Nickelodeon Universe at American Dream
Nickelodeon Universe is a fully indoor theme park located in the American Dream complex in East Rutherford, NJ. Located next to New York City, this park has the potential to be a great stay-cation destination for theme park lovers in the Tri-State area and beyond.
Nickelodeon Universe Entrance Sign
Location
Getting to Nickelodeon Universe is fairly simple. The complex is located just off I-95, right next to MetLife Stadium, where the New York Giants and Jets play. When we visited, the complex was not charging for parking, though that may change as the complex opens more attractions. Once we parked and entered the mall proper, numerous signs were pointing us towards Nickelodeon Universe.
Tickets
When we visited in late January, All-Access tickets were $60, and General Admission tickets were $45. GA ticket-holders were not allowed to ride most of the roller coasters and a couple of larger rides. This setup was great for my family since my oldest son Ronan loves roller coasters and thrill rides, and my second-born, Colton, does not.
Rides and Attractions
Nickelodeon Universe has 22 rides and attractions, ranging from mild kiddie rides to one of the most intense roller coasters on the planet. Here are some highlights:
TMNT Shellraiser
TMNT Shellraiser Entrance Sign
TMNT Shellraiser currently holds the title of the steepest roller coaster in the world, with a drop angled at 121.5 degrees! In my opinion, it was the best coaster at Nickelodeon Universe, but it was not a runaway. The layout includes lots of elements: a launch into a banana roll, multiple twisting inversions, a 90-degree lift hill, a stall at the top overlooking Manhattan, and the aforementioned drop. This ride also interacts with the Shredder spinning roller coaster. If you’re looking for extreme thrills, this is the ride to hit up! Lines were also fairly minimal on the day of my visit.
Shredder
Two intertwined Gerstlauer gems: TMNT Shellraiser (green) and Shredder (purple)
Shredder is a spinning Gerstlauer coaster and was loads of family fun! With an extremely long track length and multiple near-miss interactions with TMNT Shellraiser, Shredder was the biggest positive surprise of our day. The ride was butter smooth with many unique track elements to really increase the spin factor. If your stomach can handle it, this ride is not one to overlook.
Nickelodeon Skyline Scream
Skyline Scream provides a great view of Manhattan and MetLife Stadium, then plunges you back to reality
S&S Towers are a dime a dozen, seen at most regional and even some destination park (I’m looking at you, Dr. Doom’s Fearfall). This one adds a new wrinkle to the mix: after being launched to the top of the tower, the carriage rotates and riders are treated to a 360-degree view of the surrounding areas. All of Manhattan, portions of Brooklyn, and the scenic skyline of New Jersey are all laid out to see before everyone is plunged back down to the ground. The ride does incorporate some bounces on the way down to provide some airtime, but the real treat is at the top.
Legends of the Hidden Temple Challenge
A seven-story ropes course theme to the Legends of the Hidden Temple TV Show
I’m an 80’s baby, so Legends of the Hidden Temple was one of my favorite TV shows growing up. Legends of the Hidden Temple Challenge is a seven-story ropes course that delivers on the highlights of that infamous 90’s Nickelodeon game show. Once harnessed, the choices were ours and ours alone…
except for the day we went. The attraction was late in opening, and then the top two stories were closed off due to multiple workers calling out that day. Aside from that hiccup, this was an exciting and thrilling ropes course, which made me feel like I was really on the show!
Other Attractions
There are other non-remarkable but fun rides in Nickelodeon Universe. Timmy’s Half-Pipe Havoc and Kraang Prime Pandemonium provide All-Access thrill-seekers with excitement. Family rides like the Nickelodeon Slime Streak roller coaster, Spongebob’s Jellyfish Jam, and Rugrats Reptar Go-Round allow young and old alike to share experiences. Pint-sized guests can enjoy the Paw Patrol Adventure Bay play area along with numerous kiddie rides all themed to various Nickelodeon properties. There is quite a bit for everyone to do at Nickelodeon Universe.
Nickelodeon Slime Streak and overview of Nickelodeon Universe
Park Extras
Nickelodeon Universe has a strange dichotomy as far as the atmosphere goes. While each individual ride has a theme, it rarely goes beyond fancy ride vehicles and an awesome ride sign in front of the attraction. Little touches like an Olmec statue in front of Legends of the Hidden Temple Challenge and a large Nickelodeon blimp hanging over a “pool of slime” play structure help set the mood, but I couldn’t get over how much portions of the park looked like an empty warehouse. Nickelodeon Universe has a space issue, and not one you might think. There were certain areas I feel like rides were crammed into, while other areas look like room was saved for future expansion. At the end of the day, the park has a finite amount of room and won’t be able to go beyond the current footprint it has set for itself. I don’t expect to see any major expansions any time soon.
Nickelodeon is known for having colorful characters, and you get the opportunity to meet a few of them at Nickelodeon Universe. During our visit, we met Blue from Blue’s Clues as well as Spongebob and Sandy. These characters are often located by their rides but occasionally would roam or pop up in random spots. None of the characters spoke, but everyone we met acted their part very well!
If you’re looking for a bathroom or a locker, you can find those in abundance at Nickelodeon Universe. Lockers are placed outside most of the major rides, and loose article bins are on any ride platform you would expect to find them. Food and drinks can be found on a couple of concession carts throughout the park, as well as a “grab-and-go” deli stand in the center of the park.
The biggest “miss” of the park was their merchandise, of which there was none. A storefront is located below Slime Streak with a “Coming Soon” mural painted on it. There is also a small pop-up set up as you exit the park. The pop-up shop had very generic Nickelodeon merchandise with absolutely nothing specific to the park. I have gotten a shot glass from EVERY park I have visited except for Nickelodeon Universe. Hopefully, this situation is fixed once the official store opens but temper your merch expectations for the time being.
Final Thoughts
I have a lot of positive thoughts about Nickelodeon Universe. All of the rides we experienced were fun and enjoyable, with a handful of standout attractions. Each ride had a unique bit of “charm” that elevated it beyond a typical amusement park attraction. There was a wide variety of rides, providing the entire family a reason to visit. Some folks might see this as an all-day park and choose to re-ride their favorites over and over, but I could see where folks might be ready to leave after a couple of hours. If you are coming strictly for the thrill rides or for destination-like theme park experience, you may feel a bit underwhelmed. If you’re looking for a day to spend with the family where you share memories of Nickelodeon shows past and present while riding fun rides in a climate-controlled theme park, Nickelodeon Universe might just be the best place to go.
