Theme-park employees wear Smurf costumes. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Visitors must navigate a forest maze to arrive at the Smurfs Village. It seems as if they've been magically shrunken to become Smurfs－they can check out their new identities at the Smurf Mirror, a digital-interaction screen that merges people's faces with those of such popular Smurf characters as Papa Smurf and Smurfette, who's the group's only female.
The village is where children meet their favorite Smurfs, explore and play in the mushroom houses and go on rides, the most popular of which is the Baker's Jam, a small, self-spinning rollercoaster that mimics the process of how Smurfs make their favorite berry jam.
The villainous Gargamel's House is a thriller. In the cartoon, the evil wizard Gargamel is the Smurfs' arch nemesis and has a cat called Azrael.
Here, visitors can go through Gargamel's house, which is a ghost house full of different sounds, lights and motion effects, to rescue the captured Smurfs.
Belgium-based KCC Entertainment Design is behind the Shanghai park's concept and schematic design.
CEO Yannick Maes says in a news release: "Our team immersed completely into the world and DNA of the Smurfs and analyzed the site … and an incredible Smurfy story was developed, which fits the building and budget perfectly."
Dream City general manager Lou Xuan says the indoor design creates an immersive experience and is ideal for parents with children during Shanghai's muggy summertime.
