It's official: DQ out, NBA Experience in!

[Suzanne74]

NBA? Ugh.

Should've gone NHL...

Agree, I would take any professional or collegiate sport over the NBA.

Disney Quest could have easily spruced up and went back with a card or band system. No one wants to spend $100 for 2 people to walk in for a few hours. Most people don't spend all day at Disney Springs and if they do, they don't want to initially plan to be in one place for hours and give up that kind of money. You have to be sneaky and entice them in and spend more. Disney could have offered $10 credit on the bands to get people to not only check out Disney Springs but walk in the doors of Quest. Then kiosks throughout Quest to add more money.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

Disney owns ESPN which owns NBA TV game rights and has a gazillion NBA talk shows on its networks. Pretty simple math.

Yeah, that makes sense. I know Disney owns ESPN, but that's where I shut down. I really know nothing about sports. I don't watch it, I've never been to a professional game in any sport, I hardly even went to high school football games. I just never cared. I don't hate sports, and don't have a problem with people that like them. Maybe someone will want to go to this NBA Experience, and good for them!

 

[Dr Gevil]

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner ............. you move the ESPN off the Boardwalk to Disney Springs, expand it to include experiences ... I mean the building is what 5 floors. It could be a combination restaurant/bar/ESPN/gaming/arcade ............. maybe whole family there to watch games and kids have things they can do ........ TVs everywhere. Make it a giant ESPN with GOOD food like the new NBC Grill at Citywalk.

But to limit that huge building to one sport ................. they better build with backup plan in mind.

I totally agree. They could move ESPN Zone from the Boardwalk and replace it with a more Boardwalky/Beachy theme (much bigger Beaches & Cream??) and then make DQ the New ESPN Zone/Ultimate Sports Bar. Could have a killer restaurant on one floor, arcade on another, sports bar area with TVs galore, then maybe a skating rink, bball court, batting cages, field goal kicking, etc. sports experience area..........ahh to dream

 

[HopperFan]

I totally agree. They could move ESPN Zone from the Boardwalk and replace it with a more Boardwalky/Beachy theme (much bigger Beaches & Cream??) and then make DQ the New ESPN Zone/Ultimate Sports Bar. Could have a killer restaurant on one floor, arcade on another, sports bar area with TVs galore, then maybe a skating rink, bball court, batting cages, field goal kicking, etc. sports experience area..........ahh to dream

EXACTLY. And guarantee it will be packed.

 

[DaisyJ]

I'm honestly surprised this project didn't fall through.

I thought it was already rejected. I am surprised to hear the idea is back. I don't think it will have long term success.

 

[HopperFan]

I'll believe it when I see it.

Maybe we should place the "CURSE OF THE RIVERS OF LIGHT" on it ................

 

[rteetz]

I thought it was already rejected. I am surprised to hear the idea is back. I don't think it will have long term success.

It's hard to say right now. The NBA isn't going anywhere but it leaves it to be for those that only like the NBA. I am not an NBA fan but am a college basketball fan, I am sure I will check this out at least once. It could be worse.

 

[Jennasis]

This is less than "meh" as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Klayfish]

ESPN is dying... Not the best option for something that might not be here in 5-10 years if trends keep up.

ESPN is far from dying. Struggling more? Yeah, definitely. Circling the drain, no. Not all that long ago, they were the only game in town (pardon the pun). Now, there are lots of 24 hour sports network, so they face a ton of competition and therefore viewership is down. But I don't see ESPN going anywhere anytime soon.

I would love the idea of a turning DQ into a multisport complex, the ultimate ESPN/sports bar/experience place. Totally agree it would be a smashing success. Hate to wish failure on anything Disney does, but I can't say I'm rooting for the NBA experience to succeed.

 

[epcotty]

Finally. Wish it was an NFL experience, but NBA would be the next best thing.

Of all the trips we've made to Disney, have never been to Disney Quest due to its price. Might have to make an acception though next month and check it out

Personally I feel Disney Quest's the best value at Disney . After paying the entrance fee you get to play all you want for 9 hours.

Getting back to the main point, sorry to see it go. I think we thought that the NBA deal fell through on the boards for a while, sad that it's not the case. Also sad that it won't be open all year as some on the boards heard CMs say

 

[Marthasor]

ESPN is far from dying. Struggling more? Yeah, definitely. Circling the drain, no. Not all that long ago, they were the only game in town (pardon the pun). Now, there are lots of 24 hour sports network, so they face a ton of competition and therefore viewership is down. But I don't see ESPN going anywhere anytime soon.

