NBCUniversal’s DreamWorks Animation is getting its own area at the Universal Studios Orlando theme park.
The space will include interactive games and attractions based on DreamWorks franchises such as Trolls, Kung-Fu Panda and Gabby’s Dollhouse.
Set to open in 2024, the themed zone is being built in the KidZone section, which Universal Studios closed earlier this year. The park has featured one-off attractions based on DreamWorks characters in the past, such as the now-closed Shrek 4-D ride.
DreamWorks Animation is increasingly important to NBCUniversal’s portfolio, which has relied on the company’s franchises to develop themed experiences and parks outside of Orlando. Earlier this year, for example, the company announced plans to build a theme park based on DreamWorks films in Frisco, Texas.
For its part, Universal Studios Orlando is also growing Illumination’s footprint with a new attraction based on the Minions franchise called Villain-Con Minion Blast, which will open in the park this summer.
Universal’s parks revenue has increased since the pandemic. It was up by 50% to US$7.5 billion for 2022, compared to the previous year. And for the same period, Disney’s parks revenue also climbed to US$28 billion, representing a 73% jump.
As families return to live and location-based entertainment, companies are starting to create theme parks and spaces internationally to build out their IPs. In March, Florida-based Falcon’s Beyond opened its first theme park in the Dominican Republic, and Warner Bros. Discovery is planning to open a Harry Potter theme park in Abu Dhabi.