Nickelodeon Universe


Nickelodeon Universe is the name of two indoor amusement parks located at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota and American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey, consisting of attractions and rides based on Nickelodeon’s popular franchises. The amusement parks are owned and operated by the Triple Five Group with licensing rights from ViacomCBS, who owns Nickelodeon.
On August 18, 2009, Nickelodeon and Southern Star Amusement announced that a Nickelodeon Universe would be built in New Orleans, Louisiana to replace the former Six Flags New Orleans that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and would open around the end of 2010. It was set to be the first outdoor Nickelodeon Universe theme park, but on November 9, 2009, Nickelodeon announced that it had ended the licensing agreement with Southern Star Amusements.

Mall of America

History

Camp Snoopy

The park was originally known as Knott's Camp Snoopy, and later, simply Camp Snoopy, and was themed around the Charles M. Schulz "Peanuts" comic strip characters. Camp Snoopy themed areas are still located at Cedar Point and Knott's Berry Farm, also owned by Cedar Fair. Camp Snoopy was never aggressively themed to the Peanuts franchise; the park had a very outdoors and woodsy feel with more subtle references to the Peanuts franchise. Much of the original theming in the Camp Snoopy fountain and all around the park was already toned down by the time the rights to the Peanuts characters were lost. Theming that was removed from the park prematurely and was never replaced includes various kites near the ceiling, Charlie Brown and Lucy playing baseball above the Sports Grill restaurant, theming in Snoopy fountain, the retheming of Snoopy Boutique, Snoopy Bouncer, the Snoopy Shop and much smaller theming. On April 7, 1998, New Horizon Kids Quest, Inc. opened a Kids Quest hourly child care facility in Knott's Camp Snoopy. It incorporated and served children ages six weeks to twelve years until its removal in 2007. It is now the "Dutchman’s Deck Adventure Course" ropes course, slides and zip line.
In 2005, there were plans to revitalize the Camp Snoopy image and a new logo was introduced in October, called the "roller coaster logo" to replace the "canoe logo". However, this did not last long, as there were even bigger and unexpected changes coming within the next few months.

The Park at MOA

On January 9, 2006, Mall of America management announced that talks between MOA and Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. had broken down, primarily over the mall's rights to effectively market its park within and outside the United States, and effective January 19, the park's Peanuts branding would end, the park being temporarily renamed The Park at MOA while new branding was being applied. All traces of the Peanuts branding was removed, some very sloppily, although the gift shops were allowed to continue selling Peanuts merchandise without the Camp Snoopy label. The inflatable Snoopy character was removed and it took several months before it was finally replaced by a generic tree house inflatable. Many other landmarks in the park were either replaced by generic landmarks or not replaced at all.

Nickelodeon Universe

On November 2, 2005, Viacom filed a trademark for Nickelodeon Universe.
The park's new licensing deal and name, "Nickelodeon Universe", was announced on July 25, 2007. Construction began on August 27, 2007, work was completed in sections so 80 percent to 90 percent of the park remained accessible at all times. Nickelodeon Universe was completed on March 15, 2008. New rides include SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge, a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter style coaster themed after the Nickelodeon show SpongeBob SquarePants, the Splat-O-Sphere, a tower drop-ride in the center of the park, the Avatar Airbender, a surf-rider attraction located in the center of the park as well and Brain Surge which is on the side of the park. The shooting gallery beneath the Ripsaw/Orange Streak roller coaster was gutted and was replaced by Rugrats Reptarmobiles. The Mystery Mine Ride was completely demolished to make way for SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge. This site also included an Old Time Photography studio and restrooms. Old Time Photography relocated into the mall and restrooms did not return in this section of the park. Levy Restaurants partnered with Nickelodeon Universe to include a themed restaurant at the park. The restaurant was called EATS and was located in the former Park at MOA food court. When the partnership ended, the EATS area closed and was replaced with a butterfly display. In 2014, a Hard Rock Cafe opened on the site where EATS once stood.
On March 12, 2008, the Star Tribune reported that the price of ride points, daily wristbands and, in particular, annual passes, would take a significant price hike once the park transitioned to Nickelodeon Universe. The price for an annual pass, which had remained $99 per year since the park opened in 1992, would increase to $250, and daily wristbands would be raised from $24.95 to $29.95. They eventually rose to $32.99 in 2014. Then in 2017, prices rose to where they currently stand at $35.99 for a daily wristband. On April 2015, the price for the annual pass drops down to $139. Some decreed the price increases as being unjustifiably high when compared to other parks, such as local park Valleyfair at $79.95–$99.95. Others defended the pricing as necessary to accommodate the millions of dollars of investment needed to rebrand the park as Nickelodeon Universe.

