Initially created in 2019 for the 25th anniversary of the show, which first aired on NBC in 1994, the Friends Experience has made its way to DFW.
After successful openings in New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta, the immersive experience is now featured for a limited time in The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, with tickets available through January 17. That’s this weekend — so get your tickets quick!
“[Friends] is an iconic global pop culture phenomenon with a massive and dedicated fan base,” Stacy Moscatelli, co-president and chief strategy officer of Superfly X, told The Dallas Express. “The Experience offers the unique opportunity to step inside the world of [the show].”
The part-exhibit, part-photo-op pop-up is a sixty-to-ninety-minute journey through a maze of Friends sets and history. It features opportunities to walk through (and take social media-worthy photos in) replicas of some of the most recognizable sets and scenes from the hit sitcom.
Guests can sit on the beloved orange couch in the Central Perk Coffee Shop (and in front of a fountain backdrop, as it appears in the title sequence) or gaze upon the familiar purple door of Monica’s apartment.
There is also a recreation of the legendary moment where Ross ropes Rachel and Chandler into helping him get his new couch into his apartment. The photo opportunity here is the sofa wedged in the corner of the stairwell where it got stuck (just before it got cut in half) so you can take a picture pretending to “PIVOT!”
The experience also serves as a mini Friends museum, providing an in-depth look at some behind-the-scenes details, with factoids and infographics to match.
Complete with original prop and costume relics, guests can see iconic outfits and items from the series, including a blown-up version of the novel-length (18 page) letter Rachel wrote to Ross when they considered getting back together in season four.
Not only does the exhibition have its ostentatiously displayed artifacts, but there is also a plethora of ‘Easter eggs’ that diehard fans are likely to pick up on.
“There are a number of [secret Easter eggs] throughout the experience which offers a great way for superfans to have a unique and engaging experience that taps their next level knowledge of the show,” Moscatelli shared.
Among them, the foosball table in Joey and Chandler’s apartment cheeps, an allusion to the episode where Chick Jr. and Duck Jr. get stuck inside, and a wall of posters outside Central Perk features nods to various episodes with more obscure, deep-cut references.
The Friends Experience also includes a retail store with exclusive Friends merchandise, some of which can be bought online.
Tickets are available for purchase through the Friends Experience website. General admission is $39.50 during peak hours (holidays, weekends, and weekdays after 5 p.m.) and $32.50 for off-peak (non-holiday weekdays before 5 p.m.). Children under three don’t need a ticket.
Operating hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends and 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
The Friends Experience is committed to being “Monica Clean,” and requires masks for anyone over two years of age.
If you miss the show in Dallas, the show will continue to run at its flagship location in NYC, and will visit Denver, Phoenix, Nashville, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington D.C. this year. You know, in case you want to “get on the plane.”
