snorts and giggles

Peppa Pig reveals all the rides coming to new Texas theme park

Peppa Pig Theme Park will open in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2024.

Photo courtesy of Peppa Pig Theme Park

Peppa Pig is arriving soon in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and the beloved British cartoon character is bringing families new ways to soar, sail, slide, and splash around: The new Peppa Pig Theme Parkhas revealed all the rides and attractions that visitors can expect when it opens in 2024.

According to a release, the "oinktastic experiences" will include five rides, seven themed playscapes, a water play area, and more.

"Designed to be the ultimate experience for little ones, the new theme park combines interactive rides and themed playgrounds with character shows and an indoor cinema for climate-controlled entertainment," park organizers say in the release. "Every corner of the charming new park is crafted with preschoolers in mind, from their first roller coaster rides and fairground games with the whole family, to a pedal path adventure built just for kids, and a colorful splash pad that celebrates 'muddy puddles' jumping fun."

Park attractions will include:

Rides

Daddy Pig's Roller Coaster: A "beginner" roller coaster featuring Daddy Pig driving his iconic red car on a curvy exploration. "This family-friendly thrill ride is the perfect first roller coaster for brave little visitors," the release says.

Peppa Pig's Balloon Ride: A family-friendly aerial carousel ride that takes guests soaring into the sky for thrilling views of the whole theme park.

Grandad Dog's Pirate Boat Ride: A boat ride in search of hidden treasure with Grandad Dog.

Grampy Rabbit's Dinosaur Adventure: An epic dino quest (while riding on a dinosaur) that searches for prehistoric surprises through Grampy Rabbit's Dinosaur Park.

Mr. Bull's High Striker: A hammer hits the bell on Mr. Bull's High Striker, and the whole family bounces up to the sky. "Hold on tight and be prepared for a surprise because, after all, what goes up, must come down," they say.

Peppa Pig Theme Park Ride the roller coaster with Peppa Pig. Photo courtesy of Merlin Entertainments

Play spaces and attractions

Muddy Puddles Splash Pad: A water play area with spouting fountains, slides, and of course, splashing around in "muddy puddles."

Peppa's Pedal Bike Tour and George's Tricycle Trail: A pedal experience that takes kids on camping adventure in the woods, and through mountains and more.

Fun Fair: A fairground adventure with Peppa her friends, filled with free games and rides, including Miss Rabbit's hot air balloon and Mr. Bull's High Striker ride.

George's Fort: A maze through Granny Pig's Garden leads to George's Fort, "just waiting to be explored," they tease.

Grandpa Pig's Greenhouse: A chance to slide around Grandpa Pig's Greenhouse and see what he's growing.

Peppa Pig's Treehouse: Peppa's (not-so-high) treehouse that can be climbed up and then descended via a slide to the bottom, wheeeee!

Rebecca Rabbit's Playground: A playground that encourages kids to get active by finding all the ways to play - jump, crawl, or hop around the rabbit burrows.

Madame Gazelle's Nature Trail: A nature pathway of mysterious footprints to follow and explore with Madame Gazelle.

Mr. Potato's Showtime Arena: Mr. Potato's stage offers live shows featuring songs, games, snorts, and giggles all day long.

The Cinema: Favorite episodes of Peppa Pig will be played on the big screen in an indoor theater.

Announced in spring 2023, the North Richland Hills location (under construction at 8851 26 Blvd.) will be just the second Peppa Pig Theme Park in the world, following one that opened in Lakeland, Florida in early 2022. It will also be an expansion of the Peppa Pig brand in Dallas-Fort Worth, as Peppa Pig World of Play opened at Grapevine Mills in 2019.

"As many preschoolers' first best friend, Peppa encourages kids to explore the world with confidence, treating every first step as a new adventure, from the everyday to the epic," the release says.

The park comes from Merlin Entertainments, which also owns brands like LEGOLAND, Madame Tussauds.

The exact opening date for the park has not yet been revealed, beyond "2024." Fans can sign up for Peppa Pig Theme Park emails at peppapigthemepark.com to stay up to date.

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Alex Bentley contributed to this story.

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Not Quite Reindeer

New Braunfels farm debuts cozy holiday fest with lights and animals

Photo from Sundrop Springs Farm Facebook page

Polly the Goat is one of many farm animals you can feed at Christmas at the Farm.

The holidays officially start November 30 at Sundrop Springs Farm in New Braunfels. Fans of the Hallmark vision of Christmas should feel warmed by this 22-acre, family-owned farm, which is getting festive with lights, family-friendly activities, live music, and more.

This is the first time "Christmas at the Farm" will be held at Sundrop Springs Farm, but the organizers hope this will become a new holiday tradition, according to a recent press release.

Visitors can expect a dazzling trail of lights that will wind through the woods on the property and light up the farm. There will be lots to do for all ages like feeding the farm animals, racing tricycles on the Tricycle Raceway, a playground, fire pits, and a giant jumping pillow for kids to bounce on. All the while, live holiday music fills the air.

Visitors can also take photos with the two giant troll sculptures on the land, Hugo and Pumpkin Jack. These two weren't crafted by renowned artist Thomas Dambo, who recently put a troll in Pease Park, but they do have a similar look.

Hugo at Sundrop Springs Farm Hugo, a 17-foot Troll sculpture, at Sundrop Springs. Photo from sundropsprings.com

There will also be hot chocolate, apple cider, food trucks, and of course, no holiday event would be complete without a visit from Santa himself.

Santa will stop by from 6-8 pm, but the event itself will last from 5-9 pm on the following weekends:

November 30 and December 1
December 7 and 8
December 14 and 15
December 21 and 22

Tickets start at just $7 for adults and $5 for children.

The people behind this event are the owners and operators of Sundrop Springs Farm, the Williams family. This family of four tends to goats, ducks, chickens, and a beloved donkey named SweetPea. The farm also hosts birthday parties, field trips, and seasonal events like this one.

Sundrop Springs Farm is located at 953 Hueco Springs Loop Road.

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