Walt Disney Imagineering Honored by Three THEA Awards !

Three WDI attractions have won THEA Awards - the equivalent of the Oscars for Theme Parks attractions - as it was announced yesterday during a ceremony in Orlando by the Themed Entertainment Association announcing the 2013 winners.

No surprise, Hong Kong Disneyland's Mystic Manor received a fully deserved Award for "Outstanding Achievement – Attraction, which noted the original storyline, special effects, Audio-Animatronics technology, musical score by Danny Elfman, and the trackless, wire-guided ride vehicles as reasons for excellence". TEA noted that “Mystic Manor exemplifies the seamless integration of the latest technology with true state-of-the-art storytelling.”

The next WDI attraction to received a THEA award was Enchanted Tales with Belle, at WDW MK New Fantasyland, and it won the Award for "Outstanding Achievement – Participatory Character Greeting for being “far more than the typical character greeting experience… It is a creative blend of excellent design, imaginative interactivity and technical wizardry.”

Last but not least WDI also won a third THEA award and this one was for...  Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary which received the Thea Classic award. "This landmark attraction is “the world’s first Audio-Animatronics show – introducing a new technology that soon became one of the dominant tools used by designers and engineers in our industry.” Disney won others Thea Classic Award in the past for Disneyland Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, Disneyland park itself, and Epcot.

The Thea Awards ceremony, a black-tie gala will happen April 5, 2014, at the Disneyland Hotel and Bruce Vaughn, Chief Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering said “It is very rewarding to be honored by the Themed Entertainment Association, which represents our peers throughout the industry. We are especially proud that all three of these projects represent the best of Disney storytelling and the spirit of innovation we bring to our guests,”. Disney and more warmly congratulate the winners and every people who worked on these three magical attractions honored by a THEA award!

Pictures: copyright Disney