Universal, Disney win Thea Awards
Parks win in attractions category for ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Star Wars’
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Universal and Disney were named winners of Thea Awards Tuesday afternoon for their theme-park attractions with roots in the world of “Harry Potter” and the “Star Wars” universe.
Under the heading of “outstanding achievement,” Universal Orlando won in the attractions category for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, a roller coaster that opened at Islands of Adventure theme park this spring.
Disneyland’s Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run also won in the attractions category, as well as for its Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, recognized for outstanding achievement as a new theme park land. The Disneyland edition debuted in
May, followed by a nearclone of the land (as well as the Smugglers Run ride) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in August.
The results, determined by the Theme Entertainment Association, were made public on the floor of the IAAPA Expo at the Orange County Convention Center. The event, put on by Orlando-based International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, runs through Friday.
Nancy Seruto, portfolio executive producer with Walt Disney Imagineering, won the Buzz Price Thea Award, which acknowledges a lifetime of achievements. Pageant of the Masters, located in Laguna Beach, Calif., was designed as a Thea Classic.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, UAE, won outstanding theme park.
Attractions in Ireland, Belgium, Norway, South in as
Korea, England, France and China were among the winners. Subjects ranged from the Hebrew Bible Experience to Popcorn Revenge to the Google Assistant Ride.
The awards are formally presented in April at a gala in Anaheim, Calif.
A complete list of Thea
Awards recipients winners is posted at teaconnect.org.