Adventure Play at Windsor Great Park demonstrates how child’s play and nature can come together to provide a unique and immersive visitor experience for guests of all ages. Adventure Park, a popular outdoor destination located in Savill Garden added Adventure Play as a place to its guests to explore together. Nestled in the park’s woodland, Adventure Play is filled with , complete with walkways, slides, sculptures and treehouses. Designed for all ages, and abilities, the playground is inclusive and accessible while celebrating shared experiences and exploration.

Sustainability played a key role in the design, layout and construction of the playground. While the play structures, timber sculptures and artwork themselves all surround a steel substructure for strength and longevity, most of the material used in construction is recycled from timber from the Estate Adventure Play is located within. By using local timber, Adventure Park was able to dramatically reduce how much it needed to purchase and transport from other locations and suppliers. The very spaces guests explore were grown onsite and have been “replanted” as multi-level treehouses and areas of exploration.

Adventure Play is an imaginative and special location that brings visitors closer to nature. Its layout and design stimulate all five senses, without needing technology. It celebrates and encourages play while subtly educating guests about the natural world around them. Every detail within Adventure Play, from the tiniest wood carving of a mouse to the grandest treehouse, demonstrates how theming and storytelling can elevate any guests experience.

• 

  Paul Sedgwick

  Managing Director of Windsor & Rural at The Crown Estate
• 

  Stephen Vass

  Designer at CAPCO
• 

  Paul Kent

  VP of Technical Design at RWS Global

Located in the third National World War II Museum, the Priddy Family Foundation Freedom Theater is a full multimedia experience. The production, developed by THG Creative, is told in an amazing and custom-built theatre that features a 44-foot diameter turntable. Uniquely split in half, the design allows two audiences of 64 guests to sit on each side. At the beginning of Act 2, the turntable rotates 180 degrees, allowing a new group of guests to enter their half of the theater. This design means the 30-minute show can be ticketed up to three cycles an hour, maximizing the number of guests who can experience the show each day.

The Freedom Theater expertly applies projection mapping throughout the show and includes artistically jagged projection surfaces. Trusses that support media monitors fly up and down during the show, and deck tracks allow three massive high-resolution LED screens to move forward and backward in choreography with the production. For the show’s climax, the LED screens form pillars featuring the Four Freedoms, and a faux flame created using water vapor and lighting effects come together to represent the Torch of Freedom. An original orchestral score is woven seamlessly with the lighting, electromechanical, and scenic elements. And maintain the integrity of each audience’s experience, to ensure sound does not bleed between the two groups, an inflatable acoustic gasket and double-thick walls were included in the design-build.

The Freedom Theater completes the story begun in the National World War II Museum's other signature presentation, Beyond All Boundaries, by sharing why World War II was fought, why it matters, and the impact it continues to have on our world today.

• 

  Phil Hettema

  Chief Executive Officer and Founder of THG Creative
• 

  Christian Lachel

  Chief Creative Officer at BRC Imagination Arts
• 

  Daren Ulmer

  Founder & Creative Executive of Medici XD
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  Matthew Jordan Leeds

  Composer at Independent Contractor
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  Peter D. Crean, Sr. (COL, USA, Ret.)

  Vice President of Education & Access at The National WWII Museum

Visionary leaders inspire and challenge us. They encourage and dare us to take risks. This year the Thea Catalyst Award recognizes Dayton Schroeter, a leader in our industry, an extraordinary individual and a person who is reshaping our business and how we approach creating compelling places and experiences for today’s – and tomorrow’s – guests.

Dayton Schroeter is changing the field of museum architecture. With over 30 years of experience designing, shaping and creating culturally significant and inclusive spaces, Dayton is revitalizing the future of museums. As Vice President and Design Director at SmithGroup, the nation’s leading museum architectural firm, Dayton has consistently created engaging and transformative experiences that resonate deeply with visitors. Under Dayton’s leadership, SmithGroup has become a pioneer in embracing diversity and crafting meaningful and impactful experiences. His dedication to building strong connections with communities through design has profoundly and positively impacted the vast landscape of museums, making these cultural institutions more inclusive and accessible to all.

Dayton’s work is unparalleled - inspiring and empowering those who create compelling places and experiences to continue to improve and hone their craft. His influence extends beyond the projects he leads, as he fosters a culture of innovation and inclusivity within the industry.

Dayton’s work includes the Neural and Behavioral Science Lab, Freedom House, the Whitney Plantation, the renovation of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, The Culture, National Slavery Museum and Society’s Cage.

