Plopsaland continues to focus on a recognizable IP experience and live entertainment centered on Maya the Bee. Starting June 1, Arnie & Barney, the bumbling red ants from the world of Maya, will make their appearance at Plopsaland Belgium. From July 20, they can also be met at Plopsaland Deutschland. This introduction is part of a broader expansion of the Maya experience, featuring new meet & greets, international park shows, and the lead-up to a feature film of their own for the two ants.
New characters enhance live entertainment
For many visitors, meeting Studio 100 characters is an important part of a day at Plopsaland. With Arnie & Barney, Plopsa adds two new live characters to its entertainment offerings.
The red ants are recognizable by their olive-green military helmets and are known for their clumsy behavior, slapstick, and cheerful chaos. More than a year and a half has been spent on the development of the new figures.
Joachim Doclot, Entertainment Responsible at Plopsa Group, sees primarily opportunities for interaction with visitors:
With Arnie & Barney, we are bringing two characters to our parks who will immediately bring a lot of life. They are playful, clumsy, and above all, very funny. That makes them great for encounters with our visitors, but also offers many possibilities for future shows and entertainment.
— Joachim Doclot, Plopsa Group
Maya the Bee gets a broader park experience
The arrival of Arnie & Barney is not an isolated event. Plopsaland is further expanding the Maya experience, once again leveraging the power of well-known Studio 100 brands within the park.
Starting June 1st, the Maya Show The Queen's Ball also begins at the Bumba Theater in Plopsaland Belgium . Notably, this show is being made available in multiple languages. Visitors can follow the entire performance in German and French via headphones.
For Plopsaland, this is a logical step in its further internationalization. The park receives many visitors from Belgium, France, and Germany. By offering shows in multiple languages, the entertainment becomes more accessible to international target audiences.
Interesting for theme parks: IP continues to grow outside the attraction
For the leisure sector, this introduction shows how parks are increasingly utilizing their IPs more broadly. This involves not only attractions, but also meet & greets, shows, language versions, film releases, and recognizable characters that extend the park experience.
Furthermore, Arnie & Barney will have a role outside the parks. In 2026, they will appear in their first own CGI animated film, a spin-off of Maya the Bee. The film is being produced by Studio 100 International, in collaboration with Studio Isar Animation and 3Doubles Producciones, and is aimed at families and slightly older children.
From park characters to film and back
The introduction at Plopsaland thus aligns with a broader content strategy: characters become visible in the park, get their own story on the big screen, and can subsequently be reused in shows, merchandising, and entertainment.
For Plopsa, this offers additional opportunities to keep the Mayan world relevant for returning visitors. New characters provide variety in meet & greets and can later evolve into larger entertainment formats.
More information
Source and more information: Plopsaland de Panne