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- Amusement rides; rider injury; disability; eligibility; safety (1)
- Disney; theme parks; children’s literature; childhood; education (1)
- Disney; transmedia; world-building; schema theory; education (1)
- Education; amusement parks; theme parks; virtual reality; new media; media history (1)
- Education; project based learning; authentic learning; team teaching; emergent pedagogy; soft skills (1)
Articles 1 - 10 of 10
Full-Text Articles in Art and Design
Disney: Castles, Kingdoms And (No) Common Man, Anahita Dalmia
Disney: Castles, Kingdoms And (No) Common Man, Anahita Dalmia
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
Disney: A company with media and experiences that are studied over and over again, almost exhaustively. However, there is good reason that this company, recognized by its emblematic castle, is studied so intensely. No other company has prolifically created such successful experiences across platforms and settled so comfortably in audiences’ hearts, making so many of them feel special. This paper explores why and how Disney creates this impact through examining Disney’s transmedia world building techniques through the lens of the psychological schema theory. The theory explains the way humans process information, empathize and learn from experiences which are not their …
Between The Lines: Children’S Literature And The Disney Theme Parks, Michaela Karis
Between The Lines: Children’S Literature And The Disney Theme Parks, Michaela Karis
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
Though the Disney theme parks are a common subject of academic analysis, relatively little research has approached the parks from a literary perspective. In this paper, I apply a theory of children’s literature to the Disney parks. By tracing the similarities between the parks and children’s texts, including their use of a “double” level of address, their focus on oppositional binaries, and their deliberate elision of “adult” elements, I demonstrate how the parks legitimize themselves as both childlike and child-appropriate spaces.
Evaluating Perspectives Of Virtual And Mixed Reality For The Performing Arts In The U.S. And Canada, Collin Huse
Evaluating Perspectives Of Virtual And Mixed Reality For The Performing Arts In The U.S. And Canada, Collin Huse
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
What are the current trends of virtual and mixed reality in the performing arts? In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of academics and professionals in the performing arts who are using virtual and mixed reality. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the themes that emerged over the course of the interviews. This study found that this technology is already fitting into entertainment within both the performance aspect and the design process. Many challenges exist for innovators in AR/VR such as lack of common knowledge, lack of structure needed for innovation, and difficulty finding financial backing. …
Physical And Digital Architecture For Collection And Analysis Of Imparted Accelerations On Zip Line Attractions, Kai David Quizona, Shelly Sicat, Nicholas Holman, Madison Glozer, Alan Black, Alex Ferworn, Kathryn Woodcock
Physical And Digital Architecture For Collection And Analysis Of Imparted Accelerations On Zip Line Attractions, Kai David Quizona, Shelly Sicat, Nicholas Holman, Madison Glozer, Alan Black, Alex Ferworn, Kathryn Woodcock
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
The accelerations experienced by riders of Zip Line attractions is an underexplored area of public safety assurance. These amusement devices require complex processes to collect and analyze acceleration data. Highly versatile and effective rider-worn and ride-carried devices are necessary to collect acceleration and velocity data without affecting the integrity of the ride. This paper introduces the use of a sensor device for collecting Zip Line acceleration data in the form of a Trailing Trolley. This architecture extends the work of Sicat et. al.’s which proposed the use of a Sensor Vest and Headwear to collect linear and rotational accelerations of …
Dark Rides And The Evolution Of Immersive Media, Joel Zika
Dark Rides And The Evolution Of Immersive Media, Joel Zika
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
The dark ride is a format of immersive media that originated in the amusement parks of the USA in the early 20th century. Whilst their numbers have decreased, classic rides from the 1930s to the 70s, such as the Ghost Train and Haunted House experiences have been referenced is films, games and novels of the digital era. Although the format is well known, it is not well defined. There are no dedicated publications on the topic and its links to other media discourses are sparsely documented. Today, entertainment media is utilising technology extensively to create immersive experiences for audiences, transporting …
Disability And Participation In Amusement Attractions, Kathryn Woodcock
Disability And Participation In Amusement Attractions, Kathryn Woodcock
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
Eligibility to participate on an amusement attraction may be limited for patrons with certain characteristics, including size, age, disability, and health conditions. Human rights and equal access laws increasingly mandate the inclusion of people with disabilities in as many activities as possible, although safety is an accepted basis for exemption. This paper reports on practices and evidence pertaining to eligibility and safety of patrons with disabilities, including a content analysis of status quo criteria from 100 amusement ride manufacturers’ manuals and prevalence of references to disability in reports of serious and fatal injury. The analysis found that restrictive criteria exclude …
Leveraging Neo-Localism For Experience Innovation: A Case Study Of An Urban Park And Entertainment Venue, Lori J. Sipe
Leveraging Neo-Localism For Experience Innovation: A Case Study Of An Urban Park And Entertainment Venue, Lori J. Sipe
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
In the past decade, spending on experiences relative to other types of consumer spending has increased dramatically. Companies with an experience economy mindset focus on differentiation as opposed to standardization and rely on innovation activities for growth. This design research project examined how an urban park and entertainment venue leveraged its unique brand and core experience to design and innovate memorable guest experiences. The Quartyard study integrated key concepts of experience economy logic and memorable tourism experiences with principles of human centered design. Interviews were conducted with key stakeholders to include the architects, general manager, members of the local business …
Roller Coaster Dynamics At Purdue University, Jeffrey F. Rhoads, Charles M. Krousgrill
Roller Coaster Dynamics At Purdue University, Jeffrey F. Rhoads, Charles M. Krousgrill
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
Inspired by a handful of passionate students, in the fall of 2009, the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University offered a new course entitled Roller Coaster Dynamics. Little did the instructors of the course (the co- authors of this paper) know, but that course and the many variants that followed would have a marked impact on students and instructors alike, prepping scores of civil and mechanical engineering students for careers in the themed entertainment and amusement attraction industry and opening up new avenues for technical exploration in the areas of nonlinear and multi-body dynamics. This paper adopts a balanced …
Soft Skills With Teeth: Creating Authentic Learning Environments With Charismatic Mega-Projects, J .E. Johnson, Karen Maness
Soft Skills With Teeth: Creating Authentic Learning Environments With Charismatic Mega-Projects, J .E. Johnson, Karen Maness
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
In every industry, effective teams depend upon a collection of non-technical competencies often described as soft skills: leadership, verbal and written communication, collaboration, analytical thinking, creativity, decision-making, problem-solving, and flexibility. Though the importance of soft skills is widely acknowledged, soft skills curricula are either non-existent or underdeveloped in most universities. This soft skills training gap leaves students under- prepared and often over-confident as they enter the workforce. In response to this gap in our department at The University of Texas at Austin, we defined and implemented an emergent, project-based pedagogical framework to recruit an interdisciplinary roster of students and deliver …
Summary Of Exploring A Three-Dimensional Narrative Medium: The Theme Park As “De Sprookjessprokkelaar,” The Gatherer And Teller Of Stories, Carissa Baker
Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies
This paper presents a summary of the author’s doctoral dissertation, which examines the pervasiveness of storytelling in theme parks and establishes the theme park as a distinct narrative medium. It traces the characteristics of theme park storytelling, how it has changed over time, and what makes the medium unique. This was accomplished using a mixed methods approach drawing data from interviews with creative professionals, archival research, fieldwork, and an analysis of more than eight hundred narrative attractions. The survey of narrative attractions revealed the most common narrative expressions to be dark rides and stage shows. Source material tends to be …