Today is opening day for Level99 at Disney Springs, and we were recently invited to preview the social gaming experience. In this article, we’re going to take a full look at the gaming experience, including a tour of the space and a look inside some of the game rooms. We’ll also offer our first impression review of the experience, and try to answer the question: is it worth it?
Level99 First Impression Review: Is It Worth Experiencing on Your Next Walt Disney World Vacation?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Is Level99 worth it? An overwhelming yes. Level99 is an excellent addition to Disney Springs, and a worthy successor to DisneyQuest. We were genuinely surprised by how much we enjoyed it, and we’ll be back with friends soon.
- It’s built for teens and adults, not necessarily young kids. The 11+ recommended minimum age is the right call, since younger children will struggle with the more physically demanding games. This is the ideal night out for families with older kids and childless Disney Adults alike.
- Go for the 2.5-hour ticket and plan around four hours total. You’ll likely only get through about a third of the 60-plus rooms in a single visit, so the longer window lets you play without feeling rushed. Pad in time to eat, drink, and use Pause Play for a breather.
- Come ready for a workout, and don’t pair it with a park day. The games can be physically and mentally tiring, so wear closed-toe shoes and athletic clothing you can run, jump, and climb in. It works best as an arrival-day or pool-day activity, not after a long day in the parks.
- Buy your tickets online before you arrive. The booking flow includes your waiver and gamer profile, which heads off the potential long check-in lines that have been the most common complaint at other Level99 locations. Getting the paperwork done ahead should make for a much smoother arrival.
What Is Level99?
Level99 is a social gaming experience, bringing together friends and family to solve mental and physical challenge games. There are more than 60 different challenge rooms, each taking between 1 and 4 minutes to complete. Teams of 2 to 6 players can tackle the challenge rooms, with the games adjusting to the size of your party. The challenge rooms are spread across a sprawling, two-story venue, anchored by a large bar in the middle of the venue. There is a full food and beverage program as well, but we’ll cover that when we return as paying guests.
At Level99, you can expect to find physical games. That might mean balancing and dodging swinging axes, running around a wobbling table to make a ball move through a maze beneath your feet, swinging along ropes to platforms to cross a room, playing an oversized pinball machine, putting together a multi-level puzzle, or countless other physical and mental challenges.
Logistically, Level99 is located on the West Side of Disney Springs, in the former NBA Experience building. That means you’ll find it across from House of Blues, and near Cirque du Soleil. The Disney Springs Level99 is the fourth in the company’s portfolio, and the 46,800-square-foot venue is Level99’s largest location.
It’s also worth taking a minute to talk about what Level99 is not. Level99 games are not escape rooms. The games are not VR, they are not arcade games, it’s not DisneyQuest. That said, I think that Level99 is a great spiritual successor to DisneyQuest. More on that later.
How Much Are Tickets for Level99?
Level99 sells access windows. That means that you’re buying a set amount of time for an unlimited number of playthroughs of the 60+ challenge games. Pricing starts at $29.99 for a 90-minute window. Guests can also purchase a 2.5-hour window starting at $39.99. Pricing can vary by day and time. Prices receive a $6 bump after 5pm on Friday and all day on Sunday. Prices are $10 more expensive on Saturdays and holidays.
Guests can purchase tickets on Level99.com, with the current advance sales running about 12-weeks into the future. After selecting a 1.5-hour or 2.5-hour ticket, guests then select an arrival window. Arrival windows are spaced about 15 minutes apart.
Additional time is available to purchase at the venue based on capacity. If you’d like to pause your gameplay at any point, you can pause for up to 30 minutes before the clock starts ticking again. We’d recommend pausing for a drink and a quick breather, especially if you’ve purchased the 2.5-hour ticket.
One of the complaints that we’ve seen on social media for Level99 is long check-in times. To remedy that, we’d highly recommend purchasing your tickets online, which includes the waiver. You’ll also create a gamer profile during the ticket purchasing flow, which will give you a head start when you get to the venue. We’ll have more on how the check-in process goes once the venue opens, but getting the paperwork out of the way before you arrive should make for a smooth arrival experience.
