RIDE ON
New ‘world-first’ £207million theme park opening next year with 25 attractions and Barbie dream house
Plus, three other new theme parks set to open soon
TOY manufacturer Mattel is set to open its first theme park in America next year.
The new £207million theme park is slated to open at the end of 2025, although a firm opening date has yet to be confirmed.
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When Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale, Arizona, opens it will feature 25 attractions.
Last year, Greta Gerwig's Barbie took the world by storm and it seems everyone's favourite doll isn't about to shrink back into the shadows any time soon.
The nine-acre theme park, which is currently under construction, will have its very own Barbie Land complete with a Barbie Beach House.
Designed as a must-visit destination for Barbie fans, the Barbie Beach House is set to feature an interactive retail experience where visitors can build their own Barbie set in the Barbie Dream Closet Experience.
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Barbie will be brought to life through state-of-the-art hologram technology to help park-goers curate the ultimate wardrobe.
It's also slated to feature the Barbie flying theatre, which will take riders on a journey from deep underwater to outer space.
There will also be the Barbie Rooftop where guests can enjoy a selection of signature pink beverages perfectly paired with sweet and savoury snacks while enjoying panoramic views of the property.
Plenty of other toys, games and children's characters will be brought to life at the Arizona-based theme park, including a Hot Wheels rollercoaster, a Thomas & Friends indoor theme park and go-karting experiences.
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There will be a 18-hole mini golf course that will represent Mattel Games as an immersive experience.
Guests will putt while also battling Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots and passing through a life-sized Pictionary game board with additional games featured throughout.
Universal reveals opening date for new Epic Universe theme park in Florida
UNO, will be represented as a larger-than-life climbing structure, where guests can jump on oversized UNO cards and race to the top.
There will also be a He-Man v Skeletor Laser Tag arena where park-goers can fight for Eternia in a massive laser tag arena in the likeness of the iconic Castle Grayskull fortress.
According to the , the Glendale theme park will cost $260 million (£207million) to build.
The president of Epic Resort Destinations and Mattel Adventure Park. Epic, Mark Cornell, told : "There are about 25 attractions at Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale with two iconic coasters, and a World of Sodor dedicated to Thomas the Tank Engine with seven attractions.”
"We’ve embraced all of the Mattel games. We have mini golf, we have a Kerplunk drop tower, and we have an Uno harnessless climber. We have Hot Wheels electric lithium-ion go-karts.
"It looks like we just confirmed that it’s the largest elevated go-kart track in the world. We have Masters of the Universe laser tag. We have, obviously, the first Barbie Beach House brick and mortar in the world."
The toy-making giant is planning to open another new theme park in Kansas City in 2026, which will cost a reported $487million (£377million) to build.
Mattel Adventure Park isn't the only new theme park being planned in America either, with a $2bn resort that promises the be as big as Disneyland opening in 2025.
American Heartland Theme Park will open off the west of Grand Lake on Route 66.
Other New Theme Parks set to Open Soon
THE Mattel Adventure Parks in Glendale and Kansas City aren't the only new theme parks opening in the near future.
- First announced in 2019, Universal's Epic Universe will open next May. The huge new theme park will feature five worlds, including Celestial Park, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon, Dark Universe and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic.
- A new multi-billion theme park is set to open in 2028, with seven themed lands. The Land of Legends theme park will be open in Qatar, becoming one of the largest in the Middle East.
- A huge new indoor theme park is set to open just a few hours from the UK. Bommelwereld, in Groenlo in the Netherlands, is set to open next year.
- First announced in 2022, the 9,000sqm (97,000sqft) will be set in the grounds of a new castle called Bommelstein.
In the mean time, Universal's new Epic Universe is opening in Florida next year.
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Closer to home, here's what you can expect from the new Universal theme park hoping to open in the UK.
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