The Smurfs are coming to China with the opening of a theme park dedicated entirely to the iconic fictional colony of little, blue, human-like creatures who reside in mushroom-shaped houses.

Chinese developer Shimao Property Holdings Limited and Belgian company IMPS have announced China’s first Smurfs Theme Park will open this autumn.

The family-oriented Smurfs Theme Park is located in Shanghai’s Dream City. The park comprises of 20 different themed experiences , including the Smurfs Berry Coaster to the augmented reality Gargamel Experience and Smurf Golf.

The park is a collaboration between IMPS, which owns the rights to the Smurf brand, and Shimao Property Holdings.

The companies appointed KCC Entertainment Design, to ensure the much-loved personality of the Smurf brand is evident at the new park.

KKC’s CEO, Yannick Maes, described what visitors can expect at the Smurfs Theme Park and how they want guests to feel when visiting the new site.

“The Smurfs Theme Park consists out of an indoor and an outdoor zone of each approximately 10.000sqm and has four different themed areas: ‘The Forest’, ‘Smurfs village’, ‘Gargamel’s house’ and the ‘The Outdoors’.

“We want the visitor to be completely emerged into the life of the Smurfs and get the feeling they are part of the Smurfs family.

“By adapting the light and by using projections we will mimic different times of the day and different weather conditions.

“This will greatly enhance the visitor’s experience in the world of the Smurfs. We also included seasonal events and festivities which will give the park a temporary make-over. A Smurfy Halloween, Chinese Smurf Year or The Smurfs Berry Festival will bring not-to-be-missed experiences to the visitors,” Maes added.

The iconic Smurf brand is an ambassador for the United Nations an UNICEF’s 17 sustainable goals, which are subtly integrated into the Smurfs Theme Park.

As Yannick Maes notes:

“We have integrated these 17 sustainable goals throughout the park in a non-intrusive and playful way on interactive screens and in park wide quests.

“This way, both children and their parents learn about these goals and are invited to become a member of Team Smurfs! We are especially proud to have contributed, although small, at putting this magnificent cause in the picture!”

The Smurfs Theme Park in Shanghai is due to open September 2019.