I would love the idea of a turning DQ into a multisport complex, the ultimate ESPN/sports bar/experience place. Totally agree it would be a smashing success. Hate to wish failure on anything Disney does, but I can't say I'm rooting for the NBA experience to succeed.

ESPN has been dragging Disney earnings down for a LONG time. It's not just competition, people are cutting the cord on cable subscriptions and paying for on-demand content. I agree with the PP, I don't know if we will see ESPN in its current form in 5 to 10 years.

 

[revdon64]

Well, there's one less thing to do at DS with the family. We'd go and had gone many times to DQ. I can't imagine that we'll have any interest in an NBA experience.

 

[HopperFan]

ESPN is far from dying. Struggling more? Yeah, definitely. Circling the drain, no. Not all that long ago, they were the only game in town (pardon the pun). Now, there are lots of 24 hour sports network, so they face a ton of competition and therefore viewership is down. But I don't see ESPN going anywhere anytime soon.

AGREE ^

If you follow finances/stock you will see in last couple days that Disney was upgraded and partly due to ESPN outlook.

Just one of several reports ...

"With estimates largely reset and potential for ESPN to accelerate revenue growth against a more aggressively managed cost base, we upgrade Disney to OW. Climbing out of FY17, we think distribution renewals for ESPN, new streaming bundles, and strong film slate will accelerate EPS growth…

Is ESPN out of the woods? We forecast total cable affiliate revenue growth to improve from +2% in FY16 (adjusted for 53rd week comp but including currency headwinds) to +5% CAGR in FY17-FY20E (ACC Network currently not included in our forecast), pushing our overall estimates above consensus beginning in ’18. We see both rate and volume opportunities…"

ESPN has been dragging Disney earnings down for a LONG time. It's not just competition, people are cutting the cord on cable subscriptions and paying for on-demand content. I agree with the PP, I don't know if we will see ESPN in its current form in 5 to 10 years.

Wall Street disagrees. What I think we can agree on is that it won't be in it's current form, nor will any cable company or network. They all have to re-imagine and re-structure themselves and ESPN is doing it sooner than others due to changes impacting them sooner.

 

[phinz]

yay sports rah rah rah

 

[bumbershoot]

...but NBA ..... I think we will see another failure.

Agreed.

I mean, didn't a version of it it close at Citywalk? It was neat to see the handprints of famous players in the basketball, but I never saw anyone going in...

 

[markb681]

AND don't forget that Orlando has a NBA team...The Magic...So it might be easier to get NBA players to stop in and do a meet and greet kinda thing!

 

[Mickeymouseisking]

Well, there's one less thing to do at DS with the family. We'd go and had gone many times to DQ. I can't imagine that we'll have any interest in an NBA experience.

I'm so sad...we love DQ! Disney Quest was our go to place for rainy afternoons, which in August can be every afternoon! We spent HOURS in there! And we were looking forward to spending many more hours there this summer.

Seems to me that putting money into rejuvenating DQ would be a smarter investment than an NBA experience, which immediately limits the target audience to basketball enthusiasts only. That's not very smart considering:
A. DQ is a draw for locals and was always packed with local families and teens on weekends. An NBA experience will definitely not have the same kind of draw.
B. International guests aren't as into the NBA as Americans are. So the target audience isn't just cut down to families who love sports (which is already smaller than "families that like playing cool games in a closed air conditioned space") but also to only families who love basketball specifically. Since soccer is the preferred sport of the rest of the world, international sports fans at large won't be drawn to this experience.

It's a very odd choice by Disney, in my opinion.

 

[DisneyDetective]

Hope it's not the same as NBA City that was at Universal Citywalk. I thought a Disney museum/archive would be cool.

 

[Disney mac]

So will this new venue pump in artificial music with servers who only care during the playoffs? I mean the rest of the one they'll probably give 10% of their effort to bring our food? No thanks to me.
But like the rest of Disney springs it's probably meant for tourists who don't have a mall at home with nothing to do for kids.

 

[BigredNole]

It will be open while we are there. I am not sure if I will go though. When it was first open, my college roommate and I stayed the entire day competing against each other on all old school video games. I am talking about the originals...PacMan, Asteroids, Space Invaders, etc. It was a great time. The last time we went half the machines were out of service and newer stuff.

I understand the reason it is closing. It is a lot of space that can be better utilized. I just wish they could do some nostalgic stuff in a small location. Remember the old game room at the Contemporary when it had a shooting gallery, the GIANT Hercules pinball machine, and a bunch of other games.