Why pay for theme parks when there are hotels with entertainment for families? This summer of budget-watching is the ideal time to discover unique family resorts and hotels with movie and TV show theming.
Thanks to VisitAnaheim.com for their recent survey that confirmed what you already know. Kids rule most households!
VisitAnaheim found that 82% of parents think the best family trips are vacations their child helps plan. Since four in five parents surveyed say they draw travel inspiration from their child’s imagination, planning a getaway around entertainment themes makes dollars and sense.
Anaheim, A Themed Town More than a Resort
Like Las Vegas, one of our favorite themed towns, Anaheim knows its family entertainment audience and caters to them very well. The VisitAnaheim team acted on their survey results and developed the Imaginagency. It’s an online travel agency run by kids, for kids and their grownups.
Think you know Anaheim, California? Discover more kid-approved attractions and book six preferred itineraries in the home of Disneyland, California Adventure Park and Knott’s Berry Farm.
Let’s raise the curtain on four pop culture vacations at properties with entertainment tie-ins. From Squid to SpongeBob, these hotels guarantee family entertainment!
Face Your Fears, Protect Your Loved Ones: The Squid Game Family Entertainment Hotel Experience
Whatever age your Squid Game bingers, meet the experience you can survive together. Following the release of Squid Game 3 on Netflix, New York’s stylish Kimpton Hotel Eventi is welcoming all X and O contestants.
In order to survive, K-drama fans must check into this hotel near Madison Square Garden energized for a New York City weekend. Get ready for a deep dive into the hit series at Squid Game: The Experience nearby. Similar to the pop-up art and music activations you may have seen, this is a role player and merchandise heaven where participants of all ages compete in games inspired by the series. Here’s the deal:
Squid Game: the Experience Offer at New York’s Kimpton Hotel Eventi
The Kimpton Hotel Eventi is in the heart of the hip Chelsea neighborhood, near the super-cool Museum at FIT for budding designers and has two great restaurants. To take advantage of their two-night summer deal, book at least 10 days in advance of stay (subject to room availability.) Keep in mind only one winner will be standing as of Sept 1, 2025, the promotion’s last day. Call them at 646/794-6830 to book. The fine print inclusions:
- Accommodations for two nights (between Thursday–Sunday only)
- Two VIP Admission tickets to Squid Game: The Experience
- Welcome gift featuring Squid Game-themed challenge games
The Kimpton Hotel Eventi package starts at $788 for two nights including a $150 dining credit you can use towards breakfast. (Yes, you’ll need a lot of Korean Won to cover New York prices, but the experience is… priceless!)
Ride That Roller Coaster with Disney’s Lilo & Stitch in Hawaii
The live-action remake “Disney’s Lilo & Stitch” has broken box office records this season. If you’re fans of the original 2002 animated film — or want to introduce the next generation to a fugitive alien who helps a young girl – head to Hawaii.
Settle into a small boutique hotel. We have three ideas to theme it up for the kids yourself. First, you can search for the three, new movie-themed SPAM brand collectible cans. Tell the kids SPAM is not junk email; it’s long been a staple in Hawaiian cuisine and they can help you prepare a meal Lilo would love.
Next, recreate the kids’ most memorable scenes from the film. Arrange surfing lessons, for example, through a watersports shop or hotel concierge. As producer Jonathan Eirich mentioned when discussing the new Lilo & Stitch adaptation, “You realize there are key moments — like ‘Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride’— where we, as fans ourselves, would be mad if they weren’t in the live-action movie.”
Luckily, Honolulu’s XR (extended reality) experience emulates the movie’s “Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride” with unique thrills. The new XploreRide is an air-conditioned bus tour with special XR headsets for passengers. Virtual reality that blends real-life landscapes and digital environments enhances sightseeing with your ohana. Take advantage of their brief summer sale, July 2-8 HST, to use the Promo Code XRDAYSP and get 30% off bookings.
Hawaii Family Entertainment Hotels for a Lilo & Stitch Adventure – Promotion 2025
Ready to embark on a grand adventure? For this offer, the family entertainment hotels with ties to Lilo and Stitch honor the state’s natural beauty. That makes them a good bet for kids who’ve never seen beaches like this.
