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Disney Parks Blog shared a look from the cast member previews at the new NBA Experience that is coming to Disney Springs. This experience is designed to help guests experience what it may be like to walk in the same footsteps as the NBA and WNBA champions. The venue is expected to officially open to guests on August 12th, but we have a little bit of an early look to share with you all.
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There will be 13 different basketball-related activities. Guests will be able to participate in the activities in any order that they choose and return to them while at NBA Experience if they want to improve their skills and performance.
Here are some of the takeaways from Disney Parks Blog during their preview experience:
- All About the Guest – This place is all about you – almost every activity encourages you to be an active participant. I recommend you complete the optional registration once you’re inside; this allows you to customize and personalize your experience by adding your own nickname and choosing your favorite NBA or WNBA team. Your team’s logo will be associated with you throughout your stay on various leaderboards and signage, and when you try the Shoot! activity, the court magically transforms to make it feel like you’re in your favorite team’s home arena! Plus, you can choose different basketballs to best fit your hand size (NBA, WNBA or Youth) and set your own skill level – if you’ve never even picked up a basketball before, don’t worry, NBA Experience has you covered.
- Immersive Environment – Walking into NBA Experience feels like stepping onto center court of an arena, complete with huge overhead video monitors, pulsing music and swirling lights. Whether you’re a huge NBA fan or wouldn’t know what the inside of a basketball arena looks like, you will get swept up in the energy. That stunning entry sets the tone for the whole place; I lost track of time as I moved from one activity to the next, completely absorbed in what I was doing.
- Authenticity – Walt Disney Imagineering worked closely with the NBA to ensure NBA Experience is authentic. The hoops are regulation size (unless you need them adjusted to dunk!), and team and league logos are all over. Everything just feels right. For those new to the game, this is a great way to learn all about the league, its players and the game as a whole, straight from the source. If you’ve ever been curious about the NBA or WNBA, let your journey into fandom begin here!
- Interactive Technology – For how physically fun NBA Experience is, it’s also a high-tech environment. When I first entered the building, I immediately went over to the massive touchscreens in the Champions area and started looking up my favorite championship teams. You can dive deep into league history, with notes about each of those legendary teams along with photos and video highlights. I also thoroughly enjoyed Replay, the activity that challenges you to make the right call in three different scenarios using your own personal interactive replay station; you can view the play from different angles, zoom in on key moments, and move the video forward and backward before deciding to confirm or overturn the call. Going back to my earlier point, Replay feels so real – I could easily imagine NBA or WNBA replay officials sitting at a very similar setup every night of the season.
- Inspirational – After spending a good amount of time inside NBA Experience, I realized there’s a fundamental principle that runs throughout the entire place – it’s inspirational. Everyone around me was constantly encouraging me to do my best. Or, sometimes, the activity itself is the inspiration all its own, such as Dribble. Here a virtual coach kept saying things like “Good job! Keep it up! Keep going!” as I was working my way through a series of ball-handling drills. NBA Experience focuses on your successes, and always encourages you to do better.
Guests can already pre-purchase tickets for the NBA Experience. Who can’t wait to check this out?
Photo and Source Credit: Disney Parks Blog
About the Author: Christy Caby – Personal Vacation Advisor with Magical Vacation Planner. For vacation quotes and free planning assistance visit: http://magicalvacationplanner.com/staff/christy-caby/. I’ve planned a wide variety of trips for families including varying sizes, celebrations and more! I have stayed in all resort categories and can help you make the best resort selection for your family’s interests and needs. I would love to assist you in planning your own magical vacation that you can share with your loved ones! Find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/christy.caby. Also, check out my bio below!
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