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So a bit of a random question...

What's everyone's bets on Chuggington Adventure Depot potentially returning next year?

If not, given comments of it being a "touring experience" on the press release after the launch, where do you all feel it could be heading next?

[touring experience.]

https://www.anbmedia.com/news/2022/06/herschend-entertainment-launches-chuggington-adventure-depot/

Press released from HES (Herschend Entertainment Studios) announcing the Chuggington Adventure Depot. Some quotes to note:

Silver Dollar City is the perfect home for the true-life version of the Chuggington series according to Keith Dawkins, President of Harlem Globetrotters and Herschend Entertainment Studios. "The Chuggington Adventure Depot at Silver Dollar City allows us the opportunity to leverage not only the power of the Chuggington franchise, but also the scale and influence of Silver Dollar City to reach kids and families in new and exciting ways. This strategic collaboration across our enterprise illustrates the kind of powerful opportunities that we can create for our audience, our businesses, and our partners."

"For over 6 decades, Silver Dollar City has entertained families, including even the youngest of children. In addition to all of our rides and attractions which small kids can enjoy this summer, our National Kids Fest will be even more fun with the addition of the unique, and first-of-its-kind Chuggington experience. To energize train-loving kids even more, families can leave the Chuggington Adventure Depot and head over to our authentic steam train to take a ride around The City," said Brad Thomas, President and General Manager of Silver Dollar City Attractions.

An adaptive mobility Chugger train that is ADA compliant helps meet the needs of all young guests to fully participate in the immersive environment. Custom Chuggington merchandise, Chuggington toys from Alpha Group US and social media-worthy photo experiences round out the touring experience.

Broadcaster here is Disney Channel/Disney Junior; the entire first season under Herschend is free to watch on DisneyNOW. https://disneynow.com/shows/chuggington-tales-from-the-rails

Noticed on the Facebook post advertising the sneak peek that a lot of folks seem to be coming out or even arranging first-time trips because of this; realizing this could be them potentially seeing if the Adventure Depot could be popular enough to make it a fixture or even look into a permanent attraction in the future.

So we got our first look at the Depot and...

WOW. This is way more than I was expecting given the concept art! That clock tower is pretty much 1:1 to the one of the show!

[the Carousel Barn in Rivertown]

https://www.silverdollarcity.com/theme-park/Festivals/National-Kids-Fest/Chuggington-Adventure-Depot

Chuggington Adventure Depot is officially confirmed to be at the Carousel Barn in Rivertown!

[Younger guests take to the rails at the Chuggington Adventure Depot as they step into their very own trainee Chugger, chosen from the modern and colorful fleet of train engines. On the interactive adventure, a lively 'Conductor' helps guide the exploratory fun as kids travel through a free-play, wall-to-wall re-creation of the town of Chuggington, playfully prompting active participation like "follow the leader," "chug backwards," and "dance party."' Preschoolers will meet and dance along with their Chugger friends like Wilson, Brewster and Koko and explore favorite Chuggington locations including The Roundhouse, The Ice Cream Factory & The Repair Shed all from the popular, global series produced by Herschend Entertainment Studios."As the first of its kind, all new Chuggington Adventure Depot opens, we celebrate a collaboration between Herschend Entertainment Studios, specializing in content creation, and Silver Dollar City, excelling in bringing colorful family fun to life," said Natalie Setton, VP of Partnerships, Licensing and Content Distribution for Herschend Entertainment Studios. "We're so excited to see kids faces light up as they get to explore the World of Chuggington. This is our first opportunity to present the TV series in a powerfully imaginative way where the world of Chuggington comes to life for our fans, allowing them to create their own adventure with our beloved 'Chuggers'."]

https://www.explorebranson.com/media/news/silver-dollar-city-announces-new-productions

Aaaand we've got info and concept art from the Chuggington Adventure Depot!

Younger guests take to the rails at the Chuggington Adventure Depot as they step into their very own trainee Chugger, chosen from the modern and colorful fleet of train engines. On the interactive adventure, a lively 'Conductor' helps guide the exploratory fun as kids travel through a free-play, wall-to-wall re-creation of the town of Chuggington, playfully prompting active participation like "follow the leader," "chug backwards," and "dance party."' Preschoolers will meet and dance along with their Chugger friends like Wilson, Brewster and Koko and explore favorite Chuggington locations including The Roundhouse, The Ice Cream Factory & The Repair Shed all from the popular, global series produced by Herschend Entertainment Studios.

"As the first of its kind, all new Chuggington Adventure Depot opens, we celebrate a collaboration between Herschend Entertainment Studios, specializing in content creation, and Silver Dollar City, excelling in bringing colorful family fun to life," said Natalie Setton, VP of Partnerships, Licensing and Content Distribution for Herschend Entertainment Studios. "We're so excited to see kids faces light up as they get to explore the World of Chuggington. This is our first opportunity to present the TV series in a powerfully imaginative way where the world of Chuggington comes to life for our fans, allowing them to create their own adventure with our beloved 'Chuggers'."

[August 7th]

No clue if anyone's brought this up, but they're hiring right now for the Chuggington Adventure Depot!
https://hfecorp-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjob&jobid=17762&jobboardid=3347&company_id=16687&version=6&jobBoardId=3347

Interestingly, the closing date appears to have been extended to August 7th instead of July 24th; perhaps to tie-in with Moonlight Madness?

Herschend acquired the series back in 2018 and they have had toys from the series in the parks since then.
Our boys have always been big Chuggington fans.

Herschend also owns the Splash and Bubbles series from PBS Kids.

Nice to see some fellow fans here! Been a bit fan for the longest time, and even worked a little bit with peeps from their Studio division; lovely folks and been great seeing their relaunch be a massive hit!

Yup, HFEC is still pushing their media wing forward. I saw a news alert not long ago about them making another big hire in that department. Curious what it will bring to the parks as they start churning out more programs and getting some footing in the media world. They just need to add a steam train character and we'll be set. 

Same here; since the initial reports of the buyout, they mentioned wanting to incorporate them into the parks and doing live events. Their approach with Chuggington has been "slow and steady" (the new season was preceded by live action/animated shorts they aired a couple months leading to the premiere), and with the screenings at the Riverfront Playhouse last summer, that seems to be applying to the parks too!

Having (what I'm assuming to be) a travelling exhibit they could easily have tour the parks is an excellent way to start out doing attractions for the parks without being too bombastic or out of place. Just curious where they're gonna be locating it...

And it's funny you mention that; there's quite a few steamers in the show! This fella (Old Puffer Pete) is one of them:

Caught wind of a new exhibit for the season: "Chuggington Adventure Depot"!
https://www.silverdollarcity.com/theme-park/Festivals/National-Kids-Fest

"Coming Summer 2022 to Silver Dollar City, explore the world of Chuggington like never before in this all new, traintastic experience with Wilson, Brewster and Koko! Create your own adventure with games, photos and more!"


They've been teasing incorporating Chuggington into the parks since their buyout of the franchise (and heard they were screening episodes last year at the Riverfront Playhouse), so interested if anyone else has heard anything!