The three-story Build-A-Bear Workshop on International Drive adds a design studio, a bakeshop and the first Pokemon Build-A-Bear shop. Here’s what’s inside the new Orlando store.
Build-A-Bear Workshop just opened the biggest store it has ever built, and it’s in Orlando. The three-story workshop at ICON Park on International Drive had its grand opening on Thursday, Nov. 5, according to WKMG News 6.
News 6 put it at more than 30,000 square feet. That’s a long way from the mall store you begged your parents to stop at in 2003.
“This is the culmination of all of our Build-A-Bear dreams,” Jazzy Danziger, Build-A-Bear’s vice president of brand creative and innovation, told News 6. “This is the most personalized experience that we’ve ever created for our fans and followers.”
Attractions Magazine got an early look inside before the doors opened. Here’s its tour:
What’s inside the world’s largest Build-A-Bear?
The classic routine is still here: pick a furry friend, stuff it, dress it and give it a heart. The Orlando store just piles more on top.
The extras, per News 6 and Build-A-Bear:
A scent bar to give your plush its own smell
A “Hear Me” station to record a custom sound or voice message that gets sewn inside
A “Personalize Me” station with embroidered names, initials, patches and screen prints, plus ear embroidery on select animals
The Build-A-Bear Bakeshop, where you frost and decorate your own cupcakes and cookies
A Celebration Terrace, an open-air deck on the upper level that looks out at The Wheel
Build-A-Bear’s October press release was careful to say the Bakeshop is “not a traditional cafe.” So think cookie-decorating party, not lunch spot.
What is the Build-A-Bear Design Studio?
This is the fancy part. The Design Studio is appointment only, and it’s a first for any Build-A-Bear store, per News 6.
You sit down one-on-one with a design consultant and pick premium fabrics, fur, eye color and paw design. Digital tools let you preview the bear before a Build-A-Bear seamstress makes it while you watch. The company’s release says it ends with a Heart Ceremony, a birth certificate and a “Design Studio Cub Condo” to carry it home in.
Is there a Pokemon Build-A-Bear in Orlando?
Yep. ICON Park’s store has three themed specialty shops inside, according to News 6, and one of them is the first-ever Build-A-Bear x Pokemon Workshop. It carries exclusive collectible plush and apparel.
The second is a Build-A-Bear x Hello Kitty and Friends Workshop, the brand’s fourth. It has Hello Kitty and Friends plush you can only get at ICON Park.
The third is Promise Pets by Build-A-Bear Workshop. Kids “adopt” a plush companion there. Expect some little ones to take that job very seriously.
Why did Build-A-Bear pick ICON Park?
ICON Park CEO Chris Jaskiewicz has an answer, and he isn’t modest about it.
“They could have gone to a lot of cities, a lot of states, but they picked us because we are the number one destination for families,” Jaskiewicz told News 6.
Build-A-Bear CEO Chris Hurt called it “our most ambitious experience yet” in the company’s Oct. 5 release. “We can’t wait to welcome guests from all over the world inside this truly one-of-a-kind tourist destination this November,” he said.
The store was first announced in March 2025, with an opening planned for the first half of 2026. It slipped to November.
Can you save money at the ICON Park Build-A-Bear?
A little. News 6 reports that ICON Park’s $99.99 Play Pass bundles nine experiences, including Blue Man Group and $10 off at Build-A-Bear. A smaller Fun Pass runs $84.99.
ICON Park also has free parking, per News 6. That’s rare on International Drive.
On opening day, the first 10 eligible guests in line got free furry friends for a year, per News 6. Sorry, that ship has sailed.
How big is Build-A-Bear these days?
The St. Louis company, founded in 1997, had 674 locations worldwide at the end of its second fiscal quarter, per its Aug. 27 earnings release.
Its second quarter of 2026 was soft, with revenue down 7.2% to $115.3 million. Hurt said those results “fell short of our expectations.” So a giant flagship on I-Drive is a pretty big bet.
If you’re already in Orlando for Universal or Disney World, it’s an easy stop. You’ll probably leave with a bear you didn’t plan on buying.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando (Nov. 2026), grand opening, features, quotes and Play Pass details
Build-A-Bear Workshop (Oct. 5, 2026), Design Studio, Bakeshop and Chris Hurt quotes
Build-A-Bear Workshop (March 13, 2025), original announcement
Build-A-Bear Workshop (Aug. 27, 2026), Q2 fiscal 2026 results and store count
Attractions Magazine, first look video
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