The Themed Entertainment Industry’s Highest Honors Celebrated Together During Star-Studded Evening
What a week in California! This year’s TEA INSPIRE conference and Thea Awards Gala is one that celebrated the very best in the themed entertainment industry.
TEA INSPIRE concluded on Friday with engaging conversations about this year’s Thea Awards winners. The day was book-ended with presentations honoring industry history and history makers. Buzz Price Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Rick Rothschild, sat down to talk about how his career – and the industry – has evolved since he began his career with Walt Disney Imagineering. Later in the day, attendees heard stories about The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, this year’s Thea Classic Award recipient. The attraction continues to be one of Universal Orlando’s most popular experiences and challenges today’s creators to develop “the next” rendition. Attendees learned more about the Paris 2025 Olympic and Paralympic Opening Ceremonies and how its show producers created a live spectacle that, for the first time ever, did not take place in an arena or stadium.
Other conversations included BRC Imagination Arts and Great Wolf Resorts sharing how, created together, they developed a first-of-its kind show using a hotel lobby as the theatre, and Catalyst Award recipient Naoki Tanaka discussing how guest inclusivity is critical in themed entertainment design. The ever-popular State of the Industry panel, moderated by Shawn McCoy, highlighted how content and storytelling are rewriting the ways guests experience themed spaces and popular brands.
After TEA INSPIRE wrapped, everyone was ready to celebrate. The 31st Annual Thea Awards Gala welcomed more than 700 guests for an entertaining and inspiring evening. This year’s recipients were celebrated in style and the Gala included many unexpected moments. Grammy-nominated award-winning artist Deborah Cox delighted and inspired the audience as she presented the Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement at a Museum to the International African American Museum. Actor and writer Wil Wheaton was joined on stage by the delightful Disneyland Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge BDX Droids to help present the Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in Technological Innovation to the Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development and Disney Research Zurich teams. To kick off the event, LA-based musical duo, Korbee, performed an original song and hosted a quick table change fundraiser that moved one table of attendees to an exclusive VIP Table for the duration of the gala. All funds raised when purchasing their, “I Believe In Us,” original are donated to help Californians impacted by the recent fires.
“Each year we look forward to the Thea Awards Gala,” Melissa Oviedo, president and CEO of the TEA, told Gala guests. “Your projects, places and experiences are bold, amazing and creative. You represent the absolute best of the themed entertainment industry and tonight we celebrate the collective and collaborative work of the teams who brought each project to life.”
A highlight of the night was the announcement that the 32nd Annual Thea Awards Gala and TEA INSPIRE program will take place in Orlando in 2026, and it will be held at the JW Marriott Orlando Grand Lakes.
“We recognize that Central Florida is home to many of the companies in the room with us tonight,” Oviedo shared. “With this move, we are making the Thea Awards Gala and TEA INSPIRE program more accessible than ever. We can’t wait to see you next May!”
Because of the partnerships from this year’s TEA INSPIRE Sponsors, our Global Partners, In-Kind Support, and the 31st Annual Thea Awards Gala Presenting Sponsor, Chimelong Group, the event was one of the most memorable ever!
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 INSPIRE & 31ST ANNUAL THEA GALA SPONSORS AND PARTNERS!
