In November 2024, during IAAPA Expo in Orlando, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) revealed the 31st Annual Thea Award winners. The winning projects and teams were then celebrated during TEA INSPIRE in March 2025 at the Thea Awards Gala.
The TEA created the Thea Awards in 1994 to recognise achievement, talent and personal excellence within the themed entertainment business. They have since become a global symbol of excellence.
All the Thea Award Winners
The Buzz Price Thea Award for a Lifetime of Outstanding Achievement
Rick Rothschild, founder and chief creative of FAR Out! Creative Direction was honoured with the Buzz Prince Thea Award for a Lifetime of Outstanding Achievement.
Rothschild is a celebrated creative director and producer known for his significant impact on themed entertainment and immersive experiences.
With a career spanning over four decades at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), he played a crucial role in creating more than 25 Disney attractions. His notable achievements include The American Adventure at Epcot and the groundbreaking Soarin’ Over California at Disney California Adventure.
In 2008, Rothschild established FAR OUT! Creative Direction, a consultancy focused on developing engaging narratives and incorporating relevant technologies for different projects. He has helmed numerous celebrated flying theatre experiences. This includes FlyOver Canada in Vancouver, FlyOver America in Minnesota, and FlyOver Iceland in Reykjavik.
These attractions provide audiences with immersive aerial experiences over famous landscapes.
In addition to his professional endeavours, Rothschild is a committed member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Producers Guild of America, and the Visual Effects Society. He has received several Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement.
The Thea Catalyst Award
Dayton Schroeder, AIA, vice president and design director, SmithGroup, and Naoki Tanaka, creative director, Dentsu Lab Tokyo, are the Thea Catalyst Award winners.
Dayton Schroeder
With over 20 years of expertise, Schroeter is celebrated for his leadership in Design Justice. This employs architecture to confront and correct systemic inequities, especially those impacting historically marginalised communities.
SmithGroup is one of the oldest and most respected architecture and engineering firms in the United States. Schroeter’s portfolio includes a diverse range of projects, such as cultural institutions, mixed-use developments, office buildings, residential complexes, and facilities for higher education.
A standout project is the Richmond National Slavery Museum at the Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Site in Virginia. This profoundly emotional and historically complex endeavour emphasises storytelling and community empowerment through spatial design.
Naoki Tanaka
Dentsu Lab Tokyo is a leading creative R&D unit within the Dentsu global advertising and communications network. Tanaka, with expertise in material engineering, has played a vital role in blending technology, design, and storytelling to craft innovative experiences that connect deeply with people.
One notable project is Winds of Change for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Confronting an audience-less stadium due to COVID-19, he and his team created a simulation algorithm to analyse national anthems and flag colours, producing unique motion graphics. This innovation offered a dynamic entrance for athletes from 163 countries, fostering unity and celebration despite the absence of spectators.
Tanaka has also spearheaded initiatives to boost inclusivity via technology. For example, he worked with artists MASA and PONE, both living with ALS, to create eye-tracking software that integrates with Ableton Live. This groundbreaking tool allowed the artists to compose and perform music solely with eye movements. It resulted in a live show that garnered a four-minute standing ovation at Cannes Lions.
The Thea Classic Award
Winners of the Thea Classic Award are visitor experiences that have stood the test of time. This time, it went to the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando Resort.
One of the most influential dark rides, this 3D motion simulator blends real sets, advanced motion-based vehicles, practical effects, and 3D animation into one seamless experience. Guests board a newsroom vehicle from the Daily Bugle and follow Spider-Man on an adventure through the city.
As villains, including Doctor Octopus and Hobgoblin, steal the Statue of Liberty, the ride vehicle tilts, spins, rises, and falls in sync with the action. At the same time, fire, wind, water sprays, and other special effects are timed perfectly with the animation.
The original version of Universal’s Spider-Man attraction opened in 1999. In 2012, Universal re-launched the attraction with 100% fully re-animated footage on the attraction’s screens. It also added new 4K HD projection hardware and a new sound system for the ride vehicles.
When it opened, it set a new bar for theme park storytelling and technology. The ride has won many accolades, including being named the world’s best dark ride several years running.
Companies that worked on the attraction include Electrosonic, a leading international audiovisual and technology services company, and Nassal, a leading global speciality theming fabricator.
