Mattel toys with another park
Barbie on her way to Kansas
Attractions based on Barbie, Thomas the Tank Engine, the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, and other classic toys have been under development at Mattel Adventure Park in Arizona for some time. The project has blown past a few announced opening timeframes, but construction is underway, and it appears that its latest projected debut for later this year is on target. Despite the uncertainty and lack of real-world battle testing, the toy company, in partnership with Epic Resort Destinations, recently announced a second Mattel Adventure Park will be coming to Bonner Springs, Kansas, near Kansas City. According to the announcement, the second location will open in 2026. (Insert skeptical eye-roll from a cheeky Thomas the Tank Engine here.)
The Kansas location will have the same rides and attractions planned for the Arizona park, including two Hot Wheels-themed roller coasters. Hot Wheels Boneshaker: The Ultimate Ride will be a family coaster that will climb 84 feet and incorporate a double helix, while the more aggressive Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer will include a launch that will accelerate passengers from 0 to 50 mph in under 3 seconds as well as four inversions. There will also be a Hot Wheels Unleashed 4D Ride, two Hot Wheels go-kart tracks, and a Hot Wheels bar and grill. (Is it just me, or would it feel kinda weird to imbibe in some brews in a bar filled with Hot Wheels tchotchkes?)
Barbie will figure prominently in the park, with a flying theater attraction, a Dream Closet experience that will purportedly feature hologram technology, and a rooftop restaurant and bar all based on the classic doll. (See my parenthetical question in the preceding paragraph, and replace “Hot Wheels” with “Barbie.”)
Other announced attractions will include a Kerplunk drop tower ride; He-Man vs. Skeletor laser tag; the Thomas Adventure Train: Treasure Hunt along with Thomas-themed spinning rides and other attractions for young kids; an Uno Wild Climb play structure; and Mattel Games mini golf.
I’m not sure, but based on new concept art, it seems that some of the planned attractions at the Kansas location may be outdoors. The Arizona park, however, will be mostly indoors (in deference to the area’s brutal summer temperatures). Also, the Arizona park will be part of the $1-billion VAI Resort, which will include a large, upscale hotel, an 8,000-seat amphitheater that will welcome national acts, a shopping, dinning, and entertainment complex, and other amenities. It appears that the Mattel Adventure Park in Kansas will be a standalone property.
Both of the Mattel parks will be micro parks, which are relatively small parks with a limited number of attractions that are meant to be experienced in a few hours as opposed to an entire day. They are a trend in the industry, with examples including the Universal Kids park under development in Texas and the Peppa Pig Theme Parks in Florida and coming to Texas. There is a cautionary note about the concept. A few weeks ago, Katmandu Park permanently closed a mere year after it opened in Punta Cana on the Dominican Republic. The company that developed the micro park had grand plans to build other Katmandu Parks at locations around the world.
The Kansas location is intriguing. I wonder whether the area can support the project, especially with the nearby Worlds of Fun, which is a long-established theme park. Then again, that’s part of the allure of micro parks. In theory, their smaller size–and therefore smaller budgets—help mitigate the financial risk of developing parks in smaller markets. With more modest ROI expectations, the parks can potentially succeed with lower admission fees, attendance, and revenue than a full-size theme park.
The Mattel Adventure Parks will not be the first time that the company’s toys have been featured in theme parks. For example, there was a Thomas and Friends land at Edaville, a small theme park in Massachusetts, that included a coaster and a steam engine modeled after the character that circled the property. The land has since closed. Some Six Flags parks had Thomas-themed lands as well, but the chain subsequently removed the branding. Folks visiting Kennywood in Pennsylvania can still hop aboard a train for a ride at that park’s Thomas Town.
Are you surprised about the announcement of a second Mattel Adventure Park? Are you surprised by the location?
Wow, this is the first I’ve heard about the Katmandu park closing - and if I remember right, you were impressed with its offerings. Is this a sign of tough times for these micro parks? Or do you think or know if there were other extenuating circumstances surrounding its closing?