Disney had a good day at the Thea Awards. Two of Walt Disney Imagineering’s newest attractions were given the Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement. This is highly regarded as the top award in the themed entertainment industry and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway are both winners. Pretty good day for Disney’s Hollywood Studios? In my opinion, both of these attractions deserved this award. Even though Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is still in a different league than the ultra-zany and fun Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
Themed Entertainment Association’s thoughts on both attractions:
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance:
“The most technologically advanced theme park attraction in existence today… The entire attraction, from front to back, is one massive magic trick that leaves riders gobsmacked and represents the absolute pinnacle of how our industry can entertain an audience at a theme park.”
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway:
“With a combination of physical sets, Audio-Animatronics figures, animated media and projection-mapping techniques, all syncing in time with trackless vehicles and a catchy original song and musical score, it turns a two-dimensional cartoon world into an immersive, eye-popping experience. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway raises the bar for all dark rides to come.”
Walt Disney Imagineering President Bob Weis received the Buzz Price Thea Award, Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements. Bob leads talented Imagineers around the world as they create immersive and storytelling experiences for cruise ships, resorts, and theme park attractions. Bob’s career began working on the Tokyo Disneyland Park. He later had senior creative roles in designing Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Tokyo DisneySea, and the multiyear transformation of Disney California Adventure including Buena Vista Street and Cars Land. Bob Weis was also the top creative executive for Shanghai Disney Resort before becoming president of Walt Disney Imagineering in 2016.
Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro released a statement on Bob Weiss and Walt Disney Imagineering’s award wins:
“Congratulations to Bob Weis and to the entire team at Walt Disney Imagineering for these incredible achievements. Over the past several years, Imagineers have taken creativity and storytelling to an entirely new level, and I’m proud to see that the experiences they have created are being celebrated by our Guests around the world and our peers throughout the industry. I look forward to sharing even more great stories with our guests as we continue to complete new experiences at our sites around the world.”
Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger even congratulated Bob Weis on his lifetime achievement award.
Congratulations to our wonderful head of Imagineering, Bob Weis, on his #TEA lifetime achievement award. For 30+ years, he has helped create some of @Disney’s most innovative and beloved parks and attractions worldwide, including the landmark Shanghai Disney Resort. Well done!
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) November 19, 2020
Congratulations to our wonderful head of Imagineering, Bob Weis, on his #TEA lifetime achievement award. For 30+ years, he has helped create some of @Disney’s most innovative and beloved parks and attractions worldwide, including the landmark Shanghai Disney Resort. Well done!
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) November 19, 2020
Here is a full list of THEA winners:
The Buzz Price Thea Award — Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements: Bob Weis, Walt Disney Imagineering
Thea Classic: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
TEA Peter Chernack Distinguished Service Award (recognizing exceptional volunteer service to the association): Dale Sprague, Canyon Creative
Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement:
Congrats to all the winners! Hopefully, next year TEA will be able to put on a normal award show and the themed entertainment industry starts to get back to normal.
Zach Perilstein is the Editor-in-Chief of the Boardwalk Times
