Credit: DisneyA particular building at Disney Springs has earned a notorious reputation among fans for its history of failed concepts and costly investments. Originally opened in 1998 as DisneyQuest, an innovative multi-level arcade, it operated for nearly two decades before closing in 2017. The NBA Experience replaced it in 2019, expected to revitalize the space with basketball-themed attractions, but it failed spectacularly and closed permanently in 2021.
Now, four years later, there’s hope for the building, with Level99, an interactive social entertainment experience, having filed for signage permits, marking progress toward its planned 2026 opening. This represents Disney’s latest attempt to make the space successful, where previous ventures failed.
Signage Permit Filed
Level99 has filed a Notice of Commencement permit for exterior signage installation at its new Disney Springs location. The permit lists “Disney Quest” as the work location with Level99 as the responsible party. Lauretano Sign Group from Plymouth, Connecticut, will serve as the contractor.
The permit scope specifies “exterior signs,” indicating visible progress as the venue prepares for its 2026 opening. This represents the first tangible construction activity since Disney announced nearly a year ago that Level99 would replace the NBA Experience at Disney Springs West Side.
What Disney’s Level99 Actually Is
Level99 is an interactive social entertainment experience featuring challenge rooms, with existing locations across the East Coast. The Disney Springs location will be Level99’s fifth overall and its first-ever Florida location, marking significant expansion for the brand backed by Act III Holdings, the investment vehicle led by Panera founder and current CAVA Chair Ron Shaich.
A typical Level99 experience includes at least 2-3 hours of entertainment followed by drinks and food at its scratch kitchen and bar, with some players staying all day. The venue features challenge rooms where teams of 2-6 players work together to beat themed physical or mental challenges typically lasting 1-4 minutes, arena duels dispersed throughout the gaming arena for player-versus-player showdowns, and an art hunt where players search for hidden glyphs among hundreds of pieces of commissioned local art unique to every location.
Disney Springs Location Details
The Disney Springs venue will be Level99’s largest location to date with over 60 challenge rooms and duels. Level99 will occupy over 45,000 square feet across two levels capable of hosting upwards of 1,000 players simultaneously in the interactive gaming and bar/dining space.
A two-story bar serving handcrafted cocktails and local beers will serve as the centerpiece, accompanied by chef-crafted menu including Level99’s signature award-winning Detroit-style pizza. The company plans to hire over 100 team members for the Disney Springs location, which will be Level99’s only venue serving the greater Orlando area.
The Cursed Building’s History
The Disney Springs West Side building has earned its cursed reputation through repeated failed concepts. DisneyQuest opened in 1998 offering a multi-level sensory experience filled with arcade classics and state-of-the-art attractions, essentially an immersive arcade featuring snack shop and entertainment experiences. DisneyQuest closed in 2017 after nearly two decades, replaced by the NBA Experience.
The NBA Experience opened in 2019 as a basketball-themed activity center providing sports fans with a massive multi-level complex filled with memorabilia, hands-on attractions, and games. However, price and value were questioned immediately, with $34 adult admission and $29 child tickets creating barriers to repeat visitation.
The NBA Experience closed “temporarily” during COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 but never reopened, with Disney permanently closing the location in 2021. Estimates suggest Disney spent tens of millions of dollars on the NBA Experience, making its rapid failure particularly costly and embarrassing for a company known for successful themed entertainment.
Why Level99 Might Actually Work
Level99 founder Matthew DuPlessie brings relevant expertise as the inventor considered responsible for today’s modern escape room industry, having launched the first escape room-style concept in 2004. He opened the first Level99 location in 2021 after years contemplating how to build more durable and broadly appealing experiences combining video game mechanics with creative physical and mental challenges that can be repeatedly enjoyed in competitive real-life social settings.
Level99’s proprietary entertainment offerings are developed in the company’s game design studio where creators and engineers produce new challenges yearly to keep experiences fresh and ever-changing, addressing one criticism of DisneyQuest which felt increasingly dated as technology evolved beyond its original 1990s-era attractions.
Disney’s Selection Process
Disney selected Level99 after comprehensive review of the location-based entertainment industry, suggesting more careful evaluation than perhaps went into the NBA Experience decision. Level99’s existing track record with multiple successful East Coast locations provides proven operational concept rather than untested experiment.
The opportunity to open at Disney Springs represents significant validation for Level99 as the brand expands nationally. DuPlessie stated the vision is making “challenge rooms” a mainstream concept, with Disney Springs serving as next step in plans to expand the Level99 brand.
Breaking Disney’s Curse
Whether Level99 can finally break this building’s curse depends on factors that doomed previous tenants. The replayability built into Level99’s model through constantly refreshed challenges addresses staleness that plagued DisneyQuest. The food and beverage focus with scratch kitchen, award-winning pizza, and two-story bar creates revenue streams beyond just admission, unlike the NBA Experience’s heavy reliance on entry fees.
The 2-3 hour typical experience with options for all-day stays suggests dwell time generating substantial per-guest spending through food, beverages, and extended play sessions rather than quick in-and-out visits that limited NBA Experience profitability.
For Disney Springs, successfully filling this cursed building with sustainable long-term tenant would finally close a chapter of repeated failures and restore confidence that the West Side location can support major entertainment anchors rather than becoming perpetual vacancy requiring constant reinvestment in new failed concepts.