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Our guest is TEA Master and founder of The Bezark Company, Adam Bezark. His storied career from WDI to Landmark Entertainment Group allowed him opportunities to conceive and design monstrous IP attractions such as Jurassic Park: The Ride, the JAWS ride, and Terminator 2:3D for Universal. For WDI, he co-directed the beloved IllumiNations nighttime spectacular…
Further industry recognition by winning the ‘People’s Choice Award’ at MAPIC 2022 – For the third year, SPREE has more than doubled its revenue.
Newest Martin & Vleminckx coaster at Sea World Gold Coast features record-breaking crossovers, top speed of 85km/h, and custom theming Mont-Royal, Quebec, December 2nd, 2022- Sea World Gold Coast today announced that it will open its newest family thrill ride, ‘Leviathan’ on Friday, December 2nd at its theme park in Gold Coast Australia. The coaster…
SplashBotix, a leading supplier of aquatic controls and submersible mechatronics to the show fountain, aquatic play and themed entertainment industries, today announced that its SplashValve, the fountain industry’s first diverter valve flow control device, has been UL listed for use with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spas, and interactive fountains.
Life Lessons from Anthony Esparza’s keynote address The 6th Annual Prayer and Networking breakfast was held on November 17th, 2022 during the IAAPA convention. Former Sea World and Herschend executive Anthony Esparza gave the keynote address to the delight of a packed audience. Anthony Esparza told the story of his career along with key life…
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS I.P. to be Centerpiece of Custom-Designed Walkthrough Triotech, market leader in interactive attractions, just announced a new major project with LOTTE WORLD. Set for opening in Spring 2023, the innovative walkthrough attraction will be called “BATTLEGROUNDS WORLD AGENT” and will be set in the universe of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, KRAFTON’s widely popular I.P. Triotech…
Pretty much every virtual reality headset manufacturer recommends their product to be used exclusively for those 13-and-over. But SPREE Interactive has spent the last 4-years successfully building games and attractions for families with kids aged 4-12. The SPREE Arena has been installed in over 50 global sites with more than 75 already scheduled over the next 12-months.
SPREE Interactive, specialists in multiplayer free-roam VR attractions for the location-based entertainment market, launches a seasonal addition to its family friendly game pack where players must team up to save the Christmas holiday — Christmas Crunch.
Globally Recognized Dark Ride Creator Reveals Details about “Haunted Hotel” attraction to Debut at Funtown Splashtown in 2023 JACKSONVILLE, FL (November 14, 2022) – Today, live from the tradeshow floor of IAAPA Expo 2022, Sally Dark Rides, the globally recognized leader in creating family dark rides and attractions, lifted the veil on its latest attraction.…
Mont-Royal, Quebec, November 7th , 2022 – Martin & Vleminckx is thrilled to announce the acquisition of the patent portfolio of Bill Kitchen. Mr. Kitchen’s historic contributions to the industry have included the invention and formation of iFly (originally Skyventure), the inventor of Skycoaster, and most recently, a series of game-changing attractions as Founder/CEO of US Thrill…
We just released the latest episode of the Themed Attraction Podcast featuring Danusia Rogacki, Creative Services Manager at Canada’s Wonderland. It’s a fascinating interview that clearly reveals Danusia’s total love and dedication to the park. Go listen to that first…I’ll wait right here… …Ok, it was amazing, right? Such joy for going the extra mile…
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Our guest this episode is Danusia Rogacki, Creative Services Manager at Canada’s Wonderland. Danusia is a long-time Canada’s Wonderland native, who started her career in Halloween haunts and park operations. Steeped in the park’s rich traditions, she now gives creative direction to the park’s themed offerings and seasonal special events. Connect with Danusia Rogacki on LinkedIn…
Kings Island to Add Themed Area“ Adventure Port” for 2023 Season Re-imagined area to feature new family rides and coaster enhancements MASON, OH – Adventure will take center stage at Kings Island in 2023 when the amusement park debuts its newest themed area, Adventure Port. Located between Coney Mall and Action Zone, the area will…
Katapult are working in partnership with ROARR! and Cyber Group Studios to open a brand new four-acre interactive play-themed area based on the internationally renowned Netflix, Tiny Pop and Disney+ hit series, Gigantosaurus.
