The good news is that spring training for Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves officially begins at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex on February 15 when the teams pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Champion Stadium.
The bad news is that this is the last season training at Walt Disney World. The Braves had held their spring training at Disney since 1997 but are moving to Sarasota County, FL next year to be closer to other MLB teams for the pre-season.
(Coincidentally, 1997 is the first year I visited WDW.)
We hope Disney will be able to attract other professional sports to continue the tradition of pre-season training and games at ESPN WWOS. It’s still a place for individual athletes to train, but the loss of both the NFL and MLB is a bit depressing.
The Braves are hoping to start its 2019 season off right at Disney, beginning a quest for its first consecutive division championship since the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Here are five key facts for the final season of Braves spring training at Disney:
- Atlanta will play a 16-game home spring training schedule at Champion Stadium beginning Monday, Feb. 25, when it hosts the Washington Nationals at 1:05 p.m.
- The Braves will play their final spring training home game at Champion Stadium on Saturday, March 23, against the New York Mets.
- Atlanta will play three spring training games against two clubs that qualified for the 2018 postseason (Houston Astros, March 4 & 17); and the New York Yankees (March 18).
- Braves will play three night games under the lights during 2019 spring training action – Philadelphia Phillies, March 8; New York Yankees, March 18; and Detroit Tigers, March 22.
Disney character appearances and special moments such as kids running the bases after every game are some of the entertainment opportunities that make Braves spring training at Disney a unique experience.
Individual spring training game tickets are still available at www.espnwwos.com/braves, through Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000) and at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Box Office. Tickets range from $15 (general admission berm seating in left field) to $59 (lower level reserved seats).
2019 Atlanta Braves Spring Training Home Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time |
| Monday, Feb. 25 | Washington Nationals | 1:05 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Feb. 26 | New York Mets | 1:05 p.m. |
| Thursday, Feb. 28 | Detroit Tigers | 1:05 p.m. |
| Friday, March 1 | Toronto Blue Jays | 1:05 p.m. |
| Sunday, March 3 | Miami Marlins | 1:05 p.m. |
| Monday, March 4 | Houston Astros | 1:05 p.m. |
| Wednesday, March 6 | Detroit Tigers | 1:05 p.m. |
| Friday, March 8 | Philadelphia Phillies | 6:05 p.m. |
| Monday, March 11 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 1:05 p.m. |
| Tuesday, March 12 | St. Louis Cardinals | 1:05 p.m. |
| Friday, March 15 | Miami Marlins | 1:05 p.m. |
| Sunday, March 17 | Houston Astros | 1:05 p.m. |
| Monday, March 18 | New York Yankees | 6:05 p.m. |
| Friday, March 22 | Detroit Tigers | 6:05 p.m. |
| Saturday, March 23 | New York Mets | 1:05 p.m. |
All dates, times and opponents are subject to change.
Are you planning on catching a game or two this year?