Stay inside the Scooby-Doo van and Shaggy’s Mystery Machine
- This month marks the 20th anniversary of “Scooby Doo: The Movie” premiering in theaters.
- To honor this anniversary, Airbnb is renting a recreation of the Mystery Machine in California for just three nights (June 24, June 25, and June 26).
- Booking begins at 1 p.m. EST on June 16 at www.airbnb.com/mysterymachine.
Did someone say a night in the Mystery Machine, Scooby Snacks and a virtual greeting from Shaggy himself?
This month marks the 20th anniversary of the theatrical release of “Scooby-Doo: The Movie”; to celebrate, Airbnb is renting a recreation of Shaggy and Scooby-Doo’s iconic blue and green Mystery Machine for three nights.
This is the first time the RV has been made available to the public for overnight stays, Airbnb said. Guests will also receive a pre-recorded virtual greeting from Matthew Lillard, who has played Shaggy for the past 20 years.
The RV will be available for rent on June 24, 25 and 26 for $20 a night off the southern California coast, Airbnb said in a press release. Booking begins at 1 p.m. EST on June 16 at www.airbnb.com/mysterymachine.
The companies emphasized that the Mystery Machine experience is not a contest and that each stay is for one night only; two guests are allowed per night.
Customers must find their own way to and from Southern California, the companies said. Interested people must be 18 or older and have a verified Airbnb profile, as well as a history of positive reviews, a spokesperson said. Upon check-in, all guests must confirm that they have not been recently exposed to anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 and cannot have a fever of 100.4 F or higher, or cough or shortness of breath, the companies said.
Inside the RV are nods to characters fans have come to love over the past few decades, including a wardrobe and a hangout, Lillard told USA TODAY.
The virtual greeting is fun, he said, but the real gem is the camper himself.
“You walk in and hang out with the Mystery Machine in this incredibly epic place,” Lillard told USA TODAY. “They decorated it. They kind of did this whole van life moment where they built a bed in the back. It’s super cute. It’s fun.”
The experiences were set up by Airbnb and Warner Bros. Consumer Products.
Lucky renters will have access to a retro TV for nightly screenings of “Scooby-Doo: The Movie” complete with popcorn, candy and Scooby snacks. They’ll also be treated to an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring some of Shaggy and Scooby’s favorites – hot dogs and eggplant burgers included.
Visitors can experience Sugar Ray on a portable CD player, dance on a lava lamp and try on Shaggy’s puka shell necklace.
There will also be an outdoor setup with lounge seating and a hammock area, the companies said.
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Actor Matthew Lillard on the life of Shaggy
Lillard said the Mystery Machine is symbolic of a role he played for 20 years. Earlier in his career, he wanted to distance himself from the franchise, he said.
“It was more of a burden,” he recalls. “The older I get, the more I appreciate that I’ve been able to hold on to something for so long. Being an ambassador for this franchise, being an ambassador for this game, is the best part, to be honest.”
He grew up watching cartoons and Scooby-Doo movies and said it was his first introduction to horror. Now he loves being able to impact kids in such a fun way.
“It impacts not just my generation, but generations after that,” he said. “I can walk up to a kid and blow their minds with a simple ‘Zoinks!'”
Lillard also said he shares some similarities with his tall, long-haired, cold-blooded iconic character.
For example, like Shaggy, who spends countless hours in the Mystery Machine solving crimes with his buddies, Lillard has a close-knit group of friends.
“I have a very, very close group of friends that I started a company with called Beadle and Grimm’s; it’s a Dungeons and Dragons company,” he said. “I’m loyal to those men in my life. I think my loyalty to my friends is good enough for Shaggy.”
He also made a joke about his differences with Shaggy.
“One of us was skinny,” he laughed. “One of us still is.”
Previous Airbnb stays hosted by celebrities include David Arquette’s Scream stay in Northern California in OctoberIssa Rae’s stay in Los Angeles February and Bad Bunny’s stay in Miami March.
Regarding the upcoming Airbnb experience in the Mystery Machine, Lillard noted that people have already contacted him wondering how they can get a spot since the RV is only available for three nights.
He thinks whoever is lucky enough to get a spot will love it.
“The Van is a true homage to the movie and to the franchise itself. Our goal was to deliver the ultimate Mystery Machine experience, and I think we’ve achieved that.”
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW team. She’s from Norfolk, Virginia, and loves all things horror, witches, Christmas, and food.
Saleen Martin, [email protected]Twitter: @Saleen_Martin
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