On March 21, Chessington World of Adventures Resort announced a “Minecraft-themed amusement park called Minecraft World, scheduled to open in 2027.
Chessington World of Adventures Resort, the amusement park behind Minecraft World, is located in Chessington, UK. The park is composed of a theme park, the soon-to-be home of Minecraft World, along with a zoo, an aquarium and two hotels. The park was founded in 1931 and originally only included a zoo, but with further expansion, it now functions as a full resort and theme park.
So far, only minimal details have been released. The park will be a fully immersive, "Minecraft"-themed park. Plans include building a “world first” roller coaster, though it is not yet clear what about the coaster will be revolutionary. Additionally, the park will include block-built playscapes resembling the style of the "Minecraft" video game.
Aside from attractions, Minecraft World is also planned to include "Minecraft"-themed retail and dining experiences. Concept art shows a store that appears to be themed around a village from “Minecraft,” as well as a restaurant themed around the “Minecraft” Nether region. The park is also set to have interactive adventures, though more specific details have yet to be released.
Minecraft World was announced at a Minecraft Live event, at which it was announced that “iconic 'Minecraft' creators” will consult on the project.
“Minecraft World will allow friends and families to play, explore and craft together on a truly epic scale,” Angela Jobson, the senior vice president of global brand for Merlin Entertainment, said at the event.
Jobson continued saying that Chessington World of Adventures is working closely with Mojang Studios, the developers of "Minecraft," to represent the Minecraft community authentically.
Senior Creative Director of Entertainment at "Minecraft," Torfi Frans Ólafsson, echoed Jobson’s desire for authenticity, and said that Minecraft World “represents a meaningful milestone” for the “ongoing journey to expand the Minecraft universe.”
Following the success of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios theme parks, it will be interesting to see if Minecraft World is received with the same enthusiasm. Originally only in Japan, Super Nintendo World received a California location in 2023 and a Florida location in 2025.
These parks feature heavily themed rides, retail and dining, just as Minecraft World is set to contain. To compare the hype Super Nintendo World received, particularly from fans on social media, Minecraft World will likely also be put on the map by avid amusement park fans and video game fans alike.
Additionally, based on the resurgence in the game’s popularity in the early 2020s, Minecraft World is likely to experience a fair amount of attention. It is also worth noting that "Minecraft" was originally released in 2009, marking Minecraft World as nearly 20 years after the game’s initial release, making many of the original fans of Minecraft now adults.
In terms of the success of amusement parks among adult audiences, social media has seen a lot of discussion about the concept of “Disney adults,” adults who are extremely dedicated to the Disney World and Disneyland theme parks.
Such behavior is also seen in relation to other theme parks, though typically in a less severe fashion. It will be intriguing to see if a similar phenomenon occurs with the opening of the Minecraft World theme park, especially considering that the "Minecraft" fanbase also has very dedicated fans.
Minecraft World represents a major landmark in the expansion of the success of "Minecraft" as a major video game franchise, continuing to be fruitful years after its initial popularity.
"Minecraft" fans can look forward to the opening of Minecraft World sometime in 2027.
