Last night marked a pinnacle moment for the themed entertainment industry as the 32nd Annual Thea Awards were announced at the breathtaking Universal Epic Universe. These awards, widely regarded as the most prestigious in themed entertainment, celebrate the visionaries and creators who craft the world’s most immersive and innovative experiences. With winners spanning across continents and genres, the event underscores the extraordinary artistry and technical brilliance that define this vibrant field.
Matt Barton, International Board President of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and CEO of CurtainUp, Ltd., captured the spirit of the evening perfectly: “The Thea Awards represent industry excellence, and this year’s winners and their collective work delight millions of guests around the world while pushing the boundaries of presentation, creativity, and innovation.” This sentiment is echoed by TEA CEO Melissa Oviedo who expressed excitement about the upcoming 2026 TEA INSPIRE event and Awards Gala in Orlando, Florida, promising to share the stories behind the incredible projects and their creators.
Among the honorees, Dale Mason, Vice President & Executive Art Director at Universal Destinations & Experiences (Retired), received the Buzz Price Award recognizing a lifetime of distinguished achievements. Mason’s career set a high standard for creative leadership in themed design. Dr. Frederic Bertley, President and CEO at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), was presented with the Thea Catalyst Award, an accolade honoring those driving innovation in the sector.
“This year’s submissions—nearly 200 from worldwide—demonstrate the imagination, ingenuity, expertise, and passion across the themed entertainment industry,” noted Marc Zachary, Chair of the Thea Awards Judging Committee and President of Experiential Advisors. This global competitive spirit fosters an environment where venues and experiences transcend expectations, inspiring both creators and audiences alike.
The array of winning projects showcases a stunning diversity—from Xcaret Park in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, honored with the Thea Classic Award for enduring brilliance, to cutting-edge attractions like Danse Macabre at Efteling in the Netherlands and the adrenaline-fueled John Wick Experience in Las Vegas. Universal Epic Universe itself garnered multiple accolades, including the thrilling Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and the immersive How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk theme park land, highlighting the park’s role as a beacon of immersive storytelling.
Technological innovation was celebrated with the MAGNOS Sound Transparent Passive 3D LED Screen Technology from Kraftwerk, illustrating the fusion of audiovisual artistry and engineering pushing new experiential boundaries. Other notable winners include the Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue, a touring interactive event demonstrating how beloved IPs adapt to varied scales and settings, and the Haunted Mansion Parlor aboard Disney Treasure, which exemplifies themed food and beverage experiences’ growing narrative potential.
What stands out across these honorees is not just their visual or technical accomplishments, but their capacity to foster deep emotional engagement and cultural connection. Projects like the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture in Lagos and The Story of Emily museum in Cornwall integrate heritage into immersive forms, broadening the scope of themed environments beyond entertainment to encompass education, history, and community.
This constellation of awards signals the ongoing evolution of themed entertainment venues, from traditional theme parks and museums to hybrid cultural spaces and technologically sophisticated arenas. The field’s expansion reflects an increased appreciation for immersive experiences as powerful tools for storytelling, learning, and innovation.
The Thea Awards reveal a commitment to nurturing experiential creators and supporting new exhibition opportunities worldwide. By recognizing projects with limited budgets alongside blockbuster productions, TEA champions inclusivity and innovation at every scale, ensuring that immersive arts remain dynamic and accessible.
As a glimpse into the future, the 2026 TEA INSPIRE program promises to deepen these conversations, spotlighting how immersive media creators, educators, and industry leaders can collaborate to unlock new potentials. Held at the JW Marriott Orlando Grand Lakes, the conference and gala will not only honor excellence but also serve as a vibrant marketplace of ideas in a rapidly growing global industry.
In celebrating these visionary projects and professionals, the Thea Awards reaffirm the vital role themed entertainment plays in cultural life—transforming spaces into stories, audiences into participants, and imagination into reality. For planetarium directors, immersive media creators, and educators, this is a moment filled with inspiration and opportunity to advance fulldome and themed experiences into an exciting future.
Originally reported by IPM News via www.inparkmagazine.com on 2025-11-19 06:00:00.
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