Walt Disney Imagineering Projects Earn Prestigious Thea Awards for 2025

21 days ago in "Walt Disney Imagineering"

Posted: Wednesday November 20, 2024 9:30am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Three Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) projects have been recognized with Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) Thea Awards for 2025, highlighting the global impact of Disney's work in themed entertainment.

Walt Disney Imagineering headquarters

Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea, Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland, and BDX Droids have each been selected for their achievements in storytelling, design, and technological innovation.

This marks the first time Imagineering has received two Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement – Theme Park Land in a single year.

Fantasy Springs: A New Chapter for Tokyo DisneySea

Fantasy Springs, the largest expansion at Tokyo Disney Resort to date, was awarded for its Outstanding Achievement as a theme park land. The project includes three immersive areas inspired by Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan. These environments feature intricate storytelling, advanced technology, and four new attractions.

Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel

This eighth "port" at Tokyo DisneySea also includes themed dining and a hotel, further enhancing its immersive appeal. The recognition emphasizes the collaborative efforts behind the project and its focus on bringing Disney stories to life in new ways.

Zootopia: Bringing the Mammalian Metropolis to Life

Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland earned its Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement thanks to its meticulous recreation of the animated world of Zootopia. The land combines advanced technology with extensive collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Guests can explore a richly detailed environment filled with references to the movie, from its whimsical storefronts to scaled crosswalks designed for animal guests of all sizes.

BDX Droids: Pioneering Robotics in Entertainment

Free-roaming robotic droid characters for Star Wars Galaxy's Edge

The BDX Droids, created by Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development in collaboration with Disney Live Entertainment, received the Thea Award for Technical Innovation. These autonomous, free-roaming robots bring a new level of interactivity to themed entertainment.

Designed to mimic lifelike movements and deliver expressive character interactions, BDX Droids combine robotic precision with storytelling, creating a memorable experience for guests.

A Continuing Legacy

Bruce Vaughn, president, and chief creative officer of Walt Disney Imagineering, praised the teams behind these projects, "Imagineers around the world continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in immersive storytelling, delivering unique experiences and memorable character moments in ways that only Disney can. I'm so proud of the Imagineers and Cast Members recognized today for their outstanding contributions to our work and the broader themed entertainment industry."

The Thea Awards have long recognized excellence in the field, with WDI having nearly 70 awards over the past 30 years. These latest honors further solidify its reputation for pushing boundaries and crafting experiences that resonate with audiences worldwide.

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Comped20 days ago

It's not quite as set as the IAAPA ones are, but there are still mostly expected categories that tend to return yearly...

Bocabear21 days ago

I am troubled that there is not any parks presence for Bolt... Perhaps Bolt could replace the Hall Of Presidents by explaining American history with his pack of Puppy pals... That would make it less problematic and they could sell Bolt plush toys.

monothingie21 days ago

HauntedPirate21 days ago

And it should never be added. The fact that it’s going into the Tree of Life is bad enough.

Moth21 days ago

It draws closer.... And closer....

BrianLo21 days ago

They do invest at the scale of OLC. You guys have very short term memories and don’t actually seem to pay attention to that operator as well. Again the foundational problems were primarily made 20-25 years ago; 2024 reflects positively on OLC because it was the result of a decade of deferred and delayed investment. WDW fans would have been apoplectic if they received OLC’s 2010’s investments in lieu of what was done domestically.

dmc49321 days ago

OLC is not as bogged down of a conglomerate as Disney. I think if Disney was strictly a theme park/experiences operator, I’d wager they’d be much more willing to invest at the scale OLC does

lazyboy97o21 days ago

The Thea Awards are also not something that can be swept. It’s not zero-sum like other awards where if someone else wins then you lose. There’s no set number of awards or categories. They even introduced a new award this year to further expand recognition beyond the top brands and their marquee experiences. Submissions are also due in July which means offerings that opened in June (at Disney and Universal) may not have been submitted for consideration this year.

HauntedPirate21 days ago

The calls from the lowest common denominators demanding Z******* be added to the US theme parks in 3.... 2.... 1....

BrianLo21 days ago

Domestically they’ve won way more awards than their collaboration with OLC. You are focusing on a single year window when they opened their big signature addition at OLC and had very little to offer domestically. The add rate at OLC has been glacial accounting for the full last 15 years. Primarily their parks are held to higher maintenance standards and the big difference maker was actually investing properly in the early 2000s.

Disstevefan121 days ago

Totally agree. In my opinion I think they don’t think they need to domestically. Folks will still show up and purchase LLMP, LLSP, LLPP. I hate to say it, but less attractions means longer queues, and more the need for LL. Maybe that is why they destroy and replace instead of adding. Adding capacity costs more and may result in less LL sales. 🙁

Comped21 days ago

If Disney domestically was willing to open up the pocketbook like OLC continues to do on a regular basis, they'd be sweeping THEA and Brass Rings like there's no tomorrow.