Level99 just filed a permit for exterior signage at the cursed Disney Springs building that has absolutely destroyed every single business that’s tried to operate inside it, and this is actually the first real sign that something is progressing after nearly a year of basically nothing happening since Disney announced this replacement.
Finally Some Actual Progress
The Notice of Commencement permit lists “DisneyQuest” as the work location with Level99 as the responsible party. Lauretano Sign Group from Plymouth, Connecticut, is handling the exterior signage installation, which means you’ll soon be able to see actual changes to this building, which has been sitting there looking abandoned since the NBA Experience crashed and burned.
It’s been nearly a year since Disney announced that Level99 would replace the NBA Experience at Disney Springs West Side, and until this permit filing there’s been zero visible activity. No construction, no signage, nothing to indicate that anything was actually happening with this location.
What Even Is Level99
Level99 is this interactive social entertainment experience featuring challenge rooms, and they already have locations across the East Coast. The Disney Springs location will be their fifth overall and their very first Florida location, which is a pretty big deal for the brand.
A typical Level99 experience involves 2-3 hours of gameplay followed by food and drinks at their scratch kitchen and bar. Some people apparently stay all day. The venue has challenge rooms where teams of 2-6 players work together on themed physical or mental challenges that last 1-4 minutes, arena duels for player-versus-player competition, and art hunts where you search for hidden glyphs among hundreds of pieces of commissioned local art.
This Location Is Going to Be Massive
Level99’s new Disney Springs venue will be its largest yet, featuring over 60 challenge rooms across 45,000 square feet. It can accommodate up to 1,000 players simultaneously. The centerpiece will be a two-story bar offering handcrafted cocktails and local beers, alongside their award-winning Detroit-style pizza. They plan to hire over 100 employees, making it the only Level99 serving the greater Orlando area.
Why This Disney Springs Building Is Legitimately Cursed
This Disney Springs West Side building has earned its cursed reputation through destroying multiple concepts. DisneyQuest opened in 1998 as a multi-level immersive arcade with state-of-the-art attractions and classic games. It operated for nearly two decades before closing in 2017, which honestly wasn’t terrible for a location-based entertainment venue.
Then came the NBA Experience in 2019, which was supposed to be this amazing basketball-themed activity center with memorabilia, hands-on attractions, and games. Adult admission was $34 and child tickets were $29, which immediately raised questions about whether that pricing made any sense for what you were getting.
The NBA Experience closed during COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and just never reopened. Disney permanently closed it in 2021 after barely two years of operation. Estimates suggest Disney spent tens of millions of dollars on the NBA Experience, making its rapid failure absolutely brutal and embarrassing for a company that’s supposed to know how to do themed entertainment.
Why Level99 Might Actually Work at Disney Springs
Matthew DuPlessie, founder of Level99, is credited with inventing modern escape rooms, launching the first concept in 2004. He opened the inaugural Level99 location in 2021, blending video game mechanics with physical and mental challenges for competitive group settings. Unlike DisneyQuest, which felt outdated, Level99 keeps its experiences fresh with regularly updated challenges created by its design studio.
Disney Actually Did Their Homework This Time
Disney selected Level99 after what they’re calling a comprehensive review of the location-based entertainment industry, which suggests they put more thought into this than maybe they did with the NBA Experience. Level99 already has multiple successful East Coast locations, so this isn’t some untested experiment that might completely fail.
The company is backed by Act III Holdings, which is the investment vehicle led by Panera founder Ron Shaich who also chairs CAVA. That’s serious money and serious business expertise behind Level99.
Can It Break the Disney Springs Curse?
Level99’s success hinges on avoiding the mistakes of DisneyQuest and the NBA Experience. By offering constantly refreshed challenges and a strong food-and-beverage focus, including a scratch kitchen, award-winning pizza, and a two-story bar, it aims to generate revenue beyond entry fees.
The typical 2-3 hour experience encourages longer stays and spending on food and drinks. Successfully occupying this space at Disney Springs would finally overcome years of failures at this West Side location.
