32nd Annual Thea Award Recipients Announcement
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, USA (18 November 2025)— Today the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) announced the recipients of the 32nd Annual Thea Awards. Recognized as the most prestigious honor in the themed entertainment industry, the Thea Awards celebrate the professionals and organizations whose work brings to life outstanding achievements, bold innovation, and the world’s most immersive experiences.
Shared live from Universal Epic Universe during TEA’s Annual International Mixer, the announcement officially launched the months-long celebratory campaign that will culminate next May during the annual TEA INSPIRE program and 32nd Annual Thea Awards Gala.
“Tonight, we celebrate these outstanding Thea Awards recipients,” said Matt Barton, International Board President of TEA and CEO of CurtainUp, Ltd. “The Thea Awards represent industry excellence, and this year’s winners and their collective work delight millions of guests around the world while pushing the boundaries of presentation, creativity, and innovation.”
The 32nd Annual TEA Thea Award Recipients are:
Buzz Price Award Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements
- Dale Mason, Vice President & Executive Art Director at Universal Destinations & Experiences (Retired)
Thea Catalyst Award
- Dr. Frederic Bertley, President and CEO at Center of Science and Industry (COSI)
Thea Classic Award
- Xcaret Park – Playa del Carmen,, Mexico
Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement
- Attraction – Danse Macabre | Efteling, Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands
- Attraction – John Wick Experience | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Attraction – Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment | Universal Epic Universe, Orlando, Florida, USA
- Attraction – WishWorks – Make-A-Wish™ Southern Florida | Finker-Frenkel Wish House, Miami, Florida, USA
- Attraction, Limited Budget – Bagshot Row, Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours | Matamata, New Zealand
- Historical Centre – John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture | Onikan, Lagos, Nigeria
- Historical Experience, Limited Budget – Secret Laboratory | Schloss Augustusburg, Germany
- Immersive Venue – Cosm | Los Angeles, California and Dallas, Texas, USA
- Interactive Experience, Limited Budget – Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue | Touring Worldwide, Multiple Locations
- Live Show – Bob Marley Hope Road | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Museum – KochiKame Museum | Katsushika, Tokyo, Japan
- Museum – The Story of Emily | St Ive, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- Ride Experience – Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry | Universal Epic Universe, Orlando, Florida, USA
- Technical Innovation – MAGNOS Sound Transparent Passive 3D LED Screen Technology | Kraftwerk
- Theme Park Land – How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk | Universal Epic Universe, Orlando, Florida, USA
- Theme Park – Legoland Shanghai | Jinshan, Shanghai, China
- Theme Park – Universal Epic Universe | Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando, Florida, USA
- Themed Food & Beverage Experience – Haunted Mansion Parlor | Disney Treasure, Disney Cruise Line
Peter Chernack Distinguished Service Award
- Paul Kent, Vice President Technical Design, RWS Global
In 2024, TEA expanded the award categories with the addition of the TEA Recognition of Merit. The TEA Recognition of Merit honors the projects and the people behind them: content creators including designers, architects, engineers, technicians, and business leaders.
TEA Recognitions of Merit:
Collaborative World-Building Experience – Neo/Mega Experience at Neotropolis | Edwards, California, USA
Connected Immersion – PAC-MAN Live Experience | Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Connected Immersion Event, Limited Budget – The Bureau of Nooks and Crannies | Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, California, USA
Immersive Live Entertainment – Just Fix It Productions | Los Angeles, California, USA
"We received nearly 200 impressive and diverse submissions from around the world,” said Marc Zachary, Chair of the Thea Awards Judging Committee and President of Experiential Advisors. “These entries demonstrate the imagination, ingenuity, expertise, and passion across the themed entertainment industry. Every year, the Thea Awards Judging Committee spends countless hours reviewing, discussing, and selecting that year’s outstanding and most-deserving projects. Today we celebrate these extraordinary projects and the teams that brought them to life.”
“Tonight’s announcement is just the beginning for the Thea Award winners and our global members,” furthered Melissa Oviedo, CEO of Themed Entertainment Association. “We are excited to share the stories about the projects and partners behind each winner as we lead up to our incredible 2026 TEA INSPIRE event and the 32nd Annual Thea Awards Gala, which will be take place for the first time ever in Orlando, Florida.”
The TEA INSPIRE program and conference features engaging sessions and presentations hosted by Thea Award-winning teams, interactive Spotlight Sessions, networking events, and more. TEA INSPIRE will take place 29 April – 1 May at the JW Marriott Orlando Grand Lakes. The event will culminate with the 32nd Annual Thea Awards Gala on 2 May 2026. Registration, sponsorship packages, and table and ticket sales will begin in January 2026.
To learn more about this year’s Thea Award winners, visit here. Video, photos, further details, and interviews can be arranged by contacting Susan Storey at PR@TEAconnect.org.
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About TEA
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) brings together the creators and makers of experiences worldwide – from the creative storytellers to the technical builders, from operators to investors, from idea to operation - and provides them with tools, education, advocacy, community, and connection to help grow their businesses and careers.
The international non-profit association’s members focus on creating for and serving the leisure and travel sectors. Their work can be seen in entertaining and educational projects found in theme parks, water parks, museums, zoos, corporate visitor centers, casinos, restaurants, branded experiences, multimedia spectaculars, retail spaces, resorts and hospitality, destination attractions, and more. TEA encompasses a dynamic community of more than 1,600 member companies in over 40 countries. TEAConnect.org