Nickelodeon and Holiday Inn^® to Open First Nick-Themed Hotel, Coming to Orlando, Fla., First Quarter 2005

New York, NY – Oct. 9, 2003—Nickelodeon, the number-one kids brand, is partnering with Holiday Inn^® Hotels & Resorts to develop the first Nick-themed hotel, opening in Orlando, Fla.  Nick’s brand philosophy of putting kids first in everything it does will extend to all aspects of the hotel, especially in the hotel’s suites which give kids their own rooms.  The hotel will be called the Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn and is scheduled to open in early 2005.  The announcement was made by Jeffrey D. Dunn, President, Nickelodeon Enterprises, and Mark Snyder, Senior Vice President, Brand Management, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, The Americas.

Nickelodeon will convert the popular Holiday Inn Family Suites Resort, located in Lake Buena Vista and convenient to Orlando’s major theme-park attractions, into a first-of-its kind Nick-themed environment.  Nick will add its signature entertainment and style to the current hotel’s 800 suites that include two- and three-bedroom Kidsuites^® that give kids their own space and entertainment areas and provide parents with a comfortable, family focused environment.

“We intend to provide families a better vacation experience by giving kids their very own bedrooms in suites that offer tremendous function and value when compared to regular hotel rooms," said Dunn. “We originally looked into building our own hotel, but we found that the Holiday Inn Family Suites Resort has the ideal design and management team to communicate Nickelodeon’s sensibility and our connection to kids.”

“What we’re planning for this hotel will go way beyond ‘family friendly,’ ” said Snyder.  “The Holiday Inn brand pioneered family travel more than 50 years ago, and the Holiday Inn Family Suites Resort perfected the family hotel experience.  The Nickelodeon relationship will take the already award-winning combination to the next level by creating a one-of-a-kind family entertainment destination inside the four walls of a hotel.”

The existing resort property will undergo a $20 million transformation to make it even more kid friendly, with Nick-decorated bedrooms for the kids, complete with bunk or twin beds and a TV and video-console system; two sprawling pools with waterslides and flumes; poolside game areas and game room; wake-up calls from Nick stars and daily character breakfasts; a food court; and live entertainment featuring Nick characters and interactive stage entertainment.  The hotel’s current suites feature two bedrooms, a living room and bathroom, microwave and refrigerator.  In addition to the two-bedroom suites, new suites will be introduced featuring three-bedrooms, two-baths and a fully functional kitchen. 

“We are taking an already fabulous hotel experience and creating something extraordinary with the Nickelodeon-themed hotel,” said Terry Whaples, co-founder of the Holiday Inn Family Suites Resort and a 30-year veteran of Central Florida’s hospitality industry.  “Kids and their families have loved our suites, amenities and entertainment since we opened four years ago, and operating as a Nick-themed hotel will put us over the top as a new vacation destination for kids and their families.”

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