The Crayola Experience in Plano has been abruptly shuttered after the landlord locked the doors over unpaid rent, leaving families with memberships and pre-purchased tickets in limbo as the once-vibrant mall around it continues its death spiral.
A notice posted on the door at the popular children’s attraction inside The Shops at Willow Bend on February 7, 2026, made the situation painfully clear: Centennial Waterfall Willow Bend changed the locks due to “delinquent rent.” The notice bluntly stated, “Provided tenant pays the entire amount of delinquent rent, a new key to the premises may be obtained.”
Parents attempting to visit the location at 6121 W. Park Blvd. have found themselves explaining disappointment to confused children. The attraction’s website offers little consolation, simply marking the location as “temporarily closed” with no indication of when — or if — it might reopen. Calls to the facility’s phone number are met with disconnection, and no information has been provided regarding refunds or accommodations for those holding tickets or memberships.
Mall’s Uncertain Future
The crayon-colored casualty comes amid larger troubles for The Shops at Willow Bend. Once a shopping destination, the mall has been hemorrhaging anchor stores and now stands largely vacant. Macy’s closure last year marked the beginning of a retail exodus, followed by announcements that both Dillard’s and Neiman Marcus would also shutter their locations, as reported in local media.
What’s happening at Willow Bend reflects a familiar pattern in retail landscapes across America. The mall had been slated for redevelopment into a mixed-use property featuring retail, office space, residential units, and parks. Plano officials approved a reworked development plan in February 2025, but progress has been sluggish at best.
Is there any hope for the property? Rumors have swirled, including speculation that the Dallas Stars hockey team might be eyeing the location for a potential stadium site. But concrete plans remain elusive as the property continues to empty out, store by store.
The Crayola Experience, which offers hands-on creative activities for children including crayon-making demonstrations and art projects, had been one of the few remaining draws for families visiting the struggling mall. Its 20 attraction stations had provided a rare bright spot in the increasingly vacant shopping center.
For now, families with tickets or annual passes are left wondering whether their colorful plans have been permanently erased. The company operates other Crayola Experience locations in Orlando, Florida; Easton, Pennsylvania; Bloomington, Minnesota; and Chandler, Arizona — all apparently unaffected by the Plano closure.
As one locked door speaks volumes about both a beloved attraction and a once-thriving mall’s uncertain future, the Plano community waits to see whether this is merely a temporary smudge or a permanent mark on the local family entertainment landscape.