2022 Prayer Networking Event during IAAPA on Thursday, November 17 from 8:30 am to 10 am. Featuring Guest Speaker: Anthony Esparza, 30+ year Industry Veteran of Themed Guest Experiences and most recently the Chief of Guest Experiences for Carnival Cruise Line and former Chief Creative Officer of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
JRA – Part of RWS Entertainment Group in partnership with the Dallas Mavericks, Dimensional Innovations (DI), Heritage Werks and DI Build, is proud to announce Mavs Vault, presented by ShiftKey — an immersive, public exhibition highlighting the organization’s 42-year history through never-before-seen artifacts, archival footage, merchandise, memorabilia and more. Located within the Hall of State at Fair Park at this year’s State Fair of Texas, the exhibit is open to fans now through October 23rd.
Theme and Guests announced for Legends 2022 at IAAPA Orlando: Epcot; 40 Years in a State of Becoming Each year for 25 years, the Legends Panel at IAAPA Expo, moderated and curated by Bob Rogers, Founder & Chairman of BRC Imagination Arts, has shared the otherwise-lost wisdom and methods of the industry’s great achievers, in…
Executive Producer Tyler Thornberg brings a wealth of theatrical, film, TV, and themed entertainment expertise to the Storyland team. He’s a pro at taking projects from concept through completion, from themed attractions to experiential marketing campaigns.
A new partnership brings a unique revenue-share attraction to the Ride Entertainment family of companies. STEVENSVILLE, MD – Ride Entertainment, the Gold Standard in the attractions industry for sales and support, is excited to announce a new partnership with Longfish Leisure for all North American sales. The agreement brings the company’s Minisafari cars to Ride…
OCTOBER 16-18 in SAN DIEGO Surf Park Summit is the most exclusive and largest networking and insider event for the booming surf park industry, with a heavy focus on the latest wave technologies, park developments, and the future of surfing. This year, the event runs from October 16-18 at Scripps Seaside Forum in San Diego,…
CelebriDucks, considered the top custom rubber duck manufacture in the industry is creating a series of new creations for Cedar Fair’s theme parks beginning with the upcoming Boysenberry Festival at Knotts Berry Farm. They will also be creating Woodstock themed floating collectibles for the Halloween and Christamas festivals.
The company has worked with Cedar Fair in the past creating a floating Woodstock for Knotts and they have also created Pink Flamingos and Manta Rays for SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. Craig Wolfe, CelebriDuck’s president said that, “people come to us from all over the world to create the finest and most unique floating collectibles for their companies and theme parks and we just love these projects.”
Apart from being voted one of the top 100 Gifts by Entertainment Weekly, the company has been featured on The Tonight Show, Late Night With Conan, CNN, ABC, NBC,TNT, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, CBS Evening Magazine, The N.Y. Times, Chicago Sun Times, The LA Times, and hundreds and hundreds of other media outlets worldwide. They sell thousands of their Blues Brothers rubber ducks at all the House of Blues and even developed the first floating Pink Flamingo for Caesars that is one of their top gift products. They also create products for The NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, and the NCAA and won the ESPN poll for the fan’s favorite give-a-way.
CelebriDucks also just released their new line of celebrity inspired Costume Quackers which celebrate the most popular themes of American pop culture and have quickly become their top selling rubber ducks. You can learn more at CelebriDucks.com or by writing to info@celebriducks.com or calling 530-446-5231.
Over the years, the process of creating themed experiences has evolved significantly. From pen-and-paper designs, to physical mockups, to 3D renderings, creating your own immersive experience has never been easier!
While there are plenty of video games out there that allow you to build your own theme park, I was personally frustrated by the lack of beginner-friendly, professional options for designing themed attractions and dark rides. Many of the options currently available require highly-technical developer knowledge to get started, which wasn’t something I was prepared for.
So… I built my own!
