Under a stream of multicolored rain, the words “Time to Dream” welcome everyone ready to be spirited away into the world of fantasy. This mural by artist KiriLeigh Jones, along with several others, is set at the entrance to Fantasy Lab, an immersive experience at the Fashion Show mall that opened in November.
It’s the second Fantasy Lab location and the first in the U.S. The original site—conceived by father-and-son team Ricardo L. Franco and Ricky Franco, who set out to use technology to deliver an uplifting experience—opened its doors in Mexico City in 2020.
Here on the Strip, Fantasy Lab ushers visitors into a whimsical lounge with murals of flowers and jellyfish and a whole area devoted to portraits of cats, dogs and rabbits in Renaissance attire. Meanwhile, ethereal songs play overhead, like Harry Styles’ “Late Night Talking.”
While waiting for your dream journey to begin, one can enjoy some light bites and drinks; the lounge serves sliders, a hummus platter, flatbreads and more. The cocktails are creative and follow the dream theme, like the Hazy Morning ($18), a Ciroc coconut vodka drink with vanilla liqueur, orange juice and almond milk.
The voyage itself consists of seven rooms: Enlightenment, Insomnia, Kaleidoscope, Nightmare, Circus, Labyrinth and Stars. The complete journey lasts for 70 minutes, with 10 minutes allotted per room, and a tour guide helps move folks from room to room.
Each puts a unique spin on the concept of dreams. Some are peaceful with a kind of ambient music that helps guests into a relaxed and meditative state, while others are a little more lively.
The Insomnia room is filled with wild patterns and neon colors. It’s reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, with one wall covered in clocks all telling a different time and a bed stuck to the ceiling. Tucked away in another corner are two inviting accent chairs with a game of chess set up on a bright red round table.
On this day, our guide was particularly fond of the Kaleidoscope room. One wall is a huge LED screen that displays patterns you might see in a kaleidoscope. It also shows quirky images of jellyfish, whales and other animals.
With the abundance of immersive experiences making their way to the Strip in recent years, it can be overwhelming to choose which one deserves your time and money. Fantasy Lab has us eager to be whisked away once more.
Further Immersion
It’s been hard to keep up with the many colorful, interactive, art-based attractions and exhibits that have been landing in Las Vegas in recent years using that big buzz phrase “immersive experience.” None are quite the same, and it doesn’t seem like we’ve reached max capacity for these things yet.
The Museum of Illusions is scheduled to arrive this spring at the new 63 Las Vegas development between the Shops at Crystals and the Cosmopolitan. With more than 15,000 square feet of classic and never-before-seen optical illusions, 3D holograms, exhibits and interactive spaces—and 39 other locations open worldwide, with more to come—this attraction could be the next great must for tourists.
And on March 30, those Shops at Crystals will host Disney Animation: Immersive Experience at the Lighthouse ArtSpace, currently home of the extended Immersive Van Gogh exhibit. Disney fans will be able enter the world of beloved films like Encanto, The Lion King, Frozen and Pinocchio in a whole new way. We might be getting tired of saying the “I” word, but we’re excited about this one.
FANTASY LAB Fashion Show, 833-855-1043, fantasylablv.com. Monday-Thursday, noon-7 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m.
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