The Disney Springs Level99 seems to have a lot of space for guests to check-in, but I imagine that a line can form during peak times.
The Games: First Impressions & Why We’ll Return
After checking in (something that wasn’t fully operating due to the nature of the preview), guests are free to roam the space. You’ll be given a Veloband at check-in. A Veloband is an RFID-powered wearable wristband that contains your player data (persistent across multiple visits). More on how to use the Veloband in a minute.
There are a handful of games on the first floor of the space, but you’ll find the vast majority of the games upstairs. Downstairs, you’ll find the centerpiece bar, the food window, and a mix of regular tables, high-top tables, and standing tables for the on-the-go guest. We’ll have more thoughts on the food and drink at a later time when we’re paying guests. That said, we did enjoy the food that we were able to sample, and we’ll definitely be ordering before or after our next gaming experience.
Before we step inside the game rooms, let’s take a tour of the space. For a full walking tour of both stories and all 46,800 square feet, or at least most of it, check out our video below!
How to Play
Let’s walk through the process of how to play a game at Level99. Simply walk up to a game and tap your Veloband on the glowing Velogon symbol near the entry screen. Each game has a screen on the exterior that not only describes how to play the game, but also offers access to your player data and much, much more. If you want to get started quickly, simply have everyone in your group tap their Velobands and then hit the large play button at the bottom of the screen. From there, the door will unlock, and the clock is ticking.
Types of Games, Physicality & Difficulty
There are three types of games: physical, mental, and skill-based. In reality, the games are usually a mix of different types of games. Each game screen outside the entrance to a game shows the anticipated type of game. For example, a game can be mostly mental, with some skill required.
Beyond that, the rooms are separated into cooperative challenge rooms or competitive player-vs-player duels. The majority of the games are cooperative challenge rooms, with just a handful of player-vs-player duels.
The rooms also vary in difficulty. Some are quite easy to figure out, while others may take another pass. Beyond that, the physicality of the games also varies in difficulty. Some games require a high level of physical ability, such as swinging on a rope between platforms or walking across a shaky balance beam. Other rooms have little to no physicality to them, instead turning up the difficulty levels on the mental side of things.
Adaptive Party Size
We played most of the games as a party of four, and that seemed like the ideal number. We played some games as just two people, which felt a little light at times. That said, Level99 says that the games can adjust based on the number of people who tap into the room.
Lockers & Logistics
Before we get into a deeper discussion on the games, I wanted to talk about some logistics, starting with the lockers. They are free. Simply find an open locker, enter your code, drop off your stuff, lock it up, and go play. We visited during a media preview, so we had a bunch of gear in a backpack. That said, when we come back, we’ll be traveling a bit lighter and will use the lockers. The lockers can be found at the bottom of the main staircase, to the right of the centerpiece bar. You can’t miss them.
Some other logistics. First, the restaurant/bar is open to the public without a need for a ticket. We’re told that this is based on capacity, with priority given to the guests playing the games. If the dining area is full, Level99 employees will be able to give you a rough estimate on when it will reopen, based on the time windows that guests purchased. Once players move through the space and there is less demand on the dining area, it will reopen to the public. We’ll see how this works in practice once the venue officially opens.
What should you wear to Level99? Level99 recommends comfortable clothing, including closed-toed shoes and athletic wear. You’re going to want something that you can run, jump, crawl, and climb in. Baggy clothing or more formal clothing will only slow you down. Oh, and you’ll probably work up a bit of a sweat, too, once the competitiveness kicks in and you strive for higher points.
The age policy. This is sort of a big one. Level99 is squarely aimed at teens and adults. That said, children are welcome – it’s still Walt Disney World, after all. The recommended minimum age is 11 years old. There is an age policy that guests should be aware of:
- Children 10 and under: must be accompanied at all times by a paid adult (18+), that means an adult must play in the rooms with the child.
