Antarctic Experience
At the ice cave entrance to the attraction, two animatronics huskies appear, pulling a sled. Four people can board the sled which then moves into the cave to commence its journey on a 60 minute tour narrated by Percy Penguin, who stumbles along the walls and crevices of the cave courtesy of following projector rigs.
On the first level, the sled meanders past dioramas depicting wild life in the Antarctic. Soon the sled slides into a canopy at a dark area and unexpectedly the occupants are now flying in a ‘helicopter’, courtesy of a barrel screen on either side of the canopy, onto which is projected scenes of the Antarctic below, taken from cameras mounted on an actual helicopter in the Antarctic.
On the next level up; the sled, now having exited from the helicopter canopy, momentarily takes its passengers through a snowstorm and blizzard, revealing the Southern Lights, and pausing in front of a 180-degree movie screen, to display the world of the Antarctic through another perspective, with the aid of a Surround Screen, placing the viewer within its awesome, encompassing panoramic vision.
After a look at Mawson’s Hut, a major feature of the Antarctic Experience is an inspection of a re-created ‘glacier’, complete with crevasses and guided tour.
Thereafter, one may wander through an interactive display section, featuring numerous educational aspects of this great Southern ice wonderland.
The experience concludes with a view of real and animatronics water life in the Antarctic, through a large aquarium window, and then a close-up encounter with penguins in a live penguin rookery.
The participants exit through a souvenir shop, featuring Antarctic Experience and Ski World Sydney items, souvenirs and memorabilia.