neon, a global experience entertainment company, is celebrating the opening of its latest IP-based experience at Gardens by the Bay in Asia.
The official opening ceremony, which was held in front of the recognisable flowing waterfalls at Cloud Forest was attended by Guest-of-Honour Heng Swee Kiat, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, in an event hosted by neon.
Senior officials from Disney Location-Based Entertainment and Lightstorm Entertainment, the film production companies founded by James Cameron and Jon Landau, as well as Gardens by the Bay, served as co-hosts of the event.
Banshees and interaction
With outstanding interactives and eye-catching content spread across five distinct zones, Avatar: The Experience, located amid Gardens by the Bay’s famous and visually magnificent Cloud Forest, will elevate visitor experiences. The introduction of a life-size animatronic banshee that responds to visitors in real-time is one of the interactives.
Additionally, knowledgeable guides will lead guests to a puppet baby banshee and a puppet baby viperwolf, offering special photo opportunities. Avatar: The Way of Water‘s new marine Ilu monster is represented artistically in a sculpture as the trail continues with interesting installations all around the location.
“We are excited that this unique experience at Gardens by the Bay here in Singapore has given guests of all ages a new way to enjoy the wonders of Pandora, says Kathy Franklin, President of Franchise Development at Lightstorm. “Setting Avatar: The Experience amongst the landscapes of Cloud Forest has created a truly immersive journey, one that was creatively inspired and made possible by a global collaboration of teams. We look forward to welcoming Avatar fans from around the world.”
A collaborative experience
Ron Tan, executive chairman and group CEO of neon adds: “It is an honour to transform one of Singapore’s most iconic venues, the Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay, into Avatar: The Experience, the first-ever around the world.
“This endeavour can only be made possible with the trust and support from our collaborators at Disney Location-Based Experiences, Lightstorm Entertainment, the Singapore Tourism Board, Gardens by the Bay, and the dedicated team members from Cityneon globally.”
Felix Loh, Gardens by the Bay’s CEO says: “We are thrilled that people in Singapore will be the first in the world to enjoy Avatar: The Experience. Over the past month, our horticulturists have collaborated closely with all teams to infuse our Cloud Forest with the world of Pandora. We hope visitors are as excited as we are to be a part of this extraordinary event.”
Avatar: The Experience is open to the public from 28 October 2022 to 31 March 2023 from 9 am to 9 pm daily. Admission tickets to Avatar: The Experience start from $23 and are available from official ticketing partner Klook or the Gardens by the Bay website.
Following an investment of S$150 million from 65 Equity Partners, neon recently announced its extensive rebrand which it says represents its next phase of growth in the immersive entertainment sector.
