GRAPEVINE, TX - As the attraction manager for the Peppa Pig World of Play, Tyron Calton starts every day by splashing around in muddy puddles. He puts on music and enjoys the satisfying squishing sound as he jumps around in the mud.
Of course it’s not real mud — the floor is covered in carpet with painted brown splotches to represent the puddles. But the sound is real, and it comes from the speakers surrounding the muddy puddle area. And there’s a screen showing Peppa Pig and her family, splashing around in the puddles as well.
It’s Calton’s favorite part of the Peppa Pig World of Play at Grapevine Mills Mall, which opened today (Tuesday, February 12, 2019). The indoor attraction is 14,000 square feet dedicated to all things Peppa Pig. The themed area is part of Entertainment One's (eOne) partnership with Merlin Entertainments (Merlin).
Chances are if you have a kid younger than 10 years old, you already know who Peppa Pig is, but for those who don’t, Peppa Pig is the eponymous star of the British animated preschool television program Peppa Pig, which airs on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. in the U.S. The show follows Peppa, her family and her friends (Suzy Sheep, Rebecca Rabbit and Candy Cat, among others). The episodes cover the typical tropes of children’s programming: playing games, riding bikes and learning how to whistle.
Though Peppa Pig is a British show, she has a huge following outside of the United Kingdom: In fact, the first World of Play opened in Shanghai last year. The World of Play at Grapevine Mills Mall is the first in the United States.
The World of Play has 14 different areas for children to interact and play in, including Peppa Pig's Treehouse, Rebecca Rabbit's Underground Adventure, George's Fort, Grandad Dog's garage, Miss Rabbit at the Supermarket, Madame Gazelle School Bus Trip and Grandpa Pig's Train. There’s even a theater that plays Peppa Pig episodes!
The attraction is marketed toward children younger than 8, and it will be available for birthdays. There’s also a gift shop with Peppa Pig-themed merchandise, and admission will be $20 for children and $10 for adults on weekends and during the summer. On weekdays and during the school year, admission for adults is $5.
The day before the official Peppa Pig World of Play opening, the attraction hosted a preview for families lucky enough to get an invitation. Dozens of children and their parents splashed in the muddy puddles, rode tricycles and slid around in George’s Fort.
Paul Hellman came with his wife, his mother-in-law and his daughter, who was celebrating her second birthday. Hellman said she had just been introduced to Peppa Pig, but loved the World of Play.
“She’s pretty overwhelmed by everything, but she likes it,” he told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Her favorite spot was the toddler garden area, with soft dinosaurs and puzzles to put together and throw around. Though Hellman didn’t want her to play in the bigger kid areas because she was still too small, he plans on coming back with his family.
“We’re from Fort Worth, and we’ll definitely find a weekend to come out here and burn off some energy for a while,” he said.
Peppa Pig World of Play Dallas/Fort Worth at Grapevine Mills Mall is open now. Visit https://www.peppapigworldofplay.com/dallasfw/en/ for more information, and make sure to follow Peppa Pig World of Play on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates!
Peppa Pig airs on Nick Jr. and Viacom’s Channel 5 Milkshake in the U.K., and on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. channels globally.
Peppa Pig is created by Neville Astley and Mark Baker and produced by Astley Baker Davies Ltd and Entertainment One (eOne). The animated preschool show is one of eOne’s key properties. In 2017, it announced that 117 new episodes were entering production, which will start airing in 2019 and take the total episode count to 381. Peppa Pig will be celebrating her 15th anniversary throughout 2019 with a raft of activities for fans.
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