Thea Award Winners for Outstanding Achievement
Attraction, Limited Budget: Adventure Play, Windsor Great Park, UK
Windsor Great Park is a historic Royal landscape of woodlands, pastures, lakes, and gardens in the south of England. Its custom-built adventure playground, Adventure Play, opened in July 2023/
This inclusive family attraction was commissioned by The Crown Estate and designed and constructed by Creating Adventurous Places (CAP.Co), the adventure play specialist, with the support of a large multidisciplinary team. The playground was designed to honour its surroundings. It is sustainably built using traditional techniques, such as thatching. Wood was sourced mainly from the estate.
Treehouse buildings, tunnels, rope bridges, towers, and walkways have been created on the two-acre site, along with quirky artworks like floral megaphones and huge musical instruments, challenging puzzles, and the first roller slide in the UK. The attraction features sensory experiences, such as a fragrant planting scheme, wind chimes, a seasonal interactive projector, tactile sculptures of wildlife from the area, and more.
Adventure Play minimises any adverse human impact on the environment and local biodiversity while giving families the perfect opportunity to climb, scramble, and test their physical bravery in a safe, purpose-designed location that fosters a sense of connection with nature.
Paul Sedgwick, deputy ranger and managing director of Windsor & Rural at The Crown Estate, says:
“The concept behind Adventure Play was to provide a unique family experience unlike anything else currently out there, an experience that reflects the unique heritage and environment of the Windsor Estate. We hope this new addition to the Savill Garden will inspire the next generation of nature lovers.
“The whole project team worked relentlessly to ensure the playground was designed and built to the highest standards. We are thrilled that the attention to detail shown by them all has been recognised by TEA.”
Waterpark: Aquascope, Futuroscope, France
French theme park Futuroscope opened its new €57 million Aquascope water park in 2024. Covering an area of more than 7,000 square metres, the indoor water park is home to three immersive indoor areas, 13 waterslides, and an outdoor area.
Les Abysses de Lumière is an immersive zone with digital technologies like projection mapping and lighting, as well as choreographed water effects. Another area caters to thrill-seekers with eight waterslides. Meanwhile, La Faille de Kraki is a colourful world for children with aquatic play experiences, five waterslides and interactive games.
In the 4,500-square-metre outdoor area, guests can enjoy a lazy river, a swimming pool and a beach. These are only open during the summer months.
For this project, Futuroscope set out to create a water park “unlike anything done before in France or Europe.”
Speaking to blooloop, CEO Rodolphe Bouin said:
“When we thought about this project, we didn’t want to follow in the footsteps of our competitors and propose yet another park with palm trees and pirate ships….We specialise in attractions that immerse you through images. So, we decided to offer an extremely immersive experience never done before in Europe.”
Universal Rocks, an expert in planning, building and developing themed areas to reproduce the beauty of nature, participated in the construction of Aquascope, building the rock scenery of La Faille de Kraki, Les Abysses de Lumière, and the shower room.
Moment Factory, the multimedia entertainment studio specialising in the conception and production of immersive environments, also worked on the park’s immersive area. Media servers from Modulo Pi, a provider of media server solutions with a user-friendly design, power the audiovisual experiences.
Outstanding Technical Innovation: BDX Droids, WDI Bipedal Robotic Character Design & Control
Disney’s bipedal robotic BDX droids were the winners of the Thea Award for Outstanding Technical Innovation. They are expressive, free-roaming, and can interact with visitors, emote, dance, and walk on uneven terrain.
They initially appeared for one day only at the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in October 2023. Then they made daily appearances during Disneyland’s Season of the Force event in 2024. They’ve also been cast in the 2026 film The Mandalorian & Grogu.
Speaking about the tech behind them, Kyle Laughlin, SVP at Walt Disney Imagineering’s research and development arm, said:
“The BDX droids are a big leap forward — not just for robotics, but for how we bring beloved characters to life in the real world.
The droids “can learn to move and balance like living beings”, he adds.
“But beyond the tech, what really sets them apart is that spark of personality — they’re full of life, and they make people smile. That’s what we’re really after: emotional connection through technology.”
The technology created for the BDX droids will be applied in future developments at Disney.
The droids took first place at the blooloop Innovation Awards 2024 in the Experiential Technology category, as well as winning Best in Show.
Spectacular Show: Chimelong Show, Chimelong Resort, Hengqin, China
At The Chimelong Show, the audience is not just a spectator but an active participant. Guests can look forward to an exciting and engaging experience featuring aerial stunts, synchronised dances, and interactive elements that involve them in the action.
