Overview
For 89 years, Luna Park Sydney has been in the business of whisking attendees off to another world. Amusement parks do that. They cast away the daily grind, getting visitors enjoying rides and games instead — and, from Saturday, April 13, getting lit in a rave room-style immersive installation that's about to become the Harbour City tourist spot's latest attraction.
At the end of 2023, Luna Park Sydney welcomed Dream Circus, which has been filling the Milsons Point site's big top with rollercoasters, hot air balloons, underwater creatures, fantastical critters, futuristic lights, skulls, eyes, spiders and geometric architecture ever since. The $15-million experience that uses 360-degree projections, holograms, motion-activated LED screens, lighting, surround sound and spatial audio mapping is just one of the park's new additions, though. Sonic Neon is the next, this time taking over the venue's Crystal Palace.
Lasers, mirrors, 26,000-plus lights: they all await at this six-room attraction, as hailing from Luna Park Sydney itself and Mandylights — which is also behind Dark Spectrum, the soon-to-return one-kilometre labyrinth in Wynyard's railway tunnels that's part of Vivid Sydney's program again in 2024 after debuting in 2023. When Sonic Neon arrives before May hits, it'll also bust out neon galore, obviously, alongside UV lights, interactive elements and a fitting soundtrack. Expect to take up to half an hour to wander through the all-ages fun's 150-metre-long expanse, which will operate daily.
By filling Crystal Palace, Sonic Neon will make a space that dates back to 1935 — and was constructed for Luna Park Sydney's grand opening, in fact — its home. The site has also featured dodgems, the penny arcade and a BMX track over the years.
"Immersive experiences continue to dominate the global market, and Luna Park Sydney is committed to delivering world-class experiences to Sydneysiders and visitors to our beautiful harbour," said Luna Park Sydney CEO John Hughes.
"Luna Park Sydney celebrates the best of the old and the best of the new. Housing Sonic Neon in our 1935-built Crystal Palace will be a spectacular collision of heritage and modern technology."
"This immersive experience will offer the public a new way to enjoy Sydney's original, ever-evolving playground."
Find Sonic Neon at Luna Park Sydney, 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, from Saturday, April 13, 2024, with tickets on sale from 6pm on Monday, April 8 — visit the park's website and the event's ticketing site for more information.