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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Dianne Bourne & Emma Gill

Opening date announced for new Gruffalo and Friends attraction coming to Blackpool

A new family attraction celebrating The Gruffalo and other much-loved children's book characters is opening in Blackpool next month.

We reported earlier this year how The Gruffalo and Friends Clubhouse is to open on the resort's Golden Mile.

A whopping £2.3m has been spent on creating the attraction which celebrates the colourful characters from the stories of popular author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler.

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In what is billed as a 'world first', it promises to bring together six of the best loved stories to create an 'indoor play adventure' like no other.

Zog will feature in The Gruffalo and Friends Clubhouse (Merlin)

After 18 months in the making, the opening date for the venture - a partnership between Blackpool Council, operator Merlin Entertainments and Magic Light - has finally been revealed as Friday, May 19.

Tickets have already gone on sale, with children's tickets costing from £13.50 and adults from £4.50.

Guests will get to burst through the pages of some of their favourite stories and into 'a magical 3D world'.

From The Gruffalo’s deep dark wood, to Princess Pearl’s castle in Zog, guests will embark on an adventure of imagination, discovery and play as they join their favourite characters.

Distinct play zones are inspired by The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, Zog, The Snail and the Whale, Room on the Broom and The Highway Rat. The attraction will include play suitable for children under 10, with a toddler play area specifically for under threes.

There will be a zone dedicated to Snail and the Whale (Merlin)

Images of the play park show the zones with soft play areas, wooden climbing frames, a ball pool and so much more.

The attraction is set to open next door to Sea Life Blackpool right on the Promenade. The new experience will join Merlin’s seven other attractions in Blackpool including The Blackpool Tower, SEA LIFE Blackpool and Peter RabbitTM: Explore and Play, making it a key tourist destination for families here in the UK and from abroad.

Tickets can be bought online, with cheaper rates available for booking more than one attraction.

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