Best Places to Dissociate at Meow Wolf Grapevine

Dissociate (v): To undergo the splitting off of certain mental processes from the main part of one’s consciousness.

Trusted online source Urban Dictionary identifies disassociation symptoms as: Depersonalization - “I felt disconnected from myself” and Derealisation - “My surroundings seem unreal / far away”.

While dissociation is often a symptom of trauma, it can also happen in our everyday lives as a coping mechanism when we’re stressed. Life is hard. You should be able to dissociate in peace – and this is the perfect place.

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It’s happening again. You and your loved ones are gearing up for the best day of your lives at Meow Wolf Grapevine (in the Dallas-Fort Worth area) but as you dive deeper into the universe and explore portal after portal, you begin to lose yourself. What even is “you”? Don’t worry. We’ve all been there.

Dissociating is a very strenuous activity. You can’t do it just anywhere, and we’re honored that you’re thinking ahead and trusting us to keep you safe as you journey down a mental rabbit hole.

Before we share our favorite disassociating spots, here is the criteria we followed to come up with our selections:

1. It doesn’t draw too much attention to yourself. Dissociating isn’t a performance. 
2. It’s easy to blend into. In each of our selected dissociating spaces, you’ll look like an average guest taking in the experience. Other guests will look at you, seemingly deep in thought, and wonder “What am I missing here?”. Your momentary dissociation is enhancing others’ experience. It’s very selfless of you, actually.
3. It won’t warrant conversation from others. Nothing is worse than being in the middle of a mind tornado and getting taken out by questions such as “Are you okay?” – It’s not always fun to be reminded your anguish is visible to others.

So, here we are. You and Me(ow Wolf). Holding hands in the void. The perfect place to forget it all. Let’s jump in.‍

These are our top spaces to slip away from unreal-ity in Meow Wolf Grapevine.

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The Garden

This is the first thing you see as you enter. You’re already off to a great start. This is the best spot to microdose the void. As your party gleefully discusses which portal to enter first, you can lose yourself in the greenery, lights, and scent of honey. You’re reminded of a childhood memory. You think to yourself, dissociating might just be another level of the Meow Wolf experience.‍

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Crystal Cloud Cave‍

The Crystal Cloud Cave is located above Neon Kingdom on the second floor and is a top pick for dissociation. Behind the mirrors, there is a darkened seating area for you to hide from others and watch gorgeous sky projections on the wall. You’re on a mental cloud, floating in the sky. Sit back and disconnect.

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Lucius’ Desert Trailer‍

This room is a vibe. It has an RV in the middle of the desert equipped with sentient, well-dressed hot dogs, a TV, a radio, and cryptic messages everywhere. This room is key to piecing together the overarching Meow Wolf storyline – which is why it’s the perfect space for dissociation. Everyone is too busy taking in the story clues to pay attention to you. Being ignored never felt so good. Sit by the cacti and let your mind wander the desert oasis.

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La Strata‍

This room, located on the second floor by Lamp Shop Alley, contains the multiverse. Take in glimpses of different worlds and higher ways of being. Time moves in reverse here. It’s the perfect place to hug your body while your mind dances. La Strata holds everything. It can hold you too.‍

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Snail Trails‍

Tucked away in an easy-to-miss secret corner in The Forest is Snail Trails. Sit on a bean bag and let your mind slowly roll away as you listen to the calming sounds of the snails crunching. Crunchcrunchvibecrunchcrunchforgetcrunchcrunch‍

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Seating Area by the Forest Stairs‍

Speaking of The Forest, it’s also easy to miss the seated areas along the stairs. That’s the point. Take a squat on one of the seats and become invisible to those around you. 

Located in the heart of The Real Unreal, The Forest stairs put you at the center of everything. Everywhere you turn there is a space to explore, portals to be discovered, a new key to the story waiting to be unlocked. Everything is happening around you yet here you are in the middle – granted an intimate space to be everywhere and nowhere. Almost like a metaphor for something…