A few months from the inauguration of “Animal Treasure Island”, the new and ambitious IP of Merlin Entertainments that will be presented in a world premiere in Gardaland, the Park today released a video offering a behind-the-scenes look at the new water dark ride. The ride isdestined to conquer visitors of all ages, thanks to its characters who (with recognisable values and behaviours) will be at the heart of an allegorical and engaging plot.

The creation of “Animal Treasure Island” is the result of meticulous work by the Merlin Magic Making creative team, composed of concept artists, digital designers and storytellers. This extraordinary adventure is told by Mollie Page, Creative Producer at Merlin Magic Making, who explains what it means to create an immersive experience of this magnitude. “The process for creating new original Intellectual Properties necessarily begins with indepth brainstorming by the design team. In the case of “Animal Treasure Island”, the inspiration came from the need to renew an existing attraction, transforming it into something completely new. A key aspect was the creation of a cast of unique characters, a task that required more than a year of collaboration with industry specialists to define every detail and ensure that the characters were memorable and able to create a connection with the audience.”

And the first of the characters whose creative process is presented really promises to excite and involve visitors: Captain Nine Lives, a young and fascinating adventurer who embodies the spirit of Animal Treasure Island, which is a mix of adventure, exploration and emotional growth. A character with a strong charisma – wearing a ring as a signet on her tail – whose indomitable spirit is forged by a story of courage and determination.

The creation of “Animal Treasure Island” was not only a creative challenge,butalso a technological one. Mollie Page continues: “It was very important, during the construction phase to be sure to combine the previous story with a new and exciting plot that comes to life thanks to a new generation of technology. For example, we are installing over 250 speakers in our new 360-degree Binaural sound systems, to achieve absolutely unprecedented amplification in a Merlin attraction. And we’re partnering with vendors around the world to create custom hardware exclusively for this attraction.”The Merlin creative team, aware of how much visitors to Gardaland enjoyed the soundtrack of Wolf Legend (the drop & twist tower inaugurated in June 2024), paid great attention to the soundtrack of Animal Treasure Island.”Hundreds of hours were spent creating custom tracks for each scene of the attraction, and Animal Treasure Island has 25 of them!” concludes Page.

Dario Giovanazzi, Gardaland Project Manager and part of the Merlin Magic Making Project Delivery Team – in charge of overseeing the project in terms ofdesign, execution and creativity in Gardaland – tells an anecdote about how “Some professionals involved in the original construction of 1992 are still involved in the work of Animal Treasure Island.” Continuity with the past is a fundamental part of the project. For this reason, numerous new effects have been added to the original effects of the previous attraction, to guarantee visitors an even more current, immersive and engaging experience. With Captain Nine Lives, Gardaland inaugurates a new era of characters, narratives and emotions, without breaking the bond with tradition.

With a strong attention to detail, technological innovation and powerful storytelling, “Animal Treasure Island” promises to be one of the most engaging experiences ever to exist in Gardaland. The adventure is about to begin, and Captain Nine Lives is ready to guide visitors to discover an extraordinary world!

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