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Stranger Things: The Experience in New York is an incredibly immersive experience based on the famous, iconic Netflix show. This is your chance to become the protagonist of your own Stranger Things story as you join all your favorite Stranger Things characters on an interactive journey through the 1980s-style medley of locations, including Hawkins Lab and the Byers’ living room.
Unlock your power as you participate in some fan-favorite moments alongside interactive performers, photo-ops, and many more surprises.
Whether you’re a long-time fan of the Stranger Things universe or just starting to experience the magic of the show, the New York-based Stranger Things: The Experience certainly deserves a spot on your bucket list.
Stranger Things, av Album, NTB scanpix. (https://ndla.no/article/9116). CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
What is the Iconic Netflix Show Stranger Things All About?
Stranger Things is a groundbreaking Netflix show that plays off in Indiana in the early 80s. The story kicks off with the disappearance of Will Byers, raising a ton of questions among the residents of Hawkins.
As a group of friends searches for answers, they uncover a world of mysteries involving Hawkins Lab, a portal to a different world, and a girl with many secrets.
Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things is an unrivaled science fiction horror series that has grabbed the attention of millions around the world.
Photo by Kara 2 – Elysion The Upside Down – Flickr
Where Can I Find Stranger Things: The Experience?
Stranger Things: The Experience is set in New York City in the Duggal Greenhouse, where a 35 000 square foot area has been transformed into an immersive space where many a Stranger Things fan can participate in their very own exclusive Stranger Things story.
To get to Stranger Things: The Experience in New York, you can take a train to the Wall Street/William Street train station. Once you reach the station, take the ferry to East 90th Street until you get to Brooklyn Navy Yard, from which you can easily reach the Duggal Greenhouse, where so much fun awaits.
Netflix Stranger Things: The Experience – https://strangerthings-experience.com/new-york/#
Stranger Things: The Experience – What to Expect
When you reach Duggal Greenhouse, you will be greeted by white-coated doctors who will inform you that Hawkins Lab is in the midst of a sleep study and needs a few willing participants to join.
From there, all participants will be separated into groups and led to the next stage. In the next room, things start to go south rapidly. The voices of your favorite Stranger Things characters ring through the intercom as the flickering lights and video glitches contribute to the eerie atmosphere.
The ground rules of this immersive experience will be laid out clearly before you start your journey of the Hawkins Lab immersive experience. You will find yourself in a room where your team needs to decide on leaders. Together, you will solve a puzzle before battling a few creepy monsters, which you can only complete successfully if a great amount of teamwork is applied.
You will then need to hack into the video system of Hawkins Lab alongside your favorite characters, Erica and Dustin. The actors of this interactive experience will then appear on the screen to give you some guidance on how to proceed.
Netflix Stranger Things: The Experience – https://strangerthings-experience.com/new-york/#
Entering phase two, you will receive many clues and endure a few jump scares, all based on the upcoming season. During this part, you will unlock your power as you journey through the Upside Down, surrounded by latex elements that create a truly sinister vibe.
You will fight alongside Max and Eleven to ward off the humanoid creatures known as Demogorgons before moving on to a realistic recreation of one of the most iconic locations of the series, Starcourt Mall.
This phase is appropriately called The Mix-Tape, and you will get a chance to explore the famous Family Video, Scoops Ahoy, and some incredible games at the Palace Arcade. In Starcourt Mall, you can purchase exclusive merchandise and various other Stranger Things-inspired items, like costumes and cocktails. There are also various fun photo ops to enjoy, where you can even take a picture with a life-size Demogorgon in the Byers’ living room.
The Mix-Tape phase of the experience is also your chance to interact with some of the Hawkins residents, including Tyler, Dylan, and Stephanie. As you continue on this amazing experience, you may even spot some iconic locations from the fourth season of the show, such as Rink-O-Rama and the Hellfire Club.
NOTE: Stranger Things: The Experience features a series of strobe lights and other flashing lights, so participants who are vulnerable to photosensitive epilepsy or any other photo sensitivities should take caution.
