I’ve had the good fortune to be invited to tour a variety of prop building companies since I began writing on the subject of animatronics. Each caters to a different segment of the entertainment sector, and it has given me a unique insight on how the philosophy of building animatronics varies between them. In one…
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Mike West is Senior Director and Executive Producer for Universal Parks and resorts around the world. With the first 25 years of his career spent at WDI, and a second half underway at Universal, Mike is one of those guys you can’t help but geek out over. All the while he hasn’t lost his joy…
FORREC Hires Executive Producer, David Kenneth November 12, 2019 [Toronto, Ontario] – Emmy-nominated producer takes his skills off-screen, creating the ultimate immersive entertainment experience. FORREC, is proud to announce its newest hire, David Kenneth, as Executive Producer at the company for its new Media Studio. Kenneth began his career in live-action production before moving into…
Read Changing Paradigms for China, Part one Examining Trends (Or the bait and switch): The Theme Park Literally hundreds of theme parks have been created in China by a process of “upgrading value”, which is actually a means to acquire land rights by developers, who in turn have made deals with the Chinese government. This…
Immersive Experiences by Falcon’s Creative Group Brings Jane Goodall’s Story to Life at National Geographic Exhibition Through a variety of innovative multi-media storytelling techniques and technologies, “Becoming Jane” delves into the iconic scientist’s remarkable journey and how she became one of the world’s leading conservationists. Learn more: https://falconscreativegroup.com/selected-work/becoming-jane-the-evolution-of-dr-jane-goodall Photo-realistic computer-generated imagery (CGI), 3D projection mapping,…
NEW 3D FILM IN COLLABORATION WITH MULTI AWARD-WINNING UK STUDIO AARDMAN 7 December 2019: Efteling – the fairytale theme park in the south of Holland – has celebrated the official opening of its newest attraction Fabula – a 4D film adventure complete with a new themed restaurant. Centred on the theme of nature, Fabula comprises…
As many know who have worked in the Leisure Industry in China, there has been an obvious business and investment down-turn over the last two years. To me, this is an opportunity to take a closer look at the existing paradigm. My conclusion has produced strong feelings that “bigger is not necessarily better”. Rather, “better…
One of the most sustainable, world-class destinations also reveals ‘six lands’ London, 5th December 2019 – The London Resort has revealed new, concept artwork, for the six lands that will be created as the first phase of the 535-acre site, the equivalent of 136 Wembley Stadiums. The visuals are the first to be revealed since…
On November 22, 2019, the Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Society (TEAAS) held its 2nd annual symposium sponsored by the IAAPA Foundation. The symposium includes oral research presentation sessions and poster exhibitions relevant to themed experience and attractions. TEAAS promotes the open access publication of scholarly research. This year nine oral presentations focused on tourism…
Starnberg, November 21, 2019 wiegand.waterrides GmbH received the IAAPA Brass Ring Award for the best new product concept. The award ceremony took place at the great IAAPA Gala last night in Orlando, Florida. The new product is called SlideCoaster – a combination of roller coaster and water slide. It is the first coaster-waterslide-combination worldwide! This…
Doug Bain is a themed attraction writer and concept developer at “Starts with a Story”. He is frequent contributor to ThemedAttraction. Here are some of his stories from back stage at Disneyland during the 1980’s, A long time ago, in the early 80’s, I worked at Disneyland – twice. The interview the second time is…
-or- How I Learned the First Thing my Themed Design Clients Really, Really, REALLY Want from Me by Adam M. Berger Berger Creative Associates, Inc. I was at a relatively early point in my career as a show writer when I learned a valuable lesson from one of my attraction design colleagues. Actually, I’ve learned…
That big $150 million dirt pile is getting serious these days. Along with the new buildings and creek retaining walls, Hersheypark’s 2020 hyper coaster Candymonium was topped off today. Reaching a peak of 210ft, the delicious-looking, sweet-smelling, chocolate-colored B&M will be the centerpiece of the park’s new expansion property. Visitors strolling through the new front…
In 2012 and again in 2017 themedattraction.com wrote about design tools for theme park and other built environment designers. As with any technology, those tools have seen rapid advances. Much of what Nate Naversen wrote then remains true today. If you’re dreaming of theme park design and want to know what tools you will need…
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Kevin Sherbrooke is an AIA Licensed architect and show set designer who lives at the intersection of creative, blue sky concepts and the rigid structure of architectural design. Kevin’s background gives him a unique perspective on the ins and outs of an industry on the move. You can see his work in familiar environments and…
Hershey Park in 1907 was a local recreation area developed by Milton Hershey for his employees. The entire little town of Hershey was built around the chocolate factory, with many of the magnificent structures erected during the Great Depression. Before long, trolley service brought in other folks from around the area, and Mr. Hershey began…