Featuring world-class performers from over 20 countries, the show combines acrobatics, dance, comedy, and extreme sports into a mesmerising 90-minute performance. The innovative use of ‘water-land-air’ 3D effects in the show offers a spectacular visual and auditory experience, leaving audiences spellbound by the unique and enchanting world of circus arts.
ACTLD, a creative design company specialising in delivering lighting, visual, and experiential design services, was the sound designer for the show.
Chimelong has received multiple TEA awards over the past decade, accumulating eight TEA honors. In 2024, Chimelong Group Chairman Su Zhigang was given a Thea Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Marine Theme Park: Chimelong Spaceship, Chimelong Resort, Hengqin, China
The Chimelong team were also the winners of a second Thea Award. The world’s largest indoor theme park, Chimelong Spaceship, broke seven Guinness World Records during its inaugural phase.
Attractions such as Bermuda Adventure, Deep Sea Submarine, Spaceship Rally, and Ancient Sea Fantasy transport guests into a futuristic and immersive marine world, blending cutting-edge technology with imaginative storytelling.
It is home to the world’s largest aquarium, with a combined 75,350,969 litres of tanks. It also features the world’s largest aquarium tank, which has a capacity of 56,450,136 litres. The park’s record-breaking main tank is fitted with machinery capable of producing waves up to 3.2 metres.
Plus, the attraction hosts the world’s largest living coral reef exhibit. The 2,848,562-litre exhibit is the largest and comprises 10 specialised coral tanks.
In addition, it boasts the world’s highest seated capacity motion simulator. The Bermuda Storm simulator ride is unique in scale, with a capacity of 304 people on a single platform. It also features an immense projection screen with a surface area of over 1,682 square meters.
The project team included THG, a creative agency specialising in developing attractions for theme parks, museums and brands; Zamperla, a leading ride manufacturer; Brogent Technologies Inc., a renowned manufacturer of media-based attractions; and Mack Animation, a leading animation studio and film production company.
Also involved were WhiteWater, an acclaimed waterpark manufacturer; award-winning lighting design firm Visual Terrain; and The Bezark Company, an international creator of experiences.
Theme Park Land: Fantasy Springs, Tokyo DisneySea, Japan
Fantasy Springs, Tokyo DisneySea’s new themed port that opened in June 2024, is inspired by magical springs leading to a Disney fantasy world. It includes three areas, Frozen Kingdom, Rapunzel’s Forest, and Peter Pan’s Never Land, as well as the Fantasy Springs Hotel.
Construction started in May 2019, and the $2.2 billion land is Tokyo DisneySea’s largest development to date. Guests can enjoy Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival, Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure, and Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies.
Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey is a family-friendly boat ride featuring songs from the film, while Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival is a gondola ride. Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure is a 3D attraction, and Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies is a new dark ride.
F&B locations include the Royal Banquet of Arendelle, the Snuggly Duckling, Lookout Cookout, and Oaken’s OK Foods.
Companies that worked on the project include AOA, a design firm renowned for its work in themed entertainment; Adirondack Studios, a company that provides creative solutions for designers, artists, producers, and owners in the themed entertainment industry; Beckhoff Automation, an innovator in PC-based control technology and automation software for the entertainment and leisure industries; Christie, the global visual and audio technology company; and Electrosonic.
Also featured in the credits are Intamin, a creator of record-breaking amusement rides; Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering, a world-class aquatic firm; Nassal; Scenario, the award-winning design and fabrication firm; Solomon Group, an award-winning leader in exhibit fabrication, AV systems integration and live event production, TAIT, a global leader in the live experience industry; Tejix, the audiovisual specialist; and 7thSense, the multi-award-winning media solutions specialist.
Immersive Land: Ghibli Park, Valley of Witches, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Ghibli Park, the world’s only Studio Ghibli theme park, launched Valley of Witches, its fifth and final area, in March 2024. The land is based on anime films such as Kiki’s Delivery Service and Howl’s Moving Castle. It contains a life-size Howl’s Moving Castle.
The new area also features the witch’s house from Earwig and the Witch and Ghibli Park‘s first amusement park-style rides. This includes a merry-go-round and an aerial carousel ride. Visitors can also discover the bakery home of Kiki and her black cat Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery Service, the Soratobu Oven restaurant, a hot dog stand called the Hot Tin Roof, and a shop named 13 Witches.
