I have been anticipating the opening of American Dream in East Rutherford for literally years now. But given how the construction of the mega-mall still wasn't finished, I was in no hurry to visit it on its "opening" day of October 25th. I knew only two of the attractions/businesses would be open, and I expected lots of problems due to the ongoing construction. But now that a few weeks have passed, I figured that the dust would be settled. Of course, I didn't expect any more businesses to be opened. But if nothing else, I wanted to get a sense of the sheer real estate that this mall should cover. After all, it theoretically spans 3 million square feet. So I took my first trip to see the shopping complex this weekend.
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As we discussed in the article The Latest on American Dream Mall, this project has been delayed time and time again. In fact, the various delays have probably added up to a decade. So although October 25th was the announced opening day, I knew for a while now that this would be a limited opening at best. However, I at least expected all the core construction to be done. In other words, I expected to be able to walk through all the various corridors with a bunch of empty store fronts. So I was surprised to see actual construction materials on the upper floors. The first floor seems be finished, but it is obvious that the second floor and beyond is still off limits. And to prevent patrons from reaching the second floor and beyond, escalators are currently walled off which I have never seen before.
Since the only two attractions that were opened were Nickelodeon Universe and the Ice Rink, I got a chance to get an extended look at both. The NIckelodean Universe Theme Park is like most traditional theme parks, except everything is shrunken down to fit indoors. Despite its reduced size, it still hosts a variety of rides, including thrill rides as well as family rides for younger kids. However, due to the smaller size, thrill rides such as roller coasters can only go so high. Therefore, unlike other theme parks such as Six Flags, Nickelodean is really aimed at a younger audience, which is fits well with the Nickelodean theme. The other attraction that is opened is the Ice Rink. It is a NHL regulation sized ice rink, and skates are available for rental. The admission fee is $19 for adults and $12 for kids. (Kids 2 and under skate free.) There is no time limit, so you can skate for hours for one set price.
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In addition to the two attractions, I was surprised to find that one of the stores was actually opened. It is the Whoopi store. No, it is not a store that exclusively sells whoopie cushions. Instead, it is a pop-up store opened by actress/host Whoopi Goldberg. The store features items from her clothing line as well as her book "The Unqualified Hostess". Interestingly, I found out that the TV personality was actually there during the grand opening last week to greet shoppers and sign merchandise. Given that this is a pop-up store, though, it is only scheduled to be opened till January 2020.
As I mentioned, I wanted to get a sense of how big this shopping complex is even if the stores weren't opened yet. After all, this is supposed to be the second largest mall in the U.S. However, after I finished touring the building, I noticed that the mall was no bigger than many other malls I have been to. After speaking with a mall representative, I soon learned that there were actually other buildings that have yet to be opened. In fact, only a minority of the space is currently accessible. So I am now more curious that ever as to what the final landscape will look like.
Overall, I am disappointed with my first impression of American Dream. But to be fair, it is probably my own fault for setting my expectations too high. I knew before going that the mall simply isn't ready. I guess I am disappointed with just how "not ready" it is. Unfortunately, the next attraction, the DreamWorks Water Park, isn't due to open until November 27. After that, it will be Big SNOW, an indoor skiing and snowboarding park, scheduled to open on December 5th. The actual stores (except for the Whoopi store) are not set to open until March 2020. So it will be quite a while until American Dream will be in full swing. That also means it will be quite a while before I make my second trip to this mega-mall.