By Sarah Fertsch
Staff Writer
After years of development and construction, the $6 billion American Dream mall is finally open.
The 3 million-square-foot attraction, located in East Rutherford at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, boasts scores of attractions, stores, restaurants and even a water park. The mall is located minutes from Manhattan, so this North Jersey destination is perfect for “on-the-way” stops between the Big Apple and South Jersey. My family and I decided to check it out spot last week, and our experience was incredible.
The mall is centered around two main attractions: DreamWorks Water Park and Nickelodeon Universe Amusement Park. These indoor parks are massive, spanning thousands of square feet each.
Nickelodeon Universe includes 26 rides and three roller coasters. Riders can scream on the Nickelodeon Slime Streak (the main coaster), fly through the air on Aang’s Air Gliders, ride high on Dora’s Sky Railway, and enjoy a classic twist on Rugrats Reptar-Go-Round. Kiddie rides like Pup Pup & Away, Guppy Bubbler, and Boots’ Banana Swing bring smiles to tots’ faces.
Across the way, guests can strip down into their swimsuits and splash around at the DreamWorks Water Park, the largest indoor water park in North America.
Everything is themed toward popular DreamWorks film franchises like Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. Despite the children’s theming, adults can enjoy intense slides like Thrillagascar (a steep freefall from 14 stories up), Shrek’s Sinkhole Slammer (a tube slide with a funnel that sends riders nearly upside down), and Toothless’s Trickling Tornado, billed as the world’s longest hydromagnetic water coaster. Less adventurous adults can relax in one of three large hot tubs, or on the circling lazy river. People of all ages can enjoy a variety of slides and the heated wave pool.
The American Dream mall is so large that brands have a wealth of spaces to choose from when it comes to retail. As a shopper, I was surprised at how many store spots are unused. Despite this, there are numerous stores to explore including Bath and Body Works, PacSun, Banana Republic, Hot Topic, Ulta Beauty, Aritzia, Urban Planet, Lululemon and Zara. Designer Brands like Gucci, Tiffany’s, Hermes Paris, Louis Vuitton, Armani Exchange and Swarovski are perfect for shoppers looking for more luxurious items. I enjoyed Altar’d State, which has similar styles to Anthropologie, but has better sales and more inclusive sizes.
When you get hungry, there’s lots of food available between the various counter service and table service restaurants. Bite into a cinnamon roll at Cinnabon, lick a cone at Haagen Dazs, slurp some bubble tea at Panda Bubble Tea, buy an eclair from Rosetta Bakery or grab an iced coffee from Dunkin.
If you are looking for something more filling, check out Carpaccio, the Italian family-style sit-down restaurant. The Yard House has views of the ski slope (more on that below) and delicious brews. House of ‘Que boasts lip-licking barbeque, and 1st RND features burgers, fries and other savory sandwiches. For massive jellybean sculptures, including the Statue of Liberty, check out It’s Sugar, across from Nickelodeon Universe.
When you get tired of shopping, it’s time to try some of the smaller attractions at the American Dream.
Sea Life is an aquarium that spotlights sharks, stingrays, jellyfish and moray eels. Tropical fish are abundant, too. Curious kids (and adults) can touch starfish, rays and horseshoe crabs.
Skiers and snowboarders will love Big Snow, North America’s only indoor slope with real, year-round snow. They have children’s programs and a ski lift. You can rent equipment, even coats and boots.
The 300-foot-tall Dream Wheel offers climate-controlled gondolas, and a 30-minute experience that provides epic views of Manhattan.
And there’s more.
You can putt with family on the Angry Birds Mini Golf course, and watch out for those rambunctious green piggies. Pretend you’re Alex Honnold from Free Solo at Climbzone, the indoor rock-climbing center. As the names imply, the Rink is an indoor ice rink in the middle of the mall, and the Mirror Maze is, well, a mirror maze. The Escape Game puts a fun twist on a traditional escape room, and the Skip Barber Karting Academy provides high-speed racing to families via go-karts.
The Legoland Discovery Center brings creativity and adventure for kids between the ages of 3 and 10. Children will love the Lego playsets, an interactive ride, 4-D cinema, and awesome Lego Movie characters. Your jaw will drop when you witness Miniland, a scale model of New York City, built with 1.5 million Lego bricks. Tilt, a Tracey Lee Stum museum, centers around optical illusions and photo opportunities with urban art. Gem Mining provides a realistic mining experience to children, where they can “pan for gold” and other treasures.
There’s so much to do at the American Dream Mall, and it can feel pretty overwhelming. I recommend entering the structure with a game plan or list of priorities and scheduling your day accordingly. Pack a swimsuit because if you decide to do the water park, you don’t want to do what I did and overspend on a bathing suit, and then cringe at how it doesn’t fit quite right.
The mall is only two hours from Atlantic County, so it makes for a great day trip. The building is beautifully decorated with modern seating and lighting, and each area of the mall is themed differently. Take plenty of pictures because you’ll want to remember this trip. See Americandream.com for details.
If you have had a great experience at the mall and want to share it, email us at shorelocalnews@gmail.com or tag us @shorelocalnews.
