Legoland Florida Resort is adding a new theme park geared for preschoolers and — phew! — it's not based on Caillou.
Peppa Pig Theme Park will revolve around Peppa Pig — a cartoon pig with a British accent who is 4 years old and lives with Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig and her little brother, George. She loves to jump in "muddy puddles" but can also be an "absolute savage," according to Buzzfeed.
The resort is on the grounds of Legoland, in Winter Haven, near Orlando, but it will be ticketed separately. Merlin Entertainments, the parent company of Legoland, announced the project in a statement on Feb. 25. It is expected to open in 2022.
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"Merlin has an exclusive multi-territory licensing agreement with Hasbro, owner of the Peppa Pig brand, to build and operate the Peppa Pig attractions, targeted at the pre-school market, as part of its broader strategy to engage in IP partnerships with some of the world’s most popular brands," Merlin announced.
The park will include rides, attractions, play areas, live shows and "muddy puddles" made famous by the Peppa Pig TV show, which has aired on various TV channels around the world in 40 languages.
Hasbro announced the theme park in conjunction with a virtual investor event, indicating that the company would be "capitalizing on untapped potential for Hasbro brands in the preschool market."
The company created product lines for Peppa Pig that will launch in the second half of 2021 and will push consumer licensing programs for the brand. New episodes of shows are on tap through 2023.
Orlando Weekly in December predicted the park, having spied permits filed under the code name "Project Venus" with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, which showed Legoland preparing for "one of the largest expansions in its history."
The paper discovered plans for a 12K SF main building, six rides, playgrounds and a stage. Legoland was expanding while other area resorts were being more cautious in the wake of the coronavirus.
While this will be the first stand-alone Peppa Pig theme park, Merlin Entertainments already launched four Peppa Pig World of Play indoor attractions in China, Germany, Italy and Chicago, under a multi-territory licensing agreement with Hasbro.
Merlin Entertainments operates 31 attractions in North America, including Legoland California Resort, Legoland Florida Resort and Madame Tussauds.
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