The Legend of Zelda: Champions of Hyrule

A large triforce-adorned sign with the Legend of Zelda: Champions of Hyrule logo acts as a gateway from Nintendoland to the Kingdom of Hyrule. Passing through the gate, guests find themselves at the site of the ancient Temple of Light, a massive and imposing stone structure which seems to have recently burst up through the ground and the bare cliff face behind it. The temple, despite its size, is fairly nondescript. It has a tiered design, with each higher tier smaller than the last. A large tower stands at each corner of the temple, the peaks of which eternally glow with a magical flame. A massive brazier-adorned corridor serves as the temple’s entrance, beckoning brave explorers inside.

Just past the gate is the attraction’s entrance area, a large empty courtyard made of tan stone. Occasionally, a pulsating light can be seen in the stones creating a massive Hylian Crest which spans the entirety of the courtyard, glowing brighter before fading completely. Just past the courtyard is a small path which leads in towards the temple’s entrance. A sign is posted next to the path’s entrance - “Excavation Site This Way!”

As guests wind through the ruins and destroyed earth caused by the temple’s sudden appearance they will soon notice some signs of life. Make-shift hot air balloons, furnished tents, and research equipment are scattered about the area. An open notepad hangs from the post of one of the tents, revealing a journal entry detailing the arrival of the Hyrule Excavation Team following the appearance of the temple. After a short detour to circle around a ruined Ancient Guardian, the queue leads guests into the research camp proper.

Guests soon enter a large clearing between the ruins upon which a large research camp stands. Guests pass under large canopy tents as they wind through the camp. Various pieces of Sheikah technology and camp equipment are strewn about. Elsewhere, a small shop seems to have been hastily constructed, no doubt to entice those visiting the temple. Though the shop seems to sell traveling essentials, such as food and torches, the prices are outrageous with only an apple going for hundreds of rupees. Further back, a small tent protects a trio of carved stone pieces each of which portray elements of some kind of ancient war.

Finally, guests reach the Temple of Light. After a short wait, groups of about 50 guests are guided into the temple by a member of the Hyrule Excavation Team. The temple’s entryway is a massive open-air hallway, its walls reaching the entire height of the temple. As guests pass the crumbling walls of the entry hallway, their Hylian guide begins to explain just what the Temple of Light is:

“The Hyrule Excavation Team has been working for months to uncover the mysteries of this mysterious temple. So far, we’ve discovered that this was once known as the Temple of Light, and might have been used to contain some kind of ancient evil. Today, we believe we have found what the temple was meant to imprison”

Venturing down the hallway, the light of the sun fades into darkness as guests properly enter the temple. The open air of the front of the entryway is now replaced by an incredibly low ceiling of alarmingly uneven stone bricks. The guide’s own (LED) torch and a sextet of ancient braziers cut through the darkness, providing some comfort to those adverse to the dark. Finally at the end of the hall is a large circular door, its left side dimly lit by a torch. The guide continues.

“The Temple of Light tests all those who wish to discover its secrets, through trials of power, courage, and…wisdom.”

The guide places their torch in the stand on the other side of the door. Suddenly, the door rolls open as a familiar harp melody plays. Guests are then brought into the first chamber of the temple. It's small and fairly nondescript. On either side of the room is an identical set of doors, only one of which is open at any given time (NOTE: to help capacity, the attraction features two theaters. When one experience starts, the next is being loaded. This should make loading near constant.) Guests are quickly ushered through the open doors.

Guests now find themselves in the temple’s central chamber, a half-circular atrium. A large part of the ceiling has crumbled, revealing a clear night sky. At the back of the room are five sets of stone doors that appear to have been sealed for a very long time. Above the doors is a massive carved mural depicting the ancient war between Ganondorf and the Kingdom of Hyrule. The center of the chamber, however, is where the chamber’s most interesting fixture stands. On a raised platform in the center of the room is the mummified corpse of Ganondorf, propped up on his back by a large sword which is thrust through his chest. He stares blankly towards guests through black eye sockets.

The door closes and music swells as an ethereal voice comes to life to explain the ancient war against Ganondorf and his forces of evil. The stone mural comes to life, animating to show guests a truncated version of the war’s history and how Ganondorf was sealed inside the Temple of Light. As the voice continues, a blood red moon slowly comes into view in the night sky. Slowly, the room is bathed in red light and strange music can be heard. As the moon peaks in the night sky, Ganondorf’s eyes suddenly come to life with pointed red pupils. He begins to move with small stilted movements before rising into the air. He laughs, explaining that his soul has been freed and that Hyrule is once again his to take. As he rises, he changes, transforming (through peppers ghost) into the terrifying Calamity Ganon, a massive being of shadow. His power now returned, he again laughs and disappears.

The ethereal voice returns again to tell guests that they can help by restoring the temple’s Power of Light, which can greatly weaken Ganon. Suddenly, the five doors on the opposite side of the room open, and guests are ushered into each in groups of ten. Each chamber has mechanisms to help reactivate the Power of Light if guests can solve its puzzle.

Each chamber is near identical, aside from their unique puzzle elements - a circular room with an extremely high ceiling. Each features a different puzzle or activity, with guests working together to solve it. Guests have about four minutes to finish the puzzle. This could include puzzles with pressure plates or buttons, memorization puzzles, screen-based puzzles, etc. Whether the puzzle is successfully completed or not, the floor will begin to rise, bringing guests to the second level of the temple.

Exiting the puzzle chamber, guess again find themselves in a half circular room. Hanging from the center of the room is a massive opaque blue crystal with some kind of lens attached to it, of unknown design. The back wall of the chamber has been mostly destroyed and looks out onto Hyrule. Guests are quickly ushered towards the wall as Calamity Ganon appears to wreak havoc on the land. As he attacks Hyrule, strange sounds can be heard from behind guests. The doorways of each successful puzzle room begin to light in succession with a blue light, starting at the floor before meeting at a small crystal at its top. Beams of light emit from each crystal, pointed at the large blue crystal in the center of the room. This crystal then glows brighter as a larger beam of blue light shoots through its attached lens and straight into Calamity Ganon, visibly hurting him considerably.

(NOTE: This effect changes depending on how many of the puzzle rooms are successfully completed. If a room is unsuccessful, it instead emits a red light. The central crystal will subsequently glow red or purple depending on the ratio of success. The amount of damage Ganon appears to take will also change based on this.)

Ganon, now weakened, begins to attack the temple directly, portrayed through a series of rain, fire, and wind effects. Suddenly, the hero of Hyrule, Link, swoops in to save the day. After an intense battle, Link is victorious as Calamity Ganon dissolves and the sun begins to rise over Hyrule.

A Hyrule Excavation Team guide again finds guests and ushers them out of the temple, the day saved and their work done.