A new lush island of play awaits those who venture to the heart of Europe’s largest indoor water park. "Crocodile Island“ presents a radically different approach to family entertainment – an oasis of on-land adventures within a water-based setting, where the bravest explorers discover 1,200 sqm of highly themed, playable environments. This truly unique experience blends dry and wet play elements in a way not seen before, carefully designed for children of different age groups. Adding to its distinctiveness is the use of advanced technology, such as projections, seamlessly integrated into the challenging conditions of a water park. This innovative fusion of immersive design and robust technical solutions sets a new benchmark for interactive play in themed entertainment.
Visitors are invited to join the adventures of Suntago’s reptilian mascots, Jay & Meggi, with their cartoonish ship acting as a compass in the midst of three lifelike biomes. From ancient crocodile ruins and towering tropical trees, all the way to the tranquil beach, Crocodile Island builds upon classical adventure tropes to create an exaggerated environment that’s brimming with high quality, unique elements.
The project was led with the idea of creating playful worlds in which children can learn through exploration. Sensory, tactile experiences – sometimes blending physical and digital – inspire learning through active play.
The island is divided into four areas – each tailored to a specific age range – from toddlers to teens. Zoning is achieved through extensive hand-painted murals & foliage, elaborate rockwork, themed flooring and multiple channels of original audio compositions.
Boat (Age 3-16)
Jay & Meggi’s ship-shape home, the M.S. Suntago, serves as a fully explorable portal into "Crocodile Island“, giving guests a peek into their roarsome adventures through detailed spatial storytelling. Take the helm at the Captain’s Cabin and sound the horn before you set sail - or if you fancy an undersea adventure, try on Meggi’s diving suit for size. This larger-than-life, intricately designed boat charts the course for imaginative play.
Beach (Age 3-5)
The soft, sandy beach is safely enclosed for toddlers to explore whilst their parents relax on deck chairs close by. On the shore, hunt for seashells as the projected tide ebbs and flows. In the rock pools, paddle around in an illuminated ball pit, and reveal colorful tropical fish by ‘splashing’ their shadows. Near the boat dock, build a sandcastle with soft building blocks, and don’t miss out on a dance party with Jay, Meggi & friends at the beach hut stage!
Rainforest (Age 5-9)
A lush, leafy zone focused on active and sensory play. Explorers discover a massive, twisted tree filled with subtropical creatures – touch, smell, and listen to guess what’s inside, then peek beneath a leaf to learn their ecosystem role. ‘Talking vines’ let you send messages through the tree. Behind it, crawl and slide like a rainforest creature in a 2-storey soft play structure. Hidden in the foliage are two private birthday rooms for a croc-‘n’-roll party! At the rainforest’s edge, shape your own island in kinetic sand and watch the environment transform. Nearby, Jay has turned old shipping crates into a gold panning zone around a crocodile spring – he’s ready to dig for treasure with fellow adventurers.
Ruins (Age 9-16)
This action-packed zone is full of heart-pounding challenges. Ancient ruins – a towering temple and reptilian idols – hint at crocodiles that lived here long before Jay & Meggi. Inspired by Mesoamerican architecture, natural textures set the scene for a true adventure. Glowing crocodile statues lure brave guests into Race Through The Ruins – a fast-paced, custom game across three wild levels, driven by a booming drum soundtrack. Can you grab all the gems before time runs out? Succeed, and you’ll unlock a dazzling fiesta. Fail… and face a watery end.
Inside the temple, the HiT iT! parkour arena offers high-energy competition across 6 structures. Outside, a reflex-testing T-wall readies challengers for the trials ahead.
Working with a limited budget of $8.1million (zł 30million) and on a tight schedule from concept to opening (4 months of construction), Creative Studio Berlin & Park of Poland worked closely with one another to turn a drab storage room into a one-of-a-kind immersive world that is ripe for families to discover.
Partners
- Concept, Design, Art Direction & Production: Creative Studio Berlin
- Show Graphics: Creative Studio Berlin
- Scoring & Sound Design: Philipp Köll
- Technical Planning: Bentin Projects & Park of Poland
- Light Design: Nick Jones
- Theming Engineering: Theming Engineers
- Technical Installation: Bentin Projects / Park of Poland
- Theming & Scenic Production: Art Department Studio Babelsberg
- Rockwork: Universal Rocks
- Artificial Foiliage: TreeLocate
- Interactive Games Production: Van Heemskerk Decor, Sesme Studio,
- Play Equipment: ELI Play, Interactive365, Van Heemskerk Decor, 4Attention
