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- The King of Pop, one of three wax figures of Michael Jackson.
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- The gloved-one.
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- Michael’s early years with The Jackson Five.
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- From “Twilight”, Edward & Bella.
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- The man in black, Johnny Cash.
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- President Obama in the presidents’ hall.
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- Ripley’s Believe It or Not: The World’s Tallest Man.
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- Located on I-30 at Belt Line, just four miles east of Six Flags Over Texas.
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- One of many oddities at Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
Fans of the King of Pop will want to visit “Louis Tussaud’s Palace of Wax & Ripley’s Believe It or Not” to see the new display of three Michael Jackson wax figures which encompass the singer’s career: young Michael of The Jackson Five, white glove days of Billy Jean, and ‘Thriller’.
“Louis Tussaud’s Palace of Wax & Ripley’s Believe It or Not”
Location: I-30 at Beltline Rd (4 miles east of Six Flags)
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat-Sun 10am-6pm
Prices: Adults $16,99 & up, Kids $8.99 & up; Money-Saving Combo Passes Available
(817) or (972) 263-2391
www.PalaceOfWax.com
Three wax figures of Michael Jackson, each displaying a different period of his amazing career, are on display at “Louis Tussaud’s Palace of Wax & Ripley’s Believe It or Not” on I-30 in Grand Prairie, just four miles east of Arlington’s Entertainment District and Six Flags. A compilation of Michael’s hits will get your toes tappin’ as you take photos of the King of Pop. And for fans of the “Twilight” saga, wax figures of Edward & Bella are located at the entry to the Palace of Wax.
Over 200 likenesses are on-display. The Michael Jackson, Twilight, and Johnny Cash wax figures are the latest to join a collection that also includes a life-sized wax figure of President Barack Obama. It took wax artist Sonya Vazquez four months to create the Obama figure which joined the previous commanders-in-chief in the Hall of Presidents.
Movie and television stars make up the largest amount of figures, including classic stars like Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, The Three Stooges, original cast of Star Trek, The Rat Pack and characters from The Wizard of Oz. But long-time favorites are also joined by modern-day stars like Johnny Depp, J-Lo, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Britney Spears, Denzel Washington and Demi Moore.
Harry Potter is joined by his friend, Ron. You can sit on a chair next to Oprah Winfrey or David Letterman, or check out Jay Leno’s chin and Dr Phil’s moustache.
The wax museum is arranged in themes including Movies, Fairy Tales (Cinderella, Snow White, Peter Pan, Little Red Riding Hood, Quasimodo, etc), Wild West (Jesse James, Annie Oakley, Geronimo, etc.), and The Bill of Rights (Ben Franklin, J. Adams, Washington and Jefferson), and “Pilgrimage, A Journey Through the Life of Christ”.
In a not so subtle section called “Spirit of Man”, evil figures are on one side of the room (Hitler, Stalin, Nero, Saddam Hussein & the Ayatollah), with the good on the other side (Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Walt Disney).
There is a optional section called “Museum of Fear” complete with soundtracks and strobe lights. It is definitely not for little kids who get squeamish. The section includes: Jack the Ripper, Dr. Blood, Hannibal Lecter, Freddy Kruger, Alien, Predator, and a scene from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It would be fun for Halloween, but probably a little too scary for younger visitors.
Within the same building as the Palace of Wax is “Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium”, one of only 8 worldwide (England, Australia, San Francisco, Niagra Falls, Branson, San Antonio).
What do you see in the Odditorium? A ‘vampire killing kit’ circa 1840 which was sold to people sailing to Transylvania; a replica of a 42-lb lobster, shrunken heads, a replica of the world’s tallest man (8’ 11”), and interactive displays.
There’s an area to watch videos of the old Believe It Or Not show in which a cat eats its food with spoons and chopsticks, a man swallows whole lemons & live mice, and a man who can blow up a balloon by blowing air through his eye sockets. It’s odd, for sure.
There is also an “Enchanted Mirror Maze” which is the third attraction on-site. Near the concession stand, you’ll find the challenging “Ripley’s Impossible Laser Race”, an interactive climb/crawl through a small room lined with laser beams. Good luck getting to the other side of the room without tripping one of the lasers! The faster you move, the more lasers you avoid, the higher your score. It’s $5 per game, but you’ll probably do it at least twice because you’ll want to try it again and improve your score.
Altogether, there are four attractions inside the building. You can buy tickets to the individual attractions ($16.99 adult or $8.99 kids ages 4-12), but the better deals are the “Combo” packages. The 4-Way Combo includes: Palace of Wax, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Enchanted Mirror Maze, and Ripley’s Impossible Laser Race. The “3-Way Combo” includes Palace of Wax, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, and Enchanted Mirror Maze. The “2-Way Combo” includes Palace of Wax and Ripley’s Believe it or Not.
Prices:
*Adult 4-Way Combo $29.99; 3-Way Combo $27.99, 2-Way Combo $21.99, Single $16.99
*Child (ages 4-12): 4-Way Combo $19.99, 3-Way Combo $17.99, Combo $12.99, Single $8.99
*Children ages 3-and-under are free.
*Group Discounts available (12 or more people in group, call ahead to 972-263-2391)
*Free parking
*Snack Bar and Gift Shop on-site (pizza $4, hot dog $3, funnel cakes $2-$4. dippin dots $3.50)
You can save $2 off any combo when you purchase tickets on-line. Click here for link: https://tickets.ripleys.com/grandprairie/
Also, be sure to check out the on-line daily specials which provide big discounts and keep you up to date on special events. Click here: http://grandprairie.ripleys.com/ripleys-summer-of-joy/?utm_source=Joy_of_Summer&utm_medium=side_banner&utm_campaign=Summer%2Bof%2BJoy
Is the extra money for the Combo worth the price difference? Yes, absolutely, especially if you want to walk through the Enchanted Mirror Maze. Although it’s a very short walk, it’s definitely an interesting sensation to walk through a hall of mirrors. You’ll be given plastic gloves to wear so that your fingerprints don’t smudge the glass. You have to feel your way through, otherwise you would walk face-first into the glass.
A fun souvenir is to stop at the “Wax Hands” counter and buy a wax figure of your own hand. A mold is made of your hand, then the wax hand can be dipped in various colors. The price is $7.95 per hand, plus $1 for each color. It’s $5 extra if you want glaze and $6 extra is you want glitter glaze.
Directions: the physical address is 601 Palace Parkway in Grand Prairie. From I-30, exit Beltline Rd and go north one-half block. Turn left on Palace Parkway (the stoplight next to the gas station). The Palace of Wax is two blocks west of Beltline Rd. Parking is free.
Click here for Mapquest location/directions: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Grand+Prairie&state=TX&address=601+E+Palace+Pkwy&zipcode=75050-2322&country=US&latitude=32.761871&longitude=-97.002082&geocode=ADDRESS
Arlington Insider 