DEBATE: What is there to do at Wide World of Sports?

[doubletrouble_vb]

And would Disney consider making it a more interesting destination? And how?

 

[toefungus]

I agree, they need to. I've never been there, and I have no desire to go there because of your question-What is there to do at the Wide World of Sports? What is there to do?

 

[Another Voice]

Built during the “if they build it, they will come” phase, the original concept was that Walt Disney World would become a major site for amateur and professional sporting events – college and school championships, professional tennis, spring training. The idea is that all those high school cheerleaders would fill lots of hotel rooms and their parents would spend lots of money. And all the TV coverage of the events would be good marketing for WDW throughout the country. It’s the exact same strategy that Indianapolis used when it lured a lot of amateur, NCAA and Olympic trial events to the city

Problems happened when WDW priced themselves out of the budget for most amateur sports federations and failed to provide a high enough level of service for such things as the NFL Quarterback Challenge. Right about now most people in Burbank won’t mind if a giant sink hole swallowed the entire rusting complex so the Company could cash in on the insurance.

And this comes on top of the huge trail judgment against Disney when the court found they stole the concept from another promoter.

 

[DC7800]

Can we expect Wide World of Sports to join Discovery Island and River Country (?) in WDW's list of lost attractions? I remember reading something about WWOS losing money in a report over the legal matters, but I've also heard the complex is profitable from the groups which do make use of it. Anyone know for sure?

I've never actually been there either. Actually, I could never figure out exactly what the point of the place was, much less what I'd do once we got there. I wouldn't mind looking around a bit, since it is part of WDW and all, but it's definitely not worth an admission charge. I'm sure I found a LOT more to do over at Fort Wilderness.

 

[vernon]

In it's current set up WWoS is much more of a destination for participants of sporting events taking place at WWoS as opposed to those wishing to be entertained. Nothing wrong with that, I think it makes a great destination for young athletes to have their national finals etc at a destination that offers much more than just the pressure associated with those types of games.

I don't think that was what it was originally planned for but maybe it has been more difficult to get the plans moving than they expected. My original thoughts were they wanted to have a major sports team based there ( probably baseball) and their Spring Training camps were part of a "softening up" campaign to get a team to move there. I also think that there were plans for the Magic to be moved there and the long ongoing discussions about the facilities ( or lack of them) for that franchise where again part of the softening up process. I think there were a lot of hopes that should the Olympics get hosted somewhere in the area then Disney would pick up a lot of the minor events and also be used for accommodation. More important would be the financial rewards and the media facilities that Disney has ( production studios etc) would lend itself well to dealing with those problems. Obviously the fact Disney owns a major TV channel would help that company to win the franchise for covering the Games.

I know that there were plans to put on, what in the US are, minority sports. There were plans to host an international cricket tournement there ( hopeful IMHO) , but more promising IMHO would be to use the stadium to host a Rugby 7 a side tournement there. There is a world wide circuit of tournements and while the USA isn't one of the VERY top nations they can compete in the second tier. With the internation appeal of WDW I think support (visitors) from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Canada, Argentina, Japan would guarantee a reasonable crowd and if enough "non rugby" fans turned up to cheer on their own countries those people would find this game is a real crowd pleaser. Four of the top 5 countries ( Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Fiji ) don't have a massive natural number of people who go to WDW but I can guarantee if that competition were to take place a very good ratio of expats working in the US would travel to WDW just to see the competition. As it only takes a longweekend for the whole competition (3 days) I think it would work very well.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I like attending sports...as do many people. It would be helpful if Disney advertised sporting events at Disney on their regular calendar. For example I saw a karate tournament on tv that was at Coronado Springs (I think). I would have enjoyed seeing it live.

 

[King Triton]

We don't need a Wide World of Sports! Disney wasted millions of dollars building that. Then they had the nerve to remove two of my favorite rides 1) Horizons 2) World of Motion. Let's sell off Wide World of Sports and build new rides!

King Triton

 

[vernon]

Who'd buy it? It's major chances of producing revenue are for hotel accommodation ( Disney's the biggest played in town), restaurants ( Disney's the biggest single player in town) or TV rights on sporting events ( Disney owns one ofthe major US networks) If Disney can't make money out of this NO ONE ELSE WILL.

I still think Disney has plans for the Olympics and that is the reason for WWoS being built in the first place.