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Where to catch the game on Disney property?

Walt Disney World: Inquiring about any good spots to catch college football games on opening weekend that are on Disney property!

From Derek Morse
Posted July 25, 2011 at 12:03 PM
So, the wife and I will be making another trip to the World on Labor Day weekend, which also coincides with the start of college football season. Last time we did this, we tried to head over to the ESPN Zone at the boardwalk and you couldn't even walk in the place it was so packed. So my question is, where else on Disney property is a good spot to catch the games? I'm pretty sure they have another ESPN zone at Disney's Wide World of Sports, but are there any other on site restaurants or bars that might have a bit of a smaller crowd on the first Saturday afternoon of the new college football season?


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Eric S
Posted July 25, 2011 at 2:06 PM
I'm also interested to hear the answer to this question. I wanted to watch the U.S. England World Cup game last year and we had to find an empty bar in Wilderness Lodge and change the channel. Definitely something Disney could work on.

From Tony Duda
Posted July 25, 2011 at 2:08 PM
The Beach Club lobby lounge has a TV and I watched the Kentucky Derby there this year. But it is a small place and not very conducive to multi-hour football watching.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted July 25, 2011 at 8:13 PM
ESPN Club at the Boardwalk
House of Blues Bar at DTD

Pretty much every resort has a small bar where you might be able to catch the game.

You can always ask the front desk since there are only a couple of places that show games not on ESPN and ABC


Good Question though!

From Derek Morse
Posted July 26, 2011 at 6:30 AM
My wife is a big Gator fan, so I'm not sure if whatever scrub opponent they have for week one will even be on a major network...that is one issue with the Disney hotels, the cable doesn't have a huge selection of channels. We might just have to stake out a spot at the ESPN zone, but that place is generally packed.

From Mike Gallagher
Posted July 26, 2011 at 6:30 AM
Sorry, but if I'm at an amusement park...Disney or otherwise...watching a ballgame on TV is the furthest thing from my mind. I will qualify that by saying I could not care less about pro hockey and basketball, and any college sports. I have only a modicum of interest in the NFL. The only sport I watch and follow rabidly is MLB. I will admit to stopping a few times at Dorney's Game Day Grill last October to check the Yankee-Ranger score during the playoffs. But I have no interest in sitting in an amusement park for a few hours watching TV. But if anyone else wishes to, more power to you...less people on the ride lines.

From Derek Morse
Posted July 26, 2011 at 8:22 AM
Mike, my wife and I live in Florida and visit Disney often. Our plan would be to visit a park in the morning and take an afternoon break to enjoy some beverages and watch a game and then head back to the park in the evening. Lots of people take afternoon breaks at the parks, especially Disney, we are just choosing to spend ours watching football for a couple hours. Now, if this is your first trip to Disney and you might not make it back for years, then yeah, you might want to skip the game and try to see all you can. But, the wife and I have a seasonal pass and we like to enjoy the park more casually and try to rest in the middle of the day if possible.

From Andrew Carrieri
Posted July 26, 2011 at 10:30 AM
As far as the Florida Gators go, they open against Florida Atlantic on that opening Saturday on ESPNU at 7:00PM. According to allears.net, the channel is available in Disney hotel rooms.

From Derek Morse
Posted July 26, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Thanks for the info!

From TH Creative
Posted July 26, 2011 at 11:00 AM
They have a big screen TV next to the bar at Ohana's on the second floor of the Poly. Not many seats. get there early.

From Mike Saperstein
Posted July 26, 2011 at 1:50 PM
I saw the end of the Colts/Jets game in the playoffs last year at the newly-redesigned bar (I think it's called "Rix") next to the Pepper Market at Coronado Springs, and there were tons of people there having fun.

I don't remember them having a ton of TVs on different channels like a real sports bar, but it was definitely a bigger bar than at most of the other resorts we've been to and had at least a few TVs all with football on.

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