Discovery Zone (DZ) is a chain of family entertainment centers featuring arcade games and elaborate indoor mazes designed for young children, including slides, climbing play structures and ball pits. The chain is owned by CEC Entertainment, Inc.
Other places similar to Discovery Zone include Chuck E. Cheese's, Major Magic's, The Jungle: Fun and Adventure, Planet Play, Time In, Jeepers!, Showbiz Pizza, and Wonder Camp. McDonald's also operates a similar chain called Leaps & Bounds, which currently stands as one of DZ's biggest competitors.
History[]
Discovery Zone was founded by Ronald Matsch, Jim Jorgensen and Dr. David Schoenstadt in 1989. The first location was opened in Lenexa, Kansas, in January 1990. An early investor and vocal supporter of the company was tennis player Billie Jean King. Discovery Zone filed for bankruptcy in March 1996 but emerged in 1997. In 1999, CEC Entertainment bought the chain and made it a sister chain to Chuck E. Cheese's. In 2001 26 Chuck E. Cheese's locations were remodeled and converted to Discovery Zone locations.
International operations[]
In 1993, Discovery Zone expanded into Australia.
See also[]
- Chuck E. Cheese's
- List of current Discovery Zone locations
- List of former Discovery Zone locations
- Photon Center