Valley of Witches is Ghibli Park’s last area to open to the public. It has joined Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, Hill of Youth, Dondoko Forest, and Mononoke Village.
Museum: International African American Museum, Charleston, South Carolina, US
Following over 20 years of planning, the International African American Museum (IAAM) opened to the public in Charleston, South Carolina, in July 2023.
Located at the site of Gadsden’s Wharf, a former slave trading port, it includes nine galleries, a world-class genealogy and ancestry resource centre, and the African Ancestors Memorial Garden.
Designed by architect Henry Cobb, the 150,000-square-foot institution explores the history, culture and impact of the African American journey across the world.
Solomon Group was the fabricator and AV integrator for this project. Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), a multidisciplinary firm specialising in the planning and design of museums, exhibits, educational environments and visitor attractions, was the exhibit designer.
See also: Authentic storytelling at the International African American Museum
Live Event: Kiss of the Sea, Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Kiss of the Sea is a permanent show on Vietnam’s Phu Quoc island.
Directed, designed, and produced by ECA2, a leading creator of high-quality multimedia shows, in collaboration with Sun Group, it is the country’s first and only large-scale multimedia technology show, blending advanced technology, live performance, and storytelling. The teams were the Thea Award winners for the Live Event category.
The performance takes place on the world’s largest theatre on the sea. This features a vast 1,000-square-meter seawater screen that showcases stunning visuals. It uses 300+ high-tech devices for effects such as lights, lasers, and dynamic video projections, creating an immersive 360-degree experience. Live performers enhance the intimate, theatre-like atmosphere.
Kiss of the Sea features a love story between a young Phu Quoc man and a mysterious girl from another galaxy. It combines romance, mystery, and cosmic wonder, enhanced by visuals, music, and live performances.
See also: Kiss of the Sea: a multi-layered, multimedia experience in Phu Quoc
Kiss of the Sea won first place at the blooloop Innovation Awards 2024 in the Spectacular category.
Immersive Gaming – Limited Budget: The Ladder, Hatch Escapes, Los Angeles, California, US
The Ladder brings innovation to escape rooms by blending puzzle-solving with an engaging narrative, highlighting the importance of teamwork and critical thinking. Each section offers three scored games in addition to classic puzzles. Completing these puzzles unlocks options that impact the story, while the games enable players to accumulate points.
Between four and ten participants begin their 90-minute experience by choosing an avatar for their team. They then explore five uniquely themed rooms, each reflecting a specific decade from the 1950s to the 1990s, representing a level in the corporate hierarchy of Nutricorp, a fictional but corrupt company.
Every room includes interactions with on-screen actors, crafting the impression of a shared environment with the players. The system oversees 17,000 lights through 650 cues, interfaces with five workstations that control 21 screens, and runs 40 microcontrollers.
Immersive Show / Hotel Lobby Transformation – Limited Budget: Legend of Luna: A Great Wolf Story, Great Wolf Lodge Perryville, Maryland, US
In 2021, following an extensive transformation of its beloved woodland characters, Great Wolf Lodge engaged BRC Imagination Arts, an award-winning design and production company specialising in creating innovative brand and cultural experiences, to help bring these characters to life as part of a robust content strategy.
In June 2023, The Legend of Luna, the first location-based attraction at Great Wolf Lodge Perryville, opened. This charming fable follows a young wolf seeking her place in the world. The Grand Lobby, inspired by national park lodges, transforms each evening into a multi-sensory storytelling space for families to enjoy around the fireplace.
To enhance the feeling of wonder, technology is kept out of sight. Projection mapping brings the 30-foot-high stone fireplace to life; a static painting above the mantle transforms into an unexpected screen for the animated film; hotel chandeliers hide 18,000 control channels that produce 1.8 million colours and realistic flames; and previously ordinary LED screens surrounding the room awaken, enriching the immersive storytelling experience.
Additional effects include lasers, fire, smoke, and snow. When not in show mode, the lobby’s special effects setup allows the area to change for seasonal themes and special occasions.
The Legend of Luna also took third place in the Immersive Experiences category at the blooloop Innovation Awards 2024.
Children’s Science Museum – Limited Budget: Neobio Museum, Shanghai, China
Neobio Science Museum in Shanghai has redefined the concept of indoor playgrounds by blending art and technology-driven exhibits into one groundbreaking attraction. It offers a playful and interactive STEM education experience.
