December 5, 2024
Ben McPherson and John Pope had to hide their dream project from the world during the three years it took to build it.
Beginning this month, they’re eager to show it off.
The duo’s creation is Dreamwalk Park, a micro theme park located inside University Place Mall in Orem that will open to the public on Dec. 12.
It’s pitched as an “extraordinary digital experience” that “transports visitors to new worlds, both on and off the screen, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in cinematic environments” through “music and light shows, interactive elements, hidden scenes, articulating creatures, games, and collectibles.”
For McPherson, the co-founder and chief creative officer of the park, it’s the “perfect amalgamation” of everything he’s wanted to do.
It brings together his extensive experience as a filmmaker — he’s produced and directed content for National Geographic and IFC Films — and his art background, where he has specialized in classical realism.
“There’s the painting aspect, the sculpting aspect, the cinematic aspect, and, really, we think of it as an opportunity to bring people into a narrative, movie-like experience,” McPherson said.
The Daily Herald was invited on an exclusive tour of the park, which the creators believe is unlike any other type of entertainment destination in the state.
Weaving through a two-story section of the mall, the park takes visitors on a journey of nearly a half a mile through cave-like rooms showing intricate sets and creations, all visually appealing and some interactive.
Many displays may seem familiar, evoking memories of different media. There are giant mushrooms that appear to be plucked out of the world of Mario. One entire room looks like the visitor walked into the set of Nickelodeon’s “Legends of the Hidden Temple.”
Other art is completely foreign, such as an alien-like plant sculpture that is engineered to blow air when you hover your hand over it.
“You walk in and see some of these areas, and they feel super familiar, not just because we created them, but because in our minds, I think we have a collective imagination, and we’re drawing from that and we’re drawing inspiration from a lot of folks that went before us,” said Pope, co-founder and CEO of the park.
“While we have some aspects that might be traditional storytelling here,” McPherson added, “we just really wanted people to feel like there was a singular, real vision here that is totally unique and different.”
Along the journey, customers are given a card that can be scanned at different stations to peer into displays, or, in one room, play little games and rack up points. You’re also given a flashlight, which is used to shine at the walls to see hidden messages and pictures.
Every inch of this mystically geeky experience appears intricately curated. There are hidden easter eggs, crawl spaces and a lab-grown fish.
Place your hand on one artistic rendering on a wall and it will read your mood. Watch out for ancient mummy faces carved into the wall that will yell out at you.
A major part of the production is the show rooms, which are three cavernous areas that provide on a variety of performances using visual and audio effects every couple of minutes.
The first room feels intense and adventurous and features a large waterfall. Pope describes the second room as more “Zen”; it offers an audio and light show in a futuristic garden.
The final show takes place in a room that looks like a cantina in Star Wars. Visitors are surrounded by robots and drones that seem determined to incite a dance party.
Several displays were designed to be interchangeable, and the lighting and audio can be tinkered with to match a certain holiday or time of the year.
“People want adventure, and they want to see what’s beyond that next corner, what’s around that next turn,” McPherson said. “And so we have to constantly be adding more for them to discover. Add more terms, add more hidden scenes, add more so they can come and just kind of be a kid and explore.”
McPherson and Pope acknowledge they’re taking a leap in trying to come up with a new form of entertainment for people to enjoy. The project is an enormous undertaking that a number of people have been involved in.
They’re thrilled to see how people enjoy it. “This is like the pinnacle of what you could ask for or dream of as an entrepreneur,” Pope said.
The park will typically be open on evenings and Saturdays, but it will vary by week. Entry fees are $32.95 for adults and $24.95 for kids ages 3-12.
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