What It’s All About
“Sports competition… to rise above all others…to experience excitement…to feel the rush…to entertain and be entertained…sheer passion.” These phrases are some of the answers to the question, ‘why do you love to watch or play sports.’ And Disney knows these things. And probably these are the same reasons for the construction of the Disney Wide World of Sports. To cater to the public who thirst for the thrill of the game, to catch the moment and to live the dream. With the facilities that the sports complex presents, it’s not farfetched that you’ll see a sports enthusiast develop into a pro.
From basketball courts to baseball fields, from tennis courts to sand volleyball—these are housed within the sports ground that is the Disney Wide World of Sports. Such place has been a host for various professional sporting events and will be a host for many more.
What to See Inside
First stop, the Champion Stadium. Boasting a seating capacity of 9,500, this has been a host to countless baseball games including the first round of games of the World Baseball Classic for the year 2006.
Hess Sports Field. Houses 8 different fields used for football, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey to name a few. The complex started with four fields but same has doubled since then. And it was on the summer of 2004 that the expansion was realized. With each field measuring 240ft x 360ft, there’s no wonder why Hess Field hosts the annual Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp.
Milkhouse. Got milk? This is the same company that sponsored such fieldhouse. The Milkhouse has the capacity to host any indoor sport that need not require ice like volleyball, wrestling, martial arts and even cheerdancing. With a capacity of 5,500, this facility can accommodate the usual trade show events, conventions and graduations too.
The extension of the Champion Stadium is the Baseball Quadraplex. The latter contains 4 professional baseball fields. During spring, the quad gets a lot of traffic from the Major League Baseball players. As for the athletes of the minor league, their turn to use the quad is during the Rookie League. However, this one is quite small. Its C Field can accommodate 500 while Fields A, B and D can only support 250 sports aficionados.
Track and Field Complex. World class-this is the word that best describes this place and its facilities. With the land covered with nine 48-inch lanes, two high jump areas, javelin runway and a two directional pole vault runway, this is certainly top notch. For the equipment, well, let’s see, 200 Olympic style hurdles, two high jump pits, 18 shot puts, 12 javelins, countdown timers, performance indicators—the list goes on.
These are just a few of the areas that make Disney Wide World of Sports a favorite, whether you’re an athlete or a fan. This place will dish up competition and camaraderie the Disney way.