Two of our favorite Aqua-Aston resorts (the Surfjack and Ko’a Kea) have family vacation packages.
- Take 15% off best available rates.
- Booking window only lasts till July 9, 2025.
- Travel any time through Dec. 19, 2025.
The totally hip Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club is in Waikiki, the heart of Honolulu. Kids can lounge on a suite’s sofabed while you enjoy some private time. It is pet-friendly, has a great restaurant and a memorable pool.
Did you know that Stitch discovered his perfect home on Kauai? If you prefer to check out the filming locations on Kauai, make the Ko’a Kea Resort your base. It features on-site cultural activities waterfront on Kauai’s beautiful Po’ipu Beach.
Do Good during Super Hero Summer in Nashville
You know we’re fans of interactive hotel experiences and regularly cover immersive hotel environments. That’s why we recommend Gaylord Resorts if you’re looking for summer vacation hotels with family entertainment. Gaylord Opryland in Nashville is featuring DC Summer, weekends through Sept. 1, 2025.
If you’ve ever done the Gaylord’s seasonal immersive experiences, such as “A Country Christmas” and the ICE! holiday attraction at National Harbor, you know to expect a quality experience. Plus, the hotel always has other unexpected, Tennessee-themed attractions such as a riverboat ride around the lobby! Buy tickets for the General Jackson showboat cruise, try their on-site waterpark with a musical twist, a VR wildlife experience and more.
The collaboration between Gaylord and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences creates an exciting world of legendary DC super heroes and notorious super-villains for guests to inhabit. Expect themed experiences at check in such as the “DC Super Hero’s Mission Checklist.”
Use the “Revenge of The Riddler Scavenger Hunt” to explore this enormous hotel’s public spaces together. We’re excited about the atrium’s “Battle for Justice Light Show” that combines electrifying visuals, stunning lighting effects and a cinematic musical score. Super Hero meet n’ greets, themed character dining, movie nights, a pool celebration and pop-up retail kiosks celebrate the kids’ (and maybe your) heroes.
The DC Summer Legends in the Making Family Entertainment Package
The variety of complimentary and paid Super Hero activities means there’s something for everyone at Gaylord Opryland.
The DC Summer Legends in the Making package is available Friday and Saturday nights. It includes
- One night room accommodations
- Revenge of The Riddler Scavenger Hunt booklet and a DC Super Hero Supply Pack.
- $75 resort credit
- Guests can purchase individual tickets for additional DC Summer events at GaylordHotels.com/DCSummer.
Caribbean Family Entertainment Resorts Offering Immersive (Underwater) Character Experiences!
There’s only one mega entertainer we associate with the Caribbean and that’s SpongeBob SquarePants! Fortunately, SpongeBob fandom has Nickelodeon character-themed, all-inclusive resorts in both the Dominican Republic and Mexico to choose from through Sept. 3, 2025.
The Summer of SpongeBob recreates Bikini Bottom fun in Punta Cana and along the Yucatan’s Riviera Maya coast. Both properties feature themed Nickelodeon activities like getting Slimed, various watersports, supervised kids’ clubs and a toddler-friendly water park. (Note that at the DR property, the water park is across a street.)
While user reviews on food, staff attentiveness and bar service are mixed at both places for the rates charged, families love the themed experiences!
At each entertainment-packed resort, expect to meet SpongeBob and his crew: Patrick, Sandy, and Squidward. There will be SpongeBob scavenger hunts and Bikini Bottom-inspired bites at resort restaurants. Compete at Nick Live! poolside games, enjoy interactive crafts, and beware of extra chances to get slimed.
Booking the Nickelodeon Entertaining Summer of SpongeBob Package
The SpongeBob event calendar differs just a bit at each resort so your reef is covered.
- Nickelodeon Hotel & Resorts Summer Savings guarantees up to 35% off.
- Rates are all-inclusive
- Book by Sept. 2, 2025.
How to choose one of these resorts? We suggest fans choose whichever resort has the cheapest airfare.
Be Your Kids’ Super Hero
Parent and grandparent alert. This summer, expect tons of interest in the upcoming “Superman” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” among other new movies.
If you do your homework and plan a summer family vacation, you’ll score a fantastic entertainment hotel deal and fulfill the kids’ wildest dreams!
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