It’s not exactly something out of nothing, but Holovis has used projection mapping to turn an atrium space in a theme park into a new attraction. The result has made everyone happy: the visitors have an entertaining and novel exhibit they haven’t seen before; and the park’s owners benefit from longer visits, in any weather, and greater spend per head.
The new themed area and twice-daily show is at UK theme park Fantasy Island. The Mystical Mountain has been created on existing 12m high mountainous scenery within an indoor area at the centre of the park, which is located in Ingoldmells, near Skegness in Lincolnshire. This space was previously an atrium; the ceiling has been covered to create an atmospheric and highly themed attraction.
Holovis produced the whole experience, starting with the narrative that underpins the show. The Holovis Media concept and character artists created the lovable character of the Mystical Mountain, while the Holovis Attraction team of engineers specified and installed the three Barco F90 laser projectors and the Green Hippo Hippotiser that bring the show visuals to life.
The key shows take place at 13:00 and 21:30, but during the day the Mountain can be seen sleeping, with butterflies sweeping past him and lizards inhabiting the lower rock faces. Within the show sequences, gushing water and explosive lava eruption visual effects are integrated perfectly with lighting, audio and SFX for a full multisensory experience.
Peter Cliff, creative director at Holovis, explained: “Due to the physical finish of the theming, which resembles uneven mountainous terrain, the mountain was not an easy surface to projection map on to. We first captured a lidar scan of the desired area then worked from the point source data obtained.
“The result is a multipurpose canvas that Fantasy Island can easily update with new seasonal shows throughout the year to keep audiences engaged. The main show takes place in the evening so guests are staying later into the day, increasing the spend per head and resulting in a tangible ROI benefit for the park owners and operators.”
Edward Mellors, director of park owners the Mellors Group, commented: “We wanted a new feature that would vastly augment the expected visitor experience and have certainly found it within the projection mapped show. This dynamic visualisation is something that many of our guests have never seen in person before so they plan their day around attending the evening show. It’s great to have a non-weather dependent feature that can be so easily updated with new content.”
