I've already started:Narniaworld.

@the-aussie-craftsman Hi Gideon and welcome! I'm an Aussie too, from South Gippsland (near Melbourne) originally, although I've lived in the UK for some years now.

I would guess the first reason for "why doesn't a Narnia theme park exist" is that the books are still under copyright, though not in all areas of the world, and it would need the approval of the estate of C.S. Lewis. I don't know if anyone has ever approached them about this, and I don't know if Netflix's current status as exclusive holder of the filming rights would be a factor too, but I'm guessing it's not a simple matter. Others here might be more familiar with the rules or laws affecting that than I am.

Another factor might be matters of popularity and taste. The Chronicles of Narnia regularly come up in lists of the greatest children's classics, but they've never been as wildly popular as, say, Harry Potter or Winnie-the-Pooh (both of which already have a huge marketing juggernaut behind them — Warner Bros and Disney respectively — which Narnia has never had). And... well, there's the awkward but inescapable fact that the Narnia books have Christian themes intrinsically woven into them. That makes it almost impossible to turn them into a general pop culture phenomenon.

Seriously, I for one can't imagine how a Narnia theme park would work. Stripping it of all the Christian elements and references would be necessary for it to appeal to the general public — but then you've lost what is, for many fans, the heart and the true meaning of these stories. And keeping those elements in would in a way be even worse. Theme parks that preach religion are NOT the done thing in most parts of the world that I know of, and very understandably.

I just cannot see how a Narnia theme park could be done in a way that truly honours the Chronicles, rather than trivialising them and turning them into something totally tacky. They're just not the sort of books that lend themselves to that kind of treatment.

I'd say exactly the same thing about Tolkien's works too, by the way. He wasn't nearly as explicit about his faith in his writings as Lewis was, but there are equally great depths to his works that would just be lost in turning Middle-earth into a fun family day out. With either that or Narnia, I'd go so far as to say it would be a desecration.

Maybe others will think differently, but those are the main obstacles I can see and the reasons why I personally wouldn't support this idea. 

@courtenay thanks for your thoughts! I completly understand what you are saying here. And I guess park of what I'm envisaging as partly a collection of little museums. So it has an aspect of fun, along with some of the lore of the series info about Lewis himself and a section focussing on the relative biblical narratives.

@cobalt-jade tha ks! I'll chsck that out. 

Cheers, 

Why would there even be a Narnia theme park? I can’t imagine what rides there would be.

It’s not very likely that there will be a Narnia theme park (CS Lewis may not have approved). Though I imagine you could possibly do a Narnia theme carnival like at a small gathering or in a church or at an event center. You could possibly do stuff like shooting a bow and arrow, crafts with making paper crowns, walk inside a wardrobe, etc. 

So maybe not a Narnia themed park. But perhaps a Narnia theme carnival at a small gathering would be idea. 

I agree with @courtenay on the legal and ethical considerations... but I have indulged in day-dreaming about Narnia-themed excursions.  

Off the top of my head, I'd suggest a Silver Chair mystery mine ride. I'd also really love a garden or conservatory themed with Narnian locations--perhaps with some clever trompe l'oeil backdrops so you could see Cair Paravel or Aslan's How but keep a respectful distance.

ETA: After giving it five minutes more thought, I find @jasmine_tarkheena has a good point about scale: a grand park seeing hundreds of people a day doesn't feel very Narnian in concept; whereas something you might wander through with some of your friends and maybe see someone else sounds ideal. But something smaller would tend to be more passive whereas a big park would need to be more interactive...

A Narnia museum would be a better idea than a theme park.  It could have artifacts related to C. S. Lewis and Narnia. Unfortunately there is no such museum near where I live. But it would be very interesting to see a place like that. A theme park seems like something much too commercialized for things related to C. S. Lewis. 

I want to emphasize that though I was playing around with the idea of a Narniaworld amusement park in the link I posted earlier, as an intellectual and creative exercise -- and for fun! -- I really don't think the idea is viable right now. Perhaps later generations will think differently. If the books are still part of a trust, they'll have to get the trust's permission, something I'm sure they wouldn't do. After all, the Tolkien trust has been very stingy with the permissions they grant (note that Tolkien's work is still under copyright at least in the U.S.)

At any rate. such a park should and would be a family-oriented one. Like, no extreme roller coasters or like rides. The vibe would be more European than American, like Vienna's Prater or Germany's Oktoberfest.

@narnian78 yes I am think more like a museum, but with interactive stuff. Maybe a few rides, and how would you make them narnia themed?

You have the train, father Christmas and his sled, or the white witch. Dawn treader. Yeah not much

@the-aussie-craftsman 

I have heard of a sort of museum called the Wade Center at a small college in Illinois, although I have never been there. It does not have rides, but it does have artifacts including a wardrobe (I think may be the one that inspired the story).  It would be interesting to see a place like that.  Somehow it seems much more like something that C. S. Lewis would have liked than an amusement park.

The idea of a museum with special exhibits or programs might be better. It would be cool to see a real life enactment of the Snowball Dance, wouldn't it?

How about a Narnia themed party? I’m sure there are ideas for decorations, food, and even games on Pinterest. 

For a Narnia theme party, there could be like snowball cookies for dessert, a wardrobe and lamppost for decorations, even the yellow and gold rings in goody bags. 

I certainly don't mind the idea of a Narnia museum / visitor centre in an appropriate location, if someone wanted to open one. Oxford would be the obvious place, with Belfast as another strong contender! (But I'd prefer Oxford because it's easier for me to get to, as well as much more convenient for tourists coming via London. ) 

Ooh, yes, could we have some kind of museum with interactive elements, please! I agree to have it in Oxford so it's easier for me to get to. 😆

I'd like an immersive experience - which are the thing at the moment - where you could walk through to different themed rooms based on LWW with a few interactive elements in each. A really immersive experience would have actors too, but we'll not get too ahead of ourselves! 

I am reminded of the Storybook museum in Oxford which does have a small section on Narnia, with a few items on display and a wardrobe you can peer into. Don't think there is enough room to expand the experience, but the theming being in the museum at all is a good start for any further theming in the city.

When the first Walden film came out all those years ago, it spawned a ton of Narnia-related party ideas which can still be found on collection sites like Pinterest. It's a little sad how it spawned such a frenzy that is now forgotten  ☹️