Nickelodeon Universe is an indoor theme park in the center of the mall. The park features roller coasters, among numerous other rides and attractions, including many not related to Nickelodeon, and is the largest indoor theme park in the United States. The rides include the roller coasters SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge, Fairly Odd Coaster, Back at the Barnyard Hayride and Avatar Airbender, and a thrill ride called BrainSurge. It also has a miniature golfing section called Moose Mountain. This miniature golf course features eighteen holes and a relatively fast astroturf surface. Located just 10 miles from Saint Paul, Mall of America is the largest retail and entertainment complex in the nation.
It features 520 stores, 50 restaurants and attractions galore. Nickelodeon Universe is in the center of the complex, and is the largest indoor family theme park in the US, and offers over 30 remarkable rides. Since opening its doors in 1992, Mall of America has revolutionized the shopping experience and become a leader in retail, entertainment and attractions. Mall of America is one of the top tourist destinations in the country as well as one of the most recognizable brands. With more than 50 hotels within 10 minutes or less, there's no problem finding a place to stay. Nickelodeon Universe® is the largest indoor theme park in the United States.
Located inside the Mall of America® in Minnesota, it features seven acres of fun and dining for guests of all ages. Meet your favorite Nickelodeon characters, enjoy themed Nick rides, and play for an hour or stay all day. Your mega-mall adventure will be more fun and a better experience. Especially if your time is limited at this busy and often crowded destination. This mall's 520 retail stores can keep any shopper happy for days.
But do you know how much there is to do at Mall of America besides shop? I have spent a ton of time at this mega entertainment complex over the years. In fact, for a couple of years after college, I spent 60+ hours per week here working as a retail store manager by day and cocktail waitress by night.
I was recently invited to check out all there is to see, taste and explore at the Mall of America. Even I was surprised by the number and variety of activities at this megamall. Check out these 30 fun things to do at Mall of America besides shop.
Travel to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota and one will find the largest shopping mall in the United States and all of the Western Hemisphere. The size of this mall is truly massive and one can get lost in here for days. It is full of attractions to keep the whole family entertained - one can even scuba dive in the mall.
It offers a full range of dining options - including high-end luxury shopping. There are scores of hotels directly connected to the mall and there is every type of gourmet food one could hope to find. Right now, I'm sitting on a bench in the middle of Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America.
I'm enjoying my vanilla cappuccino from Caribou Coffee, while the five teenagers that I brought here are practicing their driving skills over on the bumper cars. Watching way too many people pay full price for their wristbands at guest services. Watching people get in line for a ride that isn't going to open for 20 more minutes. I'm also watching families with little kids who run up to the measuring stick at the ride entrance and stand on their toes so they are tall enough to ride Brain Surge.
Guess what happens when mom says "no, you aren't tall enough". Alright, now I'm digging out my pen and notebook and starting a list of tips for visiting this fun family theme park. Here are 33 tips to help you get great deals on tickets, how to avoid the crowds, and what to expect during your visit to Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America. Mall of America is big enough to fit an entire amusement park in its center. Thrill seekers will love SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge, a zippy steel coaster with two inversions. For a more mellow roller coaster experience, choose Pepsi Orange Streak for some fabulous views of the park .
There's even a Log Chute ride for park goers who don't mind getting a little wet. First up, Mall of America graciously gave us unlimited ride tickets for Nickelodeon Universe. Getting my kids to stand still for this photo while surrounded with amazing rides was no easy feat. My kids were enthralled with Nickelodeon Universe, the Lego Store, and Moose Mountain Adventure Golf.
Even though I couldn't personally experience any of the rides due to my pregnancy I had so much fun enjoying the day through my children's eyes. It was so easy and relaxing to follow them around from ride to ride and watch them squeal with joy. On May 18, 2008, the Mall of America received a tax break for a proposed $2 billion expansion. The bill gave the city of Bloomington the ability to increase taxes on sales, lodging and food and beverages to finance a parking ramp at the mall. On March 24, 2012, the Triple Five Group announced the start of a $200 million expansion that would build into the north parking lot of the mall.
The plans called for an additional hotel and an additional 200,000 square feet of retail space. The project broke ground in the fall of 2013 and began opening in stages in the summer of 2015. In March 2014, ground was broken on the mall's north side for the $104 million, 14-story JW Marriott hotel, owned and financed by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.
In 2018, it was announced that MOA had proposed to build an indoor water park, with a cost between $150 to $200 million for the project. The Orange Streak uses lap bar restraints, and they are designed for smaller people. Anyone who is normal size or larger will have a hard time fitting in. But that isn't hard to do when you have a maximum height of 40 feet and a high speed of 30 miles per hour.
Still, this is a unique coaster, so everyone should try it once. If nothing else, it offers a great tour of the theme park. When the mall opened in 1992, the theme park was called Camp Snoopy. It featured the Peanuts cartoon characters and rides based on themes from the long running cartoon strip. After Charles Schultz passed away, the company that owns the Peanuts characters has dramatically increased the cost to license the Peanuts cast and logos. The Mall was not able to pay those kinds of fees, so the Peanuts gang left the mall in January, 2006.
It operated as The Park At The Mall Of America, and it featured characters from the Yogi Bear show. In January, 2008, the mall signed a 10 year agreement with Nickelodeon TV to operate the theme park under a SpongeBob SquarePants theme called Nickelodeon Universe. As part of the rebranding, several new rides were installed, including three excellent steel roller coasters to augment the original Ripsaw roller coaster. The NU theme park held its grand opening on March 15, 2008.
