Concept
In the themed land of Honeyborough Village, Children of all ages are invited by the Animal Townsfolk to join and play in their small countryside community. The entire town is a playground, an interactive space that inspires imagination and wholesome values to Children through hands-on play and entertainment. With Villager’s homes, treehouses, campgrounds, farms, bakeries, restaurants, shops and more, there is an expansive life-size world to explore and play in, for every Child’s interests. Guests meet and dine with Characters, participate in guided games, receive special gifts and even follow Villagers on a nutty adventure, realized in a dark ride into the Blossomwood Forest beyond the town. At the end of their day, special treats and trinkets created by the Animal Townsfolk are a delightful reminder of the experience they shared in Honeyborough.
Backstory
Deep in the Blossomwood Forest, beyond the Bubbling Creek, through the Strawberry Patch, and over the Clover Hill, the sun shines onto a small, flower-filled meadow. Here lies the quaint village of Honeyborough, where Animals live together in their countryside homes. Settled into Maple Street, the heart of the town, are a bakery, restaurant, corner store, grocer and flower shop. Each of the storefronts are lovingly tended to by the Villagers that call the town home. The Blueberry Bunnies bounce and bound while they bake sweet confections at the Bunny’s Bread Basket. At Daffodil & Dahlia Florists, the Dandelion Deer dance and deliver delightful flower arrangements. The Buttermilk Bears boisterously barbecue meals at the Buzzing Bee Eatery.
In the Sunny Suburb, rustic homes are lined up with flower-filled gardens next to the stone street. The mailboxes are painted in curling script with the names of the families in each home: the Buttermilk Bears, the Marigold Mice, the Dandelion Deer, the Cozy Cats, the Flannel Foxes, the Lavender Labradors and the Honeysuckle Hedgehogs. Each cottage is designed in the same yellow wood, floral patterns and plain shingled roofs, but every Animal Family has customized their home. The Cozy Cats cuddle and chatter in their cute condos constructed into each wall. In their ferned burrow, the Flannel Foxes fetch dozens of fantastical findings. The Honeysuckle Hedgehogs harmonize and hum in their home-made hibernation hideaways.
In the Golden Oak Grove, treehouses with large branches, rope bridges and slides belong to the families of the Chestnut Chipmunks, Sweet Squirrels, and Oaken Owls. The Chestnut Chipmunks chew on their acorns in a cabin covered in clusters of colorful clovers. In their sanctuary shadowed with shade, the Sweet Squirrels snuggle and sip syrup. The Oaken Owls observe the skies, occupying their oval cottage organized with oodles of oddities.
Every year, the Honeyborough Harvest Festival celebrates the Villagers coming together. The leaves on the forest trees are shades of red, orange and yellow; the Animals wear soft sweaters; and Autumn decorations line the streets. Each Family brings their specialty to the party -- sharing the things that make them happiest with their closest friends. The Marigold Mice make their aged melty macaroni cheese. From their lovely farm, the Lavender Labradors loan leafy lettuce, leeks, and lentils.
The festival is abundant with fresh food and sweet treats and the families happily celebrate the bonds of their community. Even when the festival is over, the friendships between the Villagers endures, filling their town with love and kindness every day.
At the Village of Honeyborough, every day is the Harvest Festival, celebrating the Guests joining the Animal Townsfolk as their own family.
Overview
Guests step through a break in the tree line, down a forest trail that leads them to the Village of Honeyborough. Crossing over a stone bridge, a creek bubbles below them as birdsong fills the air. As they make their way down the winding path, they pass a bright red strawberry patch and around a hill filled with green clovers. At the end of the path, a cheerily hand-painted sign reveals their arrival at the village of Honeyborough.
Walking into the main square of town - Maple Street – Guests see many buildings clustered cozily together along the stone sidewalks. Shops and restaurants line the avenue, and the streets are filled with plastic cars, trucks and buses that Children play in. Harvest Festival decorations cover the buildings, stalls, flowerboxes, and fences scattered throughout the area. Guests discover the various stalls and landscaping that defines the heart of Honeyborough before exploring the storefronts along the street.
