Image credit: Merlin Entertainment
I will preface this by saying I have never been a theme-park goer. Too weak of a stomach, I have even been told tales of once when I was much younger, getting on the child’s roller coaster and screaming so violently they had to stop the ride and remove me. However, I have always been interested in the themes these parks are constructed around.
The famous Disney World and LEGOLAND come to mind; however, it appears video games are now the subject of construction. There’s Super Nintendo World in Japan and America, and now, Minecraft World.
A Minecraft theme park
A collaboration between Mojang Studios and Merlin Entertainment will see Minecraft World open its doors in 2027. While no specific date has been announced yet, the Minecraft-themed attractions will be part of the larger Chessington World of Adventures, located just outside London.
Several Minecraft-themed attractions have been promised, including at least one roller coaster, some interactive “adventures” and themed retail and dining. By choosing to work with several Minecraft creators on the project, they assure fans they will get a faithful experience.
Discussing possibilities such as “square burgers” and what the Nether may “smell like” has me, at least, hopeful that while it will undoubtedly be an expensive experience, it will likely be entertaining. While there are currently no plans for any other themed parks to open elsewhere, I can hazard a guess that it’s likely if the London location does well.
Given the game’s popularity over the last decade and a half, it’s not surprising to see the franchise taken in new directions, whether through film and now theme parks. This announcement, as interesting as it is, did get me questioning what other games or franchises could get themed attractions in the vein of Minecraft World?
More fun to be had
Let’s start with already existing parks. Universal Studios specifically has the previously mentioned “Super Nintendo World”, with attractions mostly based on the Mario franchise. Universal Studios also opened an attraction based on Final Fantasy, although that closed in 2018. Prior to this, though, aside from a few attractions here and there, not many parks have been based on games.
I believe that, although these are clearly all rather egregious marketing ploys that prey on people’s nostalgia, you cannot deny their family-friendly appeal. As such, it’s surprising that more franchises have been made into amusement parks.
Given its recent success on the silver screen, it’s shocking that no Sonic the Hedgehog ride has lasted very long. While there have been a few here and there, and discussion over whether or not the blue blur would get a theme park circling around for a while, it’s almost a guarantee at this point.
Otherwise, franchises like Tomb Raider and Assassin’s Creed, while unlikely to be turned into immersive experiences soon, have had some rides and attractions before. Overall, while this new Minecraft World park is worth keeping an eye on for anyone with family members who are super fans of Minecraft, it does not seem to be a long-lasting world.
Which brings me to my final sentiment: while I’m positive this attraction will provide some family-friendly fun (for those who can afford it), it’s unlikely to last long. I’m positive we’ll see many of the creators featured in the promotional material make videos on it, but as for actual attendees, that remains to be seen.
FAQs
Currently, no exact date has been given for the park opening; it has been announced that it will be sometime in 2027.
Currently, only one location has been announced, like Super Nintendo World. More are likely in the works.
The first Minecraft World will be opening as a part of Chessington World of Adventures, a larger theme park just outside of London
Over the years, quite a few have stuck around for a very long time; however, not many of them have. Most notably, though, are the recently opened Super Nintendo World(s) in the Universal Studios attractions in Orlando, Florida, and Osaka, Japan.
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