The brand new, LEGEN-wait-for-it-DARY figure of the celebrated television character to be unveiled days before Harris hosts the 87TH Academy Awards

Orlando, Fla. –Madame Tussauds Orlando and Madame Tussauds San Francisco hosted a bicoastal unveiling event for special figures created for Neil Patrick Harris. On Tuesday, February 17, Madame Tussauds Orlando debuted the high-five loving, designer dud wearing, and Bro Code author Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson, and San Francisco will debut the suited-up Neil Patrick Harris as he prepares for his role as master of ceremonies for the 2015 Oscars.

In Orlando, Barney is set in his iconic character pose, suited up and adjusting his designer silk tie and will be located in a themed room inspired by his hit television series.

“We are absolutely thrilled to announce that our newest Madame Tussauds attractions in Orlando and San Francisco will be suiting up for the debut of Barney Stinson and his alter ego, Neil Patrick Harris,” said Kieran Lancini, Global Head of Media Relations for Madame Tussauds. “Both Neil and Barney are beloved by their fans, and they make an awesome addition to our collection of TV personalities.”

Madame Tussauds is world-renowned for the creation of detailed and lifelike wax figures that pay homage to A-list celebrities from film and television, sports icons, musicians from all genres, and notable figures from history and pop culture.

Each Madame Tussauds figure is truly a work of art, involving teams of professional artists and sculptors who spend months on extensive research and taking more than 200 measurements to recreate world-famous icons, to achieve the kind of astonishing realism that has been at the heart of the 250-year Madame Tussauds legacy.

Guests at Madame Tussauds Orlando will experience a brand new, immersive and interactive wax experience, bursting with family fun and world-class entertainment, as they move through themed areas meeting all of their favorite stars from award-winning film actors, to historical and modern world leaders, sports stars, music legends as well as figures important to Florida. All visitors can shake hands with the president, get on stage with rock stars and pop princesses, or get up close and personal with a Hollywood heartthrob and take the ultimate selfie!

For more information, visit www.madametussauds.com/orlando.

Note to Editors:

• Photo credit: Courtesy of Madame Tussauds

• Photo Caption: Madame Tussauds Orlando and Madame Tussauds San Francisco debut the figure of high-five loving, designer dud wearing, and Bro Code author Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson.

• Madame Tussauds Orlando opens at I-Drive 360 on Orlando's International Drive in spring 2015, for more information visit www.madametussauds.com/orlando.

• Madame Tussauds Studios London has been making wax figures for over 150 years. Each masterpiece takes four months, and a team of 20 dedicated sculptors, to create.  Over 200 precise body measurements are referenced, real head hairs are inserted one by one, and countless layers of paints and tints are applied to build up skin tones - all to achieve the kind of astonishing realism that has kept Madame Tussauds world renowned for over two centuries.

• Madame Tussauds has attractions in London, New York, Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Washington DC, Berlin, Hollywood, Vienna, Sydney, Tokyo, Blackpool, Wuhan, Beijing and San Francisco, with Orlando poised to open early 2015.

• MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS plc is the leading name in location-based, family entertainment. Europe's Number 1 and the world's second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates 106 attractions, 11 hotels/3 holiday villages in 23 countries and across 4 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its almost 60 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 25,000 employees. 

• Merlin has twenty four attractions and one hotel in North America  - including two stunning LEGOLAND Resorts – LEGOLAND Florida with its theme park, water park, and LEGOLAND California theme park with water park, SEA LIFE aquarium and themed hotel; Madame Tussauds celebrity wax attractions in New York, Washington DC, Las Vegas; Hollywood; and San Francisco; LEGOLAND Discovery Centers in Chicago; Dallas/Fort Worth; Kansas City Missouri; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Westchester, New York; Toronto, Canada; a Dungeon in San Francisco; and SEA LIFE aquariums in Phoenix, Arizona; Kansas City, Missouri; Dallas/Fort Worth; the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Charlotte – Concord and Michigan - underlining the company's position as the world's biggest global aquarium operator.  Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.

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