TEA names 25th annual Thea Awards recipients

Awards Gala to be held in Anaheim in 2019

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) officially announced the new TEA Thea Awards recipients – to be formally awarded April 13, 2019 at the 25th annual Thea Awards Gala in Anaheim, presented by Chimelong Group – at last weeks’ IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando.

The winners represent “some of the finest achievements in the creation of compelling places and experiences,” said TEA International Board President Michael Mercadante of Main Street Design.

Ticket sales for the Gala will commence in December 2018 for the TEA Summit and Thea Awards Gala, April 11-13, 2019 at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, at www.teaconnect.org.

From hundreds of nominations received each year, the Awards Committee deliberates at length to produce the annual slate of recipients, which is submitted to the TEA International Board of Directors for approval; the committee for the 2018-19 cycle, was headed by Lisa Passamonte-Green of Visual Terrain.

The themed entertainment industry touches all genres of visitor attractions, internationally – including destination theme parks and waterparks, regional theme parks, museums, visitor centers, resorts, parades, immersive experiences and spectaculars. The industry has exploded globally in the last decade and is significant to international business in terms of travel, tourism, land development, hospitality, retail, entertainment, education, IP and branding, design, architecture and technology.

The prestigious TEA Thea Award is considered one of the industry’s greatest honours. Nearly 1,000 entertainment professionals converge on the Los Angeles area every year for the TEA Thea Awards Gala – an elegant, black-tie dinner affair – preceded by the TEA Summit conference, which devotes much of its two days of sessions to exploring the Thea Awards recipients.

25th Annual TEA Thea Awards Recipients

The Buzz Price Thea Award – Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements

Mark Woodbury, Vice Chairman Universal Parks & Resorts and President Universal Creative

Thea Classic

Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, TN, USA

Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement (AOA) – recipient name, location (AOA category)

• Bazyliszek, Park Legendia, Chorzow, Poland (Attraction, Limited Budget)
• Be Washington: It’s Your Turn to Lead, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, VA, USA (Museum Experience, Limited Budget)
• MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM – teamLab Borderless, Tokyo, Japan (Connected Immersion – Digital Art)
• The Evel Knievel Museum, Topeka, Kansas, USA (Museum, Limited Budget)
• Fantastic Journey, Majestic Princess, Princess Cruises, Valencia, CA USA (Live Show Spectacular, Limited Budget)
• Fantawild Oriental Heritage, Xiamen, China (Theme Park)
• ILLUMINATIONS: human/nature, Banff National Park, Alberta & Rouge Urban National Park, Toronto, Canada (Connected Immersion – Digital Overlay Experience, Limited Budget) · JUSTICE LEAGUE™: Battle for Metropolis, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, CA, USA (Attraction)
• LEGO® House, Billund, Denmark (Brand Center) · Nemo & Friends SeaRider, Tokyo DisneySea, Japan (Repurposed Attraction) · SlideWheel, Chimelong Water Park, Guangzhou, China (Attraction)
• Legend of Camel Bells, Huaxia Cultural Tourism Resort, Xi’an, Shanxi Province, China (Live Show Spectacular)
• Universal Spectacle Night Parade – The Best of Hollywood, Universal Studios Japan, Osaka, Japan (Live Show Spectacular) · Universal’s Volcano Bay, Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando, FL USA (Water Theme Park)
• Intel Shooting Star Drone System (Outstanding Technical Innovation)

TEA Peter Chernack Distinguished Service Award (recognizing exceptional volunteer service to the Association)

Michel Linet-Frion – Pierre & Vacances Dévelopment