An introduction to theme park design
The Individual Parts are Greater than the Whole The Themed Entertainment Industry is a broad and wonderfully complex world that offers incredible escapism, imagination and emotional connection. It also feels like the projects we undertake to build these experiences are equally complex, vast and definitely generate emotion! It is a tall order indeed to tell…
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…
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…
The following is a general overview of the terms and terminology you will encounter as a theme park designer. The terms are a combination of those you will see in theater, engineering, theme park operations, architecture and more. A theme park designer must know all of these terms to be able to communicate effectively with…
Creating Realistic Rock Formations Can anyone share how Disney creates the realistic likeness of rocks and boulders throughout the world? I am fascinated by the authentic look and feel of these rocks at the theme parks and resorts. I’m sure it is a very simple technique but I would like to recreate some of these…
Themed Attraction Design, Part One Creating Immersive Environments Like storytelling, illustration, or musical composition, the design of immersive theme park attractions is very much an art form. An artist’s canvas is limited in that it can only be seen. A motion picture or a stage production is limited to sight and sound. But an immersive…
These two pictures were taken at two different theme parks, owned by two different theme park companies. The train on the left is at a park on the West Coast, and the train on the right is in a park on the East Coast. Both trains look identical at first glance, don’t they? But upon…
In part one we explained how an immersive themed environment creates an envelope around the viewer with the intent to convince him that what he is experiencing is real. This is accomplished by designing an environment that influences all five sense. But how do we complete the task? How do we take a passive viewer…
I was glancing through a themed entertainment trade magazine the other day, and I happened upon an ad for a company that specializes in the manufacturing of “kiddie” rides. Immediately I had to stop myself from turning my nose up at the company and their product. As a designer, I am supposed to keep an…
Themed Attraction Design, Part Five Fantasy – The Essence of Themed Entertainment When creating a theme park attraction, an important aspect to consider is what we call the guest experience. This guest experience can be enhanced when it allows a guest to live out his or her fantasy. Simple put, it takes a guest to…