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KidZania

KidZania (/kɪdˈzeɪniə/)[1] is a Mexican privately held international chain of indoor family entertainment centers currently operating in 30[2] locations worldwide, allowing children to role play adult jobs and earn currency.[3][4] It receives at least 9 million visitors per year.[2]

KidZania
FormerlyLa Ciudad de los Niños (1999–2006)
Company typeFamily entertainment center
IndustryEntertainment venue
Founded1 September 1999; 25 years ago (1999-09-01)
FounderLuis Javier Laresgotti
Xavier López Ancona
Headquarters
Cuajimalpa, Mexico
Number of locations
30
Websitekidzania.com

Overview

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KidZania, Lisbon, 2014
 
Mock Court, KidZania Bangkok, 2015
 
Fireman Activities at KidZania, Noida

Every KidZania is themed as a child-sized replica of a real city, including buildings, shops and theaters, as well as vehicles and pedestrians moving along its streets. In this city, children aged 4 through 14, work in branded activities from bottling Coca-Cola, working in a Crest-sponsored dentist office, working at a McDonald's restaurant, painting with Corporação Industrial do Norte, washing hands with P&G's Safeguard soap, and using airline tickets from American Airlines, Fly Dubai and Saudia.[5]

The children earn kidZos (KidZania's currency) while performing the tasks, and the money is kept in the KidZania bank for children to spend at the gift shop and on KidZania's activities. Inside every KidZania facility around the world, children wear electronic bracelets that allow parents to keep track of their kids remotely.[6] The currency symbol for the kidZo is a capital letter Z with two horizontal strokes across the middle,[7] which resembles the Ukrainian hryvnia sign (₴) but with sharp corners.

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan owns a 26% share in KidZania India and helps promote the brand in India.

History

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KidZania was created and developed by the Mexican entrepreneur Xavier López Ancona, the current KidZania CEO.[8][9] The first KidZania opened in September 1999 in Santa Fe Shopping Mall in Mexico City, and was named La Ciudad de los Niños ("The City of the Children").[8] Corporate sponsors funded 55% of the initial investment.

Shortly after the first center's successful opening, Luis Javier Laresgotti and Xavier López Ancona became split on how to continue the business. In August 2001, it was announced that López would lead La Ciudad de los Niños and establish locations in California, Mexico, and Spain. Laresgotti and his partner company Grupo Mágico would establish locations in Miami and South America, paying La Ciudad de los Niños 0.25% of the locations' revenue for the next 5 years. López's plans to open a Monterrey, Mexico location were postponed as he tried to establish Kids City locations at a Los Angeles mall and at the Palisades Center, both of which fell through.

Laresgotti and Grupo Mágico were able to begin construction on a center at Sawgrass Mills under a different brand, Wannado City, which opened in 2004. In 2003, La Ciudad de los Niños filed a lawsuit against Wannado Entertainment for infringing their intellectual property, and rejected Grupo Mágico's attempts to settle the lawsuit. Shortly after Wannado City opened, Wannado paid a settlement to La Ciudad de los Niños to end the lawsuit, and was forbidden from opening Wannado City locations in Mexico.

In 2006, La Ciudad de los Niños rebranded as KidZania to better suit itself for international expansion, and opened its second location in Monterrey. The following year, KidZania hired entertainment strategist Andrew Darrow as executive vice president. Cammie Dunaway, previously of Yahoo! and Nintendo, joined in late 2010 as the chief marketing officer.[5]

KidZania at Westfield London, cost £20 million to build.[10] In partnership with British Airways, it was operated by Joel Cadbury and Ollie Vigors through their Longshot Ltd company.[10][11][12]

KidZania characters

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The mascots of KidZania are called the RightZKeepers. According to the site’s story: They represent the rights that all KidZania patrons have, and together, they share an extra sixth right, the Right to Be.[clarification needed] The following are the mascots that KidZania has adopted over time:

  • Urbano (Right to Know): A 9-year-old, green-haired kid who is ingenious, inquisitive, and adventurous. He is interested in conducting experiments and making inventions. (Appeared since 1999)
  • Vita (Right to Care): Urbano's younger sister, a kind and thoughtful blue-haired girl who loves all living things. (Appeared since 1999)
  • Bache (Right to Play): Urbano and Vita's blue pet Blue Hound dog. He loves to play, and will eat anything. His dream is to make sure every kid in the world is as happy as he is. (Appeared since 1999)
  • Beebop (Right to Create): Urbano's 10-year-old best friend. He is a huge fan of music and is very artistic. He has orange hair, and wears a yellow shirt and headphones. (Appeared since 2012)
  • Chika (Right to Share): The fashionista of KidZania, a sociable and cheerful pink-haired girl who wears fake cat ears. She gets her inspiration from her favorite anime and manga characters. (Appeared since 2012)
  • Bekha (Right to Be): An 11-year-old dark blue-haired girl who according to the story: shows the power to be self-determining, unique and free in harmony among humankind. This Right is grounded in the eternal idea of freedom: the power to act, speak and think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. (Appeared since 2017)