Neobio helps children explore the relationship between science, life, and art through interactive experiences. It features three floors and five exhibitions across 6000 m².
In Power Hungry, discover how humanity transforms nature into energy. Miracle Labs showcases the life cycle and complexity of human organs. Secret Studios combines art and technology. Maker’s Hall invites visitors to innovate and create, and Space Station offers a journey through the stars, unveiling mysteries for future generations.
International Live Spectacular: Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Opening Ceremonies, France
Winners of the Thea Award for International Live Spectacular, the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Opening Ceremonies transformed Paris into an open-air theatre, pushing boundaries and setting a new standard for live global events. The city of Paris and the Seine served as a canvas for an international celebration that was a free live spectacle for all, in addition to the worldwide television audience.
Hundreds of thousands of in-person spectators and billions of television viewers enjoyed the ceremonies, which were spread over various locations.
This display represented a monumental success in creative vision and production, uniting many facets such as boats, grandstands, artists and performers, stages, costuming, cameras, loudspeakers, land facilities, giant screens, AV systems, hundreds of rehearsal days and more.
Museum Attraction: The Priddy Family Foundation Freedom Theater, National WWII Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana, US
The National WWII Museum in New Orleans opened the Priddy Family Foundation Freedom Theater at the end of 2023.
The new attraction offers a show focusing on FDR’s Four Freedoms and the expanding global role the United States was destined to play in the post-WWII era.
To manage the visitor flow, the decision was made to seat the audience on a turntable. The project comprises a pre-show space and a three-act show with several lighting, electromechanical, and scenic elements packed around the audience, among other challenging and unusual aspects.
Split in half, the 44-foot diameter turntable seats 65 visitors on one half to watch the first of three acts. It then rotates 90 degrees for Act 2 and 180 degrees for Act 3. Once there, Act 1 begins again with the next 65 guests seated on the opposite side of the table.
During the performance, projection mapping covers the walls and ceilings. Rich sound fills each half of the theatre, and moving scenery, broken buildings, and video displays appear and disappear.
The project team included THG, Visual Terrain, and Mousetrappe Media.
Immersive Technology and Production: Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Sphere is the world’s largest spherical structure. Called the Exosphere, Sphere’s exterior features 580,000 square feet of LED lighting to display content. Inside, it serves as a unique entertainment destination with immersive experiences, performances and competitions.
It features a 160,000-square-foot, 16k-resolution wraparound display, the highest resolution LED screen worldwide, as well as advanced beamforming and wave field synthesis technologies, with 1,600 permanent speakers delivering precise 3D sound. 4D effects include haptic seating, scent, wind, and temperature changes.
Events have included performances from bands such as U2 and Phish, film showings such as Postcard from Earth by Darren Aronofsky, and immersive experiences from digital artist Refik Anadol.
Sphere has also announced new original content. This includes The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, opening August 2025, as well as From the Edge, debuting in 2026.
Attraction: Voltron Nevera, Europa-Park, Rust, Germany
Voltron Nevera powered by Rimac breaks two world records. The attraction features the steepest launch (105 degrees) and most overhead elements (seven) of any launch coaster worldwide. With 1,385 metres of track, it’s also the longest launch coaster in Europe. It features four launch sequences, one of them backwards, and a top speed of 90 km/h. It also includes 2.2 seconds of continued weightlessness.
The coaster is located in the park’s new Croatia land, with a steampunk theme celebrating the electrical experiments of Nikola Tesla. Named after a word for a sudden and mighty Mediterranean storm, Nevera is the bestselling car from electric vehicle manufacturer Rimac.
The station building is designed in the style of an old hydroelectric power plant used by Tesla for his research. The ride’s two towers play a key part in the storytelling. Riders are transformed into cosmic energy and then move from tower to tower in the form of lightning. Accommodating up to 1,600 passengers per hour, the seven 16-seater trains are loaded from a moving walkway, with a train dispatched every 36 seconds.
Companies that worked on the project include Mack Animation; Jora Vision, an acclaimed design and production company; Kraftwerk Living Technologies (KLT), a leading-edge AV systems integrator; Universal Rocks; and Wētā Workshop, a creative studio combining artistry and innovation.
Theme Park Land: Zootopia, Shanghai Disneyland, China
Shanghai Disneyland’s new Zootopia land is home to innovative technologies and immersive theming. Based on the 2016 Walt Disney Animation Studios film, the world’s first Zootopia-themed land debuted in December 2023.
