The recent Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and a slew of other great stars, has become one of the biggest hits of the Summer. A lot has been made about the “Barbie World” in the movie, and now you will be able to visit it yourself. Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale, Arizona is adding a huge “Barbie World” section that patrons will be able to check out when the park opens next year.
Before this weekend, the Barbie movie was able to cross the $600 million mark in total revenue at the box office. This is the first movie using a Mattel property to see such massive success, but let’s face it, Barbie is an iconic name. With the likes of Margot Robbie playing her, it was bound to get a ton of attention. Mattel is actually planning to make many more films with their major properties. With the Barbie movie being such a big success, we’ll likely even see a sequel to the film eventually.
The Mattel Adventure Park has not opened yet, as it has been under construction for a while. However, the Mattel brand is not a dumb one. They realized the likes of Disney and even Nickelodeon opened their own theme parks, which only helped their brands to gain even more popularity. There are a ton of major properties Mattel will be able to use in the park, but “Barbie World” will be one of its biggest attractions.
What can we expect from the park and, specifically, Barbie World? Let’s dive in!
Barbie World
[Image via Warner Bros. Pictures]
Mattel Adventure Park will be doing quite a lot with “Barbie World.” It will look a lot like what you saw in the recent film, but obviously in a more practical format. You will be able to embrace the iconic doll’s larger-than-life spirit, according to publicists for the park. You’ll be able to sip the park’s signature pink beverage, on top of the third-story Barbie Beach House. This is expected to offer a major view of the overall park, which will be a great sight to see.
What is a Barbie World without her massively popular clothing? A press release on the section claimed you’ll be able to go inside her iconic wardrobe closet in the “Dream Closet Experience.” Barbie will be brought to life through state-of-the-art hologram technology to help in curating the ultimate wardrobe.
Barbie’s flying theater will allow guests to adventure through her many careers, from her days as a NASA Astronaut to her Deep Underwater Marine Biologist time.
Of course, this is only the beginning of the park and Barbie will likely be getting huge additions if this theme park becomes a success similar to that of Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and other places with major brand themes throughout.
Yet Barbie World is only a small part of the Mattel Adventure Park. Several other brands from Mattel will also be present with many interactive experiences.
The Rest Of Mattel Adventure Park
[Image via Epic Resort Destinations]
According to Mattel Adventure Park’s website, we will be able to experience a ton of thrills on a Hot Wheels-themes double-looping launch rollercoaster. This is part of the Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer, a Hyper GTX coaster that will have several inversions. Of course, this might be a little too much for some. That is why they will also have the Hot Wheels Boneshaker. Don’t let that throw you off though, it’ll be a family coaster.
We’ll also be able to join Thomas & Friends on a fun treasure hunt journey. This will include a lifesize version of the beloved train, as well as his pals. Of course, Mattel is not just a company with dolls, action figures, and TV icons. They also own a lot of games we played with friends and family. Therefore, UNO & Pictionary will both be present for people to play. In fact, the Pictionary board will be lifesize!
Another great section will be a re-imagined and immersive nine-hole mini-gold experience with a larger-than-life play structure, based on the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots brand. The park will also feature a really awesome 4,500 square foot, state-of-the-art laser tag arena that will have a Masters of the Universe theme, using the iconic Castle Grayskull.
The 9-acre park will be combined with both an indoor & outdoor experience for parkgoers. There will be over 160,000 square feet of highly themed, and air-conditioned spaces. Keep in mind, this park will be in Arizona. Mattel realizes that the heat there can be pretty tough to deal with, so patrons won’t have to worry about being in the constant heat.
It Won’t Just Be About Mattel
[Image via Epic Resort Destinations]
Epic Resort Destinations is behind the building of this park, and they have been working with Mattel to bring their iconic brands to life in a major way. The company specializes in intellectual property-driven resorts. Company President Mark Cornell said in a press release:
“We are extremely excited to add Barbie, Masters of the Universe, and Mattel Games-themed attractions and rides to an already outstanding offering in development at the first-ever Mattel Adventure Park. We have spared no expense to bring these iconic brands to life in ways that will delight visitors of all ages for years to come.”
Of course, the Mattel Adventure Park will only be a small piece of a larger puzzle. The park will be part of Epic’s larger VAI Resort. This is a $1 billion, 60-acre destination that will be located less than 20 minutes from the all-important Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. When built fully, this will be Arizona’s largest resort. The resort is essentially drawing inspiration from major hot spots found worldwide, such as Dubai & Mykonos.
It will be featuring 1,100 hotel rooms and suites, 12 upscale restaurants, a $40 million state-of-the-art concert venue, and the official largest man-made party island in the United States when all is said and done.
The overall theme park is clearly part of a collaboration between Epic Resort Destinations and the Mattel brand. While an official opening date is not yet announced, it is expected to open either fully or partially before Fall 2024. If you want to keep up with how construction is going, their website features a live construction webcam you can check out any time you’d like.