Opening on March 1st at The Land of Legends in Turkey is Nickelodeon Land, a perfect accompaniment to the Nickelodeon hotel which opened on the same day at this immersive Turkish theme park.
Featuring two individual lands Nickelodeon Land is made up of Bikini Bottom, an indoor-themed area packed full of rides associated with Spongebob Squarepants and Paw Patrol, an outdoor area full of kids’ rides focused around the children’s animation with the final piece of the puzzle being the Star Trek Wild Galaxy ride just tucked up the corner.
If you want to check out our video tour of the new land then you can do so via our spin-off attractions and theme park page Lift Hills and Thrills:
With the Paw Patrol rides being for very little kids indeed my 33-year-old self probably couldn’t fit on a single one of them that was open (they were in technical rehearsals after all) so for this review, we’ll be focusing on Bikini Bottom only.
Let’s dive into each attraction within the area as I give my thoughts on each experience because whilst the IP may be children-themed, these are rides that can be enjoyed by all!
Jellyfish Jam
Are you ready for some dizzying fun? Swing, spin and get lost in a world of colours in the arms of the giant jellyfish, Jellyfish Jam!”
Jellyfish Jam was certainly a fun one, it’s wonderfully themed and even the ride operator’s booth is themed in a way that I haven’t seen at many theme parks before. It’s completely inclusive of the surrounding theming and adds to the immersion of the experience.
This waveswinger still ride is surprisingly quick for a kid’s ride and is certainly a ride for young and big kids alike.
SpongeBob’s Crazy Carnival Ride
When Mr. Krabs invites guests to try their luck at his collection of zany ride-through carnival midway games, his arch-rival Plankton hatches an all-new evil plan to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula once and for all.
The first ride of this kind was built in Las Vegas in Circus, Circus but making its debut for the first time outside of the United States here it is in Turkey full of vibrant sets, special effects and animatronics.
Whilst I loved the quirkiness of the ride I thought the handheld devices you use to interact with the screens to rack up your score were rather inaccurate.
There were some early teething issues there with the technology as a tech guy was going around on the ride so please keep this in mind that I was seeing the rides in their final stages of testing and this issue could very well be resolved by now.
Plankton’s Plunge
They certainly went above and beyond with this one as it’s my favourite-looking ride within Bikini Bottom and it looks even better than the concept art the park posted for the ride.
Strap yourselves in and enjoy a bouncing tower ride. For the gentleman out there a word of warning, you will feel it in your little Plankton’s, if you get what I mean.
You have been warned!
Snailways Express
A lovely little ride similar to one at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, a family fun ride where you hop onboard a wacky bus trip that rotates up and over and over again!
The Flying Dutchman Ghost Ship
“You must be part of this ship’s fearless crew! With your family, embark on an exciting adventure on the stormy waters of The Flying Dutchman’s Ghost Ship.
Brave deckhands hold on tight as the ghostly pirate captain’s ship swings forward and back along rolling sea currents!”
I was surprised but just how much airtime you had on the ship (sit at the far end seats of any pirate ship ride if you’re feeling brave) and the smoke effects around the ride certainly added to that ghostly atmosphere.
Fiery Fist of Fury
Manufactured by Zamperla these rides are as fun to watch off-ride as they are to ride it!
You get some great views of the park and can soak up the atmosphere from a higher vantage and I’d go as far as saying this may be the most forceful ride within this space.
It’s a ride that will thrill children and adults alike!
Nickelodeon Land at The Land of Legends – Extras
Sadly Sally’s Rocket Ride was still being worked on when we visited, this ride takes guests on a little blimp tour around the land and enters a few little indoor dark ride spaces but it’s not just about the rides within Bikini Bottom, they have some extras too!
Above you’ll see a photo of Squidward and SpongeBob’s house where you can have a cool photo-op but it’s also a character meet and greet space where you can meet them at specific times and have a photo with them!
We also have the Barg’n Mart which contains all sorts of SpongeBob-themed merchandise for you to browse. There are plenty of plush toys, mugs, t-shirts and lots more to pick-up. I was really impressed with the merchandise store and there is also another merchandise store inside the main Land of Legends Castle that has a special portal entrance into the Bikini Bottom space.
What’s fun without snacks? You can find Bikini Bottom’s colourful ice creams, delicious snacks and ice-cold drinks at Goofy Goober’s and add flavour to your trip.
Sadly, Goofy Goobers wasn’t open during our visit but I’m sure it’ll be a popular space and whilst we’re on the subject of food and snacks I do feel as though they’re missing a trick not having a burger venue selling Krabby Patty’s.
Yes, I’m aware the show creator said he didn’t want to market fast food to kids but many restaurant chains have had their own licensed Krabby Patty promotions including Wendy’s Krabby Patty and our most recent Krabby Patty at Wingmans in London.
They’re certainly missing a trick with that one but overall Nickelodeon Land is a great addition to The Land of Legends, an indoor space is great for the cooler evenings and roasting temperatures where people just want to seek shelter, it’s beautifully themed, immersive and great for all the family!
