Meet Professor Spindlewink!
When you enter Professor Spindlewink’s World of Wizardry magic laboratory, you know you are in for something special. Dusty books are piled up on a shelf next to potion bottles, a cauldron bubbles and steams, and a raven talks. Then, as you gaze around, trying to take in all the magical objects and tools, the holographic wizard himself swirls into being with a wave of his magic wand. He magically flips the pages of his spell book, and invites you to visit the hidden realms beneath his chambers. The doors open with a bang, and you are free to wander downstairs to the Water Realm, the Forest Realm, the Crystal Cave, among other spooky and enchanted places. Take your time. There’s a lot of magic to discover.
Look carefully and you might spy faeries in the Forest Realm!
Swim through the Poseidon’s
Water Realm
Be careful—this scary ghost girl can’t wait
to bring you to the Dark Magic Realm
Magical Beasts—visit a real unicorn, a Phoenix,
as well as other hard-to-come-by creatures at rest
Let’s meet the real wizard behind WoW: Erik Rodenhiser, a longtime Salem resident and no stranger to theater and make-believe. He wanted to create an attraction that was more about fantasy and less about witches, especially as that niche is well-saturated in Salem. He wanted it to be family-friendly, with his aim to have not just children enthralled but have adults experience the giddiness of being removed from the worries of real life for a few precious moments. He began work on the attraction in January 2022 and it opened in May 2023.
Having a theater background really helps with the sensory impact—as Erik says, “It has to look awesome with the lights on.” And it does. Taking a page from Disney and Universal Studios, World of Wizardry employs state of the art animatronics, holography, as well as professionally designed sets and lighting, all by local craftspeople. It is hands-on as well, with places for the wee ones to hide out, a touch-activated sound system, and magic portraits that know you’re there looking at them. They are looking right back.
A kilted warrior only has eyes for you
Come by for an enchanting time!