Sony Photos’ Immersive Leisure Vacation spot Wonderverse to Open in Chicago Space This January

Sony Photos is giving followers of a few of its hottest titles and franchises the prospect to immerse themselves within the worlds of Ghostbusters, Uncharted, Zombieland and extra as a part of a brand new 45,000 square-foot leisure vacation spot.

The studio will launch Wonderverse, its very first immersive leisure vacation spot, this December simply outdoors of Chicago on degree one of many Oakbrook Middle. The area will function a hybrid of bodily and immersive multimedia experiences, interactive installations, dynamic points of interest, and themed eating experiences, based mostly on main movie, TV and video video games together with Uncharted, Ghostbusters, Jumanji, Dangerous Boys, Zombieland and 21 Leap Avenue.

“Wonderverse is an thrilling enlargement for Sony Photos’ rising location-based leisure experiences,” stated Jeffrey Godsick, evp of World Partnerships and Model Administration and head of Location Primarily based Leisure at Sony Photos. “Experiences like Wonderverse present audiences the chance to get pleasure from our manufacturers in new methods by immersing themselves in a few of their favourite tales.”

Uncharted followers will double as explorers in a sequence of themed escape rooms with a linked storyline expertise — The Heist, The Hunt, and The Return — that see them working to unearth hidden treasure, remedy challenges and full quests.

Ghostbusters followers will be part of the VR Academy for an opportunity to change into an actual Ghostbuster. Via two distinct digital actuality experiences, followers can both enter the Area, the place they may swimsuit up with proton packs as you outsmart and catch spirits, or enter the driving force’s seat of an Ecto hovercraft, in Blitz the place individuals compete to see who’s the quickest and most expert driver in a high-speed race.  

These with a necessity for pace could have entry to a different racing journey the Dangerous Boys Racing Membership, which permits them to hop on racing simulators as a part of a high-speed chase by means of a Miami-inspired skyline, with illuminated photo-ops.

Zombieland lovers could have two choices to discover on the leisure vacation spot, starting with a artistic spin on bumper vehicles, during which one automobile is chosen as Affected person Zero, and the others should keep away from getting bumped to stay uninfected and stave off a destiny as a zombie. Followers can then head over to the arcade expertise, Pacific Playland, which was impressed by the decrepit carnival within the movie and let’s you compete among the many undead to win prizes.

The ultimate expertise helps understand the traditional journey movie Jumanji, with followers thrust right into a digital actuality recreation the place they need to discover a stolen jewel, cease the unfold of evil and reverse a curse.  

Themed foods and drinks choices embrace a hidden speakeasy, The Ghost Lure, the place ghostbusters can toast with fellow ghost catchers and their spirits in a spot the place the paranormal exists round each nook; and a restricted time 21 Leap Avenue-themed pop-up bar expertise, the place attendees will head again to high school for cocktail chemistry or be part of an artwork class for a “paint and sip” evening.

That’s along with the final Commissary Bar — led by Pernod Ricard’s mixologist Jane Hazard and that includes specialty cocktails, mocktails and lightweight bites — and the full-service Commissary Restaurant — led by business veteran Chef Scott Donaldson and providing a full menu of meals, desserts and cocktails.

Stepping into Wonderverse is free, with points of interest individually priced and tickets accessible to be booked prematurely. Company of all ages are permitted up till 7 p.m., after which the area turns into a 21+ setting, however these beneath 16 most be accompanied by an grownup not less than 21 years outdated.

“We’re thrilled to be the primary location for Sony Photos Leisure’s Wonderverse and have it as our largest leisure possibility at Oakbrook Middle”, Tim Geiges, senior basic supervisor of Oakbrook Middle, stated in a press release. “We frequently hear from visitors how they love our mixture of leisure, so we’re excited to supply a very new expertise for them to get pleasure from, particularly as we method the colder months.”

Previews start in December 2023 forward of the official January 2024 opening, with tickets and extra info accessible on the Wonderverse web site.

The immersive expertise follows renewed commitments within the experiences and parks area by each Common and Disney. The latter introduced in September it was investing $60 billion in the direction of increasing its parks experiences, with a brand new Frozen land already slated for his or her Hong Kong park and resort. It has additionally been a busy yr for Common, which introduced a kids’s and family-focused park in Frisco, Texas, a horror-focused attraction set in Las Vegas; a brand new Quick & Livid coaster on the L.A. park, which additionally opened Tremendous Nintendo World in the beginning of 2023; and an ongoing enlargement in Florida with the Epic Universe park.