Chuck E. Cheese, the top global family entertainment venue, will remove its animatronic bands from all locations except one in California.

During a live press conference on Nov. 2, Chuck E. announced that Munch's Make Believe band will now only perform in Northridge, California, near Los Angeles.

The Northridge location is a unique exception that the company is keeping for the purpose of nostalgia. It will be the only Chuck E. Cheese fun center with an animatronic band. The much-loved band will continue to perform every day at this location.

David McKillips, President and CEO of Chuck E. Cheese's parent company, CEC Entertainment, mentioned how he understands the importance of the animatronic band. 

"As an important part of the legacy of the brand, we know that the animatronic band holds a special place for many fans in their childhood memories," McKillips said in the press release. "We want our fans to know that the decision to keep the band here is meant as a gesture of love and gratitude as our legacy continues to evolve in new ways."

Here's what else is new

While the Northridge location will receive modern upgrades, including state-of-the-art interactive dance floors, giant video walls and screens, and the most popular kid-focused arcade games, the other 400-plus locations will also receive updates.

The company has been busy renovating fun centers nationwide, providing a delightful experience for fans of all ages. Additionally, new trampoline zones have been introduced in select fun centers nationwide, offering multi-activity options for all ages.

"Chuck E. Cheese is and was an essential part of growing up," Nolan Bushnell of CEC said in the press release. "It has had an enormous impact on how families have fun, providing a place where kids and adults alike could be entertained - from animatronic shows tailored more for the adults to games and prizes for the kids. It's great that the original animatronic band will remain in residency at the Northridge location while the other locations offer experiences and create memories with the new vision."

A grand re-opening

Chuck E. Cheese Northridge is hosting a Grand Re-Opening Party on Nov. 10. The event will commemorate the "Legacy and New" concept coming together. There will be a special media preview event from 4-6 p.m. followed by a fanfare from 6-8 p.m., where all guests are welcome to join in on the celebration.

The press release states that the first 25 families to arrive at 6 p.m. will receive one hour of free All You Can Playtime. Attendees can win prizes such as a free Chuck E. Cheese birthday party or a VIP play band with unlimited All You Can Play time for a year. 

All attendees will receive a free cake, a collector's poster, and an exclusive commemorative pin for exchanging old tokens. Additionally, the band will perform.

Fans can expect more exciting announcements leading to Chuck E. Cheese's 50th anniversary in 2027.

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What is the Munch's Make Believe Band?

According to Chuck E Wiki, Chuck E. Cheese has an animatronic band that performs with show tapes that change every few months. The band lip-syncs to the audio and music in the show tapes. They used to play covers until 2014, when they started playing original ones.

The Munch Make Believe Band includes Chuck E as the lead singer, Mr. Munch on keyboards, Jasper T. Jowls on guitar, Helen Henny on vocals, and Pasqually on drums.

In January 2017, a remake of the Concept Unification demo skit was produced for Chuck E. Cheese's 40th anniversary, featuring the current puppets and voice actors for Chuck E. Cheese.

In August of 2017, it was announced that the animatronics at the restaurant would retire. This decision was made in favor of the upcoming test remodel, replacing the animatronics with the Chuck E. Live Stage dance floor. However, the band will still be part of the restaurant's TV segments.

It was announced in late 2019 that all locations would receive the 2.0 remodel, but due to the pandemic and bankruptcy, the plan was postponed until 2021.