The development of any large-scale themed environment requires navigating a complex web of storytelling, spatial design, and technical integration.
For the teams responsible for bringing the shadowy village of Darkmoor to life at Universal Orlando Resort, the project presented specific challenges regarding how physical sets and advanced media interact. A newly released podcast episode provides a rare look into how these hurdles were managed during the creation of one of the resort’s newest realms.
Balancing psychology and thrills
In a detailed conversation on the Skip the Queue podcast, Greg Hall, Assistant Director of Creative Design at Universal Creative, and Maximilian Guy McNair MacEwan, Head of Strategic Partnerships in Immersive at Framestore, shared operational and design insights regarding Dark Universe at Epic Universe. Hosted by Andy Povey, CEO of ticketing specialist Merac, the discussion unpacks the specific methodologies used to build the new attraction, focusing heavily on emotional pacing and guest psychology.
A core topic of the episode is how the creative teams balanced the need for a thrilling experience with the operational necessity of creating an attraction that visitors want to experience repeatedly. Designing for horror-themed environments requires a careful understanding of how guests process fear and anticipation. Rather than relying solely on jump scares within the ride itself, the designers utilised the queue lines and pre-show areas to build tension.
“You can’t scare people more than they scare themselves,” Hall explains. “The queue can actually be more intimidating than the ride itself, so that by the time guests finish the attraction they feel like they’ve overcome something.”
Integrating media and physical sets
Beyond psychology, the successful execution of Darkmoor relied heavily on the integration of cutting-edge media technologies within a physical space. The podcast highlights the stringent collaborative efforts required between prop makers, engineers, visual effects artists, and creative designers. Managing these varied disciplines is crucial to maintaining the suspension of disbelief for park visitors.
“Everyone involved speaks a slightly different creative language,” Hall says. “But everything has to work together. The moment one element falls out of sync, the audience feels it and the illusion breaks.”
The intricate design process has already yielded interesting results regarding guest engagement. The creative teams noted that the character of Egor, who serves as the assistant to Victoria Frankenstein, has experienced unexpected popularity, rapidly establishing himself as a fan favourite among visitors.
Skip the Queue is designed specifically for industry professionals working across visitor attractions, themed entertainment, and experiential design. By featuring leaders from various sectors, the podcast aims to share practical insights into attraction creation and operation. The complete conversation detailing the work behind Dark Universe is available now via all major podcast platforms.
The latest episode can be listened to online here.
Photos: Universal Creative
