family entertainment

Orlando, Wednesday, 19 November 2025.
Announced last Tuesday, Universal Destinations revealed full operational and creative plans for Universal Kids Resort, a purpose-built, IP-driven family resort aimed at converting single-day park visits into multi-day stays while lifting per-capita spend through tightly themed retail and F&B assortments. The resort integrates seven franchise-driven lands and a family-focused hotel with rooms for up to six, sensory respite zones, and curated guest flows designed for young children—an operational blueprint that shifts merchandising from ancillary to central revenue driver. For retail teams this signals expanded licensed assortments, higher-margin experiential merchandise, and new in-resort distribution opportunities linked to park promotions and CityWalk channels. Key considerations include inventory segmentation for age-targeted SKUs, dynamic yield and channel strategies to manage spillover demand, and staffing models for peak family throughput. Retail leaders should expect intensified IP-hospitality vertical integration, fresh licensing windows, and pressure to align assortment, pricing, and omnichannel fulfilment with multi-day stay patterns.

Athol, Idaho, Thursday, 13 November 2025.
Last Wednesday Herschend Family Entertainment signed an exclusive term sheet to acquire Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho, transferring the PNW’s largest regional park—over 70 rides and a 400‑acre site drawing ~500,000 annual visitors and a 191‑ft Aftershock coaster from the Norton family to a family‑held operator. For retail and ops leaders, the deal crystallizes mid‑tier consolidation and signals likely shifts: targeted capital expenditure to refresh aging assets, adoption of Herschend’s revenue‑management and seasonality strategies, standardized merchandising and F&B playbooks aimed at raising per‑cap spend, and renewed focus on lodging as an ancillary revenue stream. Expect scrutiny on workforce models in a rural labour market, municipal infrastructure capacity during peak attendance, and potential brand integration that preserves local identity while scaling back‑office efficiencies. This acquisition offers risk and upside for regional suppliers, retailers on site, and civic partners—planning will shape procurement, pricing, and labour strategies for the next operating season.