Inside the Bunny’s Bread Basket, a bakery run by the Blueberry Bunnies, aromas of sugar, cinnamon and coffee suggest the sweet confections the Guests find within. A large wooden counter with display cases and shelves containing varieties of pastries, pies, breads, cakes, and cookies sits on one side of the shop. There, Guests purchase the delicious treats that have been prepared by the Bunnies in their bustling kitchen. On the other side of the shop, is a child-sized counter, full of pretend wooden treats, cash registers and baskets. The Children put on costume aprons and chef hats with gingham patterns and play together, selling and eating toy items.
Inside the Bunnies’ crowded kitchen, high shelves are packed to the brim with ingredients, crates, and bowls, and bunny motifs decorate every surface. Families participate in guided baking activities with the Bunnies, as fur characters, and make their own delicious treats.
A couple doors down is the Buttermilk Bear’s restaurant: The Buzzing Bee Eatery. As Guests are seated at the diner, they see many bear motifs scattered throughout the bright woodwork. The menu is full of homestyle country favorites, such as buttermilk biscuits and gravy, fried chicken, honey pancakes, and mac and cheese. During their meal, Guests are visited and entertained by various family members from the Buttermilk Bear family. Papa Bear, dressed in his chef’s apron and hat, entertains by flipping flapjacks in his fry pans; Uncle Bear sings songs as he strums on his banjo; Mama Bear and Grandma Bear carry trays of treats; and Brother Bear, Sister Bear and Baby Bear all cause a little mischief as they run around the room.
The smell of fresh flowers lures the Families to Daffodil & Dahlia Florists. Small stands and shelves outside the shop’s glass windows, showcase beautiful flowers in colorful pots. A bell chimes as Guests step inside and see a vivid foliage-filled room. The scent of roses and honeysuckle fills the air as Children create their own crafted plants and flowers.
Behind the various storefronts on Maple Street, lies Lavender Labrador’s Farm. The Labrador’s have many buildings and activities for Guests to explore including a barn, farmhouse, fields, and an orchard. Children participate in various guided nature and farming based activities offered on the Farm, combining education with hands-on experiences that inspire them. At the edge of the orchard is a Baby Care Center run by Mama Labrador. Families bring their young Children here for a quieter, private space, in-between their fun explorations.
At the end of the town square and near the edge of the clearing that houses Honeyborough, Guests see a wooded entrance to Blossomwood Forest Adventure - a dark ride into the Forest beyond the town. Guests walk through a queue that starts as the bright and cheery woodland they know, but gradually grows darker and twisted. As they board their country wagon vehicles, the Villagers start to guide them through the forest, on a “safe” path that they are sure nothing bad could get to them. Suddenly, a group of angry Badgers attack the Guests and Villagers! They speed away, twisting and turning and trying to escape. Then, the Animals realize that the Badgers are just chasing the food that is on the vehicles! The Guests and Townsfolk give them some of their supplies and the Badgers apologize, they were just very angry from being so hungry. The Badgers and Townsfolk have become new friends and Families leave the ride laughing, feeling cheerful after a silly adventure.
When Guests reach the end of Maple Street, they enter Sunny Suburb, where the country homes belonging to each Animal Family are lined up with gardens, decorations and whimsical animal motifs. The mailboxes name the families of each home: the Buttermilk Bears, the Marigold Mice, the Dandelion Deer, the Cozy Cats, the Flannel Foxes and the Honeysuckle Hedgehogs. Each Animal home has unique attractions for Guests to experience and areas to explore based on the Villager’s favorite activities.
The home of the Marigold Mice is partially under-construction as they renovate and add more rooms for their ever-growing family. The Mice ask for the Guest’s help in building with mouse-sized items in their house. Guests work in guided building programs or play with the many blocks, buttons, fabrics, bottle caps and other assorted items the Mice use in the construction zone of their home.
The floral-patterned cottage of the Dandelion Deer is home to the most luscious gardens Guests have ever seen. The flowers that the Deer use in their shop on Maple Street are grown right here in their home. Guests meet the fur character Family down the winding path through their gardens and participate in scavenger hunt gardening activities with them.
