Simpsons Theme Park

Forget Springfield. The Simpsons are making a new home in Orlando, Florida. That’s right. Homer, Marge and the kids are getting their own mini-theme park inside Universal Orlando Resort this summer, according to the New York Daily News.

The new area within Universal Studios will include the pre-existing Simpsons Ride as its centerpiece in addition to a new outdoor, “intergalactic” spinning ride called Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ’n’ Hurl, Universal Orlando said in a press release.

There will also be plenty of hometown eats in the park’s “Fast Food Boulevard.” That includes Krusty Burger, Frying Dutchman, Luigi’s Pizza and Lard Lad. Visitors can also throw back a few pints of Duff Beer – brewed exclusively for Universal Orlando – at Homer’s favorite watering hole: Moe’s Tavern.

While billed as an entirely new theme park, the Simpsons-themed attractions are more of an expansion on the existing Simpsons franchise at Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood since 2007, Mashable points out. The Simpsons Ride was launched at both locations in 2008.

This isn’t the first time Universal Orlando Resort has based thematic events and rides around film and TV institutions, Variety noted. ‘The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ made its debut at Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando in 2010, and has since garnered much success with its replica of J. K Rowling’s imagined world. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Universal has profited nicely from visitors’ spending habits at the boy wizard’s world, which includes a collection of shops and eateries found in the Harry Potters books and movies.