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 […]
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 […]
Storytelling in the details at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: A theme park designer’s perspective. 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
