There are lots of new things coming to the Orlando theme park scene this summer. Including Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom, CommuniCore Plaza & Hall in EPCOT, and the opening of DreamWorks Land at Universal Orlando. It is definitely an exciting time and I was fortunate to be able to attend a passholder preview of DreamWorks Land ahead of its opening on June 14th, 2024. While the design of this land is new, the area itself isn’t technically new. Prior to DreamWorks Land, this area was Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone, which also featured a roller coaster and play areas. So while this area is just being reimagined, it is getting a facelift and featuring some popular DreamWorks movies.
This area is currently in technical rehearsal, and there have been previews for both Team Members and Annual Passholders. The land officially opens on June 14th, 2024. Overall, we enjoyed exploring the land, and while it is geared towards kids, we still had lots of fun. DreamWorks Land features areas from three different movies: Shrek, Trolls, and Kung Fu Panda.
Shrek Area
When you first walk in, you will enter into the Shrek area which houses a food stand called Swamp Snacks. This is where you can get that highly photographed Shrek pretzel! I did get a Shrek Pretzel and I honestly wouldn’t recommend it. It tasted dry, and dense, and the green cheese sauce just didn’t have a lot of cheesiness to it. The pretzel is a lot of fun with the green cheese sauce, but if you are hoping to get a good pretzel, this probably isn’t it.
In addition to Swamp Snacks, this area also has Shrek’s Swamp where you can meet Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey, as well as a play area featuring a slide that goes through Shrek’s outhouse and contains fart noises as you slide your way down. You can hang out with Pinocchio for a bit in the play area too! You can also jump around to create tunes in King Harold’s Swamp Symphony.
You can also check out Mama Luna Feline Fiesta which is an interactive experience where you can complete different tasks. It took a bit to figure out what we were doing, but it was lots of fun pushing buttons, ringing bells, and rolling yarn. Of course, there were also plenty of adorable cats hanging around!
Trolls Area
After you have explored the Shrek area, you can head over into Trolls land. Inside this area you will find Trolls Trollercoaster, a family-friendly roller coaster. As well, you can play around on Poppy’s Playground or grab a cool treat from Trolls Treats.
In this area, you will also find the Imagination Celebration which is an adorable show featuring characters from DreamWorks movies. I thought this show was so much fun and I was smiling throughout the whole thing. Kids were also loving the show when we were in there!
On your way out of the show, you can stop by the shop called High Five Hideaway for all your merchandise desires! The store is a bit small, but there was still a good selection of merchandise focused on Shrek, Trolls, and Kung Fu Panda.
Kung Fu Panda Area
After Trolls, you will enter into the Kung Fu Panda area. This area is called Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp, and features more play areas such as Mr. Ping’s Noodle Kaboodle.
You can also try your strength at ringing the Gong of Resounding Resonance! If you can ring it hard enough, the ground below you even shakes a bit. Additionally, you can check out Po Live! in this area where you can interact with a virtual Po, as he also helps you train your Kung Fu skills.
What area are you most interested in checking out? Let me know in the comments! Happy travels! ~Colette
Check out a full gallery of our time in DreamWorks Land below:
DreamWorks Land
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You can also find more information about DreamWorks Land on Universal Orlando’s website right here.
