Cole NeSmith doesn’t get much rest nowadays. But he would have it no other way.
On the heels of launching one of Orlando’s more creative efforts in “Happy Frights and Haunting Nights” for the Halloween season at Leu Gardens, he and his team headed to San Antonio to do it all over again.
It’s a good thing he has an army of creatives at his back.
“Getting (the two shows) up at the same time are a testament to that,” he told Orlando Tech News.
The live-action performance at Leu Gardens includes a cast of dozens of actors, dancers and guides, all coming together to create a special experience along the trail in Orlando.
The tech is limited, other than coordinated lights that enhance the experience during a dance routine that happens along the trail. Lights flash to the beat as the “Orbit Breakers” dance crew does its thing.
However, it still plays a role in helping visitors enjoy themselves, NeSmith said.
“Anytime we integrate tech, we want it to support the world we’re building,” he said. “Tech is a support to the experience, not the experience itself.”
NeSmith said a real temptation in the creative world today is to rely too heavily on technology. However, a mixture of budget constraints and the ability and desire to focus on creative elements have forced smaller, but more meaningful implementations, he said.
“You look at something like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (the attraction at Walt Disney World in Orlando) and it’s a prime example of how hundreds of millions spent on tech can achieve something unbelievable,” NeSmith said. “But we need to be choosy on how we incorporate technology into our events.”
The live-action walk in the garden takes visitors through a tightly wound maze of custom-designed and custom-built creative, interactive and entertaining features. The sensory experience will greet you with spooky spiders, sinister clowns and a nice interlude through a well placed monarch garden.
It all ends in an optional haunted maze that follows a musician in a Dia de los Muertos installment.
NeSmith said its satisfying to see visitors enjoy his team’s creation, even if they do so for their own reasons.
“Sometimes it’s pure enjoyment,” he said. “Other times, it touches some deep emotion inside of us – reminding us of something in our lives or something deeply human. Ultimately, the experiences we create are meant to bring people together. We want to cultivate moments that foster connection.”
To see some of the visuals, check out the photo gallery below.Â
