KidZania is a privately held Mexican company. KidZania is a Mexican chain of family entertainment centers currently operating in 16 locations allowing children to work in adult jobs and earn currency. KidZania has received more than 31 million guests around the world since its opening, making it one of the fastest growing global edutainment brands in the world.
KidZania was created and developed by Mexican entrepreneur Xavier López Ancona, current KidZania CEO. The first KidZania opened in September 1999 in Santa Fe Shopping Mall in Mexico City, and was named La Ciudad de los Niños ("The City of the Children").
Corporate sponsors funded 55% of the initial investment.
In 2007, KidZania engaged veteran entertainment strategist and dealmaker Andrew Darrow as Executive Vice President to expand the operation. Cammie Dunaway joined in late 2010 as the global Chief Marketing Officer. The London KidZania, located at Westfield London, cost £20 million to build. In partnership with British Airways, it is operated by Joel Cadbury and Ollie Vigors through their Longshot Ltd company.
Every KidZania is themed as a child-sized replica of a real city, including buildings, shops and theaters, as well as vehicles and pedestrians moving along its streets. In this city, children aged 4 through 12, work in branded activities from bottling Coca-Cola, working in a Crest-sponsored dentist office, working at a McDonalds restaurant, painting with Corporação Industrial do Norte, washing hands with P&G's Safeguard soap, and using airline tickets from American Airlines, Emirates and Saudia.
The children earn kidZos (KidZania's currency) while performing the tasks, and the money is kept in the KidZania bank for children to spend at the gift shop and on KidZania activities. Inside every KidZania facility around the world, children wear electronic bracelets that allow parents to keep track of their kids remotely.