- Huge roller coasters.
Cotton candy.
Carnival games.
That's what you usually think of
when you think about amusement parks.
But Elitch Gardens is taking things a little bit further,
all the way into the multi-verse.
(techno music) (pinging)
(exciting music)
- So the idea behind the ride is it was created
by QDOT, which is the Quantum Department of Transportation,
and they're basically a entire subway network
meant for traveling in the multiverse.
- [Alexis] We're talking about Elitch's newest
attraction, Kaleidoscape, created by New Mexico based
art collective Meow Wolf.
- We make massive, permanent, narrative-based
interactive art installations.
- [Alexis] Their first permanent installation
is in Santa Fe, and now they're bringing a brand new
immersive experience to Denver.
- So QDOT will play a big role in the upcoming
Denver exhibition, as part of the narrative.
- The ride itself is a simulation of something
that QDOT found during experimentation,
and they have created a simulator of how
a universe is born, and grows, and dies,
and repeats that cyclically.
- [Alexis] If that doesn't make any sense to you,
stay tuned.
Kaleidoscape is sort of a prequel to the massive
1500 square foot exhibition opening in 2020.
- [Matt] Denver just had the most traction.
People were most excited about us coming here.
We love this city.
- [Alexis] And they're already on great terms with
their soon-to-be next door neighbors.
(excited yelling)
- We were really excited about this partnership
with Meow Wolf.
They're on fire right now.
This is gonna be the second permanent installation of
of Meow Wolf, so we're stoked that it's gonna be at
Elitch Gardens.
- Okay we're here in front of Kaleidoscape.
Let's get in line and see what it's all about.
Kaleidoscape is what's called a dark ride.
More of an experience than a roller coaster.
- [Emily] Roller Coasters move fast,
the thrill is really quick, and on a dark ride,
you have more time to experience and really take in the art,
and really enjoy it.
It's a different dark ride than I've ever been on.
- This is so cool.
- [Matt] It's a fantastic feeling.
We've been thinking about doing a dark ride forever,
you know, and the fact that we're here right now,
and we can hop on the car and run it,
and there are like 50 animated sequences and they work,
and they're triggered on time is a really...
Like, feeling very accomplished.
- [Alexis] It took about eight months to complete,
with dozens of artists and technicians on the team.
- [Emily] We have a design team who looks at the
architecture and helps us make the plans.
We have tech team, we have, you know, our art team,
who's making all the sculptures, so it was really like,
very like multidisciplinary, sort of we all take a look
at the ride, and think about it, and then sort of see
what can we do, given the constraints, because we're
repurposing something that's existing.
Like, we can't build new walls, we can't really change
too much, but what can we change?
What can we repurpose?
- [Alexis] The ride replaces Ghost Blasters,
where riders would shoot ghosts with plastic guns,
an element that Meow Wolf was apprehensive about including.
- [Emily] Well, we wanted to reimagine the idea of a gun
to be, not an instrument of destruction,
but an instrument of creation, so we renamed it as the
Conglomatron, and the idea is that you will point it at
the landscape, and it makes things grow and activate and
move and come to life with light and sound.
And so you're actually, as the rider,
playing an active role in helping the landscape evolve.
- With the Conglomatron, you know, you get the chance to
bring things to life and really just experience it,
to this really unique voyage.
- [Matt] You know, not everyone is going to get the
narrative of the ride, but if someone can leave and
have a smile on their face and say "Wow,
that...I liked that two minutes and 57 seconds," you know,
then I think we did our job.
- [Emily] I hope that people see Kaleidoscape,
and they get all the more excited for Meow Wolf Denver
to open, because this is really just a taste,
and there's more to come.
- And until then, you can find Kaleidoscape right here,
at Elitch Gardens.
(electronic music)
- [Automated Voice] Thank you, and enjoy the ride.