Dayton is more than a leader. He is a change agent for our industry, a leader, a mentor, and an outspoken advocate for integrated design. He also understands the critical role the museum sector has in promoting responsible storytelling and being accessible. He also understands the importance of spotlighting underestimated communities and the narratives associated with them by creating spaces that honor their history and roles in our culture.

To put it simply, Dayton Schroeter’s work has allowed him to amplify the voices of the voiceless and to help us all connect with them.

• 

  Fri Forjindam

  Chief Development Officer at Mycotoo Inc.
• 

  Dayton Schroeter

  Vice President and Design Director of SmithGroup

An ensemble of three free-roaming two-legged droids, the BDX Droids at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge combine incredible technology and storytelling with childlike wonder and charm, both for guests and from the droids themselves. The BDX “Duckling Droids” entertains guests as they freely explore Galaxy's Edge. They even engage with guests, seeking eye contact, not merely rolling up and pausing waiting to be noticed. The BDX Droids imitate guest movements and behavior. Each Droid has its own distinct personality and when they engage with each other, in an ensemble, guests see true robotic and technological wonderment come to life. Through incredible advances and breakthroughs in technology and adaptive learning, the Droids constantly learn new movements and adapt.

The BDX Droids comes from the seamless combination of imagination, character design, scripting, choreography, digital puppetry arts, rehearsal, ensemble performance, and incredible animation art. Together with engineering genius, the BDX Droids are the true definition of imagineering – the result of imagination and engineering.

The advances in adaptive learning technology used to create the Droids include a faster animation programming and training system that allows them to quickly learn and respond This also includes an innovative operator control system that transforms the digital puppeteers into actors focused on performance. The streamlined set of operator controls enables the digital puppeteer to focus on engaging with and responding to guests, and not just the technical operation of each robot.

• 

  Ruben Grandia

  Associate Research Scientist, Disney Research Zurich at Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Denise Hatcher

  Managing Director of AOA
• 

  Espen Knoop

  Research Scientist, Disney Research Zurich at Walt Disney Imagineering

Zootopia is the first themed land based on the Disney animated film at a Disney Park. It achieves a unique level of immersion and storytelling through powerful creativity and innovation. To fully experience Zootopia, guests follow the pawprints of Judy Hopps and then take their own journey through the mammal metropolis and are fully enveloped in the world of Zootopia. They see lemmings zoom through a rodent hyper-tube on their way to the office, a giraffe going about his daily workout routine, and the very train Judy Hopps arrived to Zootopia in, pulling into the station.

The land’s signature attraction “Hot Pursuit” is an innovative trackless dark ride. It takes guests on a thrilling chase through Zootopia’s different districts. Even the queue immerses everyone in the experience, surrounding them with incredible animatronic characters.

Zootopia also features entertainment with an engaging show that features live actors, animatronics, special effects, and music from the film's soundtrack. Zootopia is a diverse-themed environment, which combines state-of-the-art technology, immersive theming, and the sense of humor that made the original film so memorable.

• 

  Jeanne Angel

  Digital Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Stuart Calder

  Principal Show Mechanical Engineer at Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Denise Hatcher

  Managing Director of AOA
• 

  Dustin Schofield

  Executive Creative Director of Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Chang Xu

  Senior Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering

“Kiss of the Sea” is both the name, and the perfect description for this outstanding sea-based theater shows, and a shining of example of what a spectacular is. The 30-minute seaside show seats 5,000 people and is shown through a 1,000-square-meter seawater projection screen which features a visual vortex that is perfectly aligned with the daily sunset, the hallmark point of the show.

Narration weaves a love story for spectators while dazzling them with an expressive original musical score. The cascade from the water screen is supported by 31 HD video projectors, 60 jets of water, 20 flames, 5 laser disposals, 73 moving lights, and an amazing spatial sound system. An incredible cast of 60 performers, actors, and dancers bring the show to life each day, supported by giant images and additional special effects.

Originally developed and produced during the Covid pandemic, “Kiss of the Sea” dazzled more than 280,000 spectators during its first five months of operation. This bold and beautiful production demonstrates how visual storytelling can utilize the natural world not only for a backdrop, but also as a focal point. “Kiss of the Sea” has had a significant impact on the economic resurgence in its Vietnamese town, boosting tourism to the island and the local economy.

• 

  Aurélien Bouvier

  Technical Director of ECA2
• 

  Gabrielle Chuyu Tan

  Deputy Head of Creative Direction at Sun Group
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  Julie Cugurno

  VP Operations at ECA2
• 

  Evi Sari

  VP Location-Based Entertainment at WildBrain CPLG
• 

  Erminio Serpente

  Chief Architect & Stage Designer at ECA2

The Buzz Price Thea Award – Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements is given once each award cycle to a single person whose contribution(s) to compelling places and experiences exemplify the highest standards of excellence and achievement associated with all those who create themed entertainment.

Your TEA Lifetime Sub-Committee, consisting of 16 former recipients of the Buzz Price Thea Award, met multiple times this year to review a long list of worthy, talented and deserving candidates. After multiple rounds of vigorous debate and voting the list was narrowed to a final recommendation. That was then presented to the Full Thea Judging Committee which approved the recommendation and referred the selection to the TEA International Board for final approval today.

This year’s recipient has been achieving excellence at all levels in the themed entertainment industry for over 45 years. Beginning with creative leadership and ingenious solutions behind the creation and development EPCOT to a career filled with a subsequent and steady stream of achievements, Rick Rothschild’s impact has touched the lives of millions of guests around the world. During his time with Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) Rothschild held creative leadership roles in the development of marque Walt Disney World attractions, including (but not limited to):

· The American Adventure (EPCOT, 1982)
· Backstage Magic (EPCOT, 1983)
· Captain EO (EPCOT and Disneyland, 1986)
· Pleasure Island (Downtown Disney, 1989)
· Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (EPCOT, 1994)
· It’s Tough to be a Bug! (Disney's Animal Kingdom, 1998)
· Soarin’ over California (Disney California Adventure Park, 2001) and
· Mickey’s PhilharMagic (Magic Kingdom, 2003)

Rothschild continued to apply his creative mind and eye for detail as he led the development of FlyOver, an immersive standalone attraction experience that transports guests to many of the planet’s most epic places through exhilarating soaring journeys. Today, FlyOver attractions can be experience in Chicago, Las Vegas, Iceland, Canada and Minneapolis.

For the past 10 years, Rothschild worked directly with Chimelong and Mr. Su to create several outstanding attractions and Thea award-winning projects including the Bermuda Storm (2024) and the 5-D Castle Theater (2016). Their work together is not slowly down and new projects are currently in development.

A world-class talent, patient collaborator and gentle professional who leads leader who who leads gently and by example. He is authentically one of us.

Your Thea Judging Committee is proud to celebrate the 2025 recipient of The Buzz Price Thea Award – Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements, Rick Rothschild.

• 

  Rick Rothschild

  Founder and Chief Creative of FAR Out! Creative
• 

  Rich Procter

  Writer at Rich Procter

Key topics will include:
• The latest trends and technologies driving the development of groundbreaking attractions
• The evolving landscape of attractions economics and operations
• The influence of social trends on the demand for new types of attractions

• 

  Greg Lombardo

  Vice President/Head of Live Experiences at Netflix
• 

  Marie Marks

  Senior Vice President at Paramount Experiences
• 

  Shawn McCoy

  SVP, Business Development & Creative Strategy at Imagine Exhibitions, Inc.
• 

  Eric Parr

  Senior Vice President at Universal Creative
• 

  Evi Sari

  VP Location-Based Entertainment at WildBrain CPLG
• 

  Peter Van Roden

  EVP Global Themed Entertainment at Warner Bros. Discovery

The Legend of Luna is a complete storytelling experience that transforms a hotel lobby into a magical theater space while fully immersing guests with special effects and imaginative storytelling. Great Wolf Lodge took its beloved tradition of gathering guests in its lobby each night for a bedtime story and elevated it into a first of its kind family theatre experience.

Each night the original tale of Luna, a young wolf, unfolds in the lobby. Through projection mapping, surprise screens that are imbedded in the ceiling and the chandeliers, Luna’s story unfolds. The full show, complete with two million colors, incorporates lasers, fire, and smoke effects. It even snows. When not in show mode, the show’s technology infrastructure allows the space to adapt to seasonal makeovers and special events, all with the simple touch of a button.

By using a hotel lobby as the location for a theatrical-style show, “The Legend of Luna” demonstrates how technology can create new possibilities for entertainment and experiences in untraditional spaces. Originally debuted at the Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville, Maryland, Great Wolf has created customized versions of the show, each tailored to fit within the layout of the lobby at several additional resort locations.

• 

  Edward Hodge

  Vice President, Creative Director of BRC Imagination Arts
• 

  Melissa Jeselnick

  Director, Attractions & Entertainment, Operations Development & Integration of Great Wolf Lodge Resort
• 

  Brooke Patterson

  Chief Brand Officer at Great Wolf Resorts
• 

  Matthew Solari

  Vice President, Creative & Story at BRC Imagination Arts
• 

  Susan Storey

  Communications & PR Strategist at Storey to Story Communications

A new “port” at Tokyo DisneySea, Fantasy Springs is the park’s new themed area and the largest expansion to date. The area took five years to complete and stretches across 26 acres. The three realms of the land combine nature, craftsmanship, technology and fantasy in: Frozen Kingdom, Peter Pan's Neverland and Rapunzel's Forest. Fantasy Springs also features four brand-new signature attractions

Magical water constantly sprouts from multiple springs in the land, set in time with music while thousands of individual custom foliage elements are seamlessly integrated with live landscaping to ensure the land remains lush and colorful year-round.