Nickelodeon Universe, the largest indoor amusement park in the U.S., is at the center of the mall. If you're visiting the mall with kids, it's nearly impossible to avoid it. The rides are assigned point values, and you can either buy points or all day unlimited ride wristbands. If you plan to spend some time in the park, it's a better deal to purchase an all day wristband for unlimited rides. If you're only going to do a couple of the rides, purchase a points pass (and hope your kids don't ask to go on more rides).
The mall's concept was designed by the Triple Five Group, owned by the Ghermezian brothers, who also own the second largest shopping mall in North America, the West Edmonton Mall. The Mall of America is located on the site of the former Metropolitan Stadium, where the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Twins played until the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome opened in 1982. For the thrill of water fun, even when it's snowing outside, nothing beats the Mall of America Water Park in Minnesota. Like the neighboring Mall of America, which claims to be the largest mall in the U.S., the Water Park of America also boasts being the largest indoor water park in the country. More than a place for locals to shop, the oversized, frenetic Mall of America is a tourist destination in its own right.
It makes perfect sense therefore that a theme park is plopped into its cavernous middle. We're not talking about a couple of kiddie rides and a cotton candy machine. This is a full-fledged amusement park with multiple roller coasters, a giant Ferris wheel, and a slew of other thrill and kiddie rides.
The Pepsi Orange Streak roller coaster is the perfect first "big" coaster for your kids. There are no steep drops, it doesn't go upside down, and it still is fun with multiple twists and turns. This coaster is a great way to see the whole theme park, and you even get to take a slow trip through part of the log chute attraction.
It was owned by the Knott's Family, who also owned the Knott's Berry Farm theme park, which also had a Camp Snoopy area. The center, equipped with its own theme park, water park, ski slope and more will be like no retail center North Jersey has seen. But, it's far from the first mall in the United States to push the boundaries of retail.
As a fellow mother adventurer, I have always wanted to go to the Mall of America. I had absolutely no idea there was this much extra stuff there. It is literally everything from entertainment to amusement parks and the added bonus of shopping! I Like how you have your post divided out into different sections with pictures for each item.
I would suggest maybe listing certain options for some sections. You talk about the spas but only have links to one. Maybe add the option to check out all the options for those people who are planning a trip. I want to know what all of my options are not just the one in the hotel you stayed at.
I would do the same thing for the hotels….is the Radisson the only option for logging at the MOA? You could always do another post about how to plan a trip to MOA and what everyone's options for food and lodging are. This is somewhat disappointing for a coaster fan. With the huge indoor space and 2,680 feet of track, they could have built a really nice roller coaster. But instead, the Orange Streak spends much of its time in flat areas going very slow, and only about 1/3 of the ride is any fun. To be honest, there isn't much appeal here other than to small kids.
Anyone who has ridden any of the modern outdoor steel coasters will be bored by the Orange Streak. This may sound amazing to anyone who recalls the hype when the Orange Streak first opened. At the time, people were fainting and passing out just watching the Orange Streak, and it had to be stopped to rescue panic-stricken riders on several occasions.
Ride a roller coaster, take a spin on the Ferris wheel, ride your favorite horse on the carousel. It doesn't really matter what you do, but don't miss Nickelodeon Universe. It's literally a full-size theme park and you can spend hours there. Our program provides each member of your youth organization a choice of a three-hour, five-hour or all-day unlimited ride wristband.
That way, your group will experience the thrill of our rides as many times as they want. We also offer special Physics packages for your school group. There are some coupons available in travel guides for cities near Nickelodeon Universe. You can find coupons for Mall of America attractions at websites for Bloomington, Eagan, and Roseville, MN. Or check at hotels surrounding the mall for coupon booklets. Sometimes, coupons are available at Taco Bell or Subway restaurants that are located within an hour or so of the park.
Have hours of fun at the 27 rides and attractions at Nickelodeon Universe®. Enjoy more than 400 free events annualy, including Hollywood celebrity appearances, music performances and autograph signings. It's easy to access the mall from both downtown Minneapolis and the airport. One of the most convenient ways to travel to the Mall of America is by light rail. This service connects downtown Minneapolis, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport, and the Mall of America and it's simple to use!
Many hotels also offer free shuttle service between the airport and the mall - so be sure to check with your hotel. Guests of Radisson Hotel Bloomington are guaranteed admission at a discounted rate, but non-overnight guests may pay general admission, subject to availability. Prices range between $18 and $40 depending on the day of the week and the hours of operation. Additionally, guests who prefer not to swim or participate in water activities can purchase a "dry admission" ticket. Arthur is a travel writer with more than 25 years of experience. He has been covering theme parks, amusement parks, water parks, and attractions for TripSavvy since 2002.
The Airbender is located in the center of the Nickelodeon Universe theme park. The base of the track sits in a small depressed area in the floor. There are two clusters of seats that site on a single car that is built to resemble a large skate board. When the ride begins to operate, the floor on both sides of the car drops out of the way to allow the car to move. The track reaches 70 feet up into the massive steel beams holding up the roof of the mall, ending just below the glass skylights.
Nickelodeon Universe features seven acres of unique indoor attractions and entertainment such as rides, meet and greets with Nick characters, unique Nickelodeon retail and much more. It all adds up to an amazing entertainment experience for the whole family. MOA's largest attraction, the 7-acre Nickelodeon Universe theme park, reopened in August with limited rides and many common safety measures. Social distancing is on the forefront, as the park is limited to a capacity of 250 guests and masks are required for all park-goers .
