Field Report: Everything We Experienced at Netflix House Philadelphia -

Tucked inside a suburban mall about 19 miles outside of Philadelphia sits a vibrant playground where lights, cameras and calls to action transform superfans into the heroes and villains from their favorite films and series. The fog is thick, the plots love twisting and the rivalry is real. Welcome, outcasts, pirates, demon hunters and debutantes… You’ve entered Netflix House.

The permanent experiential venue, which opened Nov. 12 at King of Prussia mall, spans two floors of high-tech games, themed food, interactive quests and exclusive merchandise, all related to what will be a rotating selection of Netflix’s most beloved IP. The concept represents a new era in the booming immersive entertainment category, and may be poised to gobble up a sizable chunk of what is projected to be a $281 billion market in the U.S. alone by 2033, according to Grand View Research.

With an additional property opening in Dallas on Dec. 11, and another slated for Las Vegas in 2027, we knew we had to be among the first to experience what is likely to become a concept that catches industry fire. So we purchased tickets to every experience currently being offered, and on the day after it opened up to the public, jumped headfirst into Netflix House Philadelphia. Join us for the VIP tour.

THE SETUP

The exterior of the main entrance to the venue is a photo moment in and of itself. A sprawling mural created by artist Emily White beckons fans in with a blend of iconic characters from the brand’s mega-hits, like “Bridgerton,” “KPop Demon Hunters” and “Wednesday” (alas, the rideshare dropped us off at the back, which has a far less exciting entrance). An installation of beloved characters waits just around the corner from the mural.

Inside Netflix House, beaming brand ambassadors were floating around every corner, ready to welcome us, bond over content and answer questions about the footprint and the activities. Through a few casual chats, we discovered that employees went through months of training before the venue opened, and that they were sworn to secrecy about what was in store… And there was plenty.

We had signed up for four experiences, which run from $39-$59 for the most in-depth activations, $25 for a virtual reality session, and $15 for a round of Top 9 mini golf. In addition to the Netflix Bites restaurant and a merch store, VR and mini golf are located on the top floor, while the “One Piece” and “Wednesday” activations are located on the lower level, an environment designed like a traditional movie theater. It’s also where fans can find the Tudum Theater, which wasn’t open when we were on-site, but is slated to host screenings, fan events, trivia nights, dine-ins and special talent appearances.

The lower level, which is where consumers arrive at Netflix House if they use the main entrance, additionally includes multiple largescale installations devoted to various IP. The walls and ceiling surrounding the stairwell between the venue’s two floors are just as rich with design moments.

ONE PIECE: QUEST FOR THE DEVIL FRUIT

The decision to leverage “One Piece” as one of the two main attractions at Netflix House could offer some insight into how the brand will select shows and films for future experiences at the venue. The live-action version of “One Piece” was released on the streaming service in 2023, which means that as we near 2026, many fans have forgotten the details of the plot. But the series is slated for a big return this coming March, and Netflix is clearly confident in the fanfare it will elicit.

The Quest for the Devil Fruit takes about one hour to complete and is experienced in teams of 6 to 12, who participate in the voyage as a pirate crew, even choosing a name for the squad and a captain to lead the charge. Our crew was dubbed the Rotten Fruits, and we worked as a team to complete a series of interactive escape-themed challenges through the “East Blue” in our quest to find the mysterious Devil Fruit and escape the clutches of villains, like Alvida and Buggy the clown.

The journey began with a live actor who informed us that as a pirate crew, we had been captured by the Marines and were sentenced to prison. From there, we solved puzzles, decoded lighting sequences, formed a human chain and did a whole lot of laughing in between as various solutions were attempted. Along the way, main character Luffy intermittently showed up, talking to us through a window (screen) within our jail cell in the first room, and using the snail transponder from the show to give us clues later in the experience.

When the squad had finally overcome the villains and emerged victorious, we found ourselves in a room built for photo ops, with kiosks yielding large, glossy “Wanted Dead or Alive” print-outs, and an installation of the lamb head from the ship in “One Piece,” where brand ambassadors offered to snap photos for fans.

A logistical detail we liked: Brand ambassadors reminded participants several times before stepping into the experience that there was no way to exit to use the bathroom. Once inside, everyone had to move through the space as intended, and staffers ensured that partakers were aware of that fact.

NETFLIX VIRTUALS

Netflix Virtuals is currently offering team VR experiences tied to “Squid Game,” Stranger Things” and “Rebel Moon.” We opted for “Squid Game” and linked up with three other people to participate. To get the full immersion, we were equipped with sensors on our ankles and wrists, wore haptic vests and donned VR headsets and over-ear headphones. Signing waivers and watching a safety video was also part of the prep.

