Fans of the movie “Elf” should soon make plans to pass through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, past the sea of swirly, twirly gum drops, then walk through the Lincoln Tunnel and head to Rockefeller Center.
That’s where the world of Buddy the Elf will come to life this holiday season in an immersive experience for, as he says, humans who share an affinity for elf culture.
“The Elf Experience” opens Nov. 14 at HERO in Rockefeller Center, taking fans on a journey from New York City to the North Pole.
Guests can step into Papa Elf’s storybook to discover how elves live, work and play. They’ll also be able to travel through sites from the movie like the Candy Cane Forest, Santa’s workshop and Gimbels department store. Perhaps they’ll even find the world’s best cup of coffee.
“We’ve assembled a group of artists that worked on the original film, as well as new ones who were inspired by it,” read a statement from actor Jon Favreau, the film’s director and the founder of Fairview Portals, which collaborated with Warner Bros. Global Experiences to create the experience. “Miniature work, forced perspective, zoetrope, and animatronics were all implemented to create a unique and handcrafted experience to capture the spirit of the film.”
The experience will be located at HERO, a venue at Rockefeller Center dedicated to immersive storytelling. It will also feature interactive activities, photo ops and holiday treats — including those from the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup.
“Watching ‘Elf'” has become a holiday tradition for millions of fans, and Rockefeller Center is synonymous with the holidays in New York City,” said Simon Robinson, the president of global experiences and worldwide studio operations at Warner Bros. Discovery. “Bringing the two together gives fans from New York and around the world an entirely new way to immerse themselves in the ‘Elf’ story.”
In the 2003 film, Will Ferrell portrays a human who was raised by elves in the North Pole. He travels to Manhattan to find his birth father – who happens to be on the naughty list.
New York City has hosted recent events centered around the film. Last year, Warner Bros. held a “December the TwELFth” celebration in Times Square with pop-up photo stations and a performance from the cast of “Elf the Musical.”
In December 2023, the screen-used sleigh from the movie, complete with the Clausometer and Kringle 3000, traveled from its home at the Halesite Fire Department in Huntington, Long Island to 5th Ave., where fans were able to hop aboard and take photos — or as some were saying: “Elfies.”
The movie will now be celebrated at the site of New York’s top Christmas destination, and it’s sure to make “Elf” and “Christmas” lovers smile….because smiling is their favorite.
Tickets are available at ElfTheExperience.com, with availability through Jan. 18. Prices range from $35 to $49, with children under 2 years old welcome to enter for free.
And for those who might be traveling to New York City for the first time, here’s a reminder of the advice Santa gave Buddy before his trip:“First off, if you see gum on the street, leave it there. It isn’t free candy. Second, there are, like, thirty Ray’s Pizzas. They all claim to be the original. But the real one’s on 11th. And if you see a sign that says “Peep Show,” that doesn’t mean that they’re letting you look at presents before Christmas.”
