Okay, we’ve seen…some things in Disney World, and no, we’re not even talking about the time Cinderella Castle got turned into a bright pink birthday cake or the time Stitch TP’d the castle.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

We’re not even talking about the fun things we see Cast Members do from time to time, like the Clap Box (which is good for your ego if you need a boost). No, today, we saw what could be some of the widest SPORTS in Disneyland, and of course, we have to tell you all about it.

We were invited to preview the ESPN8: The Ocho at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Okay, so the OCHO is a showcase of sports you may not be aware of. The event is filmed in several different locations to air on ESPN, including the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Disney World, meaning several events are being held there. We got to preview three of the sports, and it was interesting, to say the least. So let’s head in and check it out.

Let’s head into the arena

The first sport we were introduced to was Pop Darts. Okay, so this is darts, but with suction cups. The game can be played with a tabletop or a board similar to a cornhole board. This game has an interesting history because it was created in 2020 during the COVID lockdown. The idea was to create a sport that could be played at home. It went viral on TikTok, and the rest is history.

Pop Darts

Three players are coming from all over the country to compete, but then 22 other players are going to vie for a fourth spot to compete in the ESPN event. Here’s a video explaining how the game works.

Now, though, we’re moving on to what could be our new favorite sport to watch. It’s called Slippery Stairs, and yes, it’s EXACTLY how it sounds. So there are all these staircases of different shapes and sizes, and some are even tilted at different angles. But the best part is that there’s a slippery substance on the stairs. So competitors put on suits and try to climb to the top of the stairs…and y’all, it is HILARIOUS.

Slippery Stairs

There will be a Slippery Stairs competition for women, men, and for kids. You can get an idea of how much fun this is from this video. Um…can we get this added to the Olympics, please?

The third event we learned about was the Dodgeball League. Yep, Dodgeball, and yes, there was a movie starring Ben Stiller, but now there’s a serious Dodgeball League competition where three teams will compete. There’s a special court with ball fetchers and special rules and regulations that are NOT like the schoolyard Dodgeball rules you know. The balls are smaller than you know, too, and they are VERY VERY bouncy.

Dodgeball League being explained

Basically, imagine Dodgeball at school, but more serious and intense. If you’re curious, here’s a full Dodgeball League game to get an idea of what it’s all about:

The idea behind Ocho is that ESPN wants to cover any kind of sport, so this is their chance.This is the Ocho’s 8th year with the network. If you want to see it for yourself, head to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Disney World tomorrow, August 1st. It’s totally free — and parking is even free. You’ll get to see 11 sports in all (although there are 45 that are happening all over the country). Here’s the full schedule:

• 10 AM: Major League Paintball
• 11 AM: NWLA Wiffleball
• 12 PM: Omegaball
• 1 PM: TurfWars Adult Kickball
• 2 PM SportsCenter
• 3 PM: Bullshooter
• 4 PM: The Ocho Show
• 5 PM: The Popdarts Championship presented by APL
• 6 PM: 2025 Slippery Stairs (marquee event)
• 7 PM: 2025 Extreme Archery Championship presented by Archery Tag
• 8 PM: Dodgeball
• 9 PM: Pop-A-Shot 2025 National Championship
• 10 PM: Pillow Fighting

©ESPN

This is a fun and free activity that we think a lot of Disney World guests might enjoy, especially if they’re wanting to get out of the Florida heat and humidity and away from the chaos of the parks for a while.

Stay tuned to DFB for more.

Just Announced: 8 NEW RULES Revealed for MAJOR Event Coming to Disney World

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.

---

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

GET YOUR GUIDE NOW

What do you think? Would you like to attend this event in the future? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend the media preview of ESPN8: The Ocho at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