Merlin Entertainments has unveiled a duo of eye-catching new attractions.
Called Super Neon and WONDRA, Merlin’s new creations are set “to amaze guests with larger-than-life visuals, interactivity, and unforgettable storytelling.
“Conceived, designed, and brought to life in under a year, these first-of-their-kind worlds quickly went from imagination to reality by Merlin Magic Making, the creative powerhouse behind Merlin Entertainments.
“Leveraging their expertise in crafting everything from rollercoasters to entire theme parks, Merlin Magic Making rethought their entire process to embrace the fast-paced challenge. Now these highly immersive spaces will make their global debut in partnership with Fever, the leading global live-entertainment discovery platform.”
Merlin’s new creative sparks
WONDRA is a fantastical, nature-infused journey and will open in the Chicago area on 5 September.
Meanwhile Super Neon, a glowing, mood-enhancing world, will open in the Minneapolis area on 12 September.
WONDRA, the more than 11,500 square-foot sized attraction opening at Woodfield Mall, will allow guests of all ages to “embark on an unforgettable journey to discover the wonders of the natural world.
“From wandering through a dreamy sky filled with personalized clouds to bringing flowers and meadows to life with just a voice; these new immersive experiences will spark curiosity, foster connection, and ignite awe.”
Super Neon will open with its more than 11,700 square-foot space at Mall of America, bringing a neon wonderland which will “spark wonder, elevate senses, and leave guests feeling uplifted.
“The illuminated playground will feature interactives like a colourful rainstorm with underwater umbrellas hanging from the sky, and a magical forest where a guest’s touch brings towering trees to life.”
In addition to these new worlds, the creative team at Merlin Entertainments most recent achievements include the opening of SEA LIFE Florida with the unique theme park under the sea in June, LEGOLAND® Shanghai Resort in July, and Hyperia, the United Kingdom’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster, opening last year.
“We’ve had to completely rethink how we bring attractions to life”
Liz Cummings, Merlin Magic Making Creative Lead for New Products & Concepts, explains further Merlin’s new concepts: “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. By making these world-first attractions from start to finish in less than a year, we can home 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.”
Merlin highlighted that its Merlin Magic Making team has more surprises in store in the near future: “The creative team is now focusing on Merlin’s largest investment in LEGOLAND Resorts ever with the most technologically advanced indoor space-themed coaster opening in early 2026 in Florida and California, as well as the worlds-first permanent location-based immersive Minecraft attractions.
Merlin Entertainments
