The Crayola Experience Officially Opens in Orlando (Part 1)
The Crayola Experience, Orlando's newest and most colorful family destination, opened today to a cheering crowd of hundreds of guests at The Florida Mall.
The attraction's General Manager, Scott Poling, served as master of ceremonies for the 9:45 a.m. ribbon-cutting, held in front of the facility's main entrance. The exterior, which features a football-field sized bright yellow mural adorned with Crayola characters in various states of mischief, is an art piece in and of itself.
The attraction's General Manager, Scott Poling, served as master of ceremonies for the 9:45 a.m. ribbon-cutting, held in front of the facility's main entrance. The exterior, which features a football-field sized bright yellow mural adorned with Crayola characters in various states of mischief, is an art piece in and of itself.
At the ribbon-cutting, Congressman Daniel Webster and State Rep. Victor Torres spoke of the brand's heart, thanked Crayola for its job creation and described how it will resonate not only with tourists, but with the family-rooted Central Florida community, while The Florida Mall's General Manager Brian Hanson noted how the attraction will enhance the mall's clout as a destination in its own right.
But at its core, this attraction is about "sparking and enlivening the creative spirit in the heart of children and, yes, adults, too," Crayola's President and CEO Mike Perry said to the crowd. "For 112 years, we've been creating boxes (crayons, pencils, markers and paints) that enable kids to have these crucial, creative experiences. This is all of that, times a thousand. It's a larger than life expression of what this brand is all about. Creativity helps kids see beyond simply what is to what can be, and that's a beautiful thing in the life of a child."
With a count of 8 - in honor of the iconic Crayola crayon box of 8 - the yellow, crayon-label ribbon was cut and Crayola Experience Orlando opened to the public.
The Orlando Theme Park News Team was invited to check out the attraction a day before the grand opening of the attraction. While this certainly a fantastic playground specifically designed for kids, even adults will find some of the activities to be relaxing (and quite enjoyable, to tell the truth).
The entrance of the attraction (located on the first floor) is very colorful, just as the rest of the building:
The details seen around the entire attraction are excellent:
The very first activity that Guests find once entering the building is "Cool Moves," an interactive wall where kids (and adults) can move around and animate a Crayola character in front of them:
99% of the activities are located on the second floor of the building. The layout of the Orlando attraction is much better than that of the Easton version, thanks to the fact that it only has two (huge) floors instead of four. In addition to that, the Orlando version is slightly bigger than the original:
A large poster showcases the history of Crayola Crayons:
The first exhibit that we encounter after going up the stairs is "Wrap It Up!" Guests will have to use a coin (2 free coins are given to each paying Guest. Additional coins may be purchased at a nearby location) to operate an easy-to-use machine that will create custom wrapping for a selected crayon:
Next is the Crayon Factory, a very interesting, live show where a Cast Member explains to Guests how crayons are made. The step-by-step process is also shown on monitors above. At the end of the show, all Guests are give a free crayon to take home (one of the many keepsakes given around the attraction):
Modeling Madness is the only other activity that requires a token. Here, Guests can create their own model made of the same material used in crayons. There are quite a few fun shapes to choose from:
Art Alive! gives kids the opportunity to create their own drawing (or color an existing picture) that will then be shown on a large wall, along with other kids' creation. See an example below:
The shark we created using the tablet (seen above) is then transferred to the interactive wall (below):
Up next is Colossal Caddy, a simple relax area where kids (and adults) can relax by coloring some drawings using some of the many crayons available in the massive container in front of them:
In Toddler Town, the youngest Guests can have fun and burn any excess energy they may have left:
Located next door, Color Magic is one of the most interactive and interesting exhibits. Here, Guests can color an image they choose (using crayons, obviously!) and then place it in front of a computer screen. Then, the image they colored comes to life in front of their eyes. Definitely a lot of fun for kids:
In the "You Design" area, kids can create their own car or dress, which then is displayed in two large screens in front of them. After designing a dress (or costume), kids can virtually wear them:
Stomp and Play is an ImageWorks-like experience. Kids can interact with virtual crayons and other shapes on the floor. As you can see in the following photos, even adults have a lot of fun playing here:
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