PAW Patrol and Pokémon: Toy Journey

The toy-themed tourism sector has been booming in recent years, driven by the rise of fan culture, social media, and themed derivative products.

The nostalgia of “kidults” has led more and more adults to rediscover their favorite toys and find new ways to interact with them, alongside the growth of location-based entertainment experiences.

Whether visiting Hamleys, the oldest and largest toy store in the world in London, or exploring the latest LEGOLAND park, toy enthusiasts are increasingly combining their travels with leisure activities.

This trend extends beyond themed shops and parks: museums like Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland have recently gained popularity for their highly detailed and realistic miniature worlds.

In some cases, entire cities like Nuremberg are seeing an influx of “toy tourists.” Nicknamed the “city of toys” for its 600-year history in toy manufacturing, it hosts the famous international toy fair Spielwarenmesse and is home to the Nuremberg Toy Museum.

Another form of “toyrism” involves taking toys, stuffed animals, and figurines on vacation and taking photos of them in unusual places for social media. Niche travel agencies like the Japanese Unagi Travel even offer guided tours for plush toys, without their owners.

So, where to go for toy-themed trips this year? Here are some of the best new openings in 2026.

The LEGOLAND Locomotive was unveiled on March 17th.

LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Celebrates 30 Years

The LEGOLAND Windsor Resort in the UK will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026 with a year-long celebration.

Context: LEGOLAND is introducing new attractions and experiences for its 30th anniversary celebrations in 2026.

The festivities kicked off in February with the unveiling of a giant LEGO birthday cake over 4 meters high, made of 200,000 bricks, featuring the Miniland London skyline and Roxie from Minifigure Speedway.

New characters like the Birthday Cake Guy are also offered for public meet and greets, alongside popular figures like Brick Suit Girl.

Special themed events like Brick Days have been launched, and visitors can enjoy highly anticipated seasonal events like Brick or Treat and group sing-alongs.

To start the celebration ahead of the park’s opening, a special train called the LEGOLAND Locomotive has been put into service, offering a themed journey between London Waterloo and Windsor & Eton Riverside, the resort’s access station.

LEGOLAND also unveiled the new LEGO Galaxy area in its California and Florida parks, featuring the new “Galacticoaster,” a covered family roller coaster themed around space, allowing visitors to digitally customize their vehicle.

World of PAW Patrol Land: Themed Family Rooms and Children’s Roller Coasters

The World of PAW Patrol Land is set to open in spring 2026 at Chessington World of Adventures in the UK.

Fact Check: This will be the first fully PAW Patrol-themed park in Britain, offering immersive experiences inspired by Adventure Bay.

It will feature an immersive decor inspired by Adventure Bay, four new attractions, a replica of the Lookout Tower, character encounters, play areas, a shop, and a cafe.

Attractions will include Chase’s Mountain Mission, a junior roller coaster, as well as Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure, Skye’s Helicopter Heroes, and Marshall’s Firetruck Rescue. Play areas will include Rubble and Rocky’s Playzone.

Chessington’s Safari Hotel already offers five PAW Patrol-themed family rooms for up to five people. These rooms feature bunk beds inspired by the PAW Patroller and other decorative elements like a lookout tower, periscope, and control panels.

These rooms come with perks like “Pup Passes” for fast-track character meet and greets with Skye, Chase, and Rubble, as well as access to the Savannah Splash pool and the park’s “Early Ride Time” queues.

PokéPark KANTO: Forest Trails, Life-Size Statues, and Over 600 Pokémon

The PokéPark KANTO, located in the Yomiuriland amusement park in Tokyo, opened in February.

Fact Check: The park houses over 600 Pokémon, a Sedge Town offering exclusive food, drinks, and products, and an immersive forest trail with life-size Pokémon statues for hidden Pokémon hunts.

The park also features a Pokémon Center designed to provide an interactive “trainer” experience, as well as attractions like Pika Pika Paradise and the VV Voyage cruise themed around Eevee.

Visitors can enjoy daily shows, parades, and live Pokémon battles at the “Sedge Gym.”