DisneyQuest to close July 3rd, 2017

[rteetz]

New rumor with a few people backing it on wdwmagic. Disney Quest won't be closing until 2017 as they figure out what to do with the building as the NBA City concept has fallen through.

 

[Budshark]

Bad in that Disney Quest needs a revamp that it's not going to get. Another year of outdated and broken attractions.

Good in that personally the NBA City held exactly Zero interest.

 

[rteetz]

Bad in that Disney Quest needs a revamp that it's not going to get. Another year of outdated and broken attractions.

Good in that personally the NBA City held exactly Zero interest.

Now just to see what and if Disney comes up with something.

 

[vandy]

Now just to see what and if Disney comes up with something.

They will market this situation as Disney Quest being extended by popular demand, raise ticket prices and add special ticket events.

 

[MommaBerd]

It COULD be a lot of fun if they'd give it some love! My boys actually really enjoyed it, despite its run-down condition.

 

[rteetz]

They will market this situation as Disney Quest being extended by popular demand, raise ticket prices and add special ticket events.

The first part yes but I don't know about the second part. Disney quest really isn't as popular as it once was and at the very least needs an update if not new concept.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

They gave up on Disney quest LONG ago...it's been a high cost placeholder forever.

They aren't gonna change their minds rhere

 

[PortMickey]

Why don't they convert it to an ESPNzone like the one at Downtown Disney at Disneyland in California? A highly themed sports bar supporting ESPN, one of their "Major" Brands. There is always some sort of major sports event going on and this would be the perfect place to market where to eat and catch the game while you are in Orlando and sell some ESPN gear.

I also thought I heard somewhere that they could do a "Marvel Restaurant Concept" at Disney Springs without conflicting with their "Use of Marvel Characters in a Theme Park" agreement with Universal Studios Florida. Something about Disney Springs being a shopping center, not a theme park. That is enough space that they could do something really cool without actually being in any of their theme parks. Character dining and lots of merchandise.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The espnzones have been closing...ESPN is in decline

 

[DanBoris]

The espnzones have been closing...ESPN is in decline

And I think Disney would prefer to have a third party in there so the money is coming from outside the company.

 

[DanBoris]

Why don't they convert it to an ESPNzone like the one at Downtown Disney at Disneyland in California? A highly themed sports bar supporting ESPN, one of their "Major" Brands. There is always some sort of major sports event going on and this would be the perfect place to market where to eat and catch the game while you are in Orlando and sell some ESPN gear.

I also thought I heard somewhere that they could do a "Marvel Restaurant Concept" at Disney Springs without conflicting with their "Use of Marvel Characters in a Theme Park" agreement with Universal Studios Florida. Something about Disney Springs being a shopping center, not a theme park. That is enough space that they could do something really cool without actually being in any of their theme parks. Character dining and lots of merchandise.

Marvel in Disney Springs still seems to be a grey area. Disney opened a Superhero store there recently but they do not use the name Marvel on it and it's very light on Marvel theming.

 

[tcherjen]

This will make my daughter happy. She went when she was 16 and wanted to go again.

 

[Spacedog1975]

I'm casually enthusiastic about this potential development.
Firstly, I have zero interest in any NBA experience. None.
Secondly, I keep meaning to stop by DisneyQuest on one of my trips. I went to the one in Chicago in 2000 and I'm mildly curious.

I also have some inkling of the state the DisneyQuest is in - thus why I haven't made the time in spite of always having free passes.

I think DQ could easily have a retooling that would make it a worthy destination. Blend the video game concept with Disney history - whether a trip through the films or the parks or the company, but via video games and interactive attractions. Surely the cost would be there, but if they could actually start CHARGING for admission, as well as becoming a traffic driver for Disney Springs, it would be worth the investment.

The original intent of DQ was to have an indoor "theme park" that could be replicated in any major city, thus distributing development and material costs across multiple attraction locations. I think the mistake that was made in Chicago was adhering to "kid" hours. If they were a late-night destination with a liquor license, I expect they would be sustainable. If you redevelop it into a worthwhile attraction, you might not replicate it in Boston or Philadelphia, but perhaps Anaheim, Paris, and Shanghai.

All of that said, I fully expect it to close sooner than later. Rip and replace seems the ultimate goal here no matter what.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

They will market this situation as Disney Quest being extended by popular demand, raise ticket prices and add special ticket events.

Throw in a cupcake and you have a $100 hard ticket event. I'm sure Disney marketing will be reaching out to you shortly with a job offer. They'll like the way you think.

 

[ncc1701]

What they should look into is something like a "Super-sized" ESPN Zone/Club , they can get an outside company to run it, don't even need to use theESPN name. DH and I enjoy going to ESPN at the Boardwalk to watch games, but it can get pretty crowded so another sports bar/restaurant would be great.Since we stay at POFQ we go to Disney Spring several times a trip & have always felt that was something that would work there.

 

[rteetz]

What they should look into is something like a "Super-sized" ESPN Zone/Club , they can get an outside company to run it, don't even need to use theESPN name. DH and I enjoy going to ESPN at the Boardwalk to watch games, but it can get pretty crowded so another sports bar/restaurant would be great.Since we stay at POFQ we go to Disney Spring several times a trip & have always felt that was something that would work there.

That's Disney's biggest problem with this place they don't want to fund it all themselves they want a third party which NBA was that but then saw the costs and said no.

ESPN has its own troubles right now and ESPN zones aren't successful anymore unfortunately.

 

[ncc1701]

That's Disney's biggest problem with this place they don't want to fund it all themselves they want a third party which NBA was that but then saw the costs and said no.

ESPN has its own troubles right now and ESPN zones aren't successful anymore unfortunately.

They should get someone / or company to do what Emeril did for the Venetian/Palazzo in Vegas at their sport betting area. A sports bar with good food , lots of tvs including patio seating.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

They should get someone / or company to do what Emeril did for the Venetian/Palazzo in Vegas at their sport betting area. A sports bar with good food , lots of tvs including patio seating.

While I appreciate your ideas....the difficulty in pulling them off in Orlando and specifically "Disney springs" are many and complicated

 

[xipetotec]

New rumor with a few people backing it on wdwmagic. Disney Quest won't be closing until 2017 as they figure out what to do with the building as the NBA City concept has fallen through.

We always do an evening here, we travel in a group of 15-18 people typically. We were all very sad to hear it will be closing, although this is good news ( the extension ) NOBODY in my group, even the "sporty" kid, has *ANY* interest in the NBA zone thing. That will become a "dead zone" of Disney Springs for us.

 

[OldsDr]

Isn't the size of this place the real problem with getting something else in there. I bet you will see a couple of different things on the various floors, (you know kind of like a mall) or a Dave and Buster's