- Children 11-15: must have a responsible adult physically present inside the Level99 venue throughout the duration of their visit and reachable by phone, but they do not have to play. There are plenty of comfortable places to hang out inside of the venue.
- Teens 16-17: can play without an adult present, but they must have a pre-signed waiver by a parent or guardian ahead of play that can be filled out online.
Level99 also notes that they reserve the right to refuse entry or remove guests to ensure the safety of all Players, although they try to avoid this.
The Experience
Before we take a look inside some of the game rooms, I want to talk about the experience of Level99 for a minute. I had never been to a Level99 before this, so I had no idea what to expect, and that might be for the best! I had a lot of fun exploring and learning the games. At just 1-4 minutes per game, we often found ourselves going into a game blind, trying to learn a game in 15 seconds, and then spending the rest of the time trying to master the game before the clock ran out.
The reason that I haven’t posted a single photo of the inside of a game room (yet) is that I believe that going in blind and trying to figure out the game was a wonderful experience. The anticipation and then the reveal of the room is a great experience, regardless of how well we did while playing for the first time.
On the flip side, it may be frustrating if you go into a room with little to no instructions, hit a button or perform an action wrong, and then run out of “lives” or spend 2 minutes wandering around trying to figure out what to do next. For us, there was some trial and error with some of the games. There are tips on the entry screen, and those can set you on the right path, but there is still uncertainty.
Here’s a look around Level99, and the wide variety of game room facades and artwork scattered throughout.
A Peek Inside Level99 Game Rooms
Ok, it’s time for a peek inside the rooms. There are plenty of photos floating around showcasing the games, including on Level99’s own website, but we would really recommend going in blind. It’s best to be surprised by what’s behind the doors. That said, I know that some will be interested in taking a peek inside. Here are just a few of the games that we played – each with its own logic or physical challenges (and sometimes a combination of both!).
Setting Expectations: How Much Can You Do In One Visit?
While our preview was some 3 hours long, we were only gaming for about 2 hours. The other time was spent eating, chatting, and running around to take photos and videos. Managing expectations is a big one here. Simply put, you won’t be able to get it all done in one visit. During our 2 hours of gameplay, we did roughly 20 of the 60+ rooms. Some of the rooms we ran through multiple times, and some we did just once. Level99 says that most guests will experience about one third of the rooms on a single visit, and that tracks with our experience.
We probably could’ve done upwards of 35 rooms if we were moving quicker and doing each room only once, but I don’t think that’s realistic. I think just about everyone who visits will want to run back through a room more than once on more than one occasion to try and make it further into the gameplay.
I would expect to do somewhere between 10-20 rooms on the 1.5-hour ticket, and 20-30 rooms on the 2.5-hour ticket.
Who Is Level99 For?
Ok, so, who is going to get the most out of Level99? Honestly, I agree with the teens and adults framing here. I think that the 11+ minimum age recommendation is a solid starting point. We didn’t have any kids in our preview group, but younger kids will have more difficulty completing the games – especially the more physically demanding games. Honestly, those with younger kids simply won’t get the most out of their visit, so I’d recommend skipping until your kids are teens.
During our preview, we were immediately texting our friend group and planning a night out. This is the perfect experience for families with older kids and, yes, childless Disney Adults alike. As someone who was specifically there for a content-capturing opportunity, even I found myself putting my camera and phone down to be fully engaged with the games and the other people in my party. That’s the magic of Level99. The games are brilliantly designed to get everyone involved in a social, cooperative setting. The games are extremely engaging, and they often encourage teamwork and communication among your group.
In terms of where Level99 will fit into your Walt Disney World vacation, it’s pretty flexible. While I would love to see an all-day pass, I think that the majority of guests will feel satisfied after a couple of hours. The sweet spot is probably around the four-hour mark if you’re going to eat and drink. That makes Level99 a great arrival day experience, or a great activity to combine with a pool day at your resort hotel.
