It’s a Wide, Wide World of Sports

Where can you find the most sensational sports entertainment in the country? That’s right: Orlando. Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex hosts countless events and attractions that will remind you of why you truly love sports while creating new memories you can enjoy for a lifetime.
With an impressive 220 acres of top-of-the line courts, fields, turf and diamonds, the facility provides an ideal setting for the most dedicated athletes and sports fans to witness competition and recreation like they have never seen before. The facility is jam-packed with amenities and architectural designs that attract visitors and athletes from all over the world to come and play a while.
Alex Linares, Amateur Athletic Union Sports Manager and coordinator of the complex’s annual International Softball tournament, brings in softball players from countries like Venezuela, Canada and Spain to play on Wide World’s six different softball fields. He says that the expressions on the athletes faces when they walk into the complex follow a similar trend—eyes wide and jaws open.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from,” Linares says. “When you walk into the building, you’re impressed.”
Disney’s Wide World hosts over 180 professional and amateur events annually like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp, Pop Warner Super Bowl, NBA Pre-Draft Camp, as well as Tampa Bay Devil Rays regular season games. Check out the Devil Rays vs. the Texas Rangers from May 15 to 17.
Disney’s double-decker, retro-style baseball stadium—one of the tallest Major League Baseball spring training sites in the country—will host the tenth Atlanta Braves spring training program in March. Visitors will be able to watch these 14-time national champions train on any of the four fields while relaxing in any of the 9,500 extra-wide seats, two open-air suites or four luxury sky boxes. The first of 16 spring training games begins with the Braves vs. Georgia Tech on February 28.
Last year, the facility set a record with a total of 150,465 people in attendance for all spring training games. The complex has had 7 stadium sellouts, including a record attendance of 11,431 people when the Braves played the Yankees last year.
From February through May, visitors will also have a chance to see future star athletes perform; high school, college and club teams from almost every sport participate in training programs, practicing on the world-class fields and courts. Over 700 high school teams from all over the country will participate to win the attention of the big university coaches in attendance.
From May to July, Wide World of Sports will host the AAU National Championships, in sports ranging from volleyball to wrestling. Some noteworthy athletes who previously competed in the event are NBA players J.J. Redick (Orlando Magic) and Yao Ming (Houston Rockets). Even Michael Jordan has been spotted at the facility, watching his sons play.
Wide World also hosts games and practices for cricket, lacrosse, roller hockey, football and rugby. Check out the Hess Sports Field in July, and you’ll have the opportunity to watch the Tampa Bay Bucs train for next season!
The complex never falls out of the limelight—certainly not with its impressive serve and volley. The top quality green clay courts of the tennis complex were the 1997-2000 venue for U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship on ATP Tour.
Guests can always count on The Sports Experience facility to be open all event days and have interactive contests in basketball, baseball and soccer. Covered by a tent, the outdoor facility provides a setting for kids and adults to throw footballs, tackle dummies and participate in many other activities.
Families can also sit down together for a bite at the All Star Café, which has interactive sports trivia games and big screen TVs showing all kinds of games.
If you’re interested in an engine-revving thrill, check out the Richard Petty Driving Experience, where you can actually drive or ride on a speedway as fast as 140 to 150 mph in a real stock car from Nascar.
Cost of general admission to the complex is $8.50 for ages 3 to 9 and $11.25 for visitors 10 and older—a price well worth the experience, according to Sports Media Director, Darell Fry.
“The Disney Wide World of Sports complex offers a great complement to any family’s vacation,” says Fry. “The biggest national amateur and professional athletic events take place at Wide World of Sports—a myriad of high-profile games and tournaments that every family should experience.”