Evermore founder Ken Bretschneider believes the immersive theme park experience, which opened in Utah, US, this year, has added new dimensions to a traditional theme park visit.

Speaking to Attractions Management, Bretschneider said the concept of Evermore is of a fantasy world where storytelling and immersive experiences are at the forefront of everything.

Designed as an old European village because of the "mystique, history and magic" of such a setting, Bretschneider said the park was really a "themed stage; we create productions within that".

"We built Evermore off the idea that we can create productions that are story-driven and involve a lot of detail in the production value, almost like a film," he said. "That was always our goal. For one night you can immerse someone into a story and they can feel like they've left this humdrum world for a moment and experience some kind of fantastical story-driven experience.

"It's different in that when you go to most theme parks – and I'm not in any way cutting down the experience at those parks; they're great and I really enjoy places like Universal or Disney – they're primarily a ride-based experience.

"Our product is different to that. At Evermore, we offer a more elaborate and immersive production. There are also more characters and there’s more gamification going on within our visitor experiences."

Storylines are seasonal, with the debut season of Mythos being a Norse-inspired magic lantern festival celebrating the light of summer. Lore, a dark, haunted experience inspired by Celtic folklore, ran in the autumn, and Aurora brings a Dickensian feel to winter and Christmas.

The Evermore park is highly technology-driven, and Bretschneider said there would be much more to come in that regard to increase the immersive and magical qualities of the visitor experience. “I want to push Evermore in directions no-one’s ever experienced before and I want to see it continue to grow,” he continued.

“I want to learn and discover new ways to make more magic for guests.”

For more from Ken Bretschneider and Evermore chief creative officer Josh Shipley, check out the latest edition of Attractions Management, available here