Stranger Things: The Immersive Experience // Netflix House Philadelphia

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Greetings from the Upside Down! My first visit to Netflix House Philadelphia was such a fun experience! This is a new attraction at the King of Prussia Mall, located just outside of the city. It opened last year and I have been looking forward to getting a chance to finally visit, but was waiting for them to inevitably have a Stranger Things installation here - and alongside the tenth anniversary of the first season premiering, the time has finally come! 

Netflix House is free to enter, but the different attractions are all individually ticketed and paid, timed experiences. Even just stopping in to see the lobby and gift shop is a great time, especially with all of the photo ops throughout the space. Netflix House is in what used to be one of the old department stores that closed a few years ago at the mall and they completely transformed it into a really unique spot. They really nailed all of the theming and design - the way they incorporate their biggest original shows and films into one place like this is so well thought out. This is currently one of only two Netflix House locations, in addition to Dallas, Texas - and next year they will be opening a third location in Las Vegas. 




Stranger Things: The Immersive Experience is sort of like an escape room, and in some ways can be compared to one, but it is really more of an interactive group journey through Hawkins Lab. You and the ~30 person group are being introduced as the new test subjects for a top secret sleep study at the infamous lab from the show, and of course the experience takes a turn as the story progresses. To be in a re-created version of the iconic Rainbow Room was so awesome, as well as the the final room the group goes into too. Everything down to the smallest details were so well done and really captured the feeling of the original set design perfectly. 

The storyline is meant to fit somewhere in the middle of the fourth season, directly based on the events of the Hawkins Lab arc of those episodes and also because of the way the cast looked throughout. There are several interactive cameos from all of the main cast members filmed specifically for this, which was unexpected and ended up playing a major part in the entirety of the visuals and audio used throughout. The way they blended real-life actors working inside Hawkins Lab with screens featuring the actual main cast was especially impressive, the mix of in‑person performances and seamless on‑screen integration made it all feel so much more immersive. 

There are no photos allowed inside the actual experience, and I'll try not to give anything else away in case you want to see it for yourself. They absolutely made great use of the space and the tech, the hour truly flew by. I won't give any more spoilers, but it was such a fun time and definitely worth it if you're a fan of the show and love the whole Stranger Things universe as much as I do. 



One of the biggest highlights of my first Netflix House visit came at the end of the Stranger Things experience, when the group was taken into a special photo-op area filled with set recreations like Surfer Boy Pizza, Scoops Ahoy, and the Palace Arcade - plus statues of Vecna and a Demogorgon to take pictures with, as well as a themed photo booth. My mom and I had the best time taking pictures throughout, and everyone working there was so wonderful as well! 




Best of all, there were even several display cases filled with screen-used props and costumes from the show - all of which I was so excited to be seeing in person! The first case had Eleven's iconic pink dress and flannel worn in the first season, which I believe is one of many copies that exist of this look, as I saw another last year at the Netflix Store in Hollywood. It is one of the most recognizable looks from the show and seeing all of the details up close was the best! 


My absolute favorite item they had on display (although there were quite a few close contenders) was the Hounds of Love by Kate Bush cassette, along with Max's Walkman and headphones used in season four. "Running Up That Hill" has become synonymous with Stranger Things since the fourth season aired, and the ways it's woven throughout the final two seasons are so beautifully done and so central to the narrative. To see the most recognizable props from one of the most famous scenes in the entire series - especially as someone who loves that storyline and character so much, plus is such a fan physical music - was so surreal!


Last but certainly not least - another one of the incredible pieces I wanted to specifically highlight is Eddie Munson's full Hellfire denim outfit. This is another iconic look that has been duped and mass marketed into oblivion at this point and to get to unexpectedly see the original was so exciting! Seeing all the details of the vintage buttons and pins gave a special up‑close look at just how much thought and precision goes into designing such a memorable, time‑accurate piece.

I’m such a fan of fashion and art history, so any time I get to see screen‑used costumes, props, and memorabilia from my favorite pop culture moments up close like this is such an incredible experience.





To close out the day at Netflix House, we went to the restaurant they have attached to the rest of the mall, called Netflix Bites. Again, the decor was perfect and so thoughtfully designed. It reminded me of Grand Central Market in Los Angeles, except with all Netflix‑themed signage. Everything on the menu is inspired by various Netflix original series and films - we had the Glass Onion dip (served in an actual glass onion dish!) and, of course, what I was really there for; a sundae from Scoops Ahoy! My favorite! It was such a perfect way to wrap up our first visit to Netflix House.

It’s such a fun experience to spend an afternoon doing if you’re in the area, or if there’s a particular themed attraction you've been wanting to check out. I'd love to go back in the future if something new pops up there or even see a film screening at the Tudum Theater.

Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. Be sure to check out more of my Stranger Things related posts linked here and below - many more coming soon always! 🧇



All photos are my own!





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