ESPN Club removal continues at Disney's BoardWalk

Jul 25, 2022 in "ESPN Club"

ESPN Club themeing removal - July 21 2022
Posted: Monday July 25, 2022 7:37am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

All of the theming elements have now been removed from the exterior of the ESPN Club on Disney's BoardWalk.


No significant changes are expected to be made to the structure of the building as it is converted into The Cake Bake Shop restaurant.


Disney has announced that a new table service restaurant and bakery, The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers, will be taking over the space. Learn more about the BoardWalk updates.

ESPN Club opened at Walt Disney World in July 1996 and offered classic American pub cuisine, sports entertainment and shopping, along with live tv coverage of sporting events. The club closed along with the rest of Walt Disney World during the pandemic and did not reopen.

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headintheclouds3 hours ago

Just doing some digging…it doesn’t like like it’s completely a Disney issue. Her second locations opening date got moved too.

Animaniac93-9810 hours ago

Visible progress?! 😮

DCBaker10 hours ago

Speaking of... here are a few photos from today. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53682572823_5d1306bd55_o.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53681483697_113e9e5759_o.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53682802965_ffc3637dc8_o.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53681484572_83aaf021cd_o.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53681529212_ae6d356de9_o.jpg

Brian11 hours ago

Still looks better than the Cake Bake Shop.

DCBaker11 hours ago

Here's a look from today at exterior refurbishment taking place at the Boardwalk Resort. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53682531678_f123e2eb08_o.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53682763400_cb15a8e796_o.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53682307416_35af364a1b_o.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53681445222_0b71016d71_o.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53682307201_d86aab4290_o.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53681444847_9df620db1e_o.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53682763595_b52c2a3a4c_o.jpg

Liloandstitch32 days ago

Any update on the Bon voyage breakfast returning?

lazyboy97o3 days ago

The photos don’t show any signs of corrosion. It is a fiberglass coated product. By being exposed it was also able to dry. Just goes to show that Disney isn’t alone in projects being dragged out.

LSLS3 days ago

Oh I'm more asking that because it's been sitting in Florida elements for like 7 months at this point, not that I thought that was permanent. Side note, I went back to see when I could first see the purple up in this thread. I saw the first announcements in March and laughed at it being over a year at this point for just a restaurant. Then, as I went looking for pictures, realized that was March 2022. I completely zoned out this is over 2 years now.

lazyboy97o3 days ago

The glass mat sheathing is water resistant but it alone does not do everything required of a building envelope. It’s not just rain you have to keep out but also water vapor. The weather barrier also provides a continuous plane to drain moisture that does get through the finish whereas the sheathing is boards with gaps that would allow moisture to accumulate.

LSLS3 days ago

Is that just an extra layer of protection against rain then? I guess I just assumed what they put up HAD to be rain resistant based on how long it was exposed.

EPCOT-O.G.3 days ago

Now we’re watching paint dry

lazyboy97o3 days ago

They didn’t. eXP Board is gypsum-based glass mat sheathing, not EPS rigid insulation. A liquid applied weather barrier would look like paint.

Bocabear4 days ago

to tone down the purple and make it look like something was happening I would guess....I have never seen that done before.....Maybe it is some sort of new proprietary Cake Bake Shop coating to seal in the freshness? lol

Bullseye19675 days ago

Hold it. They actually painted EPS boards?????? WHY??????