The NBA Store is now open at Disney Springs, over a month before the immersive basketball experience opens on August 12th. We made it out to Disney Springs today to take a look around and give you a full tour. The NBA Store features collectibles, team jerseys, tees, NBA Experience branded merchandise, basketball Mickey ear hat, and much more!

We’ll start with a general tour of the store. From the outside, floor to roof glass panels draw the attention of guests walking by. Also, Cast Members are outside of the location, dribbling basketballs and welcoming guests inside for their “soft opening” before the entire NBA Experience opens on August 12th.

Nearby, the doors to The NBA Experience are still closed, with a coming soon sign. Cast Members in the area are excited to share details about the interactive stations that guests will find on August 12th. As a refresher, here’s a list of the stations:

• Experience one of the biggest milestones for a basketball player at the NBA Draft with a photo moment that re-creates the atmosphere of the draft stage.
• Track and improve their jump shots and passing skills in a replicated NBA Combine challenge, complete with a scouting report that highlights their stats at the end of the session.
• Step onto the court and hear the roar of the crowd as they maneuver through a series of timed shots to aim for a high score.
• Execute the perfect slam dunk just like NBA superstars, captured by cameras surrounding adjustable baskets.
• Test their ball-handling skills with an interactive trainer who will challenge them with a variety of dribbling routines.
• Use an oversized slingshot to launch basketballs at hoops of varying heights, making as many shots as possible before the clock runs out in this thrilling timed challenge.
• Immerse themselves in the rich legacy and history of NBA and WNBA championship-winning teams.
• Access a team locker room that showcases up-to-date statistics and visuals of top NBA and WNBA players.
• Test their knowledge of the NBA and WNBA – past and present – during a trivia game with up to 25 participants competing against one another to be champion.
• Enjoy two 180-degree cinematic presentations that showcase the in-arena experience moments before the start of the game, as well as special stories from the players’ perspectives.
• Take a seat at an interactive multi-screen module to watch replay clips from NBA games, using the tools at their stations to make the right calls.
• Play interactive basketball games, from the fan-favorite Pop-A-Shot to modern video games

Stepping inside, the space opens up with spread out merchandise spaces, allowing for plenty of dribbling space. Here’s a quick overview of the merchandise you can find right now. Cast Members told us that they are about 80% stocked right now, meaning that we can expect more items to debut on August 12th. The 20% not yet in stock is expected to be limited edition and special release merchandise.

On the right side of the room, large garage doors separate the retail space from the yet-to-open NBA Experience.

A fitting room has non-functional lockers for decor.

Also new today is an upgraded MagicBand OnDemand station. Gone are the iPads and carousel user interface. A much bigger touchscreen display allows for easier navigation. The user interface is also changed, with a vertical scroll replacing the carousel scroll for initial selection. There is also a search feature that will immediately return relevant results, removing the need to constantly scroll to find something.

As you can see below, phone cases, MagicBands, metal ornaments, a magnet, and a water bottle are available for personalization. Right now, the designs include the NBA teams, but expansion to other designs is expected in the near future.

Speaking of MagicBands, Cast we spoke with said that a MagicBand will drive the personalized, immersive NBA Experience. As you can see below, various personalization stations are already visible. While you won’t be able to use the stations until The NBA Experience opens next door, each station contains a touchscreen and MagicBand reader.

We were told that guests will arrive at one of the 13 stations described above and tap their MagicBand (or card, if you don’t have a MagicBand), and your stats will immediately become available, as well as personalized messages such as cheering, where appropriate.

Another small, potentially exciting detail is that Disney rolled out a new Point of Sale system to the NBA Store that includes the first use of chip readers. They will slowly roll out to the rest of Disney Springs and and Walt Disney World.

We also have a closer look at some of the NBA Experience branded merchandise.

For continued coverage of The NBA Experience, keep checking back with BlogMickey.com and our Twitter and Facebook pages!