Once inside the VR studio, we were reminded that we could put up a hand at any time to signal a desire to stop playing if we felt scared or uncomfortable. And after participating in the experience, we clearly understood why that was an option. The settings were hyper-realistic, from the signature “Squid Game” staircase room where masked guards loomed in every corner, to the stark dormitory, where virtual characters squabbled.

While the session requires multiple participants, the actual experience pits players against one another, just like in the series. As we partook in classic games from the show, like “Red Light, Green Light,” points were being tracked behind the scenes. Following each challenge, we found ourselves back in the dormitory as a dazzling VR version of the giant “Squid Game” piggy bank dropped from the ceiling, and our vests rumbled.

When the session wrapped, we gave back our equipment to be sanitized and were guided back to the main room to watch a video recap of our VR adventure, which, as you might imagine, was super entertaining. The clip was also shared with participants via email.

WEDNESDAY: EVE OF THE OUTCASTS

The Quest for the Devil Fruit was a fun, memorable and thorough experience. But Eve of the Outcasts blew us away. From the grand scale to the meticulous details to the sensory immersion into the show’s macabre settings, the adventure was just what a “Wednesday” fan craves, and we had a good hour to explore it all.

Throughout the experience, brand ambassadors dressed in Nevermore Academy school uniforms guided fans, beginning with leading our group to a perfect replica of Wednesday and Enid’s bedroom at the academy. The room was decorated to indicate that the Eve of the Outcasts festival, planned by Enid, was taking place that evening.

At first, we were free to wander the space as rain battered the “windows” and thunder roared overhead. Enid’s rainbow-colored section included her bed, desk, bureau and chair, plus a wide array of on-theme décor details, a banner promoting the event and colorful twinkling lights and paper lanterns.

Over on Wednesday’s side, a black-and-white color scheme dominated the space, which featured a gramophone, a bleak-looking bed, a desk with a typewriter and framed picture of Edgar Allan Poe, a sewing machine, an organ and an evidence board with paper clippings related to the show’s plot.

In the center of the room, just like in the series, was a massive circular window. Once we had explored the bedroom, ambassadors turned our attention to a discussion taking place behind the window between Enid and Wednesday. The characters were brought to life by shadows and an audio dialogue that ultimately tasked Wednesday with taking over the Eve of the Outcasts event.

Next, the window swung open to reveal eerie lighting and thick fog and our group was guided toward the next phase of the experience. After a very short walk, we found ourselves standing at the entrance to a massive, and morbid, carnival. The gasps were audible.

We first stopped at a token stall, where each person was given a bag of coins that could be spent on the gruesome games and activities within the Eve of Outcasts festival. The “outdoor” evening event was shrouded in dark, moody purple lighting, and included an array of leafless trees, a glowing moon overhead and the sounds of carnival music emanating from a life-size, illuminated Misery-Go-Round. The installation offered up a series of disturbing photo ops with items like an upright coffin, an electric chair and a mini torture chamber. Very on-brand for Ms. Addams.

The choose-your-own-adventure-style experience was filled with classic carnival games that had morbid twists, mini activations and a self-guided murder mystery (more on that later). Among games, attendees partook in a Piranha Pursuit, Feeding Time Frenzy, Whack a Pilgrim, Hit the Hyde, Thing’s Wicked Aim and a Guillotine Drop, which when we played with a few other fans, and lost, included the beheading of a stuffed teddy bear. Across most of the touchpoints, Wednesday’s sarcastic commentary permeated the experience.

And over at Fester’s Misfortunes tent, fans were offered “Advice So Good It’s Criminal.” A sign outside read: Your Fate Awaits, And It’s Terrible. There, we saw Morticia come to life on a large crystal ball, and interacted with a Zoltar-like fortune telling machine that had Fester at the helm. We ultimately walked away with a freshly printed fortune that offered some sage advice: “Doctors Note!!! Please be advices that the bearer of this note is under strict medical orders to act entirely on impulse and ignore all authority. –The Very Real Dr. Zap.”

In another corner of the festival was a large vignette dedicated to Enid. The space featured an archway in the shape of a wolf’s mouth, a sparkly photo moment with a “Let’s Wolf Out” neon sign and disco ball, a “Be So Fur-Real” wall that was actually fluffy to the touch, a K-Pop-themed ball-toss game and a claw machine that drew steady lines.

The Murder Mystery

Toward the back of the festival was a literal gateway to a totally different experience—a murder mystery that fans could complete on their phones by texting “Woe” to a phone number that was displayed around the footprint, including on a central chalkboard and posted to various trees.

