Pop-Up Attractions

Streaming Giant Sets Down Roots

Are you still watching? Audience trends are signaling an eagerness to put down streaming devices and experience the story in person. As a global leader in streaming and original content production, Netflix is extending its brand into the physical world through a new, permanent entertainment format: Netflix House.

After launching more than 40 unique experiences that have attracted more than 10 million guests in 300 cities worldwide, Netflix House will be its first large-scale entertainment complex. Netflix House is Netflix’s most ambitious permanent entertainment venue to date, spanning over 100,000 square feet per location. Netflix has announced three initial venues, with two set to open by the end of this year: King of Prussia Mall in Philadelphia and the Galleria in Dallas. The third venue, scheduled to open on the Las Vegas Strip in 2027, will include indoor retail, dining, and entertainment.

Netflix Experiences have included global tours of Stranger Things: The Experience, the Bridgerton-themed Queen’s Ball, and Squid Game: The Experience. These three destinations invite guests to step into the worlds of Netflix’s most beloved titles.

“[Netflix House] is fandom coming to life, where you can step inside the worlds you’ve been watching and loving for years— whether going on an epic adventure with the Straw Hats, taking a journey into Hawkins, Indiana, or grabbing a cocktail inspired by your latest obsession,” says Marian Lee, Netflix’s chief marketing officer.

Netflix House will create modular spaces that will host touring exhibitions and attractions, featuring regularly updated experiences with the latest stories trending worldwide. “With fresh experiences dropping regularly, there’s always a new reason to come back,” Lee says.

Universal Horror Unleashed: Universal’s Expansion into New Regions

Universal Horror Unleashed builds upon the momentum and cultural resonance of its long-running Halloween Horror Nights brand, transforming it into a year-round immersive offering. The premier Halloween event has evolved into an annual holiday highlight, attracting millions of visitors and generating substantial revenue for Universal Destinations & Experiences with its expanded offerings and immersive experiences. At Funworld press time, the first Universal Horror Unleashed was scheduled to debut in Las Vegas, with a second location set to debut in Chicago in 2027.

“What we’re doing with Universal Horror Unleashed is the culmination of 100 years of horror in the making; this is really at the core of Universal, and because of that, it is so absolutely important to us,” says Sean Chung, the show producer for Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas.

“In addition to Universal Horror Unleashed’s four main mazes, there is also 7,000 square feet of flexible space that’s going to be rotating in its seasonal events that’ll be at the same level that you can expect from a big pop-up in a Universal park. There are events already planned for that space, which will be seasonal and rotating [at times with the Chicago location],” Chung notes. “We will continue to push the limits by experimenting with even more different types of activation and seeing what works and blending that into the base program.”

Chung adds that Universal Horror Unleashed will focus on “experiences with even more modularity that allow for even quicker rotations so that we can keep it as fresh as possible.” 

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World Entertainment

Modular design became a core element of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World Entertainment when it began touring exhibitions in the 1950s. The international entertainment company has reinvigorated its touring model in recent years to capture what John Corcoran, director of traveling shows at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World Entertainment, calls the “experience economy.”

“There are a lot of tricks we use in the physical build of a traveling exhibit,” Corcoran discloses. “You want to be able to get the exhibit in and out quickly. We utilize simple elements like cabinetry with molding at the base, where, when you pull it away, you’ll see a spot that’s the exact fit for a pallet jack or a forklift. That allows it to be lifted and taken away. That’s something we would never consider for a permanent exhibition.”

When dealing with artifacts, Corcoran knows about the importance of staging them for durability. When building traveling exhibitions, he says facilities “need to mount artifacts permanently. You don’t want people handling them every three, six, or 12 months when they’re in the field. Most of our traveling artifacts are permanently mounted in displays with a museum-quality mount.”

There is also the consideration of flexibility with power access, as everything becomes modular. Corcoran draws from decades of experience, asking, “Where is the power coming from? Is it coming from the ceiling? The floor? The back wall? Your cabinets need that kind of flexibility as well.”

Ripley’s reinvigorated touring programs “allow us to explore a market without making a major investment,” shares Corcoran. He imparts, “With a temporary exhibit, you don’t have high infrastructure costs, so we can go in and dabble in a market and see how the brand plays there, see how people react to it, learn about pricing.”

Corcoran suggests planners work with other IAAPA members, such as Museum EXP, who provides consulting services for touring exhibitions. “They’re experts at matchmaking for touring exhibitions and projects.”