Have you ever dreamed of scoring a Golden Ticket or nibbling your way through Candyland? Candytopia transports guests to an imaginative confectionery wonderland with a one-of-a-kind full sensory experience. It welcomes people of all ages to explore their sweet tooth like never before. Candytopia was created by global candy artist Jackie Sorkin (star of TLC’s “Candy Queen”), events and production design expert Zac Hartog, and retail veteran John Goodman. Candytopia has drawn long lines and sold-out crowds during its limited run engagements in Santa Monica, New York and San Francisco. In 2019, it has opened in Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul at Mall of America, and Dallas. Additional cities to be announced soon.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.candytopia.com.
Candy was my first love. When I was in elementary school my cousins and I would spend our lunch money on 1 cent bubble gums and single banana now-and-laters. I vividly remember us rushing from the building to the neighborhood corner store and stuffing our pockets with candies that would inevitably be gone by the time we arrived home. Candy is quite nostalgic. It has a way of transporting me back to a simpler time. A time when the world didn’t request anything of me. A time when I could be.
So when I received word that Candytopia was coming to Houston, I leaped at the opportunity to learn more. I received an invite to attend the VIP opening night reception and literally had the time of my life!!
Read all about the things to know before you go to!
ABOUT | Location & Parking
Candytopia, the candy-coated experiential adventure that has delighted over 750,000 guests across the country. It’s currently open at The MARQ*E entertainment center (7620 Katy Fwy, Suite 360 Houston, TX 77024). It sits right next to RocketFizz and David & Buster’s. I suggest parking in front of David & Buster’s. It’s easier to get out of the lot following the experience.
THE EXPERIENCE
Candytopia transports guests to an imaginative confectionery wonderland with a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. The marshmallowy mini-theme park. The Houston debut features bits and pieces of our local culture like Jelly Bean murals of Beyonce and a giant jelly bean Astros cap! The most popular attractions are easily the confetti room and marshmallow pool!
Candytopia features more than one dozen rooms with larger-than-life interactive art installations and full sensory experiences. Guests are treated to candy samples throughout the entire experience including sours and gummies, chocolate treats, nostalgic favorites, and many sweet surprises.
THE APP
Download the Candytopia app. This will allow you to get all of your interactive and augmented reality photos sent to your email address. It just makes the experience easier to capture.
WHAT TO WEAR
Listen, I know we all want to be cute, but I highly suggest you wear pants and sneakers. The interactive attractions will at times have you falling over, sweating and moving fast. I made the mistake of wearing a dress and arrived home at the end of the night with confetti EVERYWHERE. It’s still some in my hair two days later! The Marshmallow pool is quite the experience as well. Those little platsic marshmallow were lodged between my thighs in the ball pit. So glad I went opening night lol..
This point is VERY IMPORTANT- do not wear loose jewelry in the marshmallow pit, and DO NOT let your phone go. During the VIP experience atleast three people lost there cell phone’s in this massive pit of marshmallows. Unfortunately you can’t get it back until the end of the night because the staff has to drain the pit.
PRO TIP: Wear a nice size over the shoulder bag to collect all the candy that you can.
CLOSING
The Candytopia staff are great. They really made our experience special. Given that I attended during a private opening, it wasn’t crowded and guests had time to really enjoy the various rooms. I doubt that will be the case for the general public. Go early, to get the full experience.
TICKET PRICES:
Adults: $28
Kids (4-12): $20
Children 3 and under: Free
To register for early ticket access, visit Candytopia.com or follow along on social media:
Instagram: @TheCandytopia
Facebook: http://facebook.com/thecandytopia
Twitter: @TheCandytopia
Snapchat: TheCandytopia
Official hashtag: #Candytopia
Are the status and pictures actually made of candy? If so, what stops kids from licking them?
Yes. All the statues and art are made with candy. We were given instructions not to lick any of the sculptures because they were all covered in lacquer. Kids will be kids though. Some little kid is going to lick something, it’s inevitable. Possibly why there is candy in every room. To distract them from licking stuff.
I’m taking my son but am currently recovering from a broken hip. Are there places to sit down while he does the activities?
Hello Ruth. The only places to sit are located in the Marshmallow adventure room and the final room of the event. Most rooms were interactive and didn’t offer much seating. I would suggest getting an escort from the staff to assist you. The staff is amazing. There are also alternate entry and exit points should you need to sit. Depending on how old your son is, you might consider walking him through, finding a seat, and allowing him to walk back through the adventure with a Candytopia team member.
I want to take my family but my younger daughter has celiac disease and can’t have anything with gluten. Is the candy gluten free or clearly marked?
There were no labels on the candy. Though some were in the original package that lists the ingredients. (I.e mike & ikes)