WonderWorks Branson

 WonderWorks Branson is a perfect place to visit with your family year- around because there is something for everyone to do completely indoors. There are over 100 educational, hands-on experiences and displays that can spark your mind, creativity, and imagination. Three floors of fun and learning await you. There is a story as to why this place appears upside-down, but we will let you hear that story when you visit!

From the moment you enter the doors, you feel immersed into an environment that you KNOW will be a good time. Once you have purchased your tickets, head through the turnstiles to begin your journey through the WonderWorks laboratory. 

Though there are MANY more activities than what we will mention here in the blog, we would like to mention a few of our favorites from each floor. Be sure to check out our full video above to see all of the activities in this awesome attraction.

1st Floor- Ground Level

Extreme 360 Bikes

Upon entering the first floor, you will be immersed in activities.  On this floor, you will experience physical challenges and learn about how physics plays out in our daily lives. One of the first exhibits that may catch your eye is the Extreme 360 Bikes, where, if you pedal hard enough, you can pedal yourself all the way around toward the top of the ceiling and upside-down! You can either take the challenge to pedal on your own, or strap in with a partner for double the power!

XD Theater

Over by the bikes and Pull Yourself Up is the XD theater which combines 3D films with special effects.  These effects include full motion seating that range from subtle sensations to intense vibrations as well as large fans blowing wind in your face and sound that surrounds you to add to the immersion. Our 4 year-old (at the time) loved this experience, as she felt like she was on a brand new ride and adventure! There is a 40” height requirement to take part in this experience.

Wonder Park

Test your agility and precision as an athlete at the next stop on the first floor.  That stop is the Wonder Park.  In the Wonder Park you get to try to strike out an MLB player, throw a football like a pro bowler, kick a soccer ball to score goals on an alien defender, and even get in a round of dodgeball against some virtual zombies.  As you throw or kick balls at the interactive screen, it will tell you the speed and trajectory of the ball and show you where it would have ended up.  Everyone in our family had a great time at this station!

2nd Floor: By far, our family's favorite level of WonderWorks!

Lazer Maze

Another fun experience for the family is The Lazer Maze. It will make you feel like a secret agent, dodging laser beams; or, you could just be like us and look like total maniacs trying to neutralize all of the lazers before your time is up!  Either of these options is a lot of fun, and just like everything else in Wonderworks, feel free to replay it as many times as you want for no additional cost.

Astronaut Training Challenge

After pretending to be a secret agent, maybe you will want to try out another cool profession.  If so, make your way over to the Astronaut Training Challenge, where you can feel the seated weightlessness of being in outer space! The motion of this gyroscope is directed by the movement and shifting of the riders’ bodies and the turning force.

Dig It

Another thing that our girls loved was the Dig It area! This interactive sandbox lets you be the creator of your own terrain. You can dig ocean channels, build volcanic mountains, or create flat planes for the dinosaurs to roam on. At this sandpit, you have all the power! It is made possible through augmented reality. While you interact with the sand, computer-generated, sensory-inducing elements react to what you are doing and change the appearance of the landscape.

Wonder Coaster

As you continue to go around the second floor, you will definitely notice a small line of people waiting to ride in one of the two wonder coasters.  Seating 2 people at a time, this virtual reality coaster has the ability to turn 360 degrees and turn in every direction. This ride feels like you are on an actual roller coaster and offers three different levels of difficulty. 

Giant Piano

If you would rather try out your musical skills instead of hanging upside down, then head on over to the giant piano where you can try to play music with your feet! If you lack the ability to compose your own music, there are several pieces of music posted on the WonderWorks Music Wall to attempt to play.

Bubble Lab

Another second floor area that is a family favorite is the Bubble Lab! Create bubbles larger than your head, or maybe even larger than some people in your family! Have you ever been entranced by the different colors of bubbles as they float through the air? In the bubble lab, you can learn about how they are actually reflections and refractions of the light around the bubble. The colors show how thick, or thin, the bubble wall actually is.

Bed of Nails

After all of these fun activities, you are probably ready to lay down for a bit.  Only at Wonder Works, there happens to be a twist on your nap time.  That twist is that your bed is made of nails that will support your body without causing any harm.  The nails are real so make sure you are following the instructions as this demonstrates how surface area and pressure are related to allow one to lay on a fairly scary bed of spikes.

3rd Floor

Tesla Coil

After finishing the art gallery, you will see the stairs that take you to the third floor.  Once you have reached the 3rd floor, be sure to check out the Tesla Coil on your left. This exhibit makes you a human lightning rod! See, hear, and touch the power of 100,000 volts of electricity as you learn about the invention of physicist and engineer Nikola Tesla. In a shocking twist though, you will feel no pain at all from the electricity.

Hurricane Shack

Next to the Tesla Coil is a way to feel some effects of a hurricane.  If you choose to do so, Step into the Hurricane Shack, where you can feel winds reaching 74 miles per hour. Apparently, the hurricane in this simulation is considered merely a mild one, but Charleigh and Jayme felt like they could be blown away!

Titanic

Across the room from the Hurricane Shack is an interactive display on the Titanic.  A timer allows you to see how long you can experience 28° F water.  That is what the temperature of the water was when the Titanic sank.  You can also test your grip and incline skills as you experience simulations of the sloping deck at different points in time of the ship’s sinking. 

Astronaut Montage

If the Astronaut Training Challenge wasn’t enough to test your future in aeronautics, you can find several additional space-focused experiences here on the 3rd floor to explore. 

Clip & Climb

In this same section is a rock climbing experience.  The Clip and Climb allows you to test your climbing skills.  Charleigh was just big enough to be able to do this one and it instantly became a challenge to herself to conquer!  After one failed attempt, our feisty four year old was able to make it to the top and hit the button on the straight vertical side of the Clip and Climb.  For more of a challenge, the other side offers a nonstandard climb where you will need to carefully plan out your steps to make it to the top.

Laser Tag

Laser Tag is a family must-do! Try to link up together on one team, or play every person for themselves in the laser tag course! Little pro tip if you have a little one that  doesn't want to wear the heavy vest, have them stay with a grown up.  Then make the little one your “doctor” that heals you when you get hit by your opponents. Worked like a charm for our 2 year old, who wasn’t quite ready for her own laser gun, but still wanted to take part in the fun! Let’s just say I was healed a LOT in that game. 

We hope that you have a chance to visit WonderWorks Branson- it is fun and educational for all ages! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask in the comments. We would love to stay connected with you, so please remember to SUBSCRIBE here on the blog AND on our BransonFam YouTube channel. Until our next adventure, fam, we'll catch y'all later!

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