A Day in the Park with Barney was a stage show attraction at Universal Studios Florida, located in Universal Orlando Resort. This attraction was created in response to the success of two previous Barney appearances at the park. It opened on July 11, 1995, on the former site of The Bates Motel Set used in Psycho IV: The Beginning. It is based on the children's television show, Barney & Friends. The attraction faced temporary closure in August of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic before finally closing permanently on January 1, 2021. It was replaced by DreamWorks Destination.
Contents[]
- 1 Plot
- 1.1 Pre-Show
- 1.2 Main Show
- 1.3 Post-Show
- 2 History
- 3 Exterior
- 3.1 Queue
- 4 Characters
- 5 Songs
- 5.1 Pre-show
- 5.1.1 Main Show
- 5.1.2 Christmas Show (1995)
- 5.1.3 Christmas Show (1996-2019)
- 5.1 Pre-show
- 6 Gallery
- 7 Adaptation
- 7.1 Book
- 8 Trivia
- 9 Videos
- 9.1 Commercials / Promos
- 10 References
- 11 External Links
Plot[]
Pre-Show[]
The show starts with either Patricia Aloysius Bartholomew or Patrick Aloysius Bartholomew (Mr. and Mrs. Peekaboo, for short) and his/her parrot, Bartholomew, your pre-show hosts. Peekaboo is a very close friend to Barney, Baby Bop and BJ. An elderly person, but soon proves to the audience that (s)he's only older in age since Peekaboo's spirit is much like that of a child. Peekaboo is a consistently forgetful character, but once (s)he is reminded what to do, Peekaboo takes pride in reuniting the children with Barney. A song and dance routine comes with a few comedy gags in between. Trying to find the door to Barney's Park, Peekaboo fails to realize that you have to use your imagination. Peekaboo soon remembers and tells the audience to close their eyes and use their imagination. The artificial waterfall that blocks the door (decorated to look like a cave) stops dripping, which shows it worked. Peekaboo tells everyone that (s)he will meet them inside.
Main Show[]
Inside is an air-conditioned theatre modeled after a park. In the center, there's an elevated, circular stage in the center where Barney, Baby-Bop and B.J. perform with three ramps equally positioned on each side. Peekaboo greets the audience and tells them to use their imagination to make Barney appear. Peekaboo starts the show by asking everyone to chant "Barney". The lights dim and soft music plays as stars appear in the darkness. Barney appears via a trap door/elevator in the middle of the stage. Barney jumps in the air as the lights come up and confetti cannons explode with glitter, an effect added to look like the animated stars that appear onscreen during Barney's transformation on the television show.
Barney sings two songs before Baby Bop and B.J. make their appearances. Afterwards, Barney introduces Baby Bop, which she appears just then. Soon after that, B.J. announces his arrival with a distinctive whistle. They sing songs and wrap the show the way they do on the children's television "Barney and Friends" with the song "I Love You". Baby Bop and B.J. make their exits on one of the ramps. Barney wraps up the show by saying "And remember, I love you" and gives a kiss goodbye as steamers shoot from confetti cannons behind the hills. Mr./Mrs. Peekaboo then escort the audience to Barney's Backyard, where everyone soon exits.
Post-Show[]
After the show, guests exit out into Barney's Backyard, an indoor activity center for small children, where they can also get their picture taken, if but briefly, with Barney himself. Occasionally, Barney and his friends appear here if you enter the Backyard when the park opens (before the first show).
History[]
In 1993, Universal Studios Florida hosted the Barney Street Celebration. The massive success of the event led The Lyons Group and Universal to discuss plans for a permanent Barney attraction in the theme park. This would benefit both companies, as Universal wanted a new attraction for young children, while Lyons wanted a place where children could see Barney, BJ, and Baby Bop everyday. Construction began in late 1994 and the attraction opened on July 10th, 1995 to critical acclaim. Since then, A Day in the Park became one of Universal's oldest surviving attractions, staying there for twenty five years. In 1995, a Christmas version of the show entitled "A Holiday in the Park with Barney" was first performed. Since then, the Christmas show was revised because as of 1996, People would let the Farm open on the stage in December during "A Holiday in the Park with Barney". During December up to early January, this version of the show played in place of the standard "A Day in the Park" show.
Exterior[]
Outside of the attraction stands a very large sign that reads A Day in the Park with Barney. The back of the sign reads" Thanks for Coming to Play!" A bronze Barney statue stands on one foot inside of a fountain. A building next to the Barney fountain is an entrance for Barney's Backyard, for those who don't want to see the show or have made it too late to watch a performance. Right next door to the attraction is The Barney Shop, a spot for buying various and mostly exclusive Barney items for fans of all ages.
Queue[]
The guests empty from the lines into a covered pre-show area with an odd-looking house facade, covered in pipes, knobs and doors, belonging to the Peekaboos.
Characters[]
- Barney
- Baby Bop
- BJ
- Mr. Peekaboo
- Mrs. Peekaboo
- Bartholomew the Parrot
Songs[]
Pre-show[]
- Mr. Peekaboo
Main Show[]
- Barney Theme Song
- If You're Happy and You Know It
- Imagine a Place
- Mr. Knickerbocker
- Down on Grandpa's Farm
- If All the Raindrops
- I Love You
Christmas Show (1995)[]
- Barney Theme Song
- Jingle Bells
- Medley: Holidays Around the World, O Tannenbaum, The Dreidel Song, Feliz Navidad
- Up on the Housetop
- Frosty the Snowman
- Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
- I Love You
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Christmas Show (1996-2019)[]
- Barney Theme Song
- Jingle Bells
- Frosty the Snowman
- Mr. Knickerbocker
- Down on Grandpa's Farm
- Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
- I Love You
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas