In a world where immersive entertainment continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, Merlin Magic Making has once again demonstrated its unparalleled creative prowess by unveiling two groundbreaking attractions—Super Neon and WONDRA. Conceived and brought to life in under a year, these experiences mark a bold new chapter in the realm of experiential design. Known for masterminding everything from adrenaline-pumping roller coasters to sprawling theme parks, Merlin Magic Making has harnessed its industry-leading expertise to reimagine how immersive spaces are conceived and delivered. Partnering with Fever, a global platform for live entertainment discovery, the studio is poised to debut these innovative ventures in major U.S. urban centers in 2025, signaling a fresh wave of engagement for thrill-seekers and curious minds alike.
“WONDRA is rooted in the idea that people are drawn to nature and we all crave more of it in our lives. 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,” explains Liz Cummings, Merlin Magic Making Creative Lead for New Products & Concepts. “By making these world-first attractions from start to finish in less than a year, we can hone in on current trends and make them relevant for our guests immediately. Throughout the creation of WONDRA and Super Neon, we’ve had to completely rethink how we bring attractions to life – working differently with our teams to deliver faster while still bringing the depth, quality, and signature Merlin magic our guests expect.”
Tom Mcelwee, RGM North America at Fever, expresses equal enthusiasm: “WONDRA is imaginative, meaningful, and designed to connect guests to the wonder of nature in a whole new way. Super Neon is a perfect example of immersive storytelling done right. It’s imaginative, meaningful, and designed to spark wonder while elevating the senses. We’re thrilled to bring these unique experiences to both the greater Minneapolis and Chicago areas.”
What sets these attractions apart is not only their speed of creation but also the fresh thematic and sensory dimensions they explore. WONDRA’s nature-inspired environment invites guests to wander through airy, personalized clouds and animate floral meadows with the power of their voices—an enchanting blend of digital whimsy and organic beauty. By contrast, Super Neon immerses visitors in a luminous playground where color-saturated rainstorms and interactive, glowing forests evoke both childlike wonder and a cutting-edge artistic sensibility. This bold use of lighting as a storytelling and mood-enhancing tool not only captivates the eye but harnesses the psychological power of color and light, offering an experience as much about feeling as it is about seeing.
These attributes place Merlin Magic Making at the forefront of a new wave of immersive media creators who prioritize multisensory engagement and rapid innovation. Unlike traditional theme park developments that can take years to materialize, these attractions embrace iterative, responsive design—capturing fleeting cultural moments and translating them into compelling realities almost in real-time. This approach parallels trends in the fulldome sector, where creators increasingly experiment with interactive storytelling, real-time content generation, and heightened audience participation. In many ways, WONDRA and Super Neon can be seen as part of a broader movement to blur the boundaries between physical and digital realms, invoking emotional resonance through vivid environments crafted with state-of-the-art technology.
Within the wider fulldome and immersive community, Merlin Magic Making’s latest projects underscore the demand for localized, experiential venues that blend entertainment with connection to place and nature. Their collaboration with Fever, an established curator of innovative live experiences, ensures these attractions will reach diverse audiences, from families to experiential tourists, expanding the footprint of immersive art beyond traditional planetarium and festival settings. Moreover, these projects preview upcoming ambitions from Merlin, including high-tech indoor coasters and Minecraft-themed immersive adventures, signaling a sustained commitment to pushing the envelope of storytelling and interactive design.
For immersive media professionals and enthusiasts globally, WONDRA and Super Neon exemplify how creative vision, technological mastery, and a willingness to rethink traditional timelines can converge to create memorable, transformative experiences. Merlin Magic Making continues to craft not just rides or installations, but dynamic worlds where wonder, mood, and meaning collide—enriching the fabric of immersive entertainment and inspiring future innovation in the fulldome and beyond.
Originally reported by IPM News via www.inparkmagazine.com on 2025-08-19 17:27:00.
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