As a father of two young children, our family has watched the Trolls movie at least a dozen times, especially since we’re able to cue it up on Netflix anytime as we slog through these frigid wintry days. But we’re an adventurous family that enjoys seizing any opportunity to experience the endless, cultural experiences in New York City. So we were thrilled to transport ourselves to Troll Village at the newish DreamWorks Trolls The Experience in midtown Manhattan to celebrate National Hug Week.
With permanent smiles on their faces, my kids sprinted through the front gates on a quest to be immersed in a world full of rainbows, happiness, dance parties and hugs. Not to mention seeing their favorite Trolls characters from the film. Trolls the Experience delivered big time and exceeded their expectations!
Dizzy with excitement, we followed a rainbow path up a tubular escalator with flashing neon lights like something out of a Vegas casino. We found ourselves in a glittery forest where we rubbed elbows and snapped photos with some of our favorite characters like Branch, Satin and Chenille. We detoured over for a memorable pit stop so makeup stylists could work their magic and transform my kids into their favorite Trolls, Princess Poppy and Guy Diamond. Caution: This “Hair We Go” transformation is swift, memorable, but costly (a $50 upgrade beyond the general admission ticket).
‘Trolls the Experience’ in brief
Over the course of the next 45 minutes, we:
- jumped through a massive Caterpillar Bus as confetti floated all around us
- raced through an interactive, virtual game of tag on a screen the size of a movie theater
- twirled our hearts out in the ultimate, 3D dance party
- gave endless love and hugs to “real Princess Poppy” (as my 3-year-old daughter called her) who patiently waits to greet you at the end of the rainbow.
Our epic visit wasn’t complete until our sugar rush as we shared rainbow cupcakes and snow cones in the retail cafe.
Was it the Best Day Ever? Pretty close.
My children rated DreamWorks Trolls The Experience an 8.5 out of 10 (<–click here for our YouTube video). A positive and gleeful experience for the family. The immersive pop-up lost one full point because my kids thought it was too short. They wanted it to last longer than our approximately 50 minute whirlwind tour. The good news is that means we’ll have to come back to visit again!
You should consider visiting with your family soon as the special Hug Week: Buy One, Get One Free offer has been extended through Feb. 10. Note that some restrictions to the offer apply.
Disclosure: Feld Entertainment provided complimentary passes for our family to visit DreamWorks Trolls The Experience during National Hug Week to facilitate this review. All opinions are genuine and have not been swayed by the free passes.
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