If you’ve ever wanted to hunt down the infamous Devil Fruit in Eiichirō Oda’s odyssey-esque manga “One Piece,” now’s your chance.
The first Netflix House is set to open this Wednesday at the King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania, where curious fans can take part in immersive experiences based on their favorite Netflix TV shows and movies. Although Netflix has hosted many immersive pop-up events, Netflix House will be the company’s first permanent location.
Greg Lombardo, Netflix’s vice president of experiences, said hosting smaller events helped the company prepare for larger, permanent ventures.
“By doing all these different experiences in many different places around the world, we’ve really been able to dial in the proper size, which has informed the size of the studios here,” Lombardo told Business Insider. “We’ve been able to dial in the type of infrastructure we need to move them in and out more seamlessly. I think we’ve also been able to really refine how we work with the show creators.”
Lombardo said one key factor behind Netflix House is the company’s desire to be accessible to audiences.
“We wanted it to be a place that was super easy to come to and come back again and again,” Lombardo said.
If transforming popular IP into IRL experiences sounds familiar, you’d be right. Disney did something similar when it created year-round theme parks based on its characters and concepts. Disney’s experiences division — which also includes signature experiences, games, a cruise line, and consumer products — made $9 billion in revenue during the most recent financial quarter. Disney’s domestic parks and experiences’ operating income increased to $1.7 billion during the same timeframe.
Netflix plans to open a second Netflix House location this December at the Galleria Dallas in Texas, and a third in 2027 at BLVD Las Vegas. Members of the press got a sneak peek of the King of Prussia-based Netflix House, where shows like “One Piece” and “Wednesday” were reimagined into hands-on activities.
Netflix House isn’t a theme park, but it has a variety of engaging activities for visitors to choose from. While entering the Netflix House in Philadelphia is free, guests must pay for tickets to participate in certain activities.
Fans of Netflix TV shows and movies won’t be disappointed. Here’s a look inside.
Netflix Bites is a full-service restaurant on the first floor.
The first stop on the Netflix House Philadelphia tour was Netflix Bites, a full-service restaurant and bar decorated with nods to beloved characters. The Netflix Bites menu features a plethora of tongue-in-cheek items, including the $12 Killer Onion Dip (“Glass Onion”), $13 Regency Garden Greens (“Bridgerton”), $19 Totally Radical Pepperoni Pizza (“Stranger Things”), and the $18 WWE Smashburger (“WWE”).
I didn’t get to try the whole menu, but the pretzel bites and chicken tenders I grabbed from the buffet were tasty!
There are Easter eggs galore in Netflix Bites.
One of the coolest aspects about Netflix Bites is the sheer amount of references adorning the space. “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” “Orange is the New Black,” and “To All The Boys I’ve Loved” got shout-outs.
Wednesday: Eve of the Outcasts is one of the main attractions.
One of the attractions at Netflix House Philadelphia is Wednesday: Eve of the Outcasts, an interactive experience in which guests can participate in a school festival at Nevermore Academy. After a full moon causes Enid Sinclair to transform into a werewolf, she tasks Wednesday Addams with overseeing the academy’s highly anticipated Eve of Outcasts festival.
The Eve of Outcast festival takes guests to Nevermore Academy.
From the pair’s dorm room at Nevermore Academy to the festival itself, fans of the series will be impressed by the attention to detail, opportunities to explore, and hands-on games.
Wednesday: Eve of the Outcasts takes about an hour to complete, and ticket prices start at $39.
One Piece: Quest for the Devil Fruit is an escape room-like experience.
Another attraction at Netflix House Philadelphia is “One Piece: Quest for the Devil Fruit,” in which guests must escape prison to find Devil Fruit, a magical fruit that grants characters special powers. Along the way, they encounter Monkey D. Luffy and other familiar characters.
Guests have to solve puzzles while exploring the “One Piece” world.
To complete One Piece: Quest for the Devil Fruit, guests must work through puzzles and different rooms until they reach the end, where they can take wanted photos and participate in other activities.
The activity lasts around an hour and costs $39.
Suit up and dive headfirst into popular Netflix shows through virtual reality.
At Netflix House Philadelphia, fans can go beyond the screen and immerse themselves in the worlds of “Stranger Things,” “Squid Games,” or “Rebel Moon” through VR. Each gameplay option has a different timeframe. “Squid Game Virtuals” and “Rebel Moon: The Descent” are both 25 minutes long, while “Stranger Things: Catalyst” has a 25-minute and 45-minute option.
Each option costs $25 except for the 45-minute “Stranger Things Catalyst” game, which costs $40.
Win Top 9 mini golf by getting the highest score.
This isn’t your mother’s mini golf.
At Top 9, guests compete across nine holes featuring Netflix shows and movies, including “Bridgerton” and “WWE.” However, unlike traditional golf, the player who gains the highest score — not the lowest — is the winner. Each golf ball has a chip inside it, which allows it to be tracked and assigned to different guests.
The different holes also have additional activities. For example, at the “Is it Cake?” hole, guests must decide whether an object is cake or not. If they choose correctly, they get extra points.
Tudum Theater is on the second floor.
We didn’t get to explore the Tudum Theatre on Monday while visiting the Netflix House, but future guests will be able to watch TV, films, and other content about their favorite characters there. Tudum Theater is also expected to host dine-in showings, trivia nights, and special events.
And finally, the merch shop.
Right next to Netflix Bites and Top 9 is the merch shop, which offers rows upon rows of merchandise. A Netflix representative said 70% of the items found at Netflix House Philadelphia are exclusive to that location, so there are a ton of options for people looking to stand out.
Netflix is celebrating Philadelphia, too.
The merch shop also features a section selling “NetPHLIX” gear in a nod to Philadelphia. The representative said Netflix is making an effort to connect with the local community.
