Super 78 Design Studios and Moody Gardens in Galveston Texas have announced that Moody Gardens has renewed its license for a second year to the “Turnkey” High Capacity VR attraction, Reef Rescue, which debuted this past Spring.
Reef Rescue is an interactive high-capacity virtual reality (HCVR) experience. Up to 16 guests at a time can take a virtual dive into a 360° coral reef environment. Remotely piloting their own R.O.V.E.R. (Remotely Operated Vehicles for Exploring Reefs), their mission is to help restore the undersea home of the coral and other marine animals that live at The Great Barrier Reef.
Fun for the entire family, the immersive attraction communicates an important message of conservation by allowing each guest to help clean up the waters, plant new coral branches and feed the fish, returning the reef to complete health in the process.
“Reef Rescue has been an ideal fit for Moody Gardens as it fits right in with our mission of education and conservation, as well as recreation,” said John Zendt, President and CEO of Moody Gardens, who added the virtual reality experience allows guests to take away a greater understanding of how remarkable corals are and the larger role the reefs play in the marine ecosystem, the planet and our individual lives.
Reef Rescue was created by Super 78, the themed attraction design studio. “Moody Gardens continues to be wonderful partners for Super 78. We have worked together for several years, including our collaboration on the SpongeBob SubPants Adventure, powered by Geppetto™, the studio’s proprietary real-time animation system,” said Brent Young, the company’s President and Creative Director. “The SpongeBob attraction and Geppetto were both honored with Thea Awards, the themed entertainment industry’s highest recognition” added Dina Benadon, Super 78’s CEO and Executive Producer.
The studio will be debuting the all new 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: An Interactive Adventure, which will feature the upgraded “Geppetto 2020” version of the system, later this month.
“Moody Gardens is an ideal location for Reef Rescue” stated Young. “Unique in America, Moody Gardens has a specific mandate to educate as well as entertain, which fits Reef Rescue’s mission perfectly. We are excited to begin licensing Reef Rescue to locations around the world at this year’s IAAPA Expo in Orlando. “Reef Rescue is a great example of how locations can feature VR-based attractions and still get through-put from 16 stations that all work simultaneously,” added Benadon.
Reef Rescue operates daily at Moody Gardens inside the Visitor’s Center. Admission is $7 per guest and
$6 for members. $1 from every ticket sold will go toward conservation efforts.
