KidZania Entertainment Center Under Construction in Oakbrook Center

A Boeing 737 airplane was seen in the parking lot near the Sears store that is under construction on the west side of the Oakbrook Center according to the Chicago Tribune. The 15 ton, 68 foot long plane was lifted and installed in KidZania which is a $25 million plus children's experiential learning and entertainment center. The expected opening date is the fall of 2019. 

KidZania has 24 locations in 19 countries and Oakbrook will be the second US location with Dallas scheduled to open next summer. The plane will offer many opportunities for children to see what it is like to be a pilot and comes with multiple flight simulators. The entertainment center will also offer more than 100 roles for children to explore and experience.

 A view inside of KidZania in Mexico City. (KidZania)

It is aimed at children ages 4-14 and will have settings for them to experience a variety of jobs, such as an airport, hospital, bank, supermarket, beauty salon, auto shop and restaurant/bakery. These experiences will empower kids, giving them the confidence to be their best selves.

"It's an educational kid-size city. It's a very interactive way for kids to learn about and experience a lot of different careers." 

Communications & Outreach Liason | Cailyn Maxwell

Company executives felt Oakbrook was a good fit because of its location and demographics. Security is expected to be very strict and children under 8 will need an adult to accompany them. The Oakbrook location would provide about 400 new jobs.

"It sounds really interesting.  I definitely am going to learn more about them before they open here.  I think it's great when kids can learn with hands-on experiences and have fun at the same time."

Visitor at Oakbrook Center | Betsy Turner

Sears has downsized its Oakbrook Center store and is scheduled to re-open this fall on just one floor.

Pricing has not been set yet at this location but the average price for KidZania in London, England converts to about $50 for adults and $28 for children.