After texting the number, we were instructed to walk through the Nevermore Academy gates and right into the principal’s office. The footprint was just as elegant as pictured in the series, and included a vast range of props and décor elements that were authentic to the show. As guided by Wednesday via text, we explored the footprint for clues as we opened drawers and rifled through belongings. Without finding each piece of evidence, the journey couldn’t continue, and we worked diligently to keep up.

Clues then led us through a fireplace shaped like the mouth of a gorgon, down a winding hallway and into a biology lab filled with strange specimens, shelves brimming with plants and herbs, a chalkboard and other bio-related items to pore over. It’s here that we experienced a few issues and had to forfeit the murder mystery (more on that later). But overall, what a splendid spectacle.

TOP 9 MINI GOLF

Ahhh… the joys of field reporting as a solo editor. We probably should have seen it coming, but it turns out that Netflix’s Top 9 mini golf is designed for groups, which probably made our one-person team look a bit sad from the outside. But we had a great time “playing through the plot,” as the brand puts it.

After choosing a team name (ha!) and player name on a digital kiosk, we grabbed a club and were off to the races. Each hole was themed around top Netflix IP and included a leaderboard screen. Most of them also offered a specialty shot that earned the player 25 bonus points if they could pull it off. While some holes offered standard play within a themed installation, others functioned like classic arcade games.

And then there were the shots that turned in-show experiences into mini golf challenges. Like the “Is It Cake” hole, which featured a screen showing three items. We had to decide if one of them was cake or not by putting left or right. Or the “Squid Game” hole, which included motion-sensing tech and required participating in an iconic challenge from the show: “Red Light, Green Light.” The final putt also came with a chance to score a ton of extra points if players could find the right blinking button within the installation, and pressed it precisely 11 times.

THE BRIDGERTON THRONE

Although it’s a photo moment more than an experience, a charming “Bridgerton” vignette is located just beyond the merchandise store and perched over the stairwell to the lower level. The floral-themed setup includes three oversized picture frames, and a hot-pink throne with an adjacent sign that reads “I wish to be entertained.”

A most interesting detail? The whole installation is sponsored by Mastercard. The brand’s recognizable logo and the word “priceless” appear at the top of each picture frame. And upon perusing the Netflix Bites menu, you’ll also find two specialty cocktails sponsored by the brand, like “Streaming Optimism.”

Just beyond the photo op, upon descending the staircase to the bottom floor, we also discovered a large 3D frame hanging on the wall that, roughly every 10 seconds, displayed an artistic (digital) portrait of a main character from the show. Meanwhile, Regency-era music played. And around the opposite corner from the “Bridgerton” photo op, a large wall graphic offers details on “Dressing Like a Queen” during the Regency era and features styles from the period supported by photos of both actors and historical figures.

THE SWAG

Right on cue, the merch shop features mini installations promoting key Netflix titles, like a pirate ship for “One Piece” gear and vines from the Upside Down creeping out of the “Stranger Things” display. Exclusive “Bridgerton,” “One Piece,” “KPop: Demon Hunters” and “Wednesday” items are also featured, and from what we could tell, are only available on-site. Collectibles and merch specific to Netflix House Philadelphia were also available.

Our indulgences: A Nevermore Academy sweatshirt featuring a built-in white collar, and a large denim tote that features a cameo-style silhouette and reads “Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers.”

Fun anecdote: While shopping, we heard someone thumbing through t-shirts say, “So, Netflix is trying to be Disney now?”

AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY

Let’s kick this off by reiterating that we showed up to Netflix House on the second day it had ever been in operation, and any observations that are less-than-glowing should be taken with several grains of salt.

As far as improvements, we’d love to see Netflix add a place to stow coats and bags. We weren’t the only ones at the venue that had traveled some distance to get there and had no choice but to lug our belongings through every interactive experience. It was cumbersome. (We asked an employee about a bag check, and he confirmed there wasn’t one, at least yet.)

There were a few malfunctions within Eve of Outcasts, as well. Again, it was day two after opening, and the two or three carnival games that weren’t working were not a huge deal. The glitch we experienced while participating in the murder mystery was a bit more challenging.

We had solved one of Wednesday’s clues, but couldn’t get her to acknowledge it, and in turn, provide the next one, until we had already entered a separate room. When we tried to go listen for a code word outside the corridor we’d come from, an ambassador would not let us enter the space and told us to stay in, or exit through, the bio lab. From that point, there was no hope of solving the mystery. We’re sure a few small adjustments would prevent the issue in the future.

And that concludes your Netflix House Philadelphia tour. In an age when consumers are actively seeking out participatory, multisensory experiences that make them the stars of the show, Netflix sure knows how to reel them in.