A new kind of Happy Place is coming to Los Angeles this winter

It’s 2020, and we could all use a little happy. With the global pandemic in mind, Los Angeles’s former Happy Place pop-up attraction has transitioned to Happy Place—The Drive Thru, inviting visitors to experience wacky fun from the safety of their car.

The multi-sensory Happy Place walk-through pop-up burst onto the Los Angeles scene in 2017, then made a “world tour” of Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney, and L.A.’s Mandalay Bay Resort, delighting visitors with smile-inducing experiencesm such as jumping from a rainbow into a pot filled with 25,000 smiley face coins, and selfies inside a bathtub in a screaming-yellow “rubber ducky room.”

But smiles faded when the pandemic hit, until Jared Paul, founder of Happy Place, came up with the brilliant idea of making it a drive-through experience. Pure happiness from the safety and comfort of your own car. With the necessary precautions in place, Paul is ready to spread the joy again.

“When we first created Happy Place, we never could have imagined the over-the-top reception the residents of L.A. would give us, and it was truly overwhelming for myself and our entire hard-working creative team. There has never been a more important time than now for people to have the much-needed chance to do something fun with their friends and family in a safe way,” said Paul. “We are so excited to have been able to reinvent Happy Place in a way that truly embraces and accentuates guests enjoying themselves in their cars in a completely unique way. We cannot wait to return to our hometown of Los Angeles and spread some much-needed moments of excitement and happiness.”

How does it work? Purchase your date and time-specific ticket in advance, receive a text or email confirmation, show the attendant the ticket via your smartphone, and drive right in. That’s when the smiles begin.

Visitors will pass by a series of attractions, including:

  • California Dreamin’ – A themed “road trip” through the Golden State
  • Tickle the Keys: The Giant Piano Experience – At 30 feet long and 11 feet tall, it’s the world’s first car-operated piano
  • Club Happy – Hit the nightclub scene from inside your car
  • Rainbow Road – Vibrant displays that run the full rainbow-hued spectrum
  • Sweet Tooth Street – Indulge in a supersized candy wonderland
  • Super Bloom – One of the original Happy Place favorites, reimagined with over 40,000 handmade flowers
  • And much more. There are 18 exhibits in all!

The drive-through will also feature a new take on previous years’ popular backyard Lemonade Stand, with proceeds benefitting L.A. charities.

Although it’s designed as a break from the challenges we all face in 2020, Happy Place recognizes there is still a need for COVID-conscious protocols. With that in mind, all vehicle occupants ages 3 and up must wear face masks while car windows are rolled down.

Happy Place—the Drive Through is located at the Westfield Century City Mall, and the experience begins on the 3rd floor of the mall’s parking garage. Two hours of free parking are included with each ticket, so visitors can shop or grab a bite to eat before or after their drive-through time slot.

Senior general manager of Westfield Century City, Louis Schillace, says, “Westfield is thrilled to partner with Happy Place and its world famous experience enjoyed by so many. With the holiday season upon us, our destination will provide many festive and safe experiences for Angelenos looking to shop, dine, be entertained, or simply spend time with friends and family.”

Tickets for Happy Place—The Drive Thru start at the weekday rate of $49.50 for the entire vehicle, $69.50 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. All tickets also require a $6 service fee, and capacity is limited.

For more information visit HappyPlace.me.

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