive challenge rooms combining physical and mental challenges.
Level99 represents a fascinating evolution of the space – from DisneyQuest’s virtual gaming to NBA Experience’s sports activities to now a comprehensive challenge-based entertainment venue. With its focus on team-based puzzles, obstacle courses, and small group challenges, Level99 seems to correct many of the issues that plagued the NBA Experience.
The new venue will feature a two-story bar and restaurant and span over 45,000 square feet with capacity for 1,000 guests. This will be Level99’s fifth location and their largest to date, continuing the Disney Springs tradition of hosting unique entertainment concepts.
Why Remember the NBA Experience?
Though short-lived, the NBA Experience represents an important chapter in Disney’s ongoing attempts to integrate sports culture into their entertainment offerings. It stands as a reminder that even with Disney’s unparalleled expertise in creating immersive environments and the NBA’s massive cultural footprint, success is never guaranteed.
For theme park historians, the NBA Experience offers valuable lessons about audience demographics, pricing strategy, and the challenges of creating repeatable experiences. Its brief existence makes it particularly important to document – the fewer people who experienced it firsthand, the more crucial our collective memory becomes.
It’s amazing how quickly attractions can fade from memory once they’re gone. Whether the NBA Experience was a visionary concept ahead of its time or simply a miscalculation doesn’t matter – it deserves to be remembered as part of Walt Disney World’s constantly evolving story.