I don’t think I would combine Level99 with a theme park day. You’re already going to be exhausted from the parks, and the games can be quite tiring. To get the most out of Level99, make sure that you’re going in ready for a light to medium workout – both physical and mental. You can absolutely work up a sweat at Level99.
Our Biggest Concern with Level99
The biggest question mark, and one that we can’t answer right now, is that of crowds. During our preview, there was a limited capacity of a few hundred people. Spread across 60+ games and dining opportunities, the venue handled that crowd size easily. With crowds a big unknown, how does waiting for games work?
As you may have noticed in our photos and video walk-through of the venue, there are no formal queues for the games. As seen below, each game screen has the ability to indicate if the game is occupied. A small red clock will appear in the upper corner of the game screen if there is another team in the room. The clock will indicate the time left in the game, allowing guests to self-select to wait or move on to an open game.
If crowds and capacity are managed well, there will likely be an open game within eyesight of any occupied game. In practice, guests will likely choose to go to an open game and come back to the busy game later. With the games only 1-4 minutes in length, it’s very easy to adjust on the fly and choose to do something else for 1-4 minutes before coming back to a game.
Where things could get difficult is if the capacity at the front door isn’t managed well, and waits start to stack up at the individual games. I don’t think that’ll be a problem during most of the year, but we could see larger crowds during peak holiday times, on the weekends, or if large events are in town, such as cheerleading competitions.
It’s this concern over crowds that is leading to the ticket strategy, we’re told. After about 30 minutes of gameplay, I immediately wished that the Disney Springs venue had an all-day pass like other Level99 locations. At least to start, an all-day pass is not part of the Disney Springs strategy for Level99. I spoke directly with executives at Level99, and they are going to keep the limited gameplay windows in place for now to allow as many guests to experience Level99 as possible while still managing crowds.
In terms of expected crowds, right now, sales look to be slow, judging from the Level99 website. That will change. Word of mouth will be very strong for Level99, and I think it’ll become more popular and quickly.
Some other adjustments that we’d like to see implemented at Level99 would be hand sanitizers given how hands-on all of the games are.
Is Level99 Worth It?
So, is Level99 worth a visit? Our answer is an overwhelming YES. I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed it. We’ll be back with friends, and soon. We’ll likely purchase the 2.5-hour ticket and make an evening out of it, pairing it with some food and drink after we’re done playing. I can honestly say that I haven’t been this excited to bring friends to a new Walt Disney World experience in quite some time.
Level99 is a wonderful spiritual successor to DisneyQuest. While DisneyQuest was dated when it closed, it still provided an immersive space where guests could spend hours in the air conditioning and away from elements that often plague a Disney World vacation, like rain. We loved DisneyQuest as a place to wander and kill a few hours when the weather wasn’t cooperating.
Where Level99 beats DisneyQuest is in the actual gaming. DisneyQuest had some excellent offerings such as a build-your-own roller coaster simulator and other tactile elements, but it also suffered from standard video games. Level99 is all tactile experiences, no video games. Also, it’s extremely unlikely that Level99 ever feels stale like DisneyQuest did. The owners have already committed to swapping out games and keeping the venue fresh. With more than 60 games, it will be easy for Level99 to introduce new games after they have been developed (in-house, by the way).
I think that Level99 will be a hit for those who visit, and that word of mouth will be strong for the venue. With more than 60 games, you can’t do it all in one visit. Beyond that, we found that most of the games have high replayability given the tiered difficulty built into many of the games.
If you’re a local, don’t wait. Round up your crew of Disney Adults for a night out, or invite your teen’s friends’ families to join you on a play day at Disney Springs with Level99 as the focal point. If you’re planning a vacation, slot Level99 into an empty afternoon or a relaxing resort day. However you’re visiting Walt Disney World, book a visit to Level99 for something fresh and fun. You’ll have a blast.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!