Nickelodeon Universe - Bloomington, Minnesota - Family-Oriented Theme Park

Nickelodeon Universe is a family-oriented, 7-acre theme park located within the world famous Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. It was first opened in the summer of 1992 by Knott's Berry Farm and was known as Camp Snoopy at that time. In January of 2006, it briefly became known as the Park at MOA due to licensing problems in regards to the Peanuts/Snoopy brand name. At that time, all traces of the Peanuts theme were removed and replaced with more generic visuals.

In 2007, a new licensing deal with Nickelodeon triggered the most recent change to Nickelodeon Universe. At that time, some of the more generic elements were replaced with some of the popular Nickelodeon network elements that are so popular with fans of the park today, some of which can be seen in many of the top rides. For instance the SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge is modeled after the Gerstlauer-style coasters of Europe and features characters from the popular SongeBob SquarePants show while the Rugrats Reptarmobiles, a ride for young visitors, is based on characters from the popular Rugrats franchise.

The rest of the attractions and rides at Nickelodeon Universe run the gamut from very mild to suit the sensibilities of young riders and young visitors to thrill rides to suit the sense of adventure of adult park goers. Some of the more popular attractions include but are not limited to the following. The Splat-O-Sphere is the centerpiece of the park and offers riders a thrilling drop-ride experience. The Avatar Airbender is a located nearby and is built after the surf-rider ride model. The Pepsi Orange Streak, previously known under the old ownership as the Pepsi Ripsaw, is the oldest roller coaster in the entire park, as well as one of the most popular. The Log Chute is a log flume style attraction that has also been around since the park first opened in 1992.

When it comes to food options, Nickelodeon Universe has a couple to choose from including Caribou Coffee, Kemps Ice Cream Cafy, and several food kiosks. At various times in the park's history, sit-down dining has also been available. Individual options pretty much cover traditional amusement park fare such as hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, ice cream, cotton candy, popcorn, and soft drinks. Several retail shops where park goers can purchase souvenirs such as t-shirts, plushies, and various Nickelodeon-related items are available for the convenience and pleasure of visitors as well. These include the Nickelodeon Store, SpongeBob4U, TOYS, and nuStuff - a shop that specializes in merchandise related exclusively to the theme park.

Nickelodeon Universe also features special events such as character Meet and Greets. Children can arrange to meet characters like SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick, and Dora the Explorer. They can also ask for autographs and pose for pictures. However, those interested in meeting a particular Nickelodeon character should check with the park ahead of time to make sure of the day the one they're interested in will be available as certain ones are only available on certain days.