Barney, Baby Bop and B.J. perform at A Day in the Park with Barney
The arch logo for A Day in the Park with Barney welcomes fans of all ages
A Day in the Park with Barney is a live stage show attraction at Universal Studios Florida. This attraction was created in response to a failed meet and greet at Universal Studios Hollywood, one of USF's sister parks.
History
Universal Studios Florida wanted an attraction for young children, while The Lyons Group wanted a place where children could see Barney, BJ, and Baby Bop everyday. So, Universal and Lyons came to an agreement that a show based off of the Barney & Friends series was to be created. Construction began in late 1994 and the attraction opened on July 10th, 1995 to critical acclaim. Since then, A Day in the Park has been one of Universal's oldest surviving attractions, staying there for 15 years. In 1996, a Christmas version of the show was first performed and since then, during December up to early January, it still plays.
Exterior
Bronze Barney Statue
Outside of the attraction stands a very large sign that reads A Day in the Park with Barney. The back of the sign reads" Thanks for Coming to Play!" A bronze Barney statue stands on one foot inside of a fountain. A building next to the Barney fountain is an enterance for Barney's Backyard, for those who don't want to see the show or have made it too late to watch a performance. Right next door to the attraction is The Barney Store, a spot for buying various and mostly exclusive Barney items for fans of all ages.
Queue
The guests empty from the lines into a covered pre-show area with an odd-looking house facade, covered in pipes, knobs and doors, belonging to the Peekaboos.
Plot
Pre-Show
Mr. Peekaboo
The show starts with either Patricia Aloysius Bartholomew or Patrick Aloysius Bartholomew (Mr. and Mrs. Peek-A-Boo, for short) and his/her parrot, Bartholomew, your pre-show hosts. Peek-A-Boo is a very close friend to Barney, Baby Bop and BJ. An elderly person, but soon proves to the audience that (s)he's only older in age since Peek-A-Boo's spirit is much like that of a child. Peek-A-Boo is a consistently forgetful character, but once (s)he is reminded what to do, Peek-A-Boo takes pride in reuniting the children with Barney. A song and dance routine comes with a few comedy gags in between. Trying to find the door to Barney's Park, Peekaboo fails to realize that you have to use your imagination. Peekaboo soon remembers and tells the audience to close their eyes and use their imagination. The rain waterfall that blocks the door (decorated to look like a cave) stops dripping, which shows it worked. Peek-a-Boo tells everyone that (s)he will meet them inside.
Main Show
Inside is an air-conditioned fake park. In the center, there's an elevated, circular stage in the center where Barney, Baby-Bop and B.J. perform with three ramps equally positioned on each side. Peekaboo greets the audience and tells them to use their imagination to make Barney appear. Peekaboo starts the show by asking everyone to chant "Barney" The lights dim and soft music plays as stars appear in the darkness. Barney appears via a trap door/elevator in the middle of the stage. Barney jumps in the air as the lights turn on and confetti cannons explode with glitter, an effect to look like the television show.
Barney sings two songs before Baby Bop and B.J. make their appearances. Afterwards, Barney introduces Baby Bop, which she appears just then. Soon after that, B.J. announces his arrival with a distinctive whistle. They sing songs and wrap the show the way they do on the children's television "Barney and Friends" with the song "I Love You". Baby Bop and B.J. make their exits on one of the ramps. Barney wraps up the show by saying "And remember, I love you" and gives a kiss goodbye as steamers shoot from confetti cannons behind the hills. Mr./Mrs. Peekaboo then escort the audience to Barney's Backyard, where everyone soon exits.
Post-Show
After the show, guests exit out into Barney's Backyard, an indoor activity center for small children, where they can also get their picture taken, if but briefly, with Barney himself. Occassionally, Barney and his friends appear here if you enter the Backyard when the park opens (before the first show).
Songs
Preshow
- "Peek-A-Boo's Song"
Main Show
- Barney Theme Song
- If You're Happy and You Know It
- Imagine a Place
- Mr. Knickerbocker
- Down on Grandpa's Farm
- If All the Raindrops
- I Love You
Christmas Show
- Barney Theme Song
- Jingle Bells
- Frosty the Snowman
- Mr. Knickerbocker
- Down on Grandpa's Farm
- Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
- I Love You
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Trivia
- Childhood centers, such as Fraiser in Minnesota, provided children to sing the vocals for A Day in the Park with Barney's background music (in the area by the Barney fountain and in the bathrooms, not in the show itself).
- Mr. Peek-A-Boo would later appear in the book "Barney's Happy Valentine's Day!," making it his only other appearance.