Munich/Nuremberg, Germany, September 1, 2022: TELUS Spark Science Centre in Calgary, Canada, boasted a successful start to the summer with SPREE Interactive’s 6-player Arena as one of its newest educational attractions. The 6-Player SPREE Arena is filled with educational and family-friendly virtual reality interactive games, complementing the science centre’s existing experiences by taking the…
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In this episode of the Themed Attraction Podcast, our guest is Sina Bahram, the founder of Prime Access Consulting, and one of the Themed Entertainment Association’s first ever Catalyst Award recipients. Sina’s inclusive design firm helps attraction designers implement accessible solutions that make knowledge, culture, and technology available to the widest possible audience. Connect with…
I have been so fortunate to have many people support my journey as a woman. With that said, I decided to find a new way to pay it forward. I recently co-founded the not-for-profit A Lady Macbeth Initiative 501(c)(3) (ALMI). ALMI was created to provide mentorship, connections, and resources for funding to produce short films…
Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Symposium Call for Proposals: (Due Friday, September 9, 2022) Event: Friday, November 18, 2022 9:00AM-4:45PM Orange County Convention Center, Orlando FL USA It is a pleasure to invite you to the fifth annual Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Society (TEAAS) scholarly symposium focused on themed experience and attractions. The symposium…
JRA – Part of RWS Entertainment Group has tapped zoo and museum industry veteran Robby Gilbert as its new Global Director, Business Development. Gilbert joins the team as JRA and parent company RWS expand their planning, design, implementation and operations capabilities for zoos, aquariums, science centers and botanical gardens worldwide, and as RWS Entertainment Group offers custom leased experiences and merchandise featuring iconic brands, including all-new Hershey’s and Guinness World Records™ attractions.
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Our guests are Bob Rogers of BRC Imagination Arts, Mike West from Universal Creative, and John Wood of Sally Dark Rides. They share their perspectives on ride capacities and THRC. Connect with Bob at BRCweb.com, Mike via his company’s LinkedIn “Innovative West,” and John at SallyDarkRides.com. Show hosts: Mel McGowan & Freddy Martin Show design…
SPREE Interactive Enters the AR Market in Partnership with Deutsche Telekom Tech Incubator – hubraum and Qualcomm’s SPACES programme. Qualcomm is investing $100 million into Metaverse Technologies incl. AR Among hundreds of companies worldwide, SPREE Interactive has been one of 17 to be selected for the joint Deutsche Telekom and Qualcomm Augmented Reality Program “Snapdragon…
Among hundreds of companies worldwide, SPREE Interactive has been one of 17 to be selected for the joint Deutsche Telekom and Qualcomm Augmented Reality Program “Snapdragon Spaces” in efforts to drive metaverse growth with leading XR companies. The Snapdragon Spaces program, accredited in the millions, supply’s access to futuristic technology including high-quality AR glasses, exclusive business networks, and funding opportunities for the most innovative ideas.
As the only location-based entertainment supplier chosen in the Snapdragon Spaces program, SPREE Interactive, German-based developers of proprietary patented sensor fusion XR technology, will utilise hubraums proven trust to develop a range of new products featuring AR technology and plans to commercialise AR into future product offerings & attractions.
We’ll wrap up our trip down memory lane with a short post-Marriott summary. You can find the first two parts here and here, and more regional park history can be found at www.rivershorecreative.com (along with an abundant supply of tissues). Thanks for reading. Unfortunately for the Marriott company, attendance figures didn’t meet their expectations and…
Best in Show: Daedalus: The Lost Wings – University of Texas at Austin Best in Show, Honorable Mention: Thanatopia, Ambrosia, Domo, Travel To and From Home, Best in Class – Blue Sky / Concept: Beetle Mailcenter – SCAD Blue sky / concept, Honorable Mention: Domo, Travel To and From Home, Ambrosia, Corvus Cruiser, Skate Square…
This series is taken from a chapter in my regional park history book, Imagineering an American Dreamscape. Let’s look at the design of these magnificent parks and take a tour from that first year. If you missed the first part, here it is. The Santa Clara property had originally been conceived of by Fess Parker,…
The Katapult team has collaborated with visitor attraction, ROARR! Dinosaur Adventure in the UK, to create a new experience, Valley of the Dinosaurs.
