DisneyQuest offers deals for Florida residents, Walt Disney World passholders before it closes July 3

kristin-ford%27s-masthead.jpg

As has been long announced, DisneyQuest at Disney Springs is closing. But now we are in the final week of operations with the last day on Sunday, July 2. And there are deals to be had every day except the last one.

Walt Disney World annual passholders — children and adults — pay just $19.98 admission. Florida residents pay $33.75 for adults and $29.25 for children ages 3 to 9 — a 25 percent savings. Proof of residency is required for the purchaser, but he or she can buy tickets for the same rate for up to five guests. Both types of discounted tickets must be bought at the DisneyQuest box office outside the attraction. They are not valid on July 2.

DQ

DisneyQuest, a five-story arcade of video games and technology-driven activities, is closing to make room for the NBA Experience, which will include a restaurant and basketball-themed activities.

When the announcement of the closing was made in 2015, fans and visitors cited dated technology as the main reason they thought the gaming attraction had fared poorly in recent years. When DisneyQuest opened in 1998, the virtual technology seemed like the Tomorrowland of gaming. But with the increasing capabilities of smartphones, the facility lost some of its appeal, they said. Even classic games, such as Pac Man and Fix It Felix Jr. — which was brought in to promote the animated movie “Wreck-It Ralph” in 2012 — didn’t capture the interest of enough vacationers to keep the facility full.

Still, in its heyday, DisneyQuest was a fun place not just for families on vacation, but for local kids and even couples on date nights. My family and I had annual passes to DisneyQuest for a few years when the kids were younger, and we really enjoyed it. We used those passes most often in the summer to escape the heat or the afternoon thunderstorms.

Among our favorite attractions were Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam, a life-size virtual pinball game; Virtual Jungle Cruise, where guests sit in rubber rafts and use real paddles; and Ride the Comix, which requires players to wear virtual-reality helmets and engage in 3D battles. One section of the arcade is dedicated to children ages 2 to 7, and it features age-appropriate games and smaller versions of family favorites.

As my children got older and reached the height requirements, they became more interested in CyberSpace Mountain, which allows users to design their own roller coasters and then ride them in simulators; Buzz Lightyear’s Astroblasters, which are bumper cars that pick up and shoot balls at targets on other cars; and Pirates of the Caribbean — Battle for Buccaneer Gold, which allows players to steer a pirate ship and man cannons against enemies while searching for treasure.

Plus, DisneyQuest is the last location for the Animation Academy after the one inside the Magic of Disney Animation at Hollywood Studios closed two years ago. On the same floor as the Animation Academy, visitors can participate in other creative endeavors, such as making music and other art projects.

DisneyQuest houses two restaurants. FoodQuest serves pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, salads, burgers, hot dogs, wraps and assorted snacks. Wonderland Cafe offers various desserts, snacks, adult beverages and ice cream novelties. For a time, The Cheescake Factory ran the food concessions at DisneyQuest, but that hasn’t been the case for years.

You can see my photos of my family and I enjoying the various attractions in this gallery from when I worked at the Orlando Sentinel and when my kids were younger.





Trending Now

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *