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The Star
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Texas' Peppa Pig Theme Park offers autism-friendly facilities for all
On a recent weekday, a small child frolicked under a spotless sky and a bright sun in north Texas, the United States, shouting at his father as he made a beeline for playscape called 'Granny Pig's Garden.' A life-sized pig welcomed him in a British accent, while the child rolled around in turf made to look like rabbit burrows. The whole scene played out at the new Peppa Pig Theme Park, which aims to bring young kids and their families in North Richland Hills in Texas. The Peppa Pig Theme Park creates a safe and inclusive space where every child can by Merlin Entertainments, the facility opened to the public in March. It has been in development for two years, but a planned 2024 opening was delayed after a rainy season impacted construction. Now that it is live, '... just to see the guests, all the smiling faces coming in, I get super, super emotional,' said Jeremy Aguilen, the park's general manager. Merlin Entertainments operates other attractions in the state, including the Legoland Discovery Centre and Sea Life Aquarium in Grapevine in Tarrant County, plus the Peppa Pig World of Play in the Grapevine Mills shopping mall in Grapevine. After the success of Peppa Pig World of Play, building a theme park around the long-running cartoon in the Dallas-Fort Worth area made sense, Aguilen said. Catering to everyone Like the British cartoon on which it's based, the park is geared toward preschool-age kids. Counting and reading exercises line the waiting areas for rides, and nothing is too big or scary for young ones. 'Families, that's what we're here for,' Aguilen said. 'To create memories for all our families that bring their children. And we just want to be accessible to everyone.' The park is also a Certified Autism Centre by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. This means that each ride has informational signs, and there's a quiet room with tools available to children with autism and their parents. Also, the park publishes accessibility and sensory guides to help families navigate the park comfortably. Informational signs help children with autism and their families know what to expect at the theme most invigorating ride at the park, Daddy Pig's Roller Coaster, has enough speed to excite children – and keep their parents entertained – but not so much as to be frightening. The minimum ride height is 91.5cm, and kids taller than 106cm can ride alone, an important note as the ride may be too tight a squeeze for some parents. Each attraction in the park offers something different, from the soaring Peppa Pig's Balloon Ride – a cross between a merry-go-round and a Ferris wheel – to Grampy Rabbit's Dinosaur Adventure, a prehistoric departure from a 5.6ha sea of mostly farm animals. Aside from rides, there is a splash pad, a pillow-filled arena for live shows, a tricycle track and myriad play areas. Recently, Peppa Pig and her brother George came out for a meet-and-greet at the arena. Four-year-old Blair Frohman was a bit nervous to meet Peppa after watching her show and reading her books. But the child was soothed after Peppa, George and the park staff sang happy birthday to her one-year-old brother, Dawson. 'It's kind of like a Six Flags for little kids. And I really think that it's a big attraction for North Richland Hills that's going to draw in people with families and younger kids,' said Blair's mum, Alison Frohman, a resident of North Richland Hills. On the radar Mayor Jack McCarty said the park may help North Richland Hills serve a demographic that has been underserved: families with really young children. McCarty spoke about his grandsons, ages three and five, and the difficulty of finding age-appropriate places to take them. North Richland Hills, though, is looking to fill that gap with a variety of attractions, such as an adventure park and Peppa Pig's neighbour, the long-standing NRH2O water park. The city is in talks to pursue a 'dual-ticketing relationship' between the two locales, McCarty said. For its part, NRH2O receives around 250,000 guests in the four and a half months a year it's open, according to McCarty; he estimated Peppa's arrival could attract more than triple that. 'The bigger parks are really targeting the older ages, not the littles I have,' McCarty said. 'I love that (Peppa Pig Theme Park) is marketing the Dallas-Fort Worth area, too, because it'll pull a lot of visitors here.' The goal, ultimately, is to attract young families to the community. According to economic development director Craig Hulse, the addition of young families to a city feeds schools, restaurants, youth sports leagues and other avenues that facilitate a city's growth. The new attraction 'just puts us on the map,' Hulse said. 'There's over 100 cities in Dallas-Fort Worth, and people knew us before as NRH2O, not just North Richland Hills. But now with Peppa Pig here, I think it's going to add another focus on our community and what we have to offer, especially for young families.' – The Dallas Morning News/Tribune News Service
The Independent
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Save a huge 43% on a captivating day out at Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle is one of the UK's most loved historical attractions, with nearly a thousand years of rich history to its name and so many fun activities for the whole family. Originally built by William the Conqueror in 1068, Warwick Castle has undergone many transformations, passed between families, seen attacks, witnessed civil war, and even acted as the prison to a king – it's no surprise that this impressive medieval fortress welcomes over 750,000 visitors each year. One of Merlin Entertainments attractions, Warwick Castle has been transformed into more of an experience for visitors in recent years, with falconry shows, live jousting tournaments, spooky visits to the Castle Dungeon, and plenty for the little ones, too – namely the Horrible Histories Maze and the presence of Zog at Warwick Castle. If you're planning on taking a trip to Warwick Castle in the coming months, we've found plenty of ways to help you save on your tickets, so you've got more money to spend on souvenirs (think play versions of medieval weapons and your very own armour). Keep reading to find out how you can visit this captivating fortress for less. Plan ahead for Easter half term and the summer holidays, and save a whopping 43 per cent on Warwick Castle tickets. Single day tickets start from £22 when you buy them in advance online. If you wait to get your tickets when you arrive, you'll pay upwards of £39, so it's well worth taking a few minutes beforehand to book them prior to your visit. Entry to Warwick Castle includes the spectacular live shows and exhilarating attractions, which will give you a fascinating overview of what life at Warwick Castle looked like. You'll also get a rainy day promise included, which means that should the weather not be in your favour, you can reschedule. Joined by other big names in the attraction sphere like Cadbury World, Legoland Discovery Centre and Sea Life, Warwick Castle is part of Merlin Entertainments attractions. As long as you plan to visit your second attraction within 90 days from the date you visit Warwick Castle, you can get a combination ticket, and save up to 37 per cent on your booking – perfect for anyone looking to tick some must-visit attractions off their list. Locals to Warwick Castle will get exclusive ticket prices whether you want to to visit for the umpteenth time or are totally new to the castle's charms. If you book before 31 March 2025 and have a B, CV, OX, or MK postcode, your entry will start from just £17.40. Warwick Castle is also the perfect place for a short break stay, with fantastic deals starting from just £55 per person when you pair your visit to the castle with stays in the Woodland Lodges, Medieval Glamping Tents, Tower Suites, or the newly-opened Warwick Castle Hotel. When you return to your hotel after a fun-filled day out, you'll enjoy even more action packed entertainment, before getting cosy in one of the many room styles. How we find the best Warwick Castle discount codes The Independent's savvy team of deal hunters are committed to bringing you the best deals, whether that's on family days out or bestselling products. With Warwick Castle being a popular British attraction, we're always searching for ways to help you save on your next visit. We track the prices of tickets throughout the year so that we can alert you when great offers become available. Why you can trust us Since 1986, we've been consumer champions at The Independent, keeping you up to date with the latest news on products, brands and retailers that we know you love. Throughout the year, we keep track of the best discounts during some of the biggest annual shopping events of the year – think Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Boxing Day sales – and day-to-day savings on tried and tested products.