By Joshua Steadman I’ve always been fascinated by cool environments. The idea of extracting a person and placing them in a unique space or environment intrigues me. Far away worlds and fantasy spaces that were tangible and “real,” became my interest and more or less obsession. I sought out books, articles, and art that supported…
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Our guest this episode is Senior Project Director for Miziker Entertainment, Sean Chung. Sean is part of a new generation of brilliant creatives making waves in themed entertainment these days. Sean has an amazing story that runs parallel to the story of modern China’s own transformation into the world’s fastest growing theme park and tourism…
We’ve all heard the story time after time. It’s a good one, though, and so our memories are imprinted with how Walt, Roy, and even that huckster C.V. barely got Disneyland built in 1955. There might be a few other names floating around the fringes, such as Buzz Price, Joe Fowler, or Van Arsdale France.…
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Our guest is Creative Director and project consultant, Chris Lange. Chris began his career in a scenic fabrication workshop in Germany before being tapped to design and implement an impressive string of major tourist attractions worldwide. Chris has been Creative Director for Merlin Entertainments, Mack Solutions, and the Genting Group. He’s led projects in California, Malaysia,…
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We’re taking a different route through the design jungle today as we interview a friend of the show, author Lou Prosperi. Lou isn’t our typical guest, but you’ll soon see why we asked him to join us. Lou develops curriculum for a large enterprise software company during the day. But his secret super power is studying…
Everyone’s focused on the $150 million dirt pile out front, but Hersheypark didn’t keep us waiting in the meantime. They brought back Sally Corporation and their go-to design partners Raven Sun Creative to reimagine the park’s Reese’s Xtreme Cup Challenge, a fun shooter dark ride that was based on a fairly luke-warm storyline. The new…
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To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, we tracked down former Creative Director for Walt Disney Imagineering, Tom Morris. Tom knows a little something about building theme parks and attractions. So who better to dig up the archaeology of Disneyland’s eeriest e-ticket attraction. We explore the rumors, true and preposterous, of…
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Howdy! This episode features show designer, writer, and music director for themed attractions from sea to shining sea, Mr. Rick Bastrup. Rick made his mark in regional theme parks and family fun centers for the past 30+ years. His time in the industry allowed him opportunities to work with legends like Ira West and Technifex…
What park can you think of with a better brand than Hersheypark? I mean, really. I drive through Hershey every day and it’s one of the most unique towns you’ll ever see, from the Kiss-shaped streetlights, the majestic Hershey Theatre and other ornate buildings erected during the Great Depression, and the original chocolate factory before…
By Leonard Pickel of Hauntrepreneurs Themed Attraction Design and Consulting Firm Imagine driving past a Haunted House on the last Saturday before Halloween. You might think that the haunt owner is getting rich when you see the long lines of people each paying $20 or more to get scared! But the truth is that a…
One of my colleagues who recently retired from the college was a featured soloist in the United States Marine Band for over two decades. He was the youngest-ever member of the group, second only to John Philip Sousa, and he played for five presidents, from Eisenhower to Ford. And what stories he has! But one…
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This episode features Mike Schwalm, Creative Director at Storyland Studios. Mike was previously a Creative Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering working with James Cameron and Joe Rohde’s team to bring the immersive “Pandora – The World of Avatar” to life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He also worked on concept development for the Indiana Jones themed…
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Come along as Mel and Freddy dig into conversation with Mark Eades, one of the Disney Imagineers who helped bring Epcot to life back in the 80s. He cut his teeth in Disney animation and film and was called up to Imagineering by Marty Sklar to manage the production of Epcot’s film-based attractions. His attraction…
Perhaps it’s largely personal bias. I’ve loved the mountains my whole life, and I’d give pretty much anything to move back someday. But Dollywood absolutely has to be one of the most authentically situated parks anywhere. Whereas many parks try to cater to a variety of interests, featuring wide-ranging themed lands and attractions, Dollywood is…
A Milestone Year: The 2018 Global Attractions Attendance Report According to the 2018 TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index released by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECOM, theme park attendance has topped half a billion for the first time in history. Additionally, 2018 attendance at the top 10 theme park groups grew 5.4% over…
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In this episode, Mel and Freddy head up to the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains where we meet the new owners of SkyPark at Santa’s Village. Santa’s Village was a small regional storybook park built in 1955 and became a go-to destination for families looking for mountain-top fun. The park closed in 1998 and would have…
