Exclusive Look Inside Universal Fan Fest’s Epic Immersive Worlds: Star Trek: Red Alert and Dungeons & Dragons
Universal Fan Fest has officially changed the game for immersive entertainment. This isn’t your typical convention floor with static displays and photo ops—this is full-on, live-action storytelling that throws fans directly into the worlds they love. And two of the most buzzed-about experiences at this year’s event? Star Trek: Red Alert and Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of WaterDeep—a one-two punch of sci-fi and fantasy that’s redefining what it means to “live the story.”
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Here’s how both franchises boldly transport fans across galaxies and into the depths of forgotten realms.
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Star Trek: Red Alert – Beam Aboard the Enterprise-D
Strap in, because Star Trek: Red Alert is one of the most authentic and electrifying fan experiences ever created. Rooted in the Picard era of the franchise, this 10–12 minute immersive attraction invites guests on an exclusive tour of the Enterprise-D, only for things to go wildly off-script.
As you walk through Starfleet Command at the fictional Spaceport Los Angeles, you’re grouped with fellow guests and briefed by a lieutenant. Suddenly, you’re walking into a shuttlecraft—and walking out into the shuttle bay of the Enterprise-D. And just like that, you’re in space.
What starts as a behind-the-scenes Starfleet Museum tour quickly shifts into high-stakes territory when a mysterious energy entity breaches the ship’s forcefield. With lighting, audio, and special effects cranked to the max, guests journey deeper into the Enterprise—down swish doors, iconic corridors, and even the warp core room—before being rerouted to the original screen-used bridge set from Star Trek: Picard’s final season.
In a perfect Star Trek twist, the invading entity isn’t a threat, but a new lifeform making first contact. It’s a powerful, full-circle moment that wraps with guests beaming back to Earth in a spectacular finale. Easter eggs like a malfunctioning replicator repeating “Tea, Earl Grey, Hot” cement this as fan-first storytelling at its finest.
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Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of WaterDeep – Enter the Forgotten Realms
On the other side of the genre spectrum, Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of WaterDeep delivers a fantasy adventure that feels like stepping inside your own custom campaign. Set in the expansive Forgotten Realms, guests take on the role of adventurers investigating a mysterious disturbance in the ocean city of Deepwater. You’re not just watching the story unfold—you’re part of the party.
Groups of 12 are ushered through various scenes where they interact with live actors playing wizards, clerics, rogues, and creatures that bring D&D lore to life. In classic tabletop fashion, the experience hinges on audience participation, with branching moments determined by group decisions. Do you trust the shady half-elf? Do you open the cursed book? Your path—and fate—depends on your party’s choices.
With practical effects, animatronics, and jaw-dropping scenic design, Secrets of the Deep is filled with moments that feel ripped straight from a high-level campaign. From magical illusions to an epic underwater showdown, this is Dungeons & Dragons at cinematic scale.
A New Gold Standard for Fandom
What makes both Red Alert and Secrets of the Deep stand out is the commitment to authentic worldbuilding. Universal partnered directly with Paramount’s Star Trek team and Wizards of the Coast for D&D, ensuring every character, set piece, and storyline feels true to the source material. Whether you’re a lifelong Trekkie or a devoted Dungeon Master, these experiences reward fans with meaningful connections to their favorite universes.
And perhaps most exciting of all—these are just the beginning. Universal Fan Fest is crafting a blueprint for the future of immersive entertainment, where fandom isn’t just celebrated—it’s lived.
