Tantrum brings Canada’s Wonderland to Life - in mountain light show

As part of the 30th Birthday Celebrations for Canada’s Wonderland, artists at Tantrum Design created “Starlight Spectacular”, a vibrant display of stunning visuals that bring an entire mountain to life.

“Starlight Spectacular is wowing our guests and is being called one of our best shows in our 30 year history.” Says Dave Phillips, Vice President, Marketing & Sales at Canada’s Wonderland. “It’s the perfect way to finish off a great day of thrilling rides and water park fun.”

The innovative show , unveiled on June 25 and running throughout the summer, dazzles the senses as Wonder Mountain is transformed by a colourful combination of 2D motion designs and 3D animations that are precisely mapped and projected onto the mountain providing the illusion that events are unfolding in front of a live audience. The experience is further heightened by sound effects and an incredible original soundtrack created in association with Apollo Studios.

As the primary goal of this project is to entertain, the team at Tantrum was able to showcase their broad skill set and have fun at the same time. The segments that make up the 10 and a half-minute show range in approach and complexity.

“Our team worked closely together to develop techniques that would deliver the biggest wow factor,” says Dominik Bochenski, Creative Director, Tantrum. “Wonder Mountain became our canvas and we worked closely with its form to ensure that each effect felt as if it was happening in real-time in front of the viewer’s eyes.”

This project has also been a rewarding one for Tantrum. “As we typically work on television commercials, people watch those at home so there’s no immediate gratification,” says Bochenski. “But to be there at the park in the crowd while they are cheering, whistling and applauding is truly special.”

Canada’s Wonderland is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a publicly traded partnership that is listed for trading on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FUN.” In addition to Canada’s Wonderland, Cedar Fair owns and operates ten other amusement parks, six water parks, one indoor water park resort and five hotels. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, Calif. under a management contract.