After over 20 years of organic growth, Great Wolf Lodge had a challenge: the brand had a set of disjointed assets. How might Great Wolf Lodge unify their growing portfolio of assets, characters, and brand values for a more impactful and meaningful guest experience?
In 2021, following an extensive transformation of its beloved woodland characters, Great Wolf Lodge engaged BRC Imagination Arts for help bringing these characters to life as part of a robust content strategy.
The goal was clear: to develop a brand story, a mythology, that would tie the Great Wolf name and IP, brand assets, and products to the resort experience, transforming each Lodge from a cluster of entertainment offerings into a singular place of wonder. Objectives also included reimagining the Grand Lobby space, seamlessly integrating technology so that the space looks normal when in not in show mode. Finally, the offering had to appeal to multigenerational families with children between 4-12 years old.
The resulting story world would not only affect new Gen 3 and Gen 4 Lodge design and programming, but also the design of the waterpark, family entertainment center, and all brand-led decisions going forward.
In June 2023 BRC was proud to open the first location-based signature attraction for Great Wolf Lodge Perryville, (the first one opening June 2023) called ’The Legend of Luna’—a lovely fable about a young adolescent wolf who longs to find her place in the world. On the surface, the Grand Lobby is designed in the tradition of the grand lodges of the national parks system. But every evening just before bedtime, families are invited to gather around the fireplace and watch as the Lobby is transformed into a multi-sensory immersive storytelling space.
To maximize a sense of wonder, technology is hidden from public view: Projection mapping animates the 30-foot-tall stone fireplace; A static painting above the mantle becomes an unexpected screen showing the animated film; Hotel chandeliers conceal 18,000 control channels to create 1.8 million colors and lifelike flames; Previously ordinary LED screens that surround the room come to life, deepening the immersive storytelling experience. Other technical effects include the use of lasers, fire effects, smoke effects, and at the show’s climax, it snows! When not in show-mode, the lobby’s special effects infrastructure allows the space to adapt to seasonal makeovers and special events, all with the simple click of a mouse.
Our technical platform now supports a variety of Great Wolf Lodge programming including yoga, story time, dance party, and holiday-themed events like Halloween. In other words, the team created more than a single show—they created a suite of audio, lighting, and other media tools that Great Wolf can now use all day long, all year around.
What’s more, the creative team used a number of techniques that speak to lower energy usage and sustainability. For instance, all of the lighting used has an LED light source which significantly reduces energy usage dramatically. The team also uses an astronomical clock and logic in control systems to track daylight hours. This allows for the live adjustment of lighting levels to make use of natural light as much as possible and add lower lighting levels (further conserving energy) in the evening. In non-show spaces the creative team made use of occupancy sensors to ensure back of house spaces are off when not in use.
Now, as the company continues to scale and open next generation resorts across the United States, they can pull from a unified story and bespoke technical platform that is distinctly Great Wolf, connecting the brand’s values, products, restaurants, activities, and even the water park.