In their large, colorful music room, the Cozy Cats invite Guests to join in their ongoing jam session. The climbing cat tree structure that fills the room creates various musical noises as Children interact with its many elements, joining in with the music the Cozy Cats play from their stage.
Thousands of collected artifacts cover the interior of the Flannel Foxes home. Guests are invited by the Foxes to help solve several mysteries in various hobby themed rooms. Working together, Families solve riddles with fun puzzle-solving techniques and hints from the Foxes. The mysteries change often based on all the objects throughout the house.
Although the Honeysuckle Hedgehogs have poor eyesight, they adore reading more than anything. Their cottage’s large library is home to hundreds of books and many comfortable reading areas. Guests attend Storytime with the Honeysuckle Hedgehogs, where their favorite characters read various stories aloud throughout the day in an interactive theatre built into the library.
Down a dirt path from Maple Street is Golden Oak Grove – a woodchip-covered clearing with the treehouse homes belonging to the Chestnut Chipmunks, Sweet Squirrels and Oaken Owls. The three wood cottages built into three large trees are connected by various ropes, bridges, slides and play structures. Parents watch from log benches as laughter fills the air and Children run merrily around the playground houses in the shaded grove.
Behind the Golden Oak Grove, in a quiet corner of the meadow, lies Canoe Campground. The peaceful field has plentiful picnic tables and benches and is a calming spot for the Guests away from the other activity centers of Honeyborough. Canoes scatter the marshy terrain, as well as camper vans, a truck, and a bus, which the Children all play in. On the edge of the wetland is a blue splash pad resembling a lake. More canoes and boats dot the area and fountains spray water at small Children as they run about.
At the end of their visit, as the Guests walk back through Maple Street, they stop at Country Corner – a shop that offers many trinkets, treats and gifts, handmade by the various Animal Townsfolk. The items they purchase fondly remind them of all the playful, silly, and wholesome activities they shared as a Family as they walk back through the gateway of trees that lie at the edge of the Village of Honeyborough.
Walkthrough
Overall Design Elements
The overall feeling in the design of Honeyborough is a soft country setting, with cheery tones. Lines, curves and shapes are whimsical and soft. Nature and natural imagery are seen throughout the architecture. Simple animal motifs based off the Animal Townsfolk are repeated and varied in all areas of the land, especially in woodwork. Shades of yellow and light wood are the dominating colors with white accent pieces. Floral, gingham, polka dot and patchwork are the main patterns and are faded or worn with time. Other colors include shades of greens, blues and pinks.
The Animal Families, which are presented as Fur characters, Audio-animatronics, and digital animations, are simple and have round curves, rather than sharp edges. They are all created to be bipedal instead of their normal anatomy. Expressions are direct and honest, childlike in nature to be completely relatable and understandable for Children. They also have soft fur and clothing colors, not too bright.
Maple Street
The main square of town has wide stone avenues and sidewalks, lined with trees and planters of flowers. In the middle of the square, Guests relax in the large patches of grass around a fountain with a statue of the Animal Townsfolk in a warm embrace. Buildings sit closely together including the restaurant, bakery, and flower shop. On the opposite corner, closer to the entrance and exits, is Country Corner, the merchandise store. Benches, trash cans and mailboxes all create a lived-in atmosphere for the town while still matching the whimsical country styling.
Maple street is perpetually in a state of decoration for their Harvest Festival -- a celebration of friendship, nature and cuisine. Yellow and orange banners hang between the streetlamps and the trees have red, orange and yellow leaves. Autumn decorations based on pinecones, leaves, pumpkins, wheat, berries and apples cover the entire area. Fences have warm string lights and garlands; flowerboxes have special basket planters and sculptures; and building storefronts have pumpkins and signs announcing their Harvest specials. Festival stalls and booths dot the sidewalks, selling foods, crafts and other merchandise from the Animal Townsfolk.
Along the street and square are pretend vehicles that Children play in. A bus, with its doors open, has a turning front wheel and interactive buttons. Old-fashioned convertible buggies sit with music playing from their stereos and turning the knobs can change the songs that are playing. A truck with large wheels reeves its engine as Children press buttons in the cab.
