Florida's new Peppa Pig Theme Park will open as a Certified Autism Center, as Merlin Entertainments looks to attract more families who may have been hesitant to travel due to sensory disorders and physical disabilities.
The Peppa Pig park will open February 24, 2022 at the Legoland Florida Resort in Winter Haven. Aimed at pre-schoolers and their families, the park will feature six new rides, themed playscapes, and water play area, complete with "muddy puddles."
Among the accommodations for children with disabilities will be a balloon ride that children in wheelchairs will be able to roll aboard without transferring. The park's muddy puddle splash pad also will be graded for wheelchair access.
"Our teams are working diligently to find ways to make the attractions and playscapes across this park as accessible as possible," Park President Rex Jackson said during a press conference at the 2021 IAAPA Expo in Orlando. "A comprehensive accessibility guide has been developed for all of the parks experiences."
"Our recent data shows that one in six people has a sensory disorder here in the United States," Myron Pincomb, CEO of International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, said. "That means there are 32 million travelers with cognitive disorders. The prevalence of autism alone has grown to one in 54 children."
"In a survey recently conducted appearance you have a child on the autism spectrum, only 13% of those families felt comfortable taking family vacations," Pincomb said. "During that same survey, 87% of those families said they would be more inclined to travel if they had certified destinations were available and they were comfortable with the prices are going."
Peppa Pig's certification will be the first at the Legoland Resort, where officials are working on obtaining autism-friendly certification for Legoland Florida and its on-site hotels.
For discounts on Legoland Florida tickets, please visit our Legoland Florida tickets page. Or browse current deals on other Orlando area attractions.
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