As we digest the tragic news of yet another beloved playground closing for good, I thought I’d share the story behind the Marriott parks. Excerpting from my regional park history book, Imagineering an American Dreamscape, I’m going to post the Marriott chapter in a series of three articles here on the site. Tissues will be…
VOLKANU – Quest for the Golden Idol, Now Open at Lost Island Themepark Sally Dark Rides Debuts Signature Attraction at Iowa’s New Theme Park JACKSONVILLE, FL: Sally Dark Rides, a leading creator of family ride experiences around the globe, has just opened their latest attraction VOLKANU: Quest for the Golden Idol, a dark ride experience…
The TEA Master’s Spotlight series highlights the themed entertainment industry’s most renowned and respected leaders. This time the TEA Western Division will virtually welcome Joe Falzetta–who has spent 38 years as a Principal Show Lighting Design at Walt Disney Imagineering–on Wednesday, June 29 at 4PM PT/7PM ET! Joe, who is truly a “sorcerer of light,”…
Student Showcase Project Feedback Sessions Announced The Themed Attraction Student Showcase will host three sessions to discuss the projects submitted to the Themed Attraction Student Showcase. We invite students and professionals to join us as we help encourage the next generation with industry feedback and mentoring. Judging: June 1st – June 28th, 2022 We apologize…
About this event It’s the TEA’s 30th Anniversary and what better way to celebrate than with the Founder of the TEA, Monty Lunde. Technifex, his company of 38 years, is hosting an open house and mixer to celebrate – IN PERSON! Technifex Open House Thursday, June 23, 2022. 6-9pm 25261 Rye Canyon Road, Santa Clarita,…
Immersion has been the buzzword of the themed entertainment industry for a little over a decade or so. We’re in an arms race where every new project attempts to one-up the last by increasing the ‘immersiveness’ by another factor. Bigger, more enveloping, more detailed, and especially: more real. While some of the projects this has…
Premier Parks, LLC, North America’s largest independent operator of visitor attractions and experiences, led by former Six Flags Chairman and CEO Kieran Burke, today announced the acquisition of operations of Valcartier-Calypso Group. The acquisition includes an all-inclusive four-star resort hotel with upscale spa and indoor water park, two premium outdoor water parks, a large destination campground, a unique ice hotel, and the largest winter games center in North America. These latest acquisitions increase Premier Park’s profile to fifteen properties.
IDEAS has been tapped by local developer Bahía Urbana Redevelopment, LLC to re-imagine the Port of San Juan destination experience at Bahía Urbana in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Hi, My name is Paige Billian, and here is my entry, The Gelid Sanctum. This attraction is presented as an immersive walkthrough experience with alternate reality game elements and possibilities for future expansions. GelidSanctum_Showcase Thank you!
THE HORAI A resort paradise to experience the best of each season in a single stay. Team members: Ana Curbelo | Flavia Yoshitake | Ryan Rassasombath CONCEPT The Horai is a 5-star resort where all four seasons are represented inside the resort. The rooms change overnight to each season and based on the season of the…
Hi everybody, welcome on board ! Haven’t you ever felt like you wanted to explore the stories behind some of your favorite songs ? Well I’ve felt that a couple of time, and as I’m in love with marine universes, I wanted to do something about it, because we are dreamers, right ? Dreamers who…
Design Team Jiawei Qin Tarana Pahlajani Dana Schrack Walkthrough Video Presentation Video Supporting Documentation Presentation Deck Concept Sketches
“Free the Heaven Spider!” Qixi Festival Themed Pop-up Event – PROJECT OVERVIEW “Free the Heaven Spider” is a pop-up event designed for super-malls in Shanghai for the in-coming Qixi-Festival in 2022, which will be the middle days of August or so. I tried theming this traditional Chinese Festival into a commercial event and explored a…
A 16-week Project – January 2022 – April 2022 Hello, I am Matthew Morgan, and I created this project as my Senior Illustration Thesis at Ringling College of Art and Design. The Spark My senior thesis project was ignited by two simple questions. Why do we believe our wishes will come true when we wish…