Entertainment

Cartoon Network is opening its first hotel

By TRACY BROWN

A rendering of the Cartoon Network Hotel. (Cartoon Network)

Cartoon Network wants its next crossover to be with your family vacation.

The animation network announced on Tuesday that it is partnering with Palace Entertainment to create the Cartoon Network Hotel, which will immerse guests in the worlds of fan-favorite shows including “Adventure Time,” “The Powerpuff Girls,” “Ben 10” and more.


“With just the right mix of technology, design and animation, we’re aiming to bring our characters to life in a way that we haven’t seen done before,” said Cartoon Network-Adult Swim-Boomerang President Christina Miller in the announcement. “We can’t wait to be part of many family vacations with the ultimate Cartoon Network experience.”

The Cartoon Network Hotel, which is scheduled to open in 2019, is located in central Pennsylvania near Palace Entertainment’s Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park. Cartoon Network already has a cruise ship and a waterpark in Thailand, but this marks its first foray into location-based entertainment in the U.S., and it’s Palace’s first time partnering with a brand like Cartoon Network for any lodging space.

“With sleek contemporary designs that parents will appreciate and Easter egg type surprises for kids throughout the resort, the entire family will love this place,” said Rolf Paegert, Palace Entertainment’s chief operating officer, in the announcement. “We are thrilled to be part of bringing the Cartoon Network experience to Lancaster, evolving the family hospitality and accommodations industry within the region.”

“We’re excited about this,” Erik Resnick, Cartoon Network’s vice president of business development and strategy, told The Times in a phone call. “Any way we can get to our fans in real time and have them experience our brand not just on linear, we’re 100% for it. We think this is a great way to start.”

Resnick, the lead on the project, explained that while current shows such as “Steven Universe” and “Summer Camp Island” will definitely be represented, parents can expect to see some nods to Cartoon Network shows from their generation.

The nine-acre destination will include outdoor attractions such as a pool, an amphitheater, lawn games and fire pits, as well as an indoor play area, an arcade, a restaurant, the Cartoon Network Hotel shop and more. In addition to these themed areas, each guest room will have interchangeable themes that can be customized based on visitors’ favorite shows.

“Seeing the design come through and what the creatives have done on this thing is unbelievable,” said Resnick. “Even when you walk in, the front and the imagery, right away you’re like, ‘Oh, this is different, this is Cartoon Network.’”