Immersive Octopod attraction opened at SEA LIFE Shanghai

Merlin Entertainments and China’s Silvergate Media have announced the opening of the launch of the underwater Octonauts experience at Changfeng Ocean World in Shanghai.

Part of Merlin’s global SEA LIFE aquarium chain, the newly launched attraction sees guests enter a contained Octopod capsule where they are surrounded by a diverse display of marine life, including spotted eagle and cownose rays and other tropical marine life.

Located in the aquarium’s new ‘Ray Bay’ area, visitors can enjoy meeting Octonauts characters, including Captain Barnacles and Kwazii and Peso while learning about the oceans of the world and sea life preservation.

Advising that the new experience is already proving popular with families, Matthew Williams, Senior Brand Director Midway at Merlin Entertainments, commented “we are delighted to have opened the world’s biggest Octonauts experience … immersing families in a heroic underwater adventure with their favourite characters from the series.

“Octonauts is an ideal IP for Sea Life with fun and discovery at its core, and we look forward to working with Silvergate to share more exciting and innovative themed Octonauts experiences with families at our aquariums around the globe.”

Guests arealso be able to take home merchandise, with a range of Octonauts products available to buy on-site at a dedicated SEA LIFE gift shop.

Changfeng Ocean World/SEA LIFE Shanghai welcomes over 500,000 visitors annually and the new attraction opens ahead of the major new content launch for Octonauts’ new spin-off series.

With Octonauts: Above & Beyond set to debut globally this autumn, the new Octonauts experience in Shanghai builds on the momentum of previous multi-territory partnerships with Silvergate at SEA LIFE Aquariums in the UK, Europe, Australia and the USA, with additional new activations due to be announced later this year.

Ron Allen, Executive Vice President - Commercial at Silvergate Media, added “this promises to be an exciting year for the brand as we build up to the launch of Octonauts: Above and Beyond and we’re excited that families in China now have the opportunity to step into the world of Octonauts in this unique underwater adventure.”

The new Octonauts experience is located within the redeveloped ‘Ray Bay’ area of Chengfeng Ocean World/ SEA LIFE Shanghai that was previously home to two beluga whales, Little Grey and Little White, who now reside in an open water sanctuary in Iceland.

The Beluga Whale Sanctuary is the first of its kind, created by registered marine charity The SEA LIFE Trust with support from Merlin Entertainments and Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), with the aim of providing formerly captive beluga whales with a safe and more natural home.

For more information go to www.sealifetrust.org

Images of the Octonauts experience at Changfeng Ocean World/SEA LIFE Shanghai courtesy of Merlin Entertainments/Silvergate Media .