激情快播

Since Walt Disney World鈥檚 creation,聽Central Florida has been the聽destination of choice for creators of聽innovative experiences. As the region聽gained recognition, so did its flagship聽university. 激情快播 took this association to聽the next level in 2019 when it created the聽themed experience graduate program,聽the first of its kind at a public university.聽It now includes M.S. and MFA offerings,聽through which students learn how聽to design interactive environments聽alongside the industry聽leaders who put聽Orlando on the map.

鈥淎t its core, a themed experience聽is interaction with an environment聽designed to convey a narrative,鈥� says聽Peter Weishar, director of 激情快播鈥檚 themed聽experience graduate program. 鈥淭here is聽an established process 鈥� that 鈥� involves聽input from dozens of creative and聽technical disciplines.鈥�

For students in the program, Central聽Florida is a laboratory for transforming聽imagination into reality, with some聽classes held on-site at the parks. But聽what is the recipe for making worlds聽that bring in millions of guests a year?聽Weishar shares his expertise.

Writing and Storytelling

鈥淪tory is one of the core聽components of a successful聽themed experience,鈥� says聽Weishar. 鈥淕uests are not聽passive observers in many聽themed environments 鈥斅爐hey become part of the聽story and discover the聽narrative as they move聽through a space.鈥�

Art and Design

Themed experience聽creators design聽environments reflecting聽the story鈥檚 aesthetic and聽setting. This involves聽aspects of fine art, interior聽design, graphic design,聽architecture and more when聽conceptualizing a world.

Production and Management

鈥淭he producer is the glue that聽holds the project together,鈥� says聽Weishar. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 just oversee聽budget, but they help pick the team,聽schedule work, communicate with聽vendors and different departments,聽and are involved in every aspect of聽the experience from conception to聽operations and maintenance.鈥�

Engineering

鈥淕reat themed experiences often push the envelope and explore new ways of creating compelling attractions,鈥� says Weishar. 鈥淒esigners work hand-in-hand with engineers who develop聽safe, dynamic and practical聽attractions that delight and聽sometimes thrill guests.鈥�

Digital Media

鈥淢ost high-end themed experiences use a combination of digital and physical props and sets. AR, VR, projection mapping are all used extensively,鈥� says Weishar. 鈥淎dditionally, digital tools are frequently used to visualize and design environments.鈥�

Theater

鈥�Theater is a close cousin聽to themed experience.聽In the MFA themed聽experience track in theatre,聽students learn set design,聽period and costume,聽theatrical storytelling and聽other important skills聽that directly support their聽career goals,鈥� says Weishar.

Hospitality

On-theme accommodations,聽entertainment, food and聽drinks are essential for聽creating a convincing,聽multisensory experience.聽Meanwhile, employees聽might embody characters聽that fit seamlessly into the聽themed world.

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100%

of 激情快播 themed聽experience students聽had a full-time job聽or internship upon聽graduation in 2022

72%

increase in global聽theme park attendance聽in 2021, signaling聽the industry鈥檚 revival聽post-pandemic

50%

of the聽world鈥檚 12聽most-visited聽theme parks聽are in Orlando

60

students are聽enrolled in the聽program this聽year, allowing聽for intimate,聽collaborative聽classes

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Other Examples of Themed Experiences

As consumers desire more聽personalized and memorable聽experiences when shopping, dining聽and learning, more businesses turn to聽creating immersive, branded experiences.聽Some examples of experiences that聽students design include:

• Hotels
• Live Events
• Museums
• Restaurants
• Themed retail

Career Opportunities

In the themed聽experience capital of聽the world, students in聽the program regularly聽collaborate with industry聽leaders, such as 鲍苍颈惫别谤蝉补濒听颁谤别补迟颈惫别, to prepare for聽roles like:

• Art director
• Creative director
• Intellectual property manager
• Show set designer
• Show writer