Masha and the Bear are now the stars of the series own branded destination area within Turkey’s popular theme park, The Land of Legends, featuring a variety of rides and entertainment activities for visitors. The move is the result of a new partnership between Animaccord and The Land of Legends and Rixos Hotels.
The Land of Legends in Antalya has been attracting guests since it opened in 2016, operating throughout the year, including the holiday seasons such as New Year Eve. In 2020 Rixos Group presented its first ever licensed themed land in theme park – Masha and the Bear Land of Laughter – inspired by the popular animated family series.
The brand zone covers the area of 8000 m2.
Hande Tezerdi, Rixos Group’s business development director, said: “Masha and the Bear is a very strong IP throughout Europe, and all over the world.
“It is among the top five brands in Turkey, for most watchable episodes and for consumer brands. We met with Animaccord and explained our vision about what The Land of Legends wanted to create as a themed zone.”
Masha and the Bear now holds the position as centrepiece of The Land of Legends’ Land of Laughter with its ride, A Joyful Journey. The ride is billed as a slow-moving boat ride through the four seasons of the year, with Masha and the Bear as walking mascots with whom park visitors can take photos.
Guests enter Masha’s house before boarding boats that take them in and out of a show building. Most of the scenes show Masha interacting with the seasonal weather conditions and also holidays like Halloween, Christmas and New Year’s. Over 75 cartoon-inspired figurines populate the attraction, both static and animated.
An indoor play structure called Bear’s Funhouse and a splashpad play area provide other attractions within the land. A quick service restaurant features Russian cuisine while the train-themed Food Station restaurant provides indoor and outdoor sit-down options. Windows on one side of the train face the land while “windows” on the opposite side are actually screens that show animated scenes and characters from the TV series.
