September 26, 2019
“…we’re a put-your-phone-down-and-play-along kind of place”
Storyland’s fairy tale-inspired playground hopes to awe a new generation of princesses, Pinocchios, and little pigs with its first major makeover in 35 years.
A grand reopening this weekend will show off its renovations, which included new ADA accessibility modifications and interactive exhibits. But parents be warned, adults are encouraged to climb, jump, build, catch, and slide along with their kids.
“No one is going to yell at you if you’re on the slide with your kid,” said Amanda Frentz, Storyland’s public relations director, during a tour with Nola Family’s managing editor Tim Meyer last week. “Most playgrounds, parents just kind of watch from a bench, but we’re a put-your-phone-down-and-play-along kind of place.”
What’s New
The 60-year-old Storyland has added four new exhibits and updates to the 18 already there.
Humpty Dumpty – Humpty Dumpty urges kids to “Build Your Imagination,” with a set of giant Legos inside his playhouse.
The Tortoise and the Hare – Meant as a cooldown spot, this exhibit features a tortoise shell large enough for even grown-ups to crawl through.
Boudreaux the Zydeco Gator – The gator isn’t new, but he’s got some company now. Boudreaux is now surrounded by five playable, colorful instruments for adults and kids to play.
Jack and the Beanstalk – Although this is the only exhibit that won’t be completed for the reopening (it’ll open later in the fall), it’s sure to become the centerpiece once it is ready. The 23-foot tall exhibit, the largest in the playground’s history, will feature a climbable beanstalk and a tunnel slide.
Updates
The enhanced Hey Diddle Diddle exhibit, also known as the Spaceship to many, is now at ground level and ADA accessible. Inside kids and parents can read about NASA’s history, highlighting the roles that women and other marginalized people have played in the advancement of U.S. space exploration. For thrill-seeking kiddos, the ground will shake as if launching into space with an interactive panel of lights, switches, and buttons.
Other ADA enhancements have been made to Cinderella’s Pumpkin, which is closer to the ground, and Peter Pan’s Pirate Adventure, which now has widened walkways for wheelchairs.
While the playground as a whole is fairly low-tech, instead utilizing more hands-on experiences, the Pinocchio and the Whale exhibit boosts the most high-tech attraction in the park. Once just a space for kids to jump into and pretend to get eaten, inside the whale’s mouth is a projected school of moving fish that’ll swim away when a kid tries to catch them.
Fancy a game the whole family can play? The Gingerbread Man’s Candy Lane’s update includes a life-size board game. Players answer questions about the stories and characters featured throughout Storyland and can proceed to the next spot with each right answer.
Kids who relate more with the Wolf from The Three Little Pigs can now read the Wolf’s lines from the storybook through a device that’ll transform their high-pitched adolescent voices into deep growling, snarling tones.
Other existing renovated exhibits include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and Jill, Puff the Magic Dragon slide, Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, Old King Cole, and the Storyland Castle, which now includes an interactive magic mirror.
Larger enhancements have been made to Alice in Wonderland, and the Little Mermaid, where children and parents will be able to drive motorized pirate ships around the lagoon.
Storyland is also excited to host the Charles Bolden Jr. LES Space Suit, on loan from NASA. For five years, the Oscar J. Tolmas Visitor Center, the main entrance to Storyland will be the suits home where it is on display. Bolden was the first African-American to permanently hold the title of NASA Administrator. He also served as a NASA astronaut for 14 years and has logged nearly 700 hours during four space flights.
Grand Reopening:
Saturday, September 28 at noon
5 Victory Avenue, New Orleans
$5/person, children under 36 inches receive free admission with paid adult
