Gardaland Opens “Animal Treasure Island” for its 50th Anniversary
Photo: Courtesy of Gardaland
(eap) The Italian Gardaland Resort has kicked off the 2025 season – the year of its 50th anniversary – with a ceremony and numerous new features. The centerpiece of the anniversary season is the world premiere of “Animal Treasure Island”, an immersive Water Dark Ride that takes visitors on a 6,000 square meter adventure on a mysterious island. Developed by Merlin Magic Making Studios and implemented exclusively in Gardaland, the new attraction combines technology with sophisticated storytelling. Visitors can expect a multi-sensory experience with over 20 scenes, a 360-degree binaural audio system and a soundtrack specially composed in collaboration with IMAScore.
At the center of the story is the young explorer “Captain Nine Lives”, who, together with her “Courageous Crew”, takes on the ruthless “Beastly Bandids”. The world is expanded beyond the attraction, for example through meet & greets with the main characters.
“Gardaland has always been synonymous with innovation and quality entertainment, and we are proud that Merlin Entertainments has chosen Gardaland for the world premiere of this extraordinary attraction,” explains Stefano Cigarini, CEO and Vice President of Gardaland Resort.
Photo: Courtesy of Gardaland
According to Merlin Magic Making, the new IP has been specifically designed to create an emotional connection with the audience: “We have combined advanced technologies with a compelling narrative concept to create an extraordinary world in which visitors can identify and connect with the protagonists,” says Mollie Page, Creative Producer at Merlin Magic Making.
In addition to “Animal Treasure Island”, Gardaland is presenting four other new additions: The live show “Bim Bum Bam Live”, a cross-generational show based around the pink TV cult puppet “Uan”. Furthermore, visitors can look forward to the redesigned “Dragon Empire” themed area with the rotating coaster “Dragon Rush” and the interactive indoor attraction “Rocket Factory”. With “A.I. – The Future is Here”, park guests can look forward to a multimedia show about artificial intelligence in the “Gardaland Theatre”. In keeping with the park’s anniversary, the new 4D cinema experience “Prezzemolo and the Secret of the Hidden Worlds” is all about the history of Gardaland’s origins.
With these attractions, the resort, which has welcomed around 100 million guests since it was founded in 1975, is looking to the future with confidence. The resort is also focusing on growth in terms of personnel: over 1,300 employees are expected in the summer. At the same time, the resort is strengthening its position as a year-round destination with events such as “Magic Halloween” and “Magic Winter”. ■
