There will be a new virtual reality (or so it seems) attraction opening in Branson, Missouri later this year. It is taking over the former Andy Williams Moon River Theater. According to the always-accurate Wikipedia, Andy Williams opened that theater in 1992. According to this article at Thousands Hills, Williams performed there until 2011 when he was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away the following year.
According to an article by SJB, the property had been up for sale and was most recently purchased by Mindscape Creative. They specialize in 5-D theater attractions (the gimmicky name for having 3-D or VR movies that feature things like moving seats, scenes, or in-theater effects such as wind and such).
Per their press release:
Time Travel is making its way to the former Andy Williams Moon River Theater in Branson, MO, with Truth Traveler, a virtual reality ride and attraction developed by the acclaimed Ark Encounter and Mindscape Creative. Mindscape Creative, known for their expertise in blending cutting-edge technology with captivating narratives, has worked with the Ark Encounter to bring Truth Traveler to life at their Kentucky location and is also developing it for Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
– Truth Traveler Press Release
Ark Encounter is an attraction located in Kentucky that opened in 2016. It features a “life sized” replica of what the biblical Noah’s Ark could have been like.
Unsurprisingly, with their involvement, Truth Traveler is also a bible-inspired attraction.
From the look of some of the concept art, it reminds me of early EPCOT at Walt Disney World.
The images hint of what may be a pre-show, or other exhibit within the attraction.
Several characters have been created for the attraction, including The Inventor, P.O.D. and Rae:
Although some of the concept art makes it look like a fully immersive ride environment…
…other images reveal that may just be what you see while sitting in a less-themed room and wearing a V.R. helmet:
Of interest, it looks like they are using HTC VIVE V.R. helmets (you can buy consumer versions of those to use at home) and the MX4D movie theater seats (we have those at one of our local theaters here in Des Moines, Iowa). As such, the experience may only be unique for those who have never tried V.R. before, and do not regularly watch movies in moving theater seats. (And we actually have two theater chains in Des Moines with different brands of moving seats, in theaters that feature effects such as wind, smells, etc.)
Hopefully, the storyline will be compelling, as well as any exhibits/pre-shows/etc. to make this stand out from the various other 5-D theater experiences found in Branson already.
And, for those looking for a more Christian-based positive message, the movie alone may be an attraction. For those less interested in that type of messaging, perhaps one of the several other attractions that let you blast zombies or aliens will be more interesting.
Since Branson is just a “short drive” down the road from where I am, I do expect to drive down and check out this new attraction when it opens. At that point, I hope to add new photos to the Branson photo gallery as well as VR images and movies to my Branson in VR projects.
More to come…