A technological tempest navigating the Bermuda Storm in Chimelong Spaceship Park

The Chimelong Spaceship indoor park, said to be the largest in the world and newly opened in 2023, accommodates a new THEA award-winning attraction – the Bermuda Storm! The 4D immersive experience invites thrill-seekers on a wild and exciting sea adventure. Barco technology proudly played a role in the creation of this standout attraction.

Context

Part of the Zhuhai Chimelong Resort, Chimelong Spaceship opened its doors in 2023 and holds the title for the world’s largest indoor park. More than 150,000 marine animals across 400 species are on display at the park, which features 15 themed zones and a number of ride additions.

The Universe Paradise zone hosts the park’s rides, with attractions including China’s first real submarine underwater ride, a collection of themed carnival rides and play areas. Among these, the Bermuda Storm Theater stands out due to its technological sophistication and immersive experience. It is the world’s largest motion simulator attraction, accommodating up to 304 riders on a single motion-based platform.

In the ride’s story, you’re in the ship’s bow when something goes wrong on the Caribbean-themed journey and the boat is attacked by a mythical sea monster during a high storm. The motion base, the wrap-around visuals and multitude of special effects make it feel as though you are out on the open ocean for a wild adventure.

Challenge

The record-breaking ride is impressive in size and scope. It needed to accommodate large visitor numbers while delivering a thrilling experience with top-tier audio, video, and special effects. Such grand attraction takes a long credit list of creative minds and companies from every corner of the globe to bring it all together. Add to that the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic during which this ride was created. It pushed the creative and management skills to the next level. 

The media system, which included audio, video, and show projection was supplied and integrated by Kraftwerk Living Technologies (KLT). A mock-up was even built near KLT headquarters to validate the creative and technical concept, alongside technical experts, creative heads, a motion sickness expert, and several parties involved to guarantee a seamless integration of the range of advanced technologies and successfully deliver a high-capacity world-class attraction.

Solution

The Bermuda Storm boat simulator features a 40m-diameter (131 ft) dome and the world's largest curved projection screen at 1,682m² (18,000 ft²), combined with powerful 4K projectors to create a breathtakingly immersive environment. The attraction includes an enormous dynamic motion platform that accommodates up to 304 people and a custom-designed 41-channel 3D sound system, creating a truly captivating experience.

For the main show, four XDL-4K60 projectors were installed. With native 4K resolutions and RGB colors, these Barco projectors ensured the highest quality visuals across the vast screen area. KLT meticulously planned the placement of these projectors to avoid shadows from the ride system and achieve flawless projection.

In the queue area, two UDX-W22 projectors with ultra-short throw lenses were installed to provide engaging visuals as visitors awaited their turn. The UDX projectors offered high brightness and reliability, enhancing the overall experience and setting the scene as soon as the visitors entered the attraction.

The cutting-edge Barco projection technology with unparalleled visual quality and reliability helped set a new standard in immersive entertainment with this world-class attraction.

Results

The vision for this ride was ambitious, but the Bermuda Storm Theater has been a resounding success since its opening in September 2023. It has garnered numerous prestigious recognitions, including two Guinness World Records for the world's largest curved projection screen and the highest seated capacity motion simulator. The attraction has also received the THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement 2024 in the "Attraction" category, with the ride described as a “knockout attraction”, and an Inavate Awards APAC 2024 nomination in the Category “Visitor Attraction”.