Barbie is the queen of the box office, having become the second billion-dollar movie of 2023, With success like that it’s not hard to imagine that right now plans are being considered to not only create Barbie movie sequels but also to expand Barbie as a franchise. So where is the Barbie theme park ride?
As it happens, there were plans underway to bring Barbie into the theme park world that pre-dated the Barbie movie, at the Mattel Adventure Park that is currently under construction in Glendale, Arizona. Unfortunately, any fans hoping to visit Barbie’s Beach House will have to wait, as Mattel Adventure Park has been officially delayed into 2024.
The Mattel Adventure Park, which is set to include attractions related to not just Barbie but Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe, and more, was originally supposed to open in 2022. But as with all other theme park projects saw major construction delays due to the pandemic shutdown. Since then, however, we’ve seen the park continue to be delayed. Theme Park Tribune brought the not-unexpected news today that the park is no longer looking to open this year.
The park is expected to include a pair of Hot Wheels-themed roller coasters, a Masters of the Universe-inspired laser tag arena. A miniature golf course with holes inspired by Mattel board games and a Thomas and Friends kids' play area.
One has to believe that considering the massive popularity of Barbie right now, there is going to be a concerted effort to get Mattel Adventure Park open to the public while the iron is still hot. The park will include a “life-size” Barbie Beach House which will include a “Dream Closet” experience inside, and a rooftop bar and restaurant up above. A Barbie flying theater attraction, something similar to Soarin' Around the World at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, has also been announced.
While all signs point to the Barbie area of the park being connected directly to the popular doll, not via the hit movie, one has to wonder exactly how the theme park rights for something like that work out. You’d have to imagine Mattel Adventure Park would love to be able to use the Barbie movie in its attractions considering how popular it is. And seeing Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in a theme park attraction wouldn’t be that crazy considering how many movie stars are part of theme park attractions at other parks.
Warner Bros. for its part, doesn’t have any theme parks in the U.S., but it does offer a studio tour in Southern California and it has also licensed out its IP to other theme parks, such as when the Wizarding World of Harry Potter came to Universal theme parks.
This won’t be Barbie’s first-ever theme park experience, but it has been a long time. Back in the summer of 1994 Mattel and Walt Disney World reached a deal that brought The Magical World of Barbie, a 20-minute live stage show at the America Gardens Theater in the American Pavilion at Epcot.
