Dreaming up and building incredible, themed experiences that will be enjoyed by millions of people all over the world is truly an amazing experience. It’s one that requires the dedicated work of passionate individuals who collaborate as a team to deliver the business goals of a client. It’s important to understand how ‘the presentation’ fits into the project process and how to assemble and deliver one successfully.
Dimensionalizing Brand design by Theron Skees. Theron is the Chief Creative Officer of Designer’s Creative Studio. He also currently oversees Disney Cruise Lines as the Vice President, Creative Portfolio Executive with Walt Disney Imagineering. “Story” as Branding Experience Telling a story is at the heart of every one of our projects. We understand this as…
As legend has it, in 1896, when the Lumière Brothers premiered their short film The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station, audiences were so shocked by the locomotive moving towards them on the screen that they screamed and leapt out of their seats. Whether this is entirely true or not, Auguste and Louis…
Bring The Fun! Themed Attraction zoom Pitchfest will happen Friday, May 29th @11am to 1pm PST. (2 PM Eastern until 4pm Eastern) All are welcome to watch, pitch, participate, and join in the show! It’s “Imagineering” meets Sharktank – without the heartbreak! What happens? Our open minded forum will allow YOU the people with ideas…
My First Introduction to Walk Through Attractions My family took a summer vacation to Disneyland in the Summer of 1995. I was just returning home from my first semester of art school. All the joys of visiting “the happiest place on earth”, Disneyland, for the first time were exactly as I expected. But it was…
How the Location-Based Entertainment Industry Can—and Should—Do More to Ensure a Brighter and More Prosperous Future We live in an age of unprecedented change. A host of converging forces—technological, social, cultural, environmental, economic—are transforming the world around us at a pace never before seen in human history. The world is getting smaller and more interconnected.…
The last installment introduced the idea of Genius Loci and its need. Just like one will know a person by the friends they keep or what kind of tree it is by its fruit, one can trace the Genuis Loci or, Spirit of a Place by its accompanied features. How to find the Genius Loci…
Read Changing Paradigms for China, Part 2 The last installment of “Paradigms” touched on Eco-tourism. The mere hearing of this term makes me think of a Dirty Harry movie, in which Clint Eastwood aims his magnum at a crook and threatens him to “make my day”. So much meaningless banter runs rampant on this subject,…
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…
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…
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…
-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…
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…
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…
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…
Marty Sklar dishes on the secret to creating great theme park attractions. Here are WDI’s “Mickey’s 10 Commandments” Every theme park designer should know great formulas for creating fantastic guest experiences. Benchmarks and precedents are extremely important. With that in mind, you should learn the ten guidelines to theme park design developed by Walt Disney…
An Attraction Designer Explores Universal Studios Islands of Adventure; by Adam M. Berger, ITEC Productions This article originally appeared in ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT magazine and is re-printed here by permission. Visit the magazine on-line at: http://www.leisuremedia.co.uk It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to enjoy a theme park the way an average tourist does.…
Design Toolchest: Using Theming Foliages by Brett Peterson of Commercial Silk Int’l What is Themed Foliage? Themed foliage is the process by which a designer selects a pallet of artificial foliages from hundreds of foliage varieties in order to be used in combination together to create a desired theme. How should you evaluate and choose…
By Peter Alexander President Totally Fun Company So you want to design a theme entertainment project? Okay, so where do you start? You start by selecting an architect, right? Well, not necessarily! Asking an architect to create a theme project is like asking a multiplex theater designer to direct a movie: you’re putting the cart…
by Nate Naversen On a hot day in August, a family of 5 walks up to the hottest new “E-ticket” attraction and gets in line for a staggering 90 minute wait. At the end of the line is a new roller coaster, an experience that lasts just over 1 minute. Sometimes such long wait times…
This story is reasonably accurate, although most definitely hearsay and quite possibly exaggerated. But it is worth repeating because there is a good life lesson in this story: Many years ago there was a college student who wanted to become a Disney Imagineer and work at WED Enterprises, as it was called then. His goal…
“The key to great storytelling is not just in the content, but in the timing. . .” — Tom Soranno He’s a talented ride and show engineer who has played a major role in the show control design of many of the world’s newest and complex theme park rides. Here’s our exclusive interview with Tom…
So you want to build a theme park? by Peter Alexander President; Totally Fun Company What do you do? Where do you start? How about taking some cool rides, and putting them together with some good restaurants, fun stores and pretty landscaping? Well, you can do exactly that, and some people have, but if you…
John Wood is one of the driving forces of themed entertainment today. Here’s our conversation with the President of “The Great American Dark Ride Company,” the Sally Corporation of Jacksonville, Florida. We have constantly been creating characters, shows and rides to satisfy our need to succeed and our customers hunger for entertainment. A company like…
The Waiting Game By Will Wiess “We spent a whole afternoon and only rode two rides. I’m sure you can understand our disappointment.” “We paid close to $50 a person to wait in line for almost an hour…I plan to urge others to avoid it (the park) at all costs.” “I’m tired of waiting hours…
A transcript of a speech by Bob Rogers at a forum on the future of themed entertainment From the IAAPA Tradeshow, Orlando, Florida 1997. Image and article used by permission from BRC staff and Bob Rogers. Introduction Harrison “Buzz” Price Bob Rogers is a Renaissance man, a technology buff, and a great storyteller. After leaving…
How is a new themed attraction generated within the theme park industry? The Central School of Speech and Drama, London by Lynsey Brown Introduction My college experience as a scenic constructor within the theatre industry has encouraged me to find out more about the theme park industry within my profession. I have always been excited…
by Brett Peterson of Commercial Silk Int’l What is Themed Foliage? Themed foliage is the process by which a designer selects a pallet of artificial foliages from hundreds of foliage varieties in order to be used in combination together to create a desired theme. How should you evaluate and choose a themed foliage company?…