By Mark Seavy  

After years of being largely relegated to rides, brand licensing is spreading across the amusement industry.  

That much was clear at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo in Orlando, FL last week, where brand licensing gained significant ground across family entertainment centers (FEC), escape rooms, miniature golf, food and beverage, and other categories. 

This growing focus on brand licensing comes as IP owners become more flexible with design concepts. Another contributing factor is contract terms deviating from standard minimum guarantees and royalty rates.  

“Licensors have become very educated about the theme park industry and they understand how to deliver it to different segments of the business,” said Jim Seay, CEO of Premier Rides, which has designed and manufactured rollercoasters for brands like NASCAR and The Mummy film franchise. “It used to be that licensors were going to work with those that were building a major rollercoaster and that was it. But there are so many more segments of the industry that are growing rapidly now, and [they] offer an opportunity for using IP. The strategies [are] more thought out and licensors have a business plan that allows them to be flexible.” 

Merlin Entertainments has accelerated growth since being purchased by private equity firm Blackstone, for example, and the Kristiansen family that owns LEGO signed an agreement with Microsoft to bring Minecraft into FECs for the first time in the U.S. and U.K. starting in 2026. It owns 148 locations, including 10 Legoland theme parks, in 23 countries.  

France’s Parc Spirou, meanwhile, plans to open in 2026 a section dedicated to Pierrot Co.’s Naruto anime IP that will feature a ride built by supplier Zamperla. And FEC operator AREA15 in Las Vegas will open a 12,000-square-foot escape room with Lionsgate Entertainment’s John Wick IP in early 2025 as part of a 300,000-square-foot expansion that will also be home to Universal Parks and Resorts’ Halloween Horror Nights featuring animatronic versions of classic characters like Frankenstein and Dracula. 

“Every approach is different now and there are a lot of different models out there, but the goal is growing the business and that requires a little more tactical approach in how do you increase the size of the pie for everybody,” said Matt Proulx, VP of Global Experiences, Partnerships, and Music at Hasbro. “Eleven years ago, you were asking for fees… and minimum guarantees, and there was an entire process. That is not necessarily what we take today. It comes down to licensees’ capabilities and what they can achieve and our goal to grow with them.” 

Hasbro has announced resort plans, expanded the Monopoly Lifesized FEC format to Saudi Arabia, and is conducting a six-month test for a 70-minute touring version with licensee Path Entertainment at the Denver Performing Arts Center.  

Mattel has also made significant shifts in its LBE strategy. The company launched a Mattel Play FEC format aimed at preschoolers in 2016 and opened facilities in The Netherlands, the U.K., and Saudi Arabia, all of which have since closed. It has since renamed the FEC Mission Play, and licensee iPS Operations opened the first 12,000-square version in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with the Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Mega brands earlier this year. Another location is due in Berlin in 2025.  

Licensee Epic Resorts, however, has postponed the opening of the 300,000-square foot Mattel Adventure Park in Chandler, AZ to Q3 2025 due in large part to construction expansion at the surrounding VAI Resorts, said Julie Freeland, Senior Director of Global LBE at Mattel. A second, larger location in Bonner Springs, KA is due in 2026 featuring Barbie, Thomas the Tank Engine, Masters of the Universe, and Uno.  

Additionally, a “Barbie: A Cultural Icon” exhibition will run at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York through March 16th, tracing the IP’s history and impact on pop culture. 

Merlin Entertainments, meanwhile, has put two non-licensed locations (Otway Fly in Victoria, Australia and Illawarra Fly in New South Wales) up for sale and will close the licensed Bear Gryllis Adventure in Birmingham, U.K. on December 11th, ending a six-year run. And while locations are closing down due to capital bills or expiring leases, there are plans to open new facilities, Merlin CEO Scott O’Neill said. This includes a Peppa Pig FEC that is set to launch in Dallas, TX in spring 2025.  

In the case of Area 15, it has put a 16.5-acre parcel of land in Orlando, FL up for sale, Area 15 purchased the land in 2022 and had proposed for a 300,000-square-foot FEC. Instead, it has shifted to expanding on the 80 acres it controls in Las Vegas, said Michael Casper, VP of Business Development at Area 15. As part of that expansion, Area 15 launched retail sales on November 21 at its 7,000-square-foot Superplastic experience, which is based on animated characters created by Superplastic’s artists, whose designs are featured in social media.

“I think these will be ever-evolving concepts because, with FECs and other formats, you want to make sure the IP that is in there represents a rich brand experience for the consumer and that you aren’t diluting any part of the experience,” Mattel’s Freeland said.