The Themed Experience & Attractions Academic Society is holding its 6th annual one-day Symposium. The event is on the final Friday of the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions) Expo in the Orange County Convention Center.

Date/Time: Friday, November 17th – 9:00am – 5:00pm

Location: Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), Orlando, Florida – Room S310ABC

Symposium Agenda

09:00-09:25Welcome and Thanks
Martin Lewison, TEAAS Symposium Chair
Peter Weishar, Chair of TEAAS Steering Committee
Welcome from IAAPA: David Mandt, EVP & Chief Governance Officer, IAAPA, Jakob Wahl, President and CEO, IAAPA, Jorge Cabrera, SVP, People Development, IAAPA  
09:30-10:00AM Keynote: Bethanee Bemis (Museum Specialist, Smithsonian National Museum of American History & Author, Disney Theme Parks and America’s National Narratives:
Mirror, Mirror, for Us All)

“Our Cartoon City Upon a Hill: Why Disney Theme Parks Matter in America”
10:05-10:50Presentation Session I
1.     Carissa Baker (Asst. Prof., Rosen College, Univ. of Central Florida) – “Three-Dimensional Fear: The Presence of Narrative in Theme Park Halloween Event Haunted Houses”
2.     Ava Bender (Univ. of Florida) – “Mary Hallock- Greenewalt’s Light Art — Art & Entertainment in the Early Twentieth Century”
3.     Logan Zawacki (Project Manager, Sally Dark Rides) – “The Multiverse of Learning: Why Every College Should Offer an Interdisciplinary Elective About Themed Entertainment”
10:50-11:05Break
11:05-11:50Presentation Session II
1.     Ady Milman (Prof., Rosen College, Univ. of Central Florida) and Asli D.A. Tasci (Prof., Rosen College, Univ. of Central Florida) – “Understanding Unruly Guest Behavior in Theme Parks”
2.     Kathryn Woodcock (Prof., Toronto Metropolitan Univ.) – “Monitoring Safe Condition of Inflatable Amusement Devices”
3.     Margaret J. King (Director, The Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis) and Jamie O’Boyle (Senior AnalystThe Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis) – “Disney 100: The Disney Effect”
11:50-11:55Nate Naverson, ThemedAttraction.com (Lunch co-sponsor)
11:55 -13:15Poster Session with Lunch
13:15-14:00Presentation Session III
1.     Emma Bashford (Brunel Univ. London) – “GamePortal – Developing a Design Solution which Improves Access to Interactive, Gamified Technologies within Location-Based Entertainment Venues”
2.     Josh Polk (Lecturer, Purdue U. School of Eng. & Tech. Indianapolis) and Christian Rogers (Assoc. Prof., Purdue U. School of Eng. & Tech. Indianapolis)  – “Boiler Gold Rush to Excellence – A Dark Ride Educational Experience”
14:05-14:35PM Keynote: Caro Murphy (Visiting Assoc. Prof., Northeastern U. College of Arts, Media, & Design, Entrepreneur, Game Designer, Creative)

“The Growth of ‘Immersive’ in Themed Experiences”
14:35-15:20 Industry Panel
Michael Libby (Founder & CEO, WorldBuildr)
Val Syganevich (President & Co-Founder, Freckled Sky)
Ray Kallmeyer (CEO, Enklu)
15:20-15:35Break
15:35-16:20Presentation Session IV
1.     Lacey Lober (Univ. of Florida) – “The Smartphone Phenomenon: How Mobile Device Use by Guests Impacts Experience within the Theme Park Realm”
2.     Barbara Burgess-Lefebvre (Assoc. Prof., Robert Morris Univ.) – “Best Practices in Guest Assistance for Disabilities”
3.     Aimee Slater (University of Florida) – “Nostalgia Can’t Be Forgotten: Reviewing The Use of Nostalgia in Theme Parks to Develop a Theory That Will Refine the Balance Between the Ailing Emotion and a Hopeful Outlook
16:20Closing and Thanks, Announcements
Martin Lewison, TEAAS Symposium Chair
Peter Weishar, Chair of TEAAS Steering Committee