Rocket Factory

In April 2025, Gardaland revealed what had replaced Kung Fu Panda Academy. The area reopened as Dragon Empire, with a general Chinese theme, dragons, firework motifs and new decorations. For the former teacups ride Mr Ping's Noodle Surprise, the change became concrete in one new name: Rocket Factory.

The makeover was more than a sign swap. Gardaland darkened the teacups ride and added new effects. Guests now spin in the dark, surrounded by paintings and firework projections. The attraction therefore moved away from a cheerful film licence toward a more atmospheric indoor experience, while keeping the familiar Mack Rides teacups at its core.

For visitors, the most noticeable change is the ride's tone. Rocket Factory remains a compact family attraction, but the darker setting and effects give the old carousel a clearer role inside Dragon Empire. For fans, this article matters because it records the definitive new identity after Kung Fu Panda was removed during the winter. In Gardaland's anniversary year, a ride dating back to 1993 found a fresh place in the park's story.

At the start of 2025, Gardaland confirmed that the Kung Fu Panda licence would disappear after nine years. That also meant the end of Mr Ping's Noodle Surprise, the teacups ride that, together with the spinning coaster Kung Fu Panda Master, formed the core of Kung Fu Panda Academy. References to the DreamWorks films were removed during the winter.

Gardaland replaced the brand with Dragon Empire, a more general Chinese theme in which the park wanted to evoke a daily Chinese New Year atmosphere. The new attraction names were not known yet, but the decision already made clear that the teacups ride would receive another identity. For visitors, it meant saying goodbye to familiar film characters; for fans, it was a visible licensing change inside an established themed area.

The move fits the ride's long pattern of reinvention. Mack Rides' teacups opened in 1993 as Kaffeetassen, became part of Kung Fu Panda Academy in 2016, and changed course again in 2025 during Gardaland's anniversary year. This article captures the moment when the path toward Rocket Factory truly began.

Gardaland faced a serious incident at the end of 2016 on Mr Ping's Noodle Surprise, the teacups ride that would later be transformed into Rocket Factory. A six-year-old girl was injured after being thrown from one of the ride vehicles and landing hard on the ground. According to the report, staff stopped the attraction and the child was taken to hospital.

The cause had not yet been established at the time. Gardaland said the ride complied with safety requirements, but kept it closed while the incident was investigated. The story stood out because this was a family teacups ride, the sort of attraction guests expect to feel simple, gentle and predictable.

For Rocket Factory's history, the accident is a notable chapter from before the current name existed. The attraction opened in 1993 as Kaffeetassen, became Mr Ping's Noodle Surprise when Gardaland introduced the Kung Fu Panda theme in 2016, and changed identity again in 2025. The incident is a reminder that even modest family classics can become part of a park's wider safety narrative.