Thank you to Disney for inviting me on this ESPN Wide World of Sports media trip and covering most of my expenses. All opinions expressed are my own.
If there is one place that I could never get enough of, it’s Disney World. We have visited this magical place several times over the past few years and each time we experience something new that we hadn’t before. A few weeks ago my family and I were invited to attend a special media event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Of course I jumped at the opportunity because in all of my vacations to Disney we had never made it over to the complex to experience the sports side of Disney World. This one-of-a-kind Wide World of Sports Complex has 255 acres which hosts more than 350 events and 350,000 athletes from over 70 countries each year. This multi-sport venue is state of the art and can accommodate 70 different sports in all.
ESPN Wide World of Sports Special Events
On the night of our arrival we were all invited to a special event held just for the athletes, coaches and family. This event was held at Animal Kingdom, after the park was already closed for the night. You could just feel the excitement in the air from all of the teams who couldn’t wait to get inside for this special kick off party. The first thing we headed for was the buffet, but as soon as we walked past Expedition Everest and saw that it was open Toni (JustStopScreaming) and I rushed to the front of the line. It was incredible to experience this ride and conquer the Yeti at night, if you ever get the chance to ride Everest at night, I highly recommend it.
Food and Fun at Dinoland USA
After we got done with about 4 rounds of Everest we finally made our way to the food. The buffet was full of goodies such as chips and salsa, chicken fingers, nachos, and more. It was yummy. After dinner we decided to make our way to the main party which was held in the Dinoland USA area of Animal Kingdom. This was where most of the fun was happening and teams from all over the world were having a blast as they danced, rode rides and played games. My kids and I enjoyed lot’s of fair games, won a few prizes, rode some of the rides that were open and even got the chance to have our photo taken with Mickey and Minnie. It was a really great experience and fun to see all of these teams bonding while experiencing the magic of Disney.
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
Early the next day the other bloggers and I headed off for the ESPN Wide World of Sports. I was really excited to see just what this complex has to offer it’s guests and boy was I in for a treat! From the very beginning they want to make sure that each individual athlete feels like their are in the pro’s and Disney goes above and beyond to make this happen.
As we got off the bus cast members were there take care of everything, just like they do for all of the teams visiting the complex. When teams arrive at the complex they don’t have to worry about lugging around their equipment because Disney takes it and delivers it to the field your playing on. When your done you can pick it back up at the front of the complex. How amazing is that?! As a team mom who has carried many heavy equipment bags, I can appreciate all the extra help given from Disney.
Our first stop of the day was breakfast where we got the chance to meet some of the key players behind ESPN Wide World of Sports and hear about all of the great things happening at the complex. Right when we arrived we were greeted with an over the top welcome as our names were announced as each person went through the door. This was just a little taste of what the youth athletes receive while playing at the complex.
After breakfast we toured some of the fields and a few basketball courts where tournaments were being held. You could just sense the excitment in the air as kids from all over the country and world were playing their heart out in state of the art fields.
Office Max Business Lounge
In Between games the Office Max Business Lounge is a great place for team mom’s to get all of their behind the scenes business done. This lounge is complimentary and can be used to check your email, print schedules, charge your phone, make team banners and so much more. This is just one of the many perks of having your team compete on the ESPN Wide World of Sports grounds. There is also a mobile Office Max center located outside in the Disney Sports Festival Center Tent.
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex wants to make this experience as fun and enjoyable as any other vacation. They offer a wide range of services at very reasonable prices to make things a little easier on parents, athletes and team moms. They offer boxed lunches which can be pre-ordered and delivered right to your playing field. They also have concession stands and food trucks located at various spots on the complex.
Get Custom Team Apparel
One of my favorite parts about the complex was the ability to customize so many different items for your team. You can fully customize shirts right on the spot at the Champion Custom Tee Center.
I’ll be sharing more about my experience at the Complex coming up soon so be sure to check back for that soon. In the meantime be sure to check out my ESPN Wide World of Sports Post on Two Traveling Moms.
For more information about the complex and how you can sign your team up for the next tournament you can visit http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/.