A Holiday in Oz

A Holiday in Oz transformed the iconic Hotel del Coronado into an immersive, resort-wide holiday experience, using storytelling to bring the property’s authentic connection to L. Frank Baum and the world of Oz to life.

Rather than simply overlaying an Oz theme onto a traditional holiday décor program, EPIC Entertainment Group began with a story already embedded in the destination. Baum was a frequent guest of Hotel del Coronado, and his time in Coronado coincided with his work on several Oz books. That history became the creative foundation for an experience designed not just to be seen, but to be explored.

The guest journey began in the newly restored Victorian Garden, where a projected Yellow Brick Road invited visitors into the story. Illuminated poppies and dandelions transformed the surrounding landscape, while four 12-foot character trees representing Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion introduced familiar characters in an unexpected new form.

From there, the story unfolded across the resort. A 22-foot Road to Oz tree became the centerpiece of The Del’s historic lobby, while installations inspired by Glinda, the Wicked Witch and Emerald City created additional chapters for guests to discover throughout the property. The experience culminated in The Del’s Wonder of Oz light show, featuring more than 80,000 synchronized lights and expanding the narrative into a large-scale nighttime spectacular.

The innovation behind A Holiday in Oz was not one individual installation, but the use of storytelling as the framework for the entire guest experience. Décor, projection, lighting, landscape and the architecture of the historic resort each became storytelling tools within one connected journey. Instead of concentrating the holiday experience around a single tree, display or show, the narrative encouraged guests to move throughout the property, discovering new elements of the story along the way.

This approach also allowed EPIC to reinterpret familiar Oz imagery without simply recreating it. Iconic characters became towering Christmas trees. The Yellow Brick Road became projection. The poppy fields became illuminated landscapes. Emerald City became a holiday environment. Each element was recognizable enough to connect guests to the beloved story while being reimagined specifically for the setting and season.

For the Storytelling category, A Holiday in Oz demonstrates the power of combining an authentic sense of place with immersive narrative design. The experience did more than tell guests about Hotel del Coronado’s connection to L. Frank Baum—it allowed them to physically journey through that story.

By transforming history into experience, A Holiday in Oz created something that could only authentically exist at Hotel del Coronado: a holiday celebration in which the destination itself became the storybook.