ESPN The Weekend: Disney’s Ode to the Sports Fan

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Visitors to Disney's ESPN The Weekend try out their skills at the ESPN Sports Zone.

Photo Credit: Sam Jordan

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Minnie Mouse joins former NBA star Alonzo Mourning in greeting fans at Disney's ESPN The Weekend.

Photo Credit: Sam Jordan

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NFL stars LaDanian Tonlinson, Brandon Jacobs and DeAngelo Williams (left to right) answer questions on an athletes' panel at Disney World's ESPN The Weekend.

Photo Credit: Sam Jordan

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Sports Insider Sam Jordan enjoys the scenery at Disney World's ESPN The Weekend.

Photo Credit: Sam Jordan

ESPN The Weekend combines the magic of Disney with the world of ESPN, making sports fans' dreams come true.

Every year, in late February/early March, when sports fans find themselves in a post-Super Bowl, pre-March Madness funk, Disney World creates yet another brand of memorable magic. ESPN The Weekend is a celebration of all things sports that fuses fun, interactive activities with up-close encounters with star athletes and ESPN personalities.
 
Most of the action happens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where a steady stream of athlete motorcades livens up the park every couple of hours. Sports greats get a hero’s welcome as Disney characters and peppy ESPN cheerleaders usher them to the main stage under the iconic sorcerer’s hat. Once they’re seated, it’s Q&A time, as the athletes take questions from fans and the host of the event. The laidback atmosphere makes it a great way to see some of your favorite players in a unique, casual setting. Oh, and these aren’t exactly second stringers!

The laidback atmosphere makes it a great way to see some of your favorite players in a unique, casual setting. Oh, and these aren’t exactly second stringers!

The 2011 weekend featured appearances by NFL stars Chad Ochocinco, Larry Fitzgerald and Tim Tebow; baseball greats Cal Ripken Jr., Mariano Rivera, Cliff Lee and Jose Bautista; and NBA pros Karl Malone, Alonzo Mourning and the Orlando Magic’s Jameer Nelson. It was a very impressive guest list. This year’s bonus: a concert by former Yankees centerfielder Bernie Williams, who’s pretty good on the guitar. 

This is your chance to see ESPN shows happen live. Such shows as ESPN First Take, Baseball Tonight, NFL Live and Mike and Mike in the Morning are filmed in front of fans at Hollywood Studios. You can also test your trivia against ESPN’s resident expert with Stump the Schwab.  It all adds up to a behind-the-scenes experience that sports junkies will love as much as any Disney ride.

After checking out the celebrities, it’s time to break a sweat, and the ESPN Sports Zone is where you get to show your stuff. Measure your fastball speed, test your pigskin passing accuracy or shoot some hoops against fellow fans. It’s a great way to burn off a few calories while waiting for that Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Fast Pass to activate.  

Don’t forget: Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex is the Spring Training home of the Atlanta Braves. The great seats and affordable prices of March make it easy to add another big league experience to your trip.

Late winter can be a bone dry time for fans, but all that changes with one trip to ESPN The Weekend, where you can see some of the best athletes of today and legends of years past, all while celebrating your love of sports in a festive and interactive atmosphere. It’s a great way to ring in spring and recharge your fan batteries with the added bonus of enjoying the perennial magic of Disney World.