Gardaland Resort celebrates its 50th anniversary with an epic innovation: Animal Treasure Island, a real “adventure island” that also hosts a spectacular underground dark water ride andwhich made its debut today in Italy at Gardaland Park, in a world premiere. With a 10 million euro investment, this immersive experience redefines the world of themed attractions, offering never-before-seen audience engagement.

Developed by Merlin Magic Making Studios, Animal Treasure Island is an Merlin Entertainments Intellectual Property (IP) which was launched in a worldwide exclusive at Gardaland Resort.

“Gardaland has always been synonymous with innovation and quality entertainment, and we are proud that Merlin Entertainments has chosen Gardaland for the world debut of this extraordinary attraction, says Stefano Cigarini, CEO and Vice President of Gardaland Resort. “This choice confirms Gardaland Resort’s role as one of the most important parks in the group and one of the prime destinations for entertainment in Europe.”

Animal Treasure Island takes visitors on an extraordinary journey through a mysterious island, where good and evil collide in a treasure hunt full of twists and turns. With an area of 6,000 square metres and over 20 captivating sets, the attraction uses cutting-edge technologies to maximise audience engagement. A 360-degree binaural sound system with over 250 speakers, a bespoke original soundtrack and specially-developed exclusive hardware all ensure an immersive and highly realistic experience.

The strong point of the attraction is the cast of characters created to establish a strong emotional bond with the audience. The first character to make her debut is Captain Nine Lives, captain of the “Courageous Crew”, a young and charismatic adventurer inspired by the stories of her explorer grandfather. Driven by curiosity and a desire to discover a hidden treasure, she will guide guests through exciting challenges and unexpected alliances in a tale that celebrates courage and determination. Captain Nine Lives will embark on her missions along with a colourful crew of explorers: the funny hippo Bubbles, the wise and ruthless Admiral, the friendly Dax Danger and the mysterious Sparks, a skilled but shy inventor.

Luisa Forestali, Head of Marketing at Gardaland,explains:“While retaining their animal characteristics, in the story underlying the experience the characters will display values and behaviours that allow visitors to easily connect with each of them and relate to their personalities. The experience, therefore, will reach far beyond the attraction, becoming a narrative world in which to immerse oneself beyond the boundaries of the Park.”

The eternal rivals of the Courageous Crew in the treasure hunt are the Beastly Bandits: a crew of unscrupulous villains, driven only by the lure of gold. This dangerous gang is headed by the unscrupulous Captain Blackbear: stubborn, quick-tempered and competitive, he is ready to do anything to get what he wants. In his looting, Captain Blackbear can count on the support of an unruly crew: the unreliable Rusty, who always leaves traces of his scrapes; the lazy Spike; the ruthless Mortalia; and the most fearsome of all, Luna, who hides in the shadows and spreads terror wherever she goes.

To strengthen the bond with the narrative universe of Animal Treasure Island, Gardaland also offers an exclusive Meet&Greet with the protagonists of Animal Treasure Island. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet Captain Nine Lives up close, along with the inseparable Bubbles and Dax Danger, as well as their fearsome rival Captain Blackbear with his crew to take a souvenir photo and make this experience even more memorable. The appointment is scheduled every day at 1 pm and 1:40 pm.

The creation of Animal Treasure Island required more than a year of work by the Merlin Magic Making team, involving concept artists, digital designers and storytellers. The project is not just a renewal of an existing attraction, but instead turns it into a completely new experience, with an engaging narrative story and a meticulously designed scenery.

“Creating an original IP requires extensive research to ensure that every character and narrative element is memorable and engaging”, explains Mollie Page, Creative Producer at Merlin Magic Making. “We have combined advanced technologies with a compelling narrative concept to create an extraordinary world in which visitors can relate and become attached to the protagonists.” The attention to detail is also reflected in the soundtrack, with over 25 original musical tracks designed to accompany every moment of the adventure. Merlin’s creative team, aware of how much Gardaland visitors enjoyed the soundtrack of Wolf Legend (the drop & twist tower inaugurated in June 2024), paid particular attention to the music of Animal Treasure Island. Each track has been designed to build a real emotional timeline, accompanying guests on a journey that will allow them to experience evocative atmospheres and a crescendo of emotions along the way.

Animal Treasure Island, which will be inaugurated today, promises to be one of the most exciting and innovative experiences ever created in Gardaland, a perfect tribute to celebrate 50 years of magic, fun and adventure.

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