Step Into the Wizard’s World: Inside the Whimsical Design of Westgate’s Mystery Fun House Arcade Experience

For all the talk of experiential travel, there’s still a gap between what’s promised and what’s delivered. Immersive design, when done well, doesn’t just decorate a space—it transforms how time passes within it. The most successful environments don’t need signage to direct you or maps to orient you; they pull you in through mood, texture, and story.

The newly unveiled Mystery Fun House Arcade Experience at Westgate Vacation Villas Resort in Kissimmee leans into that philosophy. The attraction doesn’t begin with a ticket or a turnstile. It begins with a character—a mythical figure known only as “The Wizard,” said to have built the space as a gift to anyone seeking joy, discovery, and a glimpse at eternal youth. Whether or not the Wizard exists is beside the point. What matters is that everything inside the 21,000-square-foot arcade feels like his creation.

The design narrative is carried across a constellation of entertainment zones, each with its own rhythm but collectively forming a playful logic. Guests begin their journey in the main Arcade Hall, which buzzes with digital intensity. Dozens of glowing consoles line the walls, featuring both cutting-edge games and skill-based challenges. Here, competitive energy and sensory overload set the tone.

But just steps away, the atmosphere shifts. The Multi-Sport Simulator Bay is quieter—more grounded in realism. Guests can engage in interactive golf, football, or baseball sessions that mirror the real mechanics of each sport. These transitions between high fantasy and physical immersion give the experience a broader emotional range than a traditional arcade.

Further in, the Neon Bowling lanes pulse with deep blues and electric pinks, designed less for performance and more for shared amusement. The Retro Arcade offers an interlude of nostalgia, with restored pinball machines and early console hits positioned in a darker, moodier space that slows the tempo.

For families, the Kids Area offers movement-based play in a tactile, analog setting. Nearby, the Hall of Mirrors challenges perception rather than reflexes, evoking the disorientation and delight that anchored the original Mystery Fun House when it operated in Orlando from 1976 to 2001.

One of the newest additions to this magical environment is the Chuck E. Cheese Fun Zone, a bright and safe play area embedded directly into the Kids Area. It’s part of a broader collaboration between Westgate and Chuck E. Cheese that also powers much of the gaming infrastructure throughout the arcade. Nearby, Chuck’s Arcade gives parents and older kids access to a nostalgic game zone styled after its original era, offering both visual and functional contrast to the more futuristic sections of the attraction. Parents will also be happy to hear that Sid’s Bar, just off the main arcade, provides an adjoining space for adults to unwind with a drink while keeping an eye on kids exploring nearby zones.

To that point, Mystery Fun House’s space doesn’t segregate its audience. It is built for multi-generational engagement: children are free to roam and explore, but parents and grandparents are equally invited to participate. There is no singular center of gravity. Instead, the experience is designed like a constellation—no two visits need to follow the same path.

Food and beverage offerings are integrated directly into the layout. The MEGAbites food hall resembles a video game city plaza, with vendor-style counters offering a rotating selection of street food, burgers, and casual snacks. For dessert, Sweet Dreamery functions like an edible dreamscape: pastels, candies, ice cream, and warm mini donuts fill the air with the scent of carnival nostalgia, even as the visuals remain firmly rooted in modern design.

What sets the Mystery Fun House Arcade Experience apart is not just what it offers, but how it offers it. There is no single climax, no main attraction. Instead, it is built on interlocking moments that together evoke wonder. The presence of “The Wizard” is not overt—there is no mascot or storyline to follow. But the architecture suggests his intent: that joy can be designed with care, and that immersion is most powerful when it doesn’t call attention to itself.

Entry to the arcade is free. Guests simply load credits onto a PlayPass—a single-access card usable across all attractions—and explore at their own pace. There is no pressure to spend, no upselling beyond the games themselves. For a resort environment, this level of flexibility is rare.

In an entertainment landscape often driven by spectacle and volume, Mystery Fun House succeeds through texture and tone. It doesn’t shout. It invites. And once inside, it’s not about escaping reality—it’s about reshaping it, just for a while.

For photos, planning info, or to reserve your PlayPass, visit mysteryfunhouse.com.