Locations

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Current locations

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KidZania Bangkok, with a Boeing 737 December 2017
  • KidZania Santa Fe, opened in September 1997 as La Ciudad de los Niños, rebranded KidZania La Ciudad de los Niños
  • KidZania Monterrey, opened in May 2006; includes a broadcasting experience co-branded with Multimedios Televisión, including live remotes with the network's programming
  • KidZania Tokyo, opened in October 2006 (franchise)
  • KidZania Jakarta, opened in November 2007 (franchise) at Pacific Place Jakarta – This is the first KidZania location in Indonesia.
  • KidZania Koshien, opened in March 2009 (franchise) – This is the second Kidzania location in Japan.
  • KidZania Lisbon, opened June 2009 (franchise)
  • KidZania Dubai, opened January 2010 (franchise)
  • KidZania Seoul, opened February 2010 (franchise)
  • KidZania Kuala Lumpur, opened February 2012 (franchise)
  • KidZania Santiago, opened May 2012 (franchise)
  • KidZania Cuicuilco in Mexico City, opened June 2012
  • KidZania Mumbai, opened April 2013 (franchise)
  • KidZania Kuwait, opened June 2013 (franchise, opened by the Alshaya Group)
  • KidZania Cairo, opened September 2013 (franchise)
  • KidZania Turkey, Istanbul, opened February 2014 (franchise)
  • KidZania Jeddah, opened January 2015 (franchise)
  • KidZania Moscow, opened 28 January 2016 (franchise, by Innova)
  • KidZania Busan, South Korea, opened in April 2016. This is the second KidZania location in South Korea.
  • KidZania Delhi NCR, in Noida India, opened in May 2016. This is the second Kidzania location in India. The first being in Mumbai.
  • KidZania Guadalajara, opened November 2018
  • KidZania Doha, Qatar, opened May 2019
  • KidZania Abu Dhabi, opened June 2019 at Yas Mall – This is the second KidZania location in the UAE.
  • KidZania Dallas, opened November 2019 Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, Texas (franchise, by Innova)
  • KidZania Surabaya, opened 12 December 2020 (franchise) – This is the second KidZania in Indonesia.
  • Kidzania Fukuoka, opened August 2022 (franchise)
  • KidZania Hanoi, opened October 2023 (franchise)
  • KidZania Singapore, opened April 2016 (franchise) – Closed June 2020.[13] Reopened on 2024[14]

Upcoming locations

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Per Kidzania Coming Soon List [15]

Former locations

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  • KidZania Manila,[16] opened August 2015 (franchise, by ABS-CBN Corporation) – closed August 31, 2020.[17]
  • KidZania Bangkok, opened March 2013 (franchise) – closed May 2021.
  • Kidzania Costa Rica, opened December 2018 (franchise) – closed July 2021.
  • KidZania Johannesburg, opened 2019 (franchise) – closed March 2020.
  • KidZania São Paulo, opened January 2015 (franchise) – closed May 2024.[18]
  • KidZania London, opened June 2015 (franchise) – closed January 24, 2024.[19]

Awards and recognition

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KidZania was voted the World's Top Family Entertainment Center by the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) and 2009 Global Leisure Operator of the Year.[20]

From 2011 to 2019, KidZania has been recognized as one of The Best Mexican Companies (Las Mejores Empresas Mexicanas), a recognition promoted by Banamex, Deloitte México and Tecnológico de Monterrey.[21]

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  • KidZania Mexico 
    KidZania Mexico
  • KidZania Mexico 
    KidZania Mexico
  • Kidzania Lisbon, August 2017 
    Kidzania Lisbon, August 2017
  • Kidzania Plaza, Cuicuilco, Mexico 
    Kidzania Plaza, Cuicuilco, Mexico
  • KidZania Fruit Orchard, KidZania Mumbai 
    KidZania Fruit Orchard, KidZania Mumbai
  • KidZania Hospital, KidZania Mumbai 
    KidZania Hospital, KidZania Mumbai

References

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  1. ^ "KidZania Global Overview". KidZania. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b "KidZania – Get Ready For a Better World®". kidzania.com. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Gender and class gaps start early in UK, KidZania data show". Financial Times. 2 April 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  4. ^ "KidZania and a New Generation of Entrepreneurs in Mexico". www.forbes.com. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  5. ^ a b Rubinstein, Dana (19 May 2011). "Playing Grown-Up at KidZania". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  6. ^ Nathaniel Parish Flannery, KidZania and a New Generation of Entrepreneurs in Mexico, Forbes, 18 July 2012
  7. ^ "What are KidZos? | About Us | KidZania London". KidZania. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  8. ^ a b Rebecca Mead, When I Grow Up: The theme-park chain where children pretend to be adults., The New Yorker, 19 January 2015
  9. ^ Jude Webber, Lunch with the FT: Xavier López Ancona, Financial Times, 1 August 2014
  10. ^ a b Jonathan Prynn, KidZania: New £20m ‘mini city’ inside Westfield mall will let children 'work' for treats, London Evening Standard, 16 July 2013
  11. ^ Stuart Jeffries, KidZania: the mini-city where children are in charge, The Guardian, 26 October 2014
  12. ^ Christopher Thompson, Longshot to back UK KidZania, Financial Times, 26 February 2012
  13. ^ "KidZania Singapore to shut down for good after four years in Sentosa". straitstimes.com. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Interactive indoor theme park KidZania to return to Singapore in 2024". CNA. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Kidzania Coming Soon". kidzania.com. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Kidzania Manila Homepage". Kidzania.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  17. ^ "After 5 years, KidZania Manila to cease operations". news.abs-cbn.com. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Official video announcing the closure of KidZania São Paulo in 2024". May 2024.
  19. ^ "KidZania London Closure 2024". KidZania. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Former Nintendo and Yahoo Executive Recruited to KidZania as U.S. President, Global Marketing Head". Prweb.com. 4 October 2010. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  21. ^ "Empresas Reconocidas – Las Mejores Empresas Mexicanas". Mejores Empresas Mexicanas. Retrieved 24 September 2024.[dead link]

See also

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