WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Pink Peppa Pig is peeking out from behind the construction walls surrounding her future primed-for-preschoolers theme park.
The plan is for a grand opening in spring 2022. Here are a few facts about rides and play areas picked up during a recent hard-hat tour of the site, guided by Keith Carr, director of design and construction.
What is it? Peppa Pig Theme Park comes from Merlin Entertainments Group, the company behind Legoland Florida as well as Madame Tussauds Orlando and SeaLife Orlando Aquarium on International Drive. Its rides are geared to visitors who are age 5 and younger.
Where is it? The 5-acre site is on the eastern end of the Legoland Florida parking lot in Winter Haven.
So, it’s part of Legoland? No, it’s a separately gated attraction, although combo tickets will be offered. The two parks are steps apart but not physically connected.
What’s there so far? The construction plan starts in the center of the site, and that’s where the rail for Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster is in place. (A ride vehicle was under wraps at the station.) Remember, this is a place for preschoolers, so intensity isn’t the primary goal although there’s height if you’re a little one.
“This really is kind of ‘my first coaster’ experience,” Carr says. “It’s thrilling enough to kind of get them into that theme park experience.”
Elements include a ride in Daddy Pig’s red car, Mr. Bull doing roadwork and subsequent “dips, drops and turns” Carr says. The queue will represent Peppa’s house.
“It is a direct model markup of what you see within the cartoon. So it’s the living room, the kitchen, everything, so guests can actually experience and see pet this house inside,” Carr says.
Who is this Peppa, anyway? “Peppa Pig” is a gentle British animated series seen in 180 countries. Peppa is 4 years old, likes jumping in puddles and wears a red dress. It also features her Pig family and an assortment of other animal characters. Folks outside the construction site can now see Peppa perched atop Peppa Pig’s Balloon Ride, and she’ll eventually have a statue at the park’s entrance, too.
It looks like it will be hot there. What about shade? It’s coming. “We spent a lot of time looking at shade structure, shade canopies to come in here because it is for our younger demographic,” Carr says. “So, there’s a lot of coverage coming into the park from Day 1, places for mom and dad to sit.” There will be natural shade, he says, amid lush landscaping.
Can adults get on the rides? Are there height restrictions? The rides have been designed so that parents and other grown-ups can experience them with the kiddos. The exception is Peppa’s Pedal Bike Tour and George’s Tricycle Trail where young ones will go solo. There are a few rides where you must be at least 34-36 inches tall to ride.
What are some of the other rides? Look for Mr. Bull’s High Striker, Grampy Rabbit’s Dinosaur Adventure and Grandad Dog’s Pirate Boat Ride. There’s also a Muddy Puddles splash area (but no actual mud).
What does it look like? So far we can see bright primary colors, including Peppa’s yellow house, the blue rail of the coaster, the outline of future sidewalks, the beginnings of the Cinema building (air-conditioned and featuring “Peppa Pig” episodes) and dirt.
“We spent a lot of time on the idea of color palettes, characters to use and their corresponding rides and stories to come along with it because it is so iconic,” Carr says. “Everything is very, very specific to the brand.”
Will we meet Peppa? There are costumed characters planned and live entertainment using them, including at Mr. Potato’s Showtime Arena.
When will Peppa Pig Theme Park open? A grand opening date has not been announced, but the park is now selling annual passes and vacations “for travel starting April 1.”
How much will it cost to go? A limited number of Peppa Pig Theme Park annual passes (say it three times fast) are now being sold for $74.99. The cost of a single-day attendance has not been announced. There will also be combo deals with Legoland Florida, but details haven’t been shared yet.
Do you need a kid to get in? No.
Why build here? “This was three years in the making before we even decided to come here and, and permit to build in Winter Haven,” Carr says. “And you know, it just made sense. We’re steps away from the Lego Hotel. It’s nice to be able to book the vacation, come see the theme park. We know that there’s mixed ages within families that can also then carry on and see over in Legoland Florida. "
Could there be more Peppa parks in the future? “I can say that we love the brand. We loved working with the IP holder,” Carr says. “We’d love to see kind of where this goes.”
Need to know more? Go to PeppaPigThemePark.com/Florida.
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