Mattel Adventure Park featuring Barbie and Hot Wheels announces opening date
Whether it was playing with Barbie in her pink Dreamhouse, racing Hot Wheels down a track or protecting Castle Grayskull from the evil Skeletor, generations of children have grown up with Mattel. Soon, those worlds — and more — will come to life at Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale, Arizona.
Related: C'mon Barbie, let's go party with these 3 perfectly pink experiences
Representatives for Mattel Adventure Park announced the park is slated for a 2024 opening. Mattel Adventure Park will be open year-round with both indoor and outdoor attractions. Even the outdoor rides will load and unload inside fully air-conditioned spaces, ensuring families stay cool and comfortable at the park no matter what time of year they visit.
“Mattel Adventure Park features a unique and strategic year-round indoor and outdoor design providing acres of air-conditioned space to ensure a cool guest experience all summer long here in the heat of Arizona,” Mark Cornell, president at Epic Resort Destinations, said in a press release. “Our attractions development team are simply redefining the entertainment channel by bringing Mattel’s powerhouse, evergreen brands to life like never before," he added.
The 9-acre theme park will be at Glendale's Vai Resort, also on track to open in 2024. Spanning 60 acres, Vai Resort will be the largest resort in Arizona, and Mattel Adventure Park is just one of many family-friendly entertainment offerings that will be on hand.
In addition to the opening date, representatives shared details on some of the attractions guests will be able to experience at Mattel Adventure Park. The park will have not one but two Hot Wheels-themed roller coasters — Hot Wheels Bone Shaker: The Ultimate Ride and the Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer.
Hot Wheels Bone Shaker: The Ultimate Ride is a family-friendly coaster that will climb to a maximum height of 84 feet and will be the first coaster to feature the classic Hot Wheels hot rod skull design. The Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer will take guests through a double loop and two corkscrews for thrill-seekers.
"Mattel Adventure Park is an amazing opportunity to bring our beloved brands to life," Julie Freeland, senior director of global location-based entertainment at Mattel, said in the press release. “Construction is underway, and substantial progress has been made on what will give fans of all ages a day of thrills and nostalgia. We’re especially excited for families to experience the Hot Wheels Bone Shaker rollercoaster — a dream come true for any Hot Wheels fan," she added.
Many other iconic Mattel brands will be represented throughout the park.
There will be an entire land themed to "Thomas & Friends," including rides and an indoor play space for young children; other attractions will include a life-size Barbie Beach House with a rooftop bar and restaurant, a minigolf course inspired by classic Mattel games like Magic 8 Ball and Pictionary, an Uno-themed climbing structure and a Masters of the Universe-themed laser tag arena.
Mattel Adventure Park is the latest in a trend toward smaller family-friendly parks across the U.S. Along with similar parks, Mattel Adventure Park has a smaller footprint than some theme parks.
Related: Universal is opening a new kid-friendly theme park in ... Texas
Whereas you need multiple days (and a big budget) to tackle a major destination theme park such as Disney World and Univeral Orlando Resort, you can typically experience these smaller "micro-parks" in one day, leaving time in your itinerary to visit other area attractions during your vacation.
Stay tuned to TPG for updates on Mattel Adventure Park. You can also tune in to the live construction camera on the park's website and follow Mattel Adventure Park on Instagram and Facebook.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.