Students and faculty in UCF’s themed experience graduate program, aimed at providing students with hands-on practice with creating themed-adventures, engage in discussions at Wesh 2’s Orlando headquarters.
Courtesy of Adora English
UCF students in the themed experience master’s program have had the opportunity to work on some of the biggest projects of Universal Destinations & Experiences, due to the nature of Orlando’s creative design industry.
Many of the companies that lead this industry with their technology and continuous ideas, including Disney, Universal and more, have roots in Orlando and around the globe.
The talent that comes from Orlando fills pipelines all over the world and gives locals, like UCF graduates, the opportunity to learn from the biggest companies.
Over the years, Universal has continued to work on expansions and remodels to give guests the best experience possible. It has brought to life many of the franchises generations have enjoyed, like Super Mario World in Epic Universe and the upcoming Pokémon experience in Universal Japan.
On Jan. 22, Universal Studios Japan announced a collaboration with The Pokémon Company that will bring world-class immersive experiences to bring the public closer to the characters at the parks.
Mark Woodbury, CEO and Chairman of Universal Destinations and Experiences, said that the Pokémon Experience will bring a lot of joy to the park’s guests in the future.
“The Pokémon Company is one of the most beloved interactive franchises in the world, and through our ongoing partnership, we will continue bringing its vibrant world to life in new and innovative ways for years to come,” Woodbury said.
Peter Weishar, founder of the themed experience program at UCF, said that many cities are often characterized by different industries and that Orlando is known for creative design and themed experiences.
Through his work, he saw the correlation between the virtual and physical worlds, which led him to create the themed experience program.
The program is designed to teach the unique creative skills, processes and concepts used to design and produce themed environments, including theme parks, zoos, aquariums, retail, dining, museums, virtual worlds and exhibitions, according to its website.
“It’s actually not just the theme parks; it’s also a good deal of the design and production of themed attractions happens here in Orlando,” Weishar said. “For me, I can send out an email or pick up the phone, and I can get an executive vice president for Universal just to come and talk to students. There’s nowhere else in the world you are going to get that.”
Adora English, an instructor in the program, previously worked for Universal Creative for six years as the head of Global Communications. She has helped connect UCF to the creative work from Universal and opened up the partnership that guests can see today.
“I want students to know that they can be an architect, a graphic artist, this business is very lucrative and there are opportunities everywhere,” English said.
Epic Universe, opened last May, has given UCF students in the themed experience graduate program an opportunity to be involved with its creative processes, giving them hands-on experience in their field.
Courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort
The process to come up with attractions can extend for years and years, similar to the film industry. Weishar said the announcement for Pokémon in Japan dates back to 2021, and that rolling it out to other locations could be years away.
“My students are working now on things that a guest might not see for two or three years,” Weishar said. “Pokémon is a very established IP, but it’s never been translated into a major theme park before, so it’s going to be a really interesting challenge and a really interesting creative opportunity as well.”
English said that whenever Universal makes a decision, introducing that idea in other parks worldwide is always part of the plan.
She used Nintendo World as an example, as it was first introduced at the Universal Studios Hollywood location before being expanded into Epic Universe.
English said that many parts work together to bring the attractions to life, and as technology continues to expand the minds of creative designers, endless ideas can come to life.
One of the goals of the themed experience program is to spread the word to younger audiences that it is a lucrative industry, and opportunities always arise, she said
When Epic Universe construction and brainstorming took off in August of 2019, UCF’s program offered classes at the park and helped with the creative process for rides and visuals.
“It’s probably the first time in these students’ generation that a major themed experience company has opened an entirely brand new park in the United States,” Weishar said. “It’s a magnificent creative opportunity, especially for a program like mine that is training and educating future designers and creative leaders.”
UCF students in the themed experience graduate program engage in local themed entertainment, designed to promote hands-on creative production.
Luis Perez
Weishar said that Universal kept 40% of the graduates who worked with the program on the build for Epic Universe, showing the dedication of students in the program to make the most of opportunities in the industry.
With new expansions and technology, the themed experience program is getting more attention and taking advantage of the opportunities arising
English said her two goals for the program are for students to be industry-ready and for people to see the graduate program as a feeder for the industry.
“My goal is to have students ready to fill the slots as they become available, and for businesses to know they have the best industry because they came from this program,” English said.
Weishar said that the process starts before they even get accepted into the program. Many of the students in the program come from the Rosen campus, engineering majors and more.
“When we accept a student, we are taking their skill set and teaching how to get to themed experiences with the knowledge they already have,” Weishar said.
As Universal continues to expand, whether it’s Pokémon World making its way to the United States or the numerous expansions happening locally, themed experience graduates will continue to have opportunities to showcase their work.