We asked veteran ride-film producer Don MacBain about the role technology has played in the development of unique guest experiences. The astonishing technological advancements he’s seen over the course of his career have positively impacted the story-teller’s ability to immerse the theme park guest ever more completely into the attraction environment. This is what he…
When reports first started circulating in offices and classrooms that Notre-Dame de Paris was in flames, people around the world seemed to recognize together the sad significance of this calamity. A lot of tragic news passes through the culture these days. Perhaps the overarching tragedy is that the disasters, death, and mayhem that make…
We asked several Walt Disney Imagineering alumni to share their reactions to the tragedy at Notre-Dame. Tom Morris responded with the following which we wish to share with you in its entirety. It was of course shocking to see as the news broke but somehow I felt that “our lady” was going to come…
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In part 2 of their interview with Imagineer Tony Baxter, Mel and Freddy get into the nitty-gritty of the development of Splash Mountain with Michael Eisner, the extended story of California Adventure, and the pros and cons of attractions built around intellectual properties. “Mr. E-Ticket” doesn’t disappoint. Listen after the final credits for a hidden…
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) Summit is a gathering of theme park and experience design industry professionals, which takes place every year at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. It’s a three day event which culminates in a gala celebration of those projects honored with a TEA Thea Award, considered the industry’s highest honor. …
As developers and designers of themed entertainment, it is our responsibility to author backstories so rich and believable that our guests never question the worlds we create for them to enjoy. back·story \ˈbak-ˌstȯr-ē noun, plural back·sto·ries. a narrative providing a history or background context, especially for a character or situation in a literary work, film,…
One of the themed entertainment industry’s highest honors will be presented to Mark Woodbury, Vice Chairman of Universal Parks & Resorts and President of Universal Creative, at the Themed Entertainment Association‘s (TEA) 25th Annual TEA Thea Awards Gala on April 13. Woodbury will receive the distinguished Buzz Price Thea Award for his Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements…
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The IAAPA Attractions Expo is the premier conference and trade show for members of the themed entertainment and experience industry. Peers from around the world gather to connect and see the latest in technology and innovations on display. At the 2018 expo, Freddy (and Themed Attraction Founder, Nate Naversen) grabbed a mic and took to…
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Mel and Freddy take a trip to the San Bernardino Mountains to interview Walt Disney Imagineering’s former Senior Vice President of creative development, Tony Baxter. Known as Mr. E-Ticket, Tony’s work includes Big Thunder Mountain, Journey Into Imagination, Star Tours, Splash Mountain, and The Indiana Jones Adventure. He led the creative teams who redesigned Fantasyland…
The history of audio-animatronics cannot be told without Walt Disney’s tribute to America’s sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. In the same way, animatronics history also cannot be told without Garner Holt, one of the world’s foremost leaders in the craft. Disney’s historic animatronics show, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, debuted at the 1964 World’s Fair and…
The story of the Disneyland Jungle Cruise boat house: When designing theme park attractions, designers will put together a guest experience narrative to describe the background of the environment guests are to enter. In 1993 when the Jungle Cruise boat house was rebuilt in order to make room for Indiana Jones, several key changes took…
How to become a Theme Park Designer How do I get a job as an imagineer? Guidelines for your success by Nate Naversen So, you want to be a theme park designer, do you? I get hundreds of emails every year from people who want to design rides and other theme park attractions for a…
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Ryan Harmon, President and Chief Experience Officer for Zeitgeist Design & Production, takes us on his personal journey from a young Imagineering wanna-be dreamer, to becoming a real Imagineer, to now working all over the world. Contact Ryan at https://zeitgeist-usa.com. Please give us a review on iTunes to help more people find us and browse…
The world suffers no shortage of theme parks, but few really live up to the name. Simply staging a few old tools in the queue and carving a clever name on the sign doesn’t cut it. A truly thematic experience is designed to immerse guests in a story or place so they believe they are…
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This is a very special episode about a brand new themed attraction (opened 12/8/18) that is sure to do more than immerse or entertain. It could change the world. Our guest is Alissa Whiteley, Director of Poverty Encounter, a walk-through educational exhibit that transports guests to scenes of extreme poverty around the world. Alissa previously…
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Evermore Theme Park Our guests for this episode are the lead creative team for Evermore Park, a brand new theme park (or “experience park” as they call it) just opened outside of Salt Lake City Utah in late 2018. Josh Shipley (Evermore’s Chief Creative Officer) and Josh Steadman (Evermore’s Director of Show Design and Production)…