The Crayola Experience opened yesterday at the Florida Mall with a burst of color on Orlando!
Growing up, I was practically raised with Crayola crayons in my hand. I mean what kid wasn’t. Even today’s kids love crayons. So when I heard about the Crayola Experience coming to Orlando, I was super excited.
Walking into the building as you might expect, you are instantly hit with bright colors. Straight ahead there are ticket counters with a long queuing area. The cool thing about this is that while mom and dad purchase tickets, the kids can play in the “Cool Moves” area. This is an attraction in itself. The kids dance and move around in front of a giant video screen and their animated crayon friends mimic their moves. The Crayola Experience planners did their homework … the kids love it!
CRAYOLA EXPERIENCE
Once you have your ticket and have cleared the turnstiles, you are directed up the stairs to the second level. Again, the second level is a sea of vibrant colors.
The first attraction (and my favorite) was called “Wrap it Up.” This is where you get to name your own crayon. You choose the color of crayon you want, type in your name and poof, out comes your very own crayon label. Of course I chose “ShareOrlando” for my crayon name.
My second favorite attraction was the “Rainbow Rain”. Like the Cool Moves area, the kids stand in front of a projector screen, only this time they see themselves. The kids can move around, as rainbow paint appears to be raining from the sky. The kids can wipe the rain away so it doesn’t fall on them, or dodge the “rain” by moving around. Of course the “Rainbow Rain” is animated, so you don’t have to worry your kids getting messy.
There are two huge colorful play areas for the kids, one for the toddlers, and one for the bigger kids. I have to admit, I loved the toddler one. Why you ask?? Because it has a life size Lite Brite that the kids play with. Yes, I even walked over and played a little. (Of course I pretended to play along with the kids, so I didn’t look like a 43 year old man, playing on the toddlers playground by himself.)
Crayola Experience Gallery
All-in-all, there are over 25 hands on attractions. In a single day, you and your child can do everything from starring in your own coloring page to animating your creations on a huge digital projection.
A couple people asked me how long you can expect to spend in the Crayola Experience. My first thought was 3-4 hours, but if your kids like to draw, color and paint, you could definitely spend 5-6 hours. Don’t worry, Café Crayola with keep you hydrated and hunger free. They offer pizza, salads, sandwiches, and other delicious snacks.
My first visit to the Crayola Experience was a colorful one. I can’t wait to bring my son, nieces and nephews back to enjoy it with them.
To find out more about the Crayola Experience, you can check out their website at www.crayolaexperience.com/orlando.
