Rise of the Resistance, Runaway Railway and Imagineer Bob Weis honored by the Themed Entertainment Association

Nov 19, 2020 in "Star Wars Galaxy's Edge"

Posted: Thursday November 19, 2020 2:31pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) has announced its award recipients for 2020, which includes Imagineer Bob Weis and two Walt Disney World attractions.

Bob Weis was honored with The Buzz Price Thea Award – Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements.

The TEA Thea Awards committee said:

As president of Walt Disney Imagineering, Bob Weis leads talented Imagineers around the world to advance the quality of immersive experiences to achieve extraordinary results across theme park resorts and cruise ships - with a focus on quality, storytelling, and collaboration. His portfolio of work is unparalleled and recognized by the industry, his peers and the tens of millions of visitors as among the best. The admiration he has earned from our community over the decades is rooted in his authentic leadership style - that of a world-class visionary who is sincerely modest, selfless and kind.

His early achievements include being part of Disney’s first international theme park development, Tokyo Disneyland and subsequently Tokyo DisneySea. At Walt Disney World Resort, Weis worked on the creation of Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then called Disney-MGM Studios) and continues to oversee the transformation of that park. He provided overall creative leadership of the major transformation of Disney California Adventure. Currently Weis oversees large teams transforming EPCOT as well as Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris.

The Shanghai Disney Resort also showcases his thoughtful leadership in the effort to develop a deep understanding of the Chinese audience and culture. Our industry is a key facilitator in today’s world of global outreach and multi-cultural connections and experiences, and Bob Weis has shown that he can integrate the experiences and perspectives of many viewpoints into a winning project, inclusive of all participants, and enjoyed by all who visit over several decades.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was received an award for Outstanding Achievement.

The TEA Thea Awards committee said:

The mind-blowing Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is simply the most technologically advanced theme park attraction in existence today. This attraction combines 60 years’ worth of WDI attraction design magic into one seamless, story-driven experience. The level of complexity and engineering are unparalleled and the experience integrates several completely unique ride systems. Dozens of individually complex systems are choreographed seamlessly to produce high capacity and redefine what a major marquee attraction can be. Rise of the Resistance demonstrates how a detailed and legendary IP story can be told not just on a ride, but through a complete system of experiences that add up to much more than just the ride itself. 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.

Finally, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway also received an award for Outstanding Achievement.

The TEA Thea Awards committee said:

This new, 21st century attraction is both surprising and mind-blowing; it keeps one engaged and delighted throughout the ride, making all guests feel as if they have literally stepped into an animated world in ways never imagined before. 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.

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180ºNov 19, 2020

Oxford Comma (or lackthereof) strikes again. It took be a good minute to realize that the headline wasn’t talking about a Runaway Railway/ROTR named Bob Weis. 😂

EricsBiscuitNov 19, 2020

Well deserved. Both attractions are very well done.