Rides and attractions

Roller coasters

Thrill rides

Family rides

Kiddie attractions

Others

Former rides

Dining

History

In September 2016, the Triple Five Group announced that a second Nickelodeon Universe amusement park would fill the 8-acre indoor amusement park space at American Dream, which will feature two world record-holding roller coasters. TMNT Shellraiser, a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter, would hold the record for the steepest roller coaster drop at 121.5 degrees, and is based on a model seen in Japan. The second coaster, a Spinning Coaster called The Shredder, consists of four-passenger cars that spin on a vertical axis as it progresses down the coaster's track, and is the world's tallest and longest free spinning coaster, at 1,600 feet. On March 13, 2020, Triple Five announced that the mall will be closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pushing the opening of retail shops and DreamWorks Water Park. Then on April 6, 2020, American Dream changed to a mix of 55% entertainment-related tenants and 45% retailers to roughly 70% entertainment and 30% retail. But as recent as April 10, 2020, No retailers have backed out of American Dream to date. American Dream also said it will be adding eight more rides to the Nickelodeon Universe theme park, building on its early success.

Rides and attractions

Roller coasters

Other rides

NameOpenedDescription
Aang's Air Gliders2019A Zamperla Air Race attraction that sends 24 riders into several loops and twists. The ride is themed to.
Bikini Bottom Crosstown Express2019A Zamperla Rocking Tug themed to a Bikini Bottom bus from the SpongeBob SquarePants franchise. Intended for families with young children.
Blaze's Monster Truck Rally2019A children's ride where scaled-down Monster Trucks drive along an oval track encircling some mock stunt ramps. The ride is loosely themed to the Blaze and the Monster Machines franchise, and presumably a Zamperla Convoy.
Blue's Skidoo2019A children's spinning ride where riders can board various vehicles themed to Blue and Magenta. Loosely themed to the Blue's Clues show.
Dora's Sky Railway2019A monorail that takes riders on a journey across the park. This attraction is loosely themed to the Dora the Explorer franchise and gives families an elevated view of the park.
Fairly Odd Airways2019A Zamperla Flying Tigers taking younger riders for a flight in their own planes. Themed remotely to the Fairly Odd Parents.
Invader Zim's Flip & Spin... OF DOOM!2019A bumper car style attraction where riders can flip upon impact. Very little is currently known about this attraction, but it is not at all common. Themed to Invader Zim.
Jimmy Neutron's Atom Smasher2019A Chance Rides Unicoaster flat ride where riders spin along a track and can control the flipping motion of their vehicle. Themed to show, and only the third Unicoaster to be installed within North America.
Legends of the Hidden Temple Challenge2019A 10-story tall interactive ropes course developed by Michigan-based RCI Adventure Products. Vaguely themed around the discontinued Legends of the Hidden Temple game show.
Nickelodeon Skyline Scream2019This is an S&S - Sansei Technologies spinning Rotating Tower drop tower, which is marketed as the tallest indoor drop tower in the world, taking the record from Galaxyland's Space Shot, which is 37 m tall. Opened on November 7, 2019.
PAW Patrol Adventure Bay2019A large interactive play area with play structures, slides, and pits meant for younger children, and themed around the Paw Patrol franchise.
Pup, Pup, and Away2019This is a Zamperla Ferris Wheel Fiesta Balloon/mini ferris wheel that is loosely themed around the Paw Patrol.
Ren & Stimpy's Space Madness2019A 10-passenger Zierer family drop tower. This attraction can hold 10 riders and is themed to The Ren & Stimpy Show.
Rugrats Reptar Go-Round2019A Chance Rides double-decker Carousel of the 36 foot variant. All of the vehicles are custom themed to the Rugrats franchise. Riders have the option of riding on Reptar's back or in a tea cup or other ride vehicle.
Shimmer & Shine Jumping Genies2019A Zamperla Jump Around where riders are speedily taken through a circle. Unlike many of the other attractions, this is located within an enclosed building within the park. Themed to the Shimmer & Shine show.
SpongeBob's Jellyfish Jam2019A Zierer family Wave Swinger themed to a horde of jellyfish in the SpongeBob SquarePants franchise.
Kraang Prime Pandemonium!2019This Zamperla pendulum ride takes riders in 360° loops going both directions. It is of the 16 seater Discovery Revolution make, and loosely themed around the Krang extraterrestrial villain in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

2020 Closures

The two Nickelodeon Universe theme parks in Minnesota and New Jersey were temporarily closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.