In addition to the stores and restaurants on Maple Street, there are also several carts and trucks parked around the square with other unique offerings. Stalls from the Harvest Festival have all the décor of the celebration and include special “seasonal” treats based on their stand’s design. For example, a stand presenting huge award-winning pumpkins offers flavored drinks and desserts made with pieces of the delicious vegetable. An ice cream truck, run by the Perky Penguin Family from a far-off iceberg, sells the best cold desserts. Coming from the Midwest, the Sleepy Sheep spin cotton candy at a delicately pink-colored stand. The Wheezy Wolves bring warm and salty pretzels from their distant yodeling lands. While none of these Characters are visibly present in Honeybourough, they are incorporated throughout the design of various areas in the land to suggest their friendship to the Villagers.
Bunny’s Bread Basket
Large, detailed windows define the exterior of the Bunny’s Bread Basket, with motifs of carrots and rabbit ears hidden within the careful moldings. Awnings hang over the windows, with a fading blue pattern. The sign for the shop is based on their signature creation, “The Cinna-bunny” – a cinnamon roll shaped like a bunny, dotted with blueberries in the frosting. Worn but comfortable wooden chairs and tables sit in front of the store, where Families enjoy their sweet treats and drinks.
As they enter the bakery, a warm feeling envelopes Guests, the smells of sugar and coffee fill the air. A wooden counter dominates one side of the shop with a queue of Guests in front of it. Glass cases are built in, displaying the options of tasty treats. A large chalkboard menu hangs above the counter, listing the available food and drink. Wavy wooden floorboards are worn from the many feet that have walked through. The same style of tables from outside are also set up inside the bakery but with fluffy carrot patterned cushions on the seats. Embroidery of bunnies, flowers, baked goods and the other Animal Townsfolk decorate the walls along with landscape paintings. Blueberry patterned curtains line the large windows and soft music plays under the bustle of the café.
A child-sized copy of the counter sits at the other end of the room. While Parents drink their coffee, Children play at the counter and small tables, purchasing and piling wooden treats in baskets and using the cash registers. They can also wear costume aprons and hats with gingham patterns.
The shop offers many other treats besides their signature cinnamon roll. The confections are based on wholesome ingredients and natural sugars like carrot, zucchini, apples and more. Some of the sweets include danishes, carrot cake, sugar cookies, cinnamon raisin bread, and zucchini bread. The bakery also offers drinks, especially coffee. Families can also order teas, juices and flavored water.
Inside the Bunny’s kitchen, Guests sign-up for hands-on baking lessons. Children, supervised by parents, work with Bakery Cast Members to create easy treats within 30 minutes. Each Family has a station in the kitchen with their own counter space, tools and “appliances” (Easy-Bakes or similar). During their activity, the Blueberry Bunnies (Fur characters) visit with each group of Guests and interact with them, “taste testing” the treats and other silly shenanigans. The Families take pictures with them before the Bunnies move to the next station. At the end, they get to take their treats and eat them at the tables outside the bakery.
The Buzzing Bee Eatery
The Buzzing Bee Eatery has a worn, but comfortable, country home impression. Although peeling in some places, the hand-painted sign clearly shows the restaurant’s name from above the wide porch dominating the front of the diner. Yellow clapboard siding covers the walls and flower boxes sit under the second-floor windows. The columns on the porch are hand-sanded trunks of trees, in different sizes and naturally wavy shapes.
Inside the restaurant, wooden floors meet walls with various wallpapers, simple paint or carved wooden panels. Bear, tree and bee motifs are carved into the moldings and rafts in the ceiling. On the outer walls, large windows with various mismatched glass panels and light patterned curtains bring in the bright sunshine from outside. The dining tables and chairs are a diverse mix of various shapes, colors and sizes but all have a home-made country style feeling. Tablecloths have gingham, floral, polka dot and ditsy patterns and some are patchworked or oddly shaped. Every surface and wall of the restaurant are covered with country knick knacks including family portraits, bowls, containers, statues, vases with flowers, baskets, and stitchery; many with imagery of bees, honey, trees, fish and bears. Their namesake, “Buttermilk,” is emphasized in many places, especially in milk jugs and bottles scattered around the Eatery.
