Build-A-Bear Opening Three-Story Workshop at ICON Park
Build-A-Bear is opening its biggest Workshop ever at ICON Park in Orlando, a three-story destination scheduled to open in November with experiences you won’t find at any other Build-A-Bear location.
What Is Build-A-Bear Opening at ICON Park?
Build-A-Bear is opening a three-story Workshop at ICON Park that the company calls its largest and most immersive location yet. Along with the classic make-your-own experience, the new Workshop introduces exclusive concepts like an appointment-only Design Studio, an interactive Bakeshop, and a “Personalize Me” customization station. Build-A-Bear CEO Chris Hurt described it as the brand’s “most ambitious experience yet.”
When Will the New Workshop Open?
The Workshop is scheduled to open in November, but an exact date has not been announced. Build-A-Bear says additional features and grand opening details will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Image: Build-A-Bear Workshop
What’s on Each Floor?
Each of the three floors offers a different experience, from classic bear-making on the first floor to a rooftop terrace on the third.
- First floor: Guests choose a furry friend, take part in Build-A-Bear’s signature Heart Ceremony, and customize their creation at the “Personalize Me” station, which offers embroidered names and initials, patches, and screen-printed outfits. This floor also features a Scent Bar, where guests can add scents to their bear.
- Second floor: Home to the new Build-A-Bear Design Studio.
- Third floor: The Bakeshop, live entertainment, celebration spaces, and an open-air terrace.
What Is the Build-A-Bear Design Studio?
The Design Studio is a first-of-its-kind, appointment-only experience where guests work one-on-one with a Design Consultant to create a custom furry friend. Guests choose from premium fabrics and materials available only at this location, selecting everything from fur type and color to eye color and paw design. Interactive digital tools let guests preview their design before a Build-A-Bear seamstress creates it in person. The experience ends with a reveal, the Heart Ceremony, and exclusive keepsakes.
What Can Guests Do at the Bakeshop?
At the Bakeshop, guests frost and decorate their own cupcakes and cookies. Rather than a traditional café, it’s a hands-on dessert experience designed for birthdays, outings with friends, or a quick treat during a visit.
Who Designed the New Workshop?
The Workshop was designed by Chute Gerdeman, the firm behind the FAO Schwarz flagship store in New York. Build-A-Bear already operates a shop-in-shop inside that FAO Schwarz location.
What This Means
Build-A-Bear’s new Workshop adds another major family attraction to ICON Park and International Drive, one of Orlando’s busiest entertainment corridors. With more features still to be announced before the November opening, it’s shaping up to be a destination for both visitors and Central Florida families.
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