I had the opportunity to experience Dopamine Land at the Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey before it officially opened on Saturday, March 15. Together with my husband and two little daughters, we were the first people to enjoy (this location) the colorful, vibrant, mind-bending immersive experience that is Dopamine Land.
Perfectly nestled within Westfield Garden State Plaza, standing out amongst all other storefronts due to its rich purple color, we were welcomed by the Dopamine Land crew and a space already full of color. The official entrance already impressed me with an area ideal for stroller parking, some smaller areas for photos including a small bathtub full of plastic balls, a drink machine and a stationary pink swing.
But this was nothing compared to the experience awaiting us. The experience begins in a room filled with square-shaped seats that light up with a small round table in the middle.
A soothingly sweet narrator prepares us for the adventure ahead. Soft music and a calming breathing exercise later, a door lights up.
Beyond the door is where the journey begins into all black hallways with differently colored lighted doors. From here you are free to wander each room as you please.
Keep in mind that the hallways are still wonderfully lit, and there are plenty of exit signs. It helps to notice which colored doors you've entered to ensure you visit every room or if you wish to return to a room you enjoyed.
Scribblescape
This was the first room we entered, finding floor-to-ceiling-length paper against the walls with colored marker pens at the ready. Considering my children are avid crayon users, they were excited to draw and scribble.
This room in particular, spoke to me as a writer for a plethora of reasons. Considering I've been writing since childhood, pen and paper have always been some of my favorite things.
It's the literal starting point for an idea to become real, whether it's a dream, a poem, or something that's been occupying your mind. Writing things out is beneficial and this room allows guests to allow their creativity to take flight.
Chromadance
There are several rooms fighting for my Top 3 spots, and this is one of them. I can picture this being the most popular room for a number of reasons, from the upbeat, constant dance music to the floor, color changing square lights.
It will indeed be a party room for dancing and admiration of the space. Mirrors cover every surface, brightening up the space and allowing for cool photo visuals.
My daughters easily loved this room the most. Watching their eyes widen in amazement, running, jumping, and dancing, all the while the colors change, was a party we didn't want to end any time soon.
Euphoria Grove
Very reminiscent of a living art exhibit and Minecraft, this space was a wonderland of realism and fantasy. The constant sounds of birds singing, accompanied by an occasional thunderstorm, was a symphony I myself enjoy on a semi-regular basis.
Life is short, and beauty is often found in the simplest or smallest things. One of those things for me, personally, are birds.
I easily could have spent the entire time in this room alone, sitting comfortably on square-shaped bush seats, surrounded by square shaped trees and walls covered in mirrors. Whether intentional or not, the room gave me Minecraft/video game feels due to the square shaped trees and bushes.
Lucid Dreams
One of the things that impressed me the most about Dopamine Land is the variation between stimulating, loud, vibrant rooms and subtle, calming environments. The places where you can turn your brain off and just observe.
Lucid Dreams is a small space of several projectors of colorful images that smoothly transition into each other. Similar to the premise of cloud watching, you can stand or sit and watch the images shift and change fluidly.
Time will pass quickly but the relaxation is worth it.
Sunset Lagoon
Perhaps the biggest ball pit I have ever seen or experienced that I could imagine as being both a room of calm and chaos. Considering it was only the four of us for this gigantic ball pit, there was ample space for my children to play while room for my husband and I to rest, take photos, and simply enjoy the space.
This room was heaven on Earth for my little ones, considering this was far larger than the child-sized ball pit they use at home. Make sure to take off your shoes and place them in the designated cubbies before entering the ball pit.
I adored the texture of the carpet and the seating that surrounded the entire ball pit. The theme of the lagoon and the color palette brought it all together to create a fun yet relaxing environment.
One theme you will find often in Dopamine Land is the use of mirrors, and this room is no exception with the mirror-covered, slanted ceiling.
Cosmic Oasis
One of my Top 3 by a mile is the far smaller rooms of mirrors and lights. Mirrors adorn the entire space with either hanging lights that change color or streams of lights that circle the room while changing colors.
This is the room that comes to mind when I think of Dopamine Land. It is the ideal spot for pictures and up-close-and-personal exposure to something truly unique and profound.
Your eyes are immediately drawn to the space that feels endless but never to the point of getting disoriented or dizzy. Keep in mind this is smaller and I could easily see a line of people waiting to take their Instagram worthy photos in here.
Cushion Clash
Pillow fights of old are back, and now you can relive the memory. Very soft pillows cover the floors of the space designed to look like a padded room with one red buzzer at the front.
According to the prerecorded voice, once everyone is ready, you hit the buzzer, and the games begin. Unfortunately, I cannot say more about this room as the buzzer was not ready at the time of our visit.
This space heavily uses pastels to create a space that reminded me of childhood. Due to the buzzer not working, we didn't find ourselves in this room for very long.
02 Lounge
Last but not least on our list and the one I did not partake in. According to the official Dopamine Land website, the O2 Lounge is described as such: "Breathe in the purest oxygen infused with delightful aromas, designed to help you unwind and elevate your senses. Escape the everyday hustle and indulge in a unique experience that promotes relaxation and revitalization in a serene atmosphere."
The atmosphere was indeed serene, complete with lowered lights and fake fluffy rain clouds hanging from the ceiling. It created the feeling of being outdoors yet in the presence of the calm before the storm.
However, this did not appeal to me. I am not familiar with anything like this and I'm not the first to try something like this.
The room was nice, and those who occupied the space were kind and informative. But it simply wasn't for us.
We did spot a small space full of white balloons of varying sizes. This was not a room with a closed door but a plastic opening.
Lights changed the entire color of the room from bold reds to calming pinks and blues. Balloons were also a huge hit with my daughters!
Thank you so much to Matthew Singh of 3E Public Relations for reaching out and making this all possible! Thank you to the Dopamine Land crew for making this one of the most unforgettable experiences of our lifetime!
Learn more about Dopamine Land and schedule your visit here.