All of the Bear Family characters that Guests meet during their meal are fur characters. Various music and voice overs or even live announcements from a non-character Cast Member describe what the characters are doing or saying. Throughout the Guests’ meal, the characters rotate through the restaurant. Papa Bear, the largest character, has a chef’s hat, a fish-patterned shirt and apron stained with a few spots of honey. As he visits Guests, he holds a frying pan (or two) with rubber eggs and pancakes. To show off, he attempts to flip them and sometimes succeeds, but more often fails and watches them splat on the ground. Guests laugh as his attendants comfort him and offer to bring a new pan.
Uncle Bear entertains with a song as he walks around, strumming on his beaten-up banjo. He wears a hat and shoes which both have holes. The gingham dresses of Mama and Grandma Bear are covered in flying embroidered bees and sweet flowers. They carry ceramic trays shaped like beehives with stacks of sugar cookies. As they visit with Guests, they gently place a little cookie on each of their plates and kiss their cheeks or pat their heads lovingly. Brother Bear, Sister Bear and Baby Bear, all relatively small size for fur characters (4’10” – 5’2”), also have 3 differing colors of brown fur and wear matching sets of gingham clothing with lace and stitched berries. Together, they cause mischief as they play with Guests, distracting them and pretending to steal food as they look away. Once in a while, one of the older Family members come over and scold the little ones.
The Eatery is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The meals are all buffet style, but Guests can also order special plated meals. Breakfast includes buttermilk pancakes, fruits, eggs, sausages, grits, buttermilk biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls, pecan French toast, hash browns, and bacon. Lunch and dinner include fried chicken, pot roast, cheesy grits, green beans, mac and cheese, casseroles, ribs, fried green tomatoes, mashed potatoes, and cornbread. In addition, various desserts are offered including apple pie, pecan pie, cobblers, coffee cake, pudding, caramel cake, pound cake and strawberry shortcake.
Daffodil & Dahlia Florists
Large windows with delicate molding dominate the front of the Florists. Logos for the store are hand-painted in the middle of the glass. Wooden stands sit in front of the windows filled with bouquets of colorful flowers. Aromas of lavender and roses waft from scent machines hidden in the exterior and interior of the building. Inside the shop, motifs of deer and flowers are repeated throughout the wallpaper, bags, and decorative details. Through guided workshops or on their own, children create colorful bouquets and potted plants with paper, markers, and other crafting materials. These small hand-made projects serve as wonderful décor that Families take home with them at the end of their visit.
Country Corner
With a large porch, siding and striped awnings, Country Corner is the epitome of midwestern small-town storefronts and is Honeyborough’s main gift shop. Two brightly colored but rusted pick up trunks filled with produce and crates sit off to the side of the building and on the porch, benches cozy up next to boxes and barrels full of the merchandise that can be found within. Inside, warm colored string lights hang over carved wooden shelves and displays with patterned tablecloths. The walls are lined with fading advertisements, calendars, photos and artwork. Flowers, wheels and farming equipment hang from the ceiling and baskets, barrels and shelves overflow with the diverse sets of merchandise. All the products are designed to remind Guests of their time at Honeyborough including stuffed animals based off the characters, clothing, prepackaged baked goods, toys and décor, but especially items based on the specific experiences in the land. These could include dining wear with Buzzing Bee Eatery logo; toy instruments based off the Cozy Cats; a children’s mystery book series inspired from the Foxes’ attraction; and construction sets designed from the experiences with the Marigold Mice.
Lavender Labrador Farms
Down a winding gravel path behind Maple Street lies the quaint Lavender Labrador Farms. The barn, silo and farmhouse belonging to the Labradors look as if they belong in the Midwest with fading red siding, old stone and shingled roofs. Curtains peek through the screen porch of the house, soft music heard from within. Fields with rows of vegetables, fruits, wheat and corn are a bustle with activity, Guests and Cast Members alike playing and learning together. Throughout their large property, the Lavender Labradors offer games and hands-on learning experiences based on farming, nature, and recycling. Presented digitally; physically in small games; physically as sign-up activities; entertainment shows; and more, the variety of offerings excites Families to find something in their interests, but all offer education about nature.
On the edge of the Farm, in the quietest part of Honeyborough, is Mama Labrador’s Baby Care Center. Many Families with younger Children can find reprieve or additional assistance from Cast Members, away from the busier areas of the land. The Center front exterior resembles an overgrown garden, the plants growing bigger as Guests go through the entrance. The interior is then shaded by tall “plants” and creates a smooth transition from outdoor to indoor. Inside, soft floral patterns and soothing colors surround the Guests in a calming atmosphere.
Sunny Suburbs
At the entrance to the Sunny Suburbs, a brightly painted wooden sign shows the name of the neighborhood and a simple map of the houses within. A rounded-stone street is lined on both sides with the homes belonging to the Animal Townsfolk. Each home has unique aspects and experiences within, but they all have similarities following particular design elements. All have siding painted in fading shades of blue, yellow, orange, green and pink and porches with white columns and railings carved with small shapes of leaves and flowers. Each have an over-sized mailbox, with the names of the Townsfolk Families hand-painted onto the side. Lawns have varieties of country flowers and trees. Specific details such as the fences, trim, doors, windows, paint and siding have subtle motifs based on who lives in the house.
Each of the Villager’s homes has a unique experience, tailored to their Animal nature, which draws Families into their stories and utilizes hands-on learning to create joyful memories. In addition to these special attractions, Guests can explore “ordinary” areas of the houses such as bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and living rooms. Every room has a whimsical take, with details pertaining to each specific Animal Family. As an example, the Mice family have many shelves in their kitchen, filled with cheese. Guests are rewarded with the Animals’ background as they discover and explore the cottages’ rooms by opening doors, books, cabinets and other items.
Marigold Mice
The Mice Family’s home is a construction zone that allows Guests to be part of an extensive hands-on building experience. Shrunken down to rodent size, children wear hard hats and brightly colored vests as they build with traditional large blocks and shapes, but also all the items the Mice use throughout their home including buttons, matchboxes, cards, pins, keys, spools, boxes, gameboards and pieces, utensils, and more. There are other “mini-games” in the house such as pipe puzzles to fix the plumbing system and matching games to decorate every room, which are presented as both physical and digital activities.
Guests are free to make anything in their imaginations, or they can also take part in guided building programs mentored by the Marigold Mice. In the lessons, the animated mice on a large screen help children create various crafted projects with miscellaneous items such as small houses, vehicles, and animal models (difficulty level depending on age group). These then become exciting souvenirs created from their own hands, that remind them of their day at Honeyborough.
Dandelion Deer
The lawns surrounding the Deer’s home have the most flowers and garden decorations of all the cottages on the street. Birdbaths and stone fountains bubble between the beds of blossoms and gardening tools are strewn about. Children identify flowers, bugs and objects hidden throughout the winding paths of the garden with a scavenger hunt hosted by the Deer family. The goal is to encourage exploration and learning through discovery. Some questions may be simple such as: “Find the location of the Daffodil flowers;” while others may encourage creative thinking such as “Find and name a flower that is the same color as your shirt.” When the Children finish their hunts, they bring their completed sheets to the Dandelion Deer, (Fur characters) who reward them with prizes such as stickers, badges or plastic flowers.
Cozy Cats
Guests are invited to join the daily jam sessions of the Cozy Cat’s band - The Meow-sical Yarn Balls – inside a large music room in their home. Bright lasers and LED moving lights with effects engines illuminate the walls and floor, creating a party atmosphere. The entire room is filled with built-in noise-making features, based around a play structure made of climbing cat trees, condos and boxes. Children discover countless sounds throughout their play by interacting with the elements within the environment.
Platforms make sounds as Children run and jump; brush spools hum as they are rolled; balls of yarn thunder like drums as they are hit; milk bottles tinkle with percussion; hanging feathers puff at one touch; scratching posts crunch as they are grazed; and tuna cans ting with each stroke. Near the stage, Guests also play on regular plastic instruments such as guitars and keyboards.
At the end of the room, is a stage where five Cats (audio-animatronics) play their instruments. A Tuxedo tickles the piano; a Bengal strums on a guitar; a Bombay plucks a Bass; a Maine Coon raps on a drum set; and a Sphynx toots a saxophone. Because they like to be cozy and warm, each wear hand-knitted scarves, hats and colorful sweaters. Each Cat sings along with the songs as they go through a set-list of various music styles that repeats every hour.
Flannel Foxes
There are several mysteries inside the Flannel Foxe’s home, and they need their combined cleverness with the Guests to solve them! Families enter one of four rooms, each with a different theme, riddle experience and member of the Fox family within. The Foxes, presented as Living Characters, guide the Guests through a mystery in their room, which match their specific hobbies such as a Library, Game Room or Artist’s Studio. The brainteaser games use meaningful educational concepts from early childhood development where Guests, especially Children, are guided by finding three clues hidden within the artifact filled rooms to answer a riddle. The mysteries encourage critical thinking through enjoyable puzzles supervised by relatable characters. The specific problems within the rooms are changed often – the objects in the rooms lend themselves to many mysteries, creating room for new experiences that encourage Guests to return again and again.
Honeysuckle Hedgehogs
The Honeysuckle Hedgehog’s home is largely made into a massive library, filled with their collections of books. Throughout the day, they invite Guests to listen to readings of their favorite stories. As families enter the cozily lit, bookshelf-lined room, they notice a dark entrance to the Animal Family’s favorite burrow (projection screen) in front of a large area of comfortable chairs and cushions. The Hedgehogs emerge from the burrow and greet everyone, interacting in real time as they get ready to read the story together. The lights dim down and as they start to read, the shelves next to the burrow hole move apart, further revealing the full screen behind and visuals from the very words of the story come to life. Throughout the show, the Hedgehogs interact with the characters and environments of the story, encouraging audience participation as they move through the adventure. As the tale ends, the shelves move back together and the Hedgehog Family waves goodbye to the Guests, crawling back into their burrow. The fables that they read change often, connecting Children and Families to the Characters as they hear new stories each time they return.
Golden Oak Grove
Transitioning from the orderly suburb street, Guests are surrounded by trees as they enter Golden Oak Grove - a shaded recreation area focused on traditional playgrounds and physical activity. The surfacing resembles woodchips and grass but follows is actually safe soft plastic material. Three large tree houses dominate the center of the grove, each connected by various tunnels, slides, ropes and bridges. In addition, scattered around the area are swing sets, plastic climbing sets and other hands-on activity areas – all based on naturally occurring phenomena, such as rock formations, mushrooms, large flowers and tree roots. Parents sit and watch their Children nearby on assortedly themed benches built into the surrounding fence, roots or rocks.
The first treehouse, the home of the Chestnut Chipmunks, has a cozy kitchen lined with jars filled with varieties of their favorite nuts. In the tallest tree, the cottage of the Oaken Owls has bookshelves packed with trinkets they have collected and a telescope in a large window. The third, sap-covered, treehouse owned by the Sweet Squirrels is stocked with baskets of fruits and seeds. Guests meet the characters from these Families every day at scheduled times in a picture spot right behind the playground between the trees.
Canoe Campground
Guests get a reprieve from the various activities throughout Honeyborough in the quiet setting of Canoe Campground. Surrounded by trees and vegetation, the area is a grassy with marsh vegetation spread throughout. Families eat snacks sold in the land or they bring their own meals and enjoy them at the many wooden picnic tables. At one end of the clearing, a blue splash pad represents a lake. Many plastic canoes and boats sit in the “water” and on the shore. Two pretend camper vans, a truck and a bus are parked at the entrance to the campground. Plastic tents are set up in a circle, with a campfire, coolers, and lanterns. Children play among the items gathered at the Campground while Parents watch comfortably from the tables.