Hello, everyone! I'm PEAKer 나마카.

I finally made it! I previously shared the news about Maple Island opening at Lotte World. On April 29, the park hosted Happy Maple Day in Lotte World, a full-day private event celebrating MapleStory's 23rd anniversary. As a huge MapleStory fan, I couldn't wait to be there :)

Let me take you through my day at MapleStory's 23rd-anniversary private event and all the special moments exclusive to the occasion!

MapleStory at Lotte World

Full-Day Private Event Details

On April 29, the day MapleStory turned 23, all of Lotte World Adventure was reserved exclusively for MapleStory players for a special celebration.

The excitement started with ticket sales. With around 10,000 MapleStory players coming together for an event on an unprecedented scale, competition for tickets was fierce. Luckily, I got mine on my first try in the 1st round, and all my friends secured theirs across the 1st and 2nd rounds. After that, we were counting down the days!

Honestly, I wanted to be there right at opening, but I figured it would be sooo crowded, so I took my time and arrived at 11. Apparently, just before opening, the line stretched all the way to Seokchon Lake(...)

I was pretty worried about the crowds, but the lines were incredibly well managed, from ticket pickup right through to entry. I got inside much faster than expected!

Special Events Just for the 23rd Anniversary!

This was no ordinary park visit—there were so many extras exclusive to the day! At entry, I received a wristband, a pamphlet, a ticket for 1 Maple Island attraction, and a postcard featuring a 23rd-anniversary illustration.

01. Cake Photo Zone

The "Become a Maple Hero!" photo zone in the meeting plaza had a special 23rd-anniversary cake design for the occasion. It was incredibly popular, but I knew I'd regret leaving without a photo, so I stuck it out in line! Once I saw my photo, I was so happy with how it turned out ㅎㅎ

02. Popular Streamers Join the Staff for a Day!

7 popular creators—세글자, 팡이요, 명예훈장, 청묘, 타요, 이라333, and 안녕수야—joined the staff for a day! Having them stationed around the park made the waits feel so much shorter. They must have been exhausted, but they still kindly took photos with us. I was so grateful!!

03. Snack Coupons with Love from Jin

Another event offered snack coupons to the first 2,500 people to answer a quiz prepared by BTS's Jin. You could access it through QR codes on banners around Lotte World. I answered question 4: "What is Jin's favorite town in Maple World?" The answer was Ludibrium!

After answering the quiz, I won a coupon for an Orange Mushroom Orange Sunrise. But the shop also sold the popular Red and Blue Potions, and the line was so long that I decided to give it a missㅠ Instead, I stole a few bites of the snacks my friends had won, and they were delicious! Thanks for treating us gamers ㅎㅎ

My Maple Island Experience!

Maple Island is in the outdoor Magic Island area and has 4 attractions: 스톤 익스프레스, 아르카나 라이드, 에오스 타워, and Gyro Spin.

On the day of the event, we could ride just 1 Maple Island attraction. After debating which to choose, I went with 에오스 타워 because it had the shortest line. It must have been fate ㅋㅋㅋ

에오스 타워 is a drop tower ride inspired by Eos Tower. Just as we rose into the air, I suddenly heard huge cheers all around! I looked around to see what was happening, and there was Director Kim Chang-seop heading up on 스톤 익스프레스 (the roller coaster)!?

He waved to us from the roller coaster, so I eagerly waved back from 에오스 타워 ㅋㅋㅋ

I still can't quite believe it!! I never imagined I'd run into the director up in the airㅋㅋㅋ That's a moment I'll never forget. He even rode it 3 more times afterward, giving the fans a treat(?) along the way!

Of course, I have to mention the merch shop. I skipped it because someone in my group had already picked things up for me on an earlier visit, but I heard the queue numbers reached well into the hundreds that day! Plenty of items had sold out, too, so if you're after merch, I'd recommend stopping by early.

A Day Made Even More Special Together!

I stayed for the evening parade and projection mapping show before heading home. Sharing the birthday celebration with so many fellow players made it all the more fun!!

Whether I was on a roller coaster or waiting in line, there was MapleStory chatter all around me. We got excited when we spotted streamers, waved to the director, and even watched the 3 p.m. livestream together. It really struck me just how much everyone there loved MapleStory.

As far as I know, the previous largest in-person gathering of MapleStory players was the 2023 NEW AGE showcase at Olympic Park's handball arena (around 6,000 people). Getting to share the fun with around 10,000 fellow players in one place made this experience feel even more meaningful and special :)

That wraps up my visit to Happy Maple Day in Lotte World for MapleStory's 23rd anniversary!

It was a celebration on an unprecedented scale, and I had such a wonderful time. The 23rd-anniversary full-day private event may be over, but the Maple Island event continues until Sunday, June 14. If I can find the time, I'd love to go back once more before it ends.

If you love MapleStory, cute characters, and amusement park rides, I hope you'll visit and make some special memories of your own!

That's all for this post!

PEAKer 나마카 signing off. Thanks for reading :)