North America Quick Takes | January/February
World’s First Peppa Pig Theme Park Reveals Opening Date
Merlin Entertainments announced the official opening date of Peppa Pig Theme Park in Central Florida, the world’s first standalone park based on the popular British animated children’s TV series. Located close to Legoland Florida Resort in Winter Haven, the park will open Feb. 24, 2022, and feature six interactive rides and six themed playgrounds, plus a water play area and more.
Operated by Merlin, the park was created with preschoolers in mind, offering them their first roller coaster rides with their parents, an all-terrain course where they’ll pedal tricycles through a sensory-rich trail, and a colorful splash pad. “Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster” will allow riders to board Daddy Pig’s red car and explore a new shortcut, and “Peppa Pig’s Balloon Ride” treats guests to an aerial view. Other rides include “Grandad Dog’s Pirate Boat Ride” and “Grampy Rabbit’s Dinosaur Adventure.” There will also be a Mr. Potato’s Showtime Area where visitors can catch live shows, featuring songs and games, and a cinema that will provide a break from the Florida sun while guests watch episodes of “Peppa Pig.”
At IAAPA Expo in November, Rex Jackson, park president of Peppa Pig Theme Park and managing director of Legoland Resorts, North America, announced the park is partnering with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to earn its accreditation as a certified autism partner.
The Funplex Announces First Hotel Opening in 2023
The Funplex family-owned amusement park and water park that has operated in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, for 25 years is celebrating the construc-tion of a new hotel opening in 2023 with 125 guest rooms. Partnering with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, The Funplex Mount Laurel CEO Randy Lahn says he’s looking forward to being able to offer his park guests the ability to stay overnight at the park. The Funplex features indoor and outdoor rides, a water park, a restaurant, an arcade, bowling, go-karts, and more—plus it operates year-round.
The hotel will be a dual-branded La Quinta and Hawthorn Suites property and offer 57 rooms, featuring the recently updated Hawthorn room de-sign that includes equipped kitchens. The other 68 rooms will be La Quinta Del Sol prototypes, a new design introduced in 2021. The Funplex Mount Laurel is one of three Funplex parks, with the others operating in East Hanover, New Jersey, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
