Ripken Baseball tournaments are going to Disney World

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and Ripken Baseball announced Tuesday that they are bringing youth baseball tournaments to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, beginning in 2020.

Ripken Baseball, headed by Orioles Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., has facilities at Ripken family’s hometown of Aberdeen; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Across its facilities and national clinic tours, Ripken Baseball hosted more than 70,000 players from 42 states and eight countries last year.

At the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Ripken Baseball will host tournaments next year for ages 6-18.

“One of the core pillars of Ripken Baseball is to remember to have fun, so what better place to compete and maximize the family sports travel experience than right here at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort,” Ripken said in a release.

“We are thrilled to be working with such an iconic and internationally-respected brand as Walt Disney World to provide teams and their families with the most memorable experiences.”

The Ripken Experience at Walt Disney World Resort will encompass 11 fields — six youth-sized fields equipped with lights and five professional-sized fields, including The Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosted major league spring training games for more than two decades.

As part of the experience, youth baseball players will also be treated to an opening ceremony and have free time in the Disney parks.

“At Disney Sports, we create the best possible experience for all of the athletes who walk through our gates,” said Faron Kelley, vice president of Disney Sports.

“Working with baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr., and his outstanding youth baseball academy, we will be taking the baseball experience at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex to a new level of excellence.”