Fantasy Springs features 4 attractions, 3 themed dining locations, a retail outlet and the new 475-room Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel. In the Frozen Kingdom, guests experience an immersive flume experience starring Elsa and Anna. Peter Pan’s Never Land is a 3D adventure that allows guests to “fly” through the sky in motion-based controlled vehicles. Tinker Bell is also the star of a new ride that welcomes guests to her fairy-sized world and Rapunzel’s Forest celebrates the Lantern Festival from the film Tangled as guests experience the lantern festival on floating gondolas.

The magic of Fantasy Springs is the result of incredible collaboration and expertise. The rockwork team alone was made up of artisans, carvers, and painters from a dozen countries to beautifully create over 50 characters for the “story pools.” Lighting, audio, and water effects work hand-in-hand to bring the entire land to life, even creating differing experiences for daytime and night.

• 

  Justin Faulconer

  Principle Show Design and Production Manager at Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Roger Gould

  Creative Director of Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Zsolt Hormay

  Creative Executive & Center of Excellence Leader - Rockwork and Themed Finishes at Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Brian Morrow

  Owner at BMorrow Productions
• 

  Staci Schofield

  Concept Designer / Artist at Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Junior Usaraga

  Creative Art Director of Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Maya Vyas

  Senior VFX Designer at Walt Disney Imagineering

The Opening ceremonies for the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2024 Paralympic Games marked the first time in Olympic history that the events took place outside of a stadium, instead using water as the stage and central feature for the athlete parade: the River Seine.

The size, scale and scope of this endeavor made the Opening Ceremonies true spectacles that were bold, audacious and beautiful. For the Olympic Ceremony, 71 giant screens and over 1,000 loudspeakers were utilized along the 12 kilometer show route; 200 boats and barges transported athletes and support teams; 2,000 artists and performers took part; 1,800 costumes were worn, 12 performances dazzled and over 120 unique camera feeds helped ensure the event was seamlessly captured for the live global viewing audience.

In addition, for the first time ever, a fuel-less flame Olympic flame lit up the night. Made entirely of water and light, the flame reached an incredible height of 90 meters.

Similarly, the Paralympic Ceremonies leveraged the Champs-Elysses for its grand parade of nations, replicating the open-air theater format and culminating in a cauldron-lighting ceremony at the Palace de la Concorde.

The 2024 Paris ceremonies were creative and daring spectacles, fusing all forms of art and sport, technology and show. It was an audaciously bold reinvention of the Olympic ceremony presentation, breaking tradition and providing a grand and revolutionary artistic vision that reset the bar for all live global events.

• 

  Thomas Jolly

  Creative Artistic Director and Ceremonies of Paris 2024
• 

  Luc Mayrand

  Senior Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering
• 

  Thierry Reboul

  Executive Director Creation and Ceremonies of Paris 2024

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando has inspired theme park guests and themed entertainment professionals for 25 years.

The incredible dark ride adventure immerses guests into the world of Peter Parker and his alter ego, Spider-Man through the use of a never-before-seen blend of 3-D film projection, sets, tactile effects, illusion, and moving vehicles.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man features ride vehicles, called “The Scoop” that move on tracks while, for the first time ever, also working as motion-based simulators with six degrees of freedom.

Synchronized effects include a movable building set, lighting cues, simulator movements, projections, wind effects, fog, fire, wind, heat, mist, strobe lights, and water spray surround the vehicles throughout the journey. The simulated 400-foot freefall remains unmatched by subsequent themed attractions.

Tactile first-of-its-kind seat effects include guests “feeling” Spider-Man landing on the hood of their Scoop – even though the superhero is created through 3D projection. In another scene, the villain Electro tries to shock the guests with a sparking wire, causing the vehicle to vibrate, as if receiving an electric shock.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man continues to stand the test of time. The seamless integration of sets and scenes, 3D projections, tactile seat effects, and moving vehicles remain as awe-inspiring and fun as they were on opening day. It continues to serve as the gold standard for immersive, incredible, story-driven attractions.

• 

  Eric Parr

  Senior Vice President at Universal Creative
• 

  Adam Bezark

  President/Creative Director of The Bezark Company