The land’s signature attraction, Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, is a new trackless dark ride.
Set after the film’s events, Hot Pursuit takes visitors on a thrilling chase with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde through Zootopia’s different districts on all-terrain cruisers.
“Zootopia: Hot Pursuit is a great example of how we do storytelling through powerful creativity and innovation,” said Joe Schott, president and general manager of Shanghai Disney Resort, speaking to blooloop. “How that ride brings the experience to life is truly unique because of that blend of great storytelling and technology.”
TEA Recognition of Merit
Connected Immersion Event – Limited Budget: The DigiWave Experience, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
DigiWave presents innovative prototypes and digital experiences in a sci-fi narrative. This immersive journey leverages 5G AloT technology alongside music tech, AI, machine learning, and visual computing.
Participants engage in real-time, receiving instant audio and visual feedback.
The venue features six thematic zones, each inspired by a human sensory organ: Detection, Synapse, Brain, Eye, Hand, and Heart. These zones are tied to the overarching theme, Awake the Giants. Before starting the experience, participants create a personal ID via the Line app. This ID enables them to design a custom AI character named Echo that assists them as they explore the venue.
DigiWave seamlessly combines storyline, soundscape, and lighting effects, adapting to participant interactions and creating a unique version of the venue every time.
The project team included Brogent Technologies Inc.
Immersive Gaming – Limited Budget: The Time Travel Agency, Electric Forest Festival, Rothbury, Michigan, US
The Electric Forest Festival is an immersive music and arts festival held annually in Rothbury, Michigan. The Time Travel Agency began as a handful of character actors guiding festivalgoers on whimsical chases. It has since become a much-loved institution.
Fully costumed Time Travel Agents recruit players and explain the challenge, which sees them heading into the forest to solve six different puzzles and interact with live actors.
Those who complete all six then gain an exclusive pin to access a secret theatre and bar. New puzzles are introduced yearly, and the quest has become a festival highlight. 50% of festivalgoers participated in 2024, a 357% increase from the first quest in 2019.
Attraction – Limited Budget: Treasure Hunt: The Ride, Cannery Row, Monterey, California, US
Treasure Hunt immerses visitors in the story of Captain Hippolyte Bouchard, the only (real) pirate to strike the US West Coast, as a reference to Monterey’s distinctive history.
The entire duration of the Treasure Hunt: The Ride experience is close to 20 minutes. Visitors learn about Captain Bouchard and his pirate gang and hear the rumours that the crew’s loot is hidden in the caverns beneath Cannery Row. They are given details about hapless Molina, a drunken resident of Monterey who was captured by Bouchard’s crew.
Everyone then enters a massive elevator that transports them down to the caverns. The experience goes awry, but in the end, it securely stops below. As the guests reach their destination, Molina welcomes them, accompanied by his donkey, Don Pedro. Molina describes the objective: riders must avoid underground monsters and pirates, using interactive onboard “Treasure Collector” equipment.
Through the interactive gameplay of the ride, visitors actively participate in the narrative as they defend themselves against the spirit of Captain Bouchard. They must attempt to evade capture by the Kraken while also collecting riches.
Power-Up Tokens, an add-on to the ride ticket for the experience, give the onboard Treasure Collectors quick bursts of power. This makes it easier and faster for players to hit targets and rack up points. In addition to enriching Treasure Hunt’s overall gaming experience, this new feature drives guests to ride repeatedly as they strive to get higher scores.
Sally Dark Rides and Daniels Wood Land collaborated to create the brand-new standalone dark ride. They appointed Alterface, a leader in interactive technology, to deliver the multimedia interactivity and gameplay.
Peter Chernack Distinguished Service Award
Lynn Willrich, Owner D J Willrich Ltd.
In 1986, Lynn Willrich co-founded DJW alongside her husband, David Willrich. The company focuses on audiovisual design, integration, and consultancy, catering to themed entertainment, museums, and visitor attractions.
In addition to her professional responsibilities, Willrich has been a steadfast presence at TEA events throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Renowned for her friendly attitude, she has offered her time to support event logistics and nurture community engagement within the association.
Willrich’s commitment goes beyond just the TEA. She has volunteered with Girlguiding UK for over 55 years, spending 40 years as a Leader for Brownies and Guides.
