“Louis Tussaud’s Palace of Wax” and “Ripley’s Believe It or Not”
Location: I-30 at Beltline Rd (4 miles east of Six Flags)
Mon-Fri 10-5 (box office closes 4pm); Sat-Sun 10-6 (box office closes 5pm)
(817) or (972) 263-2391
PalaceOfWax.com
A life-sized wax figure of President Barack Obama is the latest addition to the more than 200 likenesses on display at Louis Tussaud’s Palace of Wax. It took wax artist Sonya Vazquez four months to create the Obama figure which joins all 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 friends, Ron & Hermione. 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 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).
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). Interestingly, cyclist Lance Armstrong is on the good guy side. Wow, win 7 Tour de France titles and you’re on-par with Gandhi & Mother Teresa.
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, Hanibal Lecter, Freddy Kruger, Alien, Predator, and a scene from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It would be fun for Halloween, but not fun for younger visitors.
Is the Palace of Wax kind of cheesy? Yes, but it is still fun. Do the wax figures look real? Some do, some definitely don’t. Some are just kind of freaky looking. There’s a section called “Pilgrimage, A Journey Through the Life of Christ”. I thought it was a little creepy, but others may feel inspired.
“Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium” is 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 diplays.
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.
You can buy tickets to the individual attractions ($16.99 adult or $8.99 kids), but the better deal is the “3-Way Combo” if you decide to do the Enchanted Mirror Maze. The “Combo” includes both the Wax Museum and Believe It or Not.
Prices: Adult 3-Way Combo $27.99, Combo $21.99, Single $16.99
Child (ages 4-12) 3-Way Combo $17.99, Combo $12.99, Single $8.99
Senior or Military 3-Way Combo $25.99, Combo $19.99, Single $14.99
Group Discounts available (12 or more people in group, call ahead)
Free parking
Snack Bar and Gift Shop on-site
($2 off discount coupons in “Arlington Street Map & Visitors Guide” at Arlington Visitors Center
Is the extra $6 for the 3-Way Combo worth the cost so that you can walk through the Enchanted Mirror Maze? Well, I was by myself and it took me less than a minute to complete the walk. My dad gets motion sickness very easily and the mirrors made him feel a little queasy, so he didn’t walk through with me. Of course, if I were with kids or a group of friends/family, it would have been fun to go through the maze. It’s a short walk…not much to it, but 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.
Directions to Palace of Wax/Believe It or Not: 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.
I would like to know the address to go there thank you