Netflix Stranger Things: The Experience – https://strangerthings-experience.com/new-york/#
Tickets and Hours of Stranger Things: The Experience
You can choose between two ticket types for Stranger Things: The Experience. It is recommended to book your tickets at least three days before you plan on participating.
Standard Tickets
This ticket includes the Hawkins Lab immersive experience and time to explore the medley of locations during The Mix-Tape phase. Standard ticket prices are as follows:
- $57 for children and teenagers
- $76 for participants above the age of 18
- $65 for each person participating in a group of more than six people
VIP Tickets
VIP tickets give you access to the Hawkins Lab immersive experience, time to explore the Starcourt Mall and other locations and fan-favorite sites, a complimentary drink, priority access, and a gift inspired by Stranger Things.
The prices of VIP tickets are as follows:
- $93,80 for children and teenagers
- $105 for each person participating in a group of more than six people
- $125 for participants above the age of 18
Stranger Things: The Experience in New York runs between 16:00 and 21:00 on Wednesdays and from 10:30 until 21:00 from Thursday through Sunday.
Children younger than five years of age are not allowed to participate because of the thrilling nature of the journey, and participants older than five must be accompanied by a legal guardian.
Netflix Stranger Things: The Experience – https://strangerthings-experience.com/new-york/#
Best and Worst Parts of Stranger Things: The Experience
Best
- The first half hour of Stranger Things: The Experience is incredibly realistic and immersive, made possible by meticulous technological details and incredible special effects.
- The post-experience area is so much fun, and you get to walk through some of the most iconic locations of the show, including Scoops Ahoy. The photo ops are also very exciting.
- There is an amazing easter eggs scavenger hunt in the Mix-Tape area, and your favorite characters will be walking around and talking to everyone, making you feel like you are truly a member of the Hawkins community.
Worst
- Stranger Things: The Experience is on the expensive side. Beyond the ticket prices, the drinks and food you can buy throughout the journey are also quite pricey.
- The location of Stranger Things: The Experience is very remote and not very easy to find if you’re not familiar with New York City. However, if you can locate the parking lot on Navy Street, you should be able to attend your scheduled session on time.
- Some people have reported the experience being too short to truly enjoy all the fan-favorite moments to the fullest. Considering the price, you would expect ample time to enjoy your own Stranger Things story, but sadly, this is not the case.
- Many participants expect Stranger Things: The Experience to resemble an escape room, but it doesn’t, as it is more of an interactive experience than anything else.
Helpful Tips for The Stranger Things Experience
- Plan to spend another 15 minutes getting to the Duggal greenhouse after reaching the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Registration and ticket validation officially close five minutes before the experience commences, so if you arrive late, you will be denied entrance.
- You will have an hour to save Hawkins alongside your favorite Stranger Things characters, but the Mix-Tape section is open for quite a while after the immersive experience. This is also a more kid-friendly environment, so the little ones will likely have a lot more fun in this space than they did anxiously fighting Demogorgons.
- Tickets for Stranger Things: The Experience sell out rather rapidly, so it’s advised to reserve your spot as early as you possibly can.
- During the Mix-Tape phase, there will be small rifts showcasing bar codes. If you scan these codes, you will be presented with a trivia question, and five right answers will get you a free prize.
- Although the Stranger Things staff members seem to emphasize the importance of working as a team and whatnot, you can relax and just enjoy the journey. Paying close attention isn’t that important.
- Although you can take pictures and roam around in the post-experience area, it isn’t allowed during the Hawkins Lab experience, as are vaping and smoking.
- Feel free to dress comfortably for the interactive experience and the walk-through. Although many participants commit to the 80s theme by dressing up, there is no official dress code.
- Pets are strictly forbidden to join, the only exceptions being service animals.
- The flashing lights of the Stranger Things Experience may affect customers who are vulnerable to photosensitive epilepsy or any other photo sensitivities, so going on this journey is not recommended if you fall in this category.
