the mommy avenger

We have heard a lot of hype about American dream during the holidays from friends and neighbors, so we decided to visit Nickelodeon Universe, a large amusement park attraction there, to see how it fared to other indoor parks. 

The first thing we learned was that the Nickelodeon Universe Park is part of the giant mall complex. It reminded us of the Mall of America in Minnesota we visited about a decade ago, which coincidentally, Nickelodeon Universe can now be found there, as well.

Nickelodeon Universe boasts the title of the Western Hemisphere’s Largest Indoor Theme Park. When we arrived, we could see there were tons of rides utilizing every bit of space available. It is a super fun zone that we couldn’t wait to explore. Over 30 rides and attractions for all-ages can be found here! You can find Nickelodeon themed rides here from your favorite Nickelodeon shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jimmy Neutron, Rugrats and PAW Patrol.

Having older children, the roller coasters were our primary attractions. Many theme parks will have three distinct tiers of coasters- extreme, moderate, and slow. I appreciated that the coasters here tended more toward a spectrum of speed and excitement. We found options for each of our crew that met their desires and limitations. 

A nine-story—yes, you read that right—ropes course called the Legends of the Hidden Temple Ropes Course Challenge— lets those with no fear of heights play around while clipped into safety harnesses. Not for me, but our crew thought it was absolutely amazing!

There are plenty of multi-use lockers around the park so you can store your electronics and valuables without concern. 

The park is incredibly family friendly, clean, and feels new. Ride waits were quick and the variety provided great options for families of almost all ages. I would choose this park over Disney to introduce children ages 2-6 to theme parks. It is a third the price and you do not have to spend an hour with small children in a line. It enables families to determine if parks like Universal Studios, Disney, or Six Flags are worth the expense. 

An all-access pass gets you all the rides you want for a day, while other pass levels can add other attractions at American Dream like miniature golf, the ropes course, ice skating, the mirror maze, aquarium, Dream Wheel, and Legoland Discovery center. Additionally, one can choose single attractions to ride, like a state fair, instead of going on many. A quick drop-in here and there could be just the adrenaline fix one needs to make it through another day. 

A food court is just upstairs in the mall, and if some of the party tires of the attractions, they can enjoy shopping. This could be a particularly attractive option for dads who do not want to wait with a child while mom shops, or vice versa. 

Nickelodeon Universe at American dream is an excellent addition to the greater New Jersey/New York park scene. It really has rides for those from age two and up and can entertain the entire family for a fun day out.

To learn more about Nickelodeon Universe and book your own tickets, you can visit them online.

^{*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are our own*}