Where to Watch Super Bowl 58 at Disney World
Wondering where to watch the Super Bowl LVIII at Walt Disney World? In this post, we cover the best places to see the Big Game on February 11, 2024. From Disney Springs sports bars with huge screens to more obscure resort options that won’t have huge lines or ridiculous crowds.
The bad news is that Super Bowl 58 is a rematch: Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers. Obviously, that’s not bad news for the many fans of those two teams…and there’s a good chance you’re one of them if you’re reading a post about where to watch at Walt Disney World. So perhaps this is the wrong audience for airing grievances about the matchup.
For me, it’s not about overexposure to Taylor Swift or whatever other animosity exists towards the Chiefs. While I would’ve preferred seeing the Buffalo Bills finally get their shot–or even the Baltimore Ravens–it’s all about the NFC side of the matchup for me. As a long suffering Detroit Lions fan, I had waited over 30 years for the NFC Championship.
My first memories of the Lions was watching Barry Sanders and Herman Moore, and trying to emulate the former’s acrobatic moves on the playground. That team was never truly great, but they were a ton of fun to watch. Fast-forward past Sanders’ abrupt retirement and several 2-3 win seasons (and one 0-16 one). Megatron burst onto the scene, offering more explosive playmaking, and new hope. Similar story as Sanders, unfortunately.
Lions fans are no strangers to heartbreak, so that 17-point halftime lead over the Niners was still nerve-wracking. It ended up being a devastating loss because of how the second half played out, but it’s still the best season since I’ve been alive. If you told me before the season that the Lions would lose the NFC Championship in a close game, I would’ve been ecstatic about that result. Campbell being Campbell is what got them there, so it’s hard to be mad. The Lions team is still young, full of grit and determination, and got to this point early in rebuilding. They’ll be back.
But I’m sure you did not click on this for an ode to the Detroit Lions. Suffice to say, I hope next year when I’m updating this, it’s with where to watch Lions (and not the Chiefs–they’ve enjoyed a dominant run, it’s time for something fresh). Let’s cut to the chase…
A few years ago, we were staying on-site at Walt Disney World during the Super Bowl. We started out at Planet Hollywood Observatory in Disney Springs, which went from a ghost town in mid-afternoon to quite crowded by the time we left.
Also worth noting that part of the restaurant was reserved for a private event that night–presumably a Super Bowl viewing party. Private events consuming space in popular venues is something to be mindful of when choosing a place to watch the game. (Nevertheless, Planet Hollywood is a decent option for the Super Bowl if you’re already at Disney Springs and can’t get into the two better options there.)
After that, we ended up watching part of the game from Gurgling Suitcase Libations & Spirits at Disney’s Old Key West Resort. For those unfamiliar with Gurgling Suitcase, it’s a smallish bar in the pool area, and not the first place that would come to mind for many people when choosing where to watch the Super Bowl at Walt Disney World.
Because of this, Gurgling Suitcase actually was a good choice for watching the game–a good crowd to give the event some energy, but not unpleasantly crowded. There was also no line to get inside. The situation will be similar at other random bars, lounges, and pool bars at hotels that are not within walking or boat distance of one of the theme parks. Think places like Saratoga Springs or Coronado Springs.
Speaking of which, Gran Destino & Coronado Springs Resort is another solid option, in large part because it has several bars and restaurants. We’d recommend giving the open-air Three Bridges Bar & Grill; the weather should be nice and occupancy is low at Coronado Springs during the winter months.
If getting to one of these resorts from the parks is too complicated, we’d recommend the bars at Swan & Dolphin (walking distance of both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios) over BoardWalk and Beach or Yacht Club.
Our Magic Kingdom area pick would be Contemporary Resort or Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge. The problem with all of these options, though, is that they’re easily accessible from the parks via non-bus transportation. So they’re the obvious first choices for a lot of guests looking to “sneak away” and watch the Super Bowl.
To that point, you have to “sneak away” from the parks because there is nowhere to watch the Super Bowl (or any sports) from inside Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom. Walt Disney World is all about escaping the real world, suspension of disbelief, and so forth–so you won’t find televisions in any of the bars or restaurants in the parks.
With that said, the Skyliner gondolas, boats, monorail, and walking paths to the aforementioned resorts near Magic Kingdom, Epcot, or Disney’s Hollywood Studios make it easy to access several hotels with bars that do have televisions. It all comes down to how much of a crowd you want to encounter while watching the game.
One option for staying in the parks is simply watching on your smartphone. Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024 will be streamed on the Paramount+ app, meaning you could simply watch while you wait in line or sit on a bench or whatever. If you opt to do this, we’d recommend an external battery. See our Ultimate Packing Guide for Walt Disney World for a few different battery charger top pick. (Also–please wear headphones. Families spend a lot of money visiting Walt Disney World for the fully immersive experience, not to overhear a football game.)
At every Disney Vacation Club Resort, you can also watch the Super Bowl in the Community Room. This tends to draw a modest crowd, with a large television broadcasting the game, plus food and beverages available for purchase. This is a great route for families, particularly if you don’t want or need the sports bar atmosphere.
Along these same lines, many of the Deluxe Resorts have spaces like this. For example, the Solarium at Beach Club now has a large television, potentially making it a good option for the Super Bowl. We don’t have any experience with these resorts during the Super Bowl, so check with your hotel’s front desk to see what options, if any, they have (and report back in the comments!).
Aside from those, your hotel room is the obvious place to watch the game, and the only place where you won’t encounter a crowd (unless you want to) or a line to get in (unless something goes terribly wrong). Of course, that’s not really a helpful tip, since you (hopefully) already knew your hotel room has a television with broadcast stations in it.
Here are a few of the ‘big name’ bars for watching sporting events (Super Bowl and otherwise), at Walt Disney World…
City Works Eatery & Pour House – Now that ESPN Club is permanently closed, this relatively recent addition to Disney Springs is your best option for watching Super Bowl LVI. This is a truly superb game-viewing experience–one of the few at Walt Disney World–with great bar food and a massive selection of beers.
Located on the West Side of Disney Springs (the far side from most shopping, this sprawling space features classic American food, almost 10 varieties of beers on tap, indoor & outdoor seating, and enormous HDTVs with state of the art audio & visual. It doesn’t quite have the same vibe of ESPN Club, but it’s a suitable alternative.
Splitsville – Normally a pretty under-the-radar-spot to watch sports, Splitsville will be very busy for the Super Bowl. It’s the first place Walt Disney World itself recommends to people looking for a spot to watch the Super Bowl, and it’d be popular irrespective of that.
It’s nonetheless a good option so long as you arrive early or score an Advance Dining Reservation. The atmosphere won’t be quite the same, but it’s definitely a good option with a surplus of televisions and a sports bar vibe.
End Zone Food Court – If you’ve ever spent any amount of time in the food court of All Star Sports during any given breakfast rush, you have a rough approximation of what this is like. Why anyone would seek that out is beyond us, but it’s definitely an option that will have the Super Bowl (projected) on a big screen.
Also perfect for Cleveland Browns fans who would be uncomfortable with a viewing experience that doesn’t include some degree of unpleasantness. (I kid, but I’m a long-time Detroit Lions fan, so I know your pain.)
Martha’s Vineyard or Crew’s Cup Lounges – Every Deluxe Resort has an intimate lounge that will have a certain atmosphere of watching the game in a friends’ place. With that said, this duo within walking distance of Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are our favorites. Seating in both is extremely limited, so arrive early.
Ultimately, there are a ton of viewing options for the Super Bowl, or any sporting event, at Walt Disney World. Which is the right option depends upon how much you’re willing to spend, the kind of crowds (or lack thereof) you want to deal with, and how much time you’re willing to dedicate to the experience.
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Your Thoughts
Have you watched the Super Bowl at Walt Disney World? Where’d you view it, and what’d you think of the experience? Do you agree or disagree with our game-day viewing tips? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Planning a trip in October and wondering if any place has the Sunday Ticket with all the games on not just the local games?
The City Works Eatery & Pour House is like if Big River Grille and ESPN Club had a kid who grew up and moved to the bright lights and big city of Disney Springs and its West Side. I haven’t been there for a major sporting event, and it’s not a SPORTS bar like ESPN Club was, but for me it’s a great place to watch minor sporting events.
During those minor sporting events, it has been less crowded than Splitsville, for what that’s worth.
I watched the Superbowl between the Seahawks and the Broncos at Scat Cat’s Club at Port Orleans Resort-French Quarter. The place was packed and the crowd was so much fun. Since I grew up in Washington but live in Colorado now, I was so glad I was at WDW to watch the game. I was rooting for the Seahawks, but if I’d been at home in Colorado everyone would have been hating on me (especially since the Bronco’s lost so badly.)
There’s an exception to the theme park restaurants not having TVs with non-resort programming–when I was at Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom, I noticed TVs over in the bar area showing a local station, WESH 2. I couldn’t guarantee they’d be showing the Super Bowl, though.
Great catch–totally forgot about that very big exception. Thanks!
The best place EVER was ESPN at boardwalk. We attended 2 superbowls there. Very disappointed it closed…
Sorry for your Lions disappointment. I was giving my own baby a bath when the Lions scored VERY quickly. I was expecting we’d be done bathtime before the first TD. Also wasn’t expecting such a dramatic implosion later in the game. That must have been so hard to endure.
Is there data or a website that shows daily attendance numbers at Disney World? We were at Magic Kingdom Feb. 3, 2020 when Patrick Mahomes was on parade after Chiefs won the super bowl. It was PACKED all day and we’d like to avoid that in the future by seeing how much higher attendance actually was that day. We thought going in February would be lower crowds and missed that little detail!! Some numbers to look at for future planning would be helpful, if you know where to find that! Thank you! P.s. love your posts and insights- they helped greatly in planning our trip last year!!
What are the chances they would have some modified victory thing after the game this year? They can’t really do a parade, just wondering if it’s going to be skipped all together.
Huge Disney Family…..from Cleveland! Someday, I will send you a picture of the Main Street Parade decked out in Brown and Orange. Disney Bucket list…I’m at the parade!
Great list of places to watch the big game. And they can go watch the big fireworks show after.
My husband and I skipped watching the super bowl to go to Magic Kingdom two years ago. Evening crowds weren’t too bad, but it was a little rainy. The crowds you absolutely do not want to get stuck in are at MK the day AFTER the super bowl. They do a MVP parade and the park is crazy crowded all day. If you have to choose between the night of the super bowl or they day after, definitely pick the super bowl night.
Interesting info. Of course, this year, “If you have to be in Florida during the Super Bowl…” you would naturally know that the best place to watch it is in the stadium in Miami. ^_^
Just about every resort hotel has a bar with a TV or 2 or more. Once place we’ve gotten some sport viewing in is the Tambu Lounge at the Polynesian, said sports viewing taking place while waiting to get into ‘Ohana. Expect that spot to be completely packed, even more so than usual.
Why do you recommend avoiding Coronado Springs during the Super Bowl? I was thinking The Rix Lounge looked like a good choice, but you have me worried I’m missing something.
Any tips for watching in Disneyland? Assuming we won’t have a rental car, so something walkable from the parks.
Since I’m a Patriots fan, the best option is probably a hotel room where no one can boo me.
Boo to Kate! 🙂
Kate, you must embrace the boos and hit the booze because we aren’t in the big game this year. Posted with a wicked amount of Disney love for all!
Was in WDW in November. Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge was a tremendous venue for sports viewing. Get there early and enjoy the Bison Burger. Think there are at least five TVs. There are heaters if cool temps are a concern as well.
We’re going down to WDW this Saturday so will be there for the big game. We have reservations at Shula’s (in the Dolphin) at 6pm, knowing they will bring TVs into the dining room (at least we hope they do, it’s what they did when we happened to be there a few years ago for the game.) Go Pats!
We were at WDW during the Super Bowl in 2015 (the Patriots-Seahawks game in which Seattle had the ball near the goal line in the last minute or so and inexplicably threw the ball instead of running Marshawn Lynch, resulting in an interception). We were at Hollywood Studios the better part of the day, and made it back to the hotel (the Hilton at Disney Springs) in time for the second half. I watched it at John T’s, their lobby bar. It was perfectly adequate – no specials or anything, not a huge crowd, but enough people to make it feel like you were watching an event together.
Thanks for the tip.
With regard to the Disney Springs hotels (since we were just at several of them), I’d add that these are becoming increasingly popular for conventions. If there’s a convention in town for whatever sporting event, it could lead to a huge spike in crowds at those particular hotel bars. (Which is the same reason we’d generally avoid Coronado for the Super Bowl.)
Was the park less crowded that day? We plan to spend the day at Magic Kingdom and don’t plan to watch the game.