WRITER
Ferris Bueller's Best Land Ever
You’ve got one perfect, golden day to live life to the fullest…in classic Ferris Bueller style. From the high-energy parade to amazing shops and restaurants and a high-speed car chase through Chicago, the Best Land Ever offers excitement, adventure and a never-ending party.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Ferris Bueller’s residential neighborhood is a quintessential, cheerful neighborhood from the 1980’s with grassy lawns and tidy flowerbeds. We meander this somewhat quieter section of the land to find a small quick serve restaurant, ice cream shop, a walk-through attraction and the icon of the land: the Save Ferris Wheel.
The Bueller House – Walk-thru
The first sight we get when entering the neighborhood is the stately home of the Buellers, with neatly manicured hedges ringing the front driveway. We are welcomed to come into the house and have a look around because we’re all Ferris’s friends here. The entry foyer is filled with get-well flowers for Ferris. Steam billows out from the bathroom door; we can hear Ferris singing “Danke Shoen” in the shower. In the bedroom, we can push open the door and see the ingenious Rube Goldberg-esque invention Ferris made and even play with his interactive sound effect stereo.
Save Ferris Wheel – D-ticket
The icon of Ferris’s neighborhood and the tallest sight in town is the huge water tower, recently painted to read “SAVE FERRIS.” But that’s not all! In order to draw even more attention the landmark, the good people of Chicago have built a giant Ferris wheel around the tower itself. Now guests from all over can come to take a ride on the wheel, soaring high into the sky and getting the best view imaginable of the city.
31 Flavors – Ice Cream Shop
This cheerful, upbeat, and poppy ice cream parlor is a favorite of Ferris’s friends to grab a scoop of ice cream and catch up on the latest gossip from school.
Shermer High School – Façade
We stroll by Ferris Bueller’s High School, a strict-looking brick building that clashes hilariously with the audio heard from within. The droll voice of a teacher calls roll, listing off names and getting stuck on the absent Bueller. “Bueller…Bueller…Bueller…”
From another window, guests can hear Principal Ed Rooney’s secretary espousing the many virtues of Ferris Bueller. “…He’s a righteous dude.”
Concrete steps lead up to the front door, skirted on either side by leafy green trees. A hand-painted banner over the door reminds everyone of the upcoming Spring Fling.
Police Station – Façade
When passing the exterior of the local police station, we see a drama playing out in silhouette through the windows. Curly-haired Jeanie sits stiffly on a couch next to a casually slouched figure…every so often they lock in a passionate embrace. Occasionally, the siren flashes and wails on a parked police car outside.
The Frye House – Façade
Ferris described Cameron’s house as being like a museum: “Very cold, very beautiful, and you’re not allowed to touch anything.” But from the outside, it’s a classic example of minimalist architecture and seemingly a perfect display room for Mr. Frye’s ’61 Ferrari, seen inside the window.
Shakey’s – Quick Serve Restaurant
Around the corner from Ferris’s house, a comfortable pizza joint is the regular hangout for locals looking to grab a slice and catch the game on TV. The cozy, wood-paneled interior is packed with red-and-white-checkered tables and the walls are plastered in framed pictures of sports teams and Chicago celebrities. We place our order at the center counter, choosing between pizza and other all-American favorites, then find a seat in the main room. A plethora of TVs around the space show an exciting baseball game in the Chicago Cubs stadium and if we watch closely, we may even be able to catch a glimpse of Cameron and Ferris in the stands.
DOWNTOWN
We walk out of the residential neighborhood and into downtown Chicago, a bustling district full of commercial shops and eateries with a skyline dominated by soaring skyscrapers and of course, Wrigley Field.
Chez Quis – Full Serve Restaurant
The Chicago elite may dine here but don’t let that scare you off – so does Ferris Bueller! We proceed past the fancy brick exterior, draped elegantly with ivy and wrought iron, to the loveable stuffy interior of the restaurant. There, we have to contend with the snobbiest of waiters in order to secure a table and order some food. Potted ferns and exorbitant floral arrangements accentuate the pristinely white-walled restaurant while the large wall paintings depict the snobbiest subjects imaginable. Guests won’t be able to help laughing at the ridiculous entrees on the menu, like pancreas, or at the fussy, condescending waiters who always keep things lively.
Flower Shop – Façade
A vibrant storefront downtown displays a window full of flower bouquets while a sign on the window announces, “Same day delivery! Singing telegrams available!”
Ira’s Instruments Music Shop – Façade
Could this be where Ferris bought his synthesizer keyboard? Ira’s Instruments sells everything from bassoons to bass guitars and every kind of technical music gear you could want. A sign on the window advertises clarinet lessons and new Synthesizer keyboards!
The Art Museum – Façade
Two green stone lions flank the front steps up to the Chicago Art Museum, where a large colorful banner announces a Georges Seurat exhibit inside.
Abe Froman’s Sausage Cart – Food Cart
Guests looking for a quick bite during their best day ever need look no further than Abe Froman’s Sausage Cart. “The Sausage King of Chicago” is treating the city to some of his sausage specialties, served up quick from a modest little red and white cart downtown.
Twist and Shout Parade
You know you twist so fine! It’s the most electric, exciting, and colorful parade Chicago has to offer: the Twist and Shout Parade. So come on, come on, come on over now to the streets of downtown where elaborately decorated parade floats will flood the streets as confetti rains from the sky. The final float bears the man of the hour himself: Ferris Bueller! Lip-syncing his heart out to the iconic Beatles song, he leads everyone in the dance party of a lifetime.
Joy Ride - E-ticket
It’s the best day ever and Ferris, Cameron, and Sloan are busy living it up downtown…but there’s just one problem: they need to get Cameron’s Ferrari back home before his dad notices it’s gone, so Ferris recruits us to take the car back home for him, and of course he’ll understand if we have a little fun with it first. What starts out as a lively joyride downtown quickly becomes a high-speed chase as we swerve to avoid the parade, outrun the police, and beat Mr. Frye home. The finale comes crashing down – literally – as we squeal into the garage and accidentally burst through the back wall, plummeting down an unexpected drop in a heart-stopping end to our amazing adventure.
Save Ferris Pop-Up Shop - Exit Retail
The community has banded together to save their favorite ailing youth! A small pop-up shop has been erected downtown to raise money with Ferris Bueller-themed merchandise…all proceeds go to save Ferris! We can browse through mugs and t-shirts, and even replicas of some of Ferris’ favorite clothes to show our support!