The 2024-25 academic year was another standout for UCF’s Themed Experience graduate programs, which continue to grow in reach, enrollment, faculty and curriculum. Applications increased in both quality and quantity, with a notable rise in out-of-state and international interest.
A new concentration in creative producing was approved and will launch in the 2025-26 academic year. The Master of Science in Themed Experience will now offer two tracks: design and production. UCF will be the first academic program in the field to offer a concentration in creative producing. Adora English, an accomplished executive from Universal Destinations and Experiences, will lead