Super Neon, an extraordinary immersive experience crafted by the visionary creative team Merlin Magic Making, is poised to debut its glowing landscapes and vibrant light installations in the United States for the very first time at the Mall of America on September 12, 2025. This innovative attraction emerges not just as a technological marvel but as a dynamic testament to the power of light and art to spark imagination and joy across all age groups. Conceived and realized in under a year, Super Neon reflects a nimble approach to immersive entertainment that responds swiftly to contemporary trends while maintaining the depth and magic synonymous with Merlin Entertainments.
The creators behind Super Neon, known for pushing boundaries in the realm of experiential design, have redefined what an interactive journey can feel like. Liz Cummings, Merlin Making Creative Lead for New Products & Concepts, explains the inspiration and rapid development timeline behind the attraction: “Super Neon all started with the trend and fascination in awe-inspiring lighting installations and how light has a mood-boosting impact on us all. In making this world’s first attraction from start to finish in less than a year, we were able to hone in on current trends and make them relevant for our guests immediately.” This sense of immediacy in creating experiences speaks to a growing demand for immersive environments that are vibrant, engaging, and emotionally resonant.
At its core, Super Neon is a sprawling 11,000+ square-foot canvas where art, technology, and interactivity coalesce. Visitors embark on a glowing, 45 to 60-minute adventure through luminous rooms featuring surreal, photogenic environments—from colorful rainstorms with suspended underwater umbrellas to magical forests where touch animates towering trees. This is an attraction where the tactile and the visual blend seamlessly, allowing guests to “paint” with light and lose themselves in dreamlike sculptures and sensory tunnels. Tom McElwee, RGM North America at Fever—the presenting partner—emphasizes the immersive storytelling aspect, noting, “Super Neon is a perfect example of immersive storytelling done right. It’s imaginative, meaningful, and designed to spark wonder while elevating the senses of people of all ages.”
The creative significance of Super Neon extends beyond its surface spectacle. Its uniqueness lies in how it harnesses lighting technology not only for aesthetics but as a fundamental narrative and emotional vehicle—a technique increasingly central to cutting-edge fulldome and immersive experiences. By cleverly integrating interactivity, the environment becomes a responsive, ever-changing entity, inviting participants to co-create the journey rather than passively observe it. This aligns with current trends in immersive media where audience engagement and sensory depth are key to creating memorable and transformative experiences.
Furthermore, Super Neon’s rapid development is a case study in innovation within creative workflows. The Merlin team’s ability to condense a world-class attraction from concept to reality within a single year highlights new possibilities for the entertainment industry in agile design and real-time responsiveness to audience desires. This contrasts with the typically long gestation periods of large-scale immersive projects and signals a future where immersive experiences can be more timely and trend-sensitive. The integration of interactive lighting installations anticipates and builds upon similar trends in fulldome shows where light and shadow choreography enrich storytelling and emotional impact.
Within the broader fulldome and immersive experience community, Super Neon stands as an influential model blending entertainment, technology, and artistry. Its presence at a venue such as the Mall of America, a major public space with diverse audiences, showcases the potential for immersive environments to reach beyond traditional planetariums and festivals, embedding themselves within everyday cultural landmarks. It serves as an inspiration for creators exploring new formats, coupling interactive design with immersive visuals and soundscapes to create experiences that educate, entertain, and inspire simultaneously.
In the evolving landscape of immersive media, platforms like Fever and creative companies like Merlin Magic Making are pivotal allies, bridging innovative content with mainstream audiences. Super Neon’s success may well encourage more collaborations that push the boundaries of what immersive storytelling can achieve, extending the impact of fulldome-style experiences into new realms of commercial and artistic possibility. As immersive media continues its global growth, projects like Super Neon demonstrate how a fusion of creativity, technology, and audience engagement can elevate the medium to striking new heights of wonder and connection.
Originally reported by IPM News via www.inparkmagazine.com on 2025-08-17 14:36:00.
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