Winter Wonderland in Second Life

Snow flurries began to fall and they swirled around people's legs like house cats. It was magical, this snow globe world.

Sarah Addison Allen

Seems that no sooner did I blog about the Holidays in Second Life (SL) then I ran into my good friend, Lisah Lorefield, inworld who gave me an update on some of the things happening over at Utopia Naked Isle Resort where she resides mainly when she’s in SL.

One big, new project recently completed and which will open to the general public shortly is the Utopia Winter Wonderland.

Management at Utopia is always looking to improve and expand their sim to enhance the experience for their guests. Winter Wonderland is no exception as I discovered when Lisah gave me a sneak peek at what’s to come. (I just wish I could get these perqs in Real Life (RL)!)

Lisah TP’s into Winter Wonderland for my tour. She is dressed in a lovely fur jacket (Remember this is SL, no animals were harmed in the production of this story. For the record, I’m animal friendly.) and a matching pant suit.

Me?

Well, since I was at a nudist sim, I figured I should go nude, right? That’s the nice thing about SL sometimes, no weather. (Significant Other is beginning to worry that I’m starting to enjoy running around in my birthday suit too much.) Fortunately, Lisah is nonplussed about these sartorial gaffes of mine and we proceed.

We’re standing in front of the Pavilion. An imposing, open air (Remember, no weather!) structure intended for ice skating, dancing, and large functions like concerts. It dwarfs many such creations inworld and is worth the trip for this view alone.

Lisah guides me through the rest of Winter Wonderland and I’m impressed.

Facilities are included for skiing, sledding, and other winter activities. Free skis, skates, and sleds are available. (Although, I personally find skiing inworld as difficult and embarrassing as it is for me in RL.) Lisah shows off her skills effortlessly. Show off! However, since her typist comes from Holland, I believe she had an unfair advantage on the ice skating rink. (Apologies to any Dutch who may be offended by my politically incorrect and insensitive reference to Hans Brinker. Stereotypes die hard for Americans. (And apologies to my fellow Americans who… You get the picture.))

As we walk through the sim, I notice just the right amount of Christmas decorations and wintery effects. Winter Wonderland is not overdone like some sims where everything that is not nailed down, and a few things that are, are covered in either holly or decorations.

Realism is high. Our feet sink into the snow as we walk. Flora and fauna are lifelike and the ecosystem doesn’t threaten all other forms of life in the sim.

Another noticeable feature is the large scale of just about everything. For example, the ski lift and runs are impressive. Some RL ski resorts aren’t as good. Also, activities like skating and skiing are readily available and don’t involve hoofing across the Great Plains to get anywhere. Rope bridges facilitate moving from one peak to another.

A circular walk through the woods and snow gives us a nice tour of Winter Wonderland in a reasonable amount of time.

Of course, let’s not forget that Winter Wonderland is part of Utopia Naked Isle Resort. Besides nudity (Just to be fair and for full disclosure, it is clothing optional.) there are many opportunities for those so inclined to go off privately and enjoy themselves in a more intimate fashion. Cabins, gazebos, fire pits, and even pup tents abound for such folks. (Somebody must be using these or they wouldn’t be building them, would they now?)

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Naughty Santa Korner. (I won’t go into details, I’m still not that kind of blog.) There are also a few hidden corners away from the maddening crowd where visitors can go for even more private, intimate moments. (No, I won’t tell you where they are. I do this for two reasons and none of them are cruel. First, it’ll good for you to go out and explore on your own – ideally with someone else. Second, if I do tell then Lisah is going to get mad at me and, trust me on this, we don’t want that.)

Lisah and I come to the end of the tour. I know she’s busy working on all the last minute details so I thank her and take my leave.

For anyone who is looking for a Holiday themed sim to visit at this time, I can heartily recommend Utopia Winter Wonderland. The sim is enjoyable and realistic. As past visitors will already know, the team and guests are always welcoming to newcomers and inappropriate behavior is frowned upon. Their sims are always being modified and enhanced so visiting frequently is a good idea to stay current.

The official opening to the general public will be on December 7, 2013 at 2:00PM SLT. Wayne Davis, the singer, will be headlining the entertainment.

Winter Wonderland will only be open for a couple of months so I encourage you to get there soon and don’t miss all the Holiday festivities. I know I’ll be there and maybe I’ll run into you!

For anyone who may be visiting regularly, I recommend joining the Utopia VIP Group whereby you can attend the members only function like the private party for Winter Wonderland’s opening.

I would like to thank Lisah for once again giving me a tour and answering my oftimes naïve if not dumb questions. She does a wonderful job and is a great representative for Utopia.

I’ve included a few pictures from my tour around Winter Wonderland. But, please go and see the sim for yourselves and have a good time! You’ll be glad you did.

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com .

If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

Photo No. 1 Utopia Winter Wonderland Landing Zone

Photo No. 2 Fire Pit

Photo No. 3 Naughty Santa Korner

Photo No. 4 Naughty Santa Korner Signpost

Photo No. 5 Pavilion in the Distance

Photo No. 6 Ski Lift

Photo No. 7 Free Skis and Sledding Saucers Available

Photo No. 8 Ice Skating Rink

Photo No. 9 Cabin Interior

Photo No. 10 Gazebo

Photo No. 11 Igloo

Photo No. 12 One of the Hidden Places!