First “Mission: Play! by Mattel” FEC Opens in Abu Dhabi  

(eap) The world’s first “Mission: Play! By Mattel” Family Entertainment Center has now officially opened in The Galleria Al Maryah Island Mall in Abu Dhabi, UAE, after a soft opening phase lasting several weeks. In collaboration with iP2Operations, Mattel has created a colorful brand experience for children on 4,000 square meters. The Al Hokair Group operates the Mission: Play! FEC as a tenant in the mall managed by the Al Maryah Retail Company.

Barbie's Ultimate Roadtrip © EAP Magazin

In three themed areas, the FEC offers various experiences and attractions for children up to teenage years and their parents. The Barbie^® area has the motto “You Can Be Anything™” and focuses on diversity, inclusivity and unlimited potential. In addition to Barbie’s “Ultimate Road Trip”, visitors can also enjoy the “Dance Party” and Barbie’s “Sports Challenge”, in which guests can score points by performing movements in front of a screen. In the “You Can Be Anything” experience, young visitors can slip into various roles before styling a digital Barbie to their liking in the “Fashion Lab”.

The MEGA^® area includes a small Drop’n Twist “Challenge Tower” from SBF Visa as well as the “MEGA Maker” Experience, where guests can let their creativity run wild with the small building blocks.

Hot Wheels City Race © EAP Magazin

In the Hot Wheels^® area, visitors can experience a speedy ride in the “City Race” or on the “Battle Track” kart track. The “Build it Race it” area also offers exciting driving experiences, where guests first digitally design a vehicle before taking it for a drive as an “avatar” in the racing simulator. The classic Hot Wheels racing experience on tracks is also offered in “Speed Racing” on three different routes with different theming. In “Stunt City”, visitors can also experiment with the small cars on various structures in a real and analog way.

Play Worx Playstructure © EAP Magazin

The centerpiece of the FEC is a large play structure called “Play Worx”, in the design of which the three Mattel brands are thematically taken up and brought together accordingly.

Guests can access the individual attractions and experiences via an Intercard card system. According to the operator, many of the offers are barrier-free. In addition to various event areas, e.g. for birthday parties, the FEC also offers a retail store with exclusive merchandise as well as a Barbie and Hot Wheels-themed café, which is accessible both from the FEC and directly from the mall.

“Mission: Play! by Mattel is where adventure can be played out in endless ways,” said Julie Freeland, Vice President of Global Location Based Entertainment, Mattel. “[…] We are excited to be partnering with premiere leaders in the industry to bring this experience to life.”

Hot Wheels Speed Racing © EAP Magazin

On this project, Mishal Al Hokair, Al Hokair Group Deputy CEO said that “at Al Hokair Group, we are always looking for new and innovative ways to bring families together and provide them with memorable experiences. Mission: Play! by Mattel aligns perfectly with our vision and will be a huge success at The Galleria as a destination for families from all over the region.”  

Roger Houben, CEO of iP2Operations, commented: “We are proud to be launching our Mattel Centre at The Galleria, the leading lifestyle destination in Abu Dhabi. Mission: Play! By Mattel complements this experience with elevated entertainment experiences under the motto “Think Big, Play Bigger!^™”

As recently as March, Sparky’s, another FEC operated by the Al Hokair Group, opened just one floor above the new Mattel FEC in Abu Dhabi. 

Another Mission: Play! location is currently being built in Berlin at Potsdamer Platz in The Playce shopping center with the involvement of iP2Operations. With its opening, originally planned for spring 2022, further delayed, young Mattel fans in Germany will have to be patient for the time being (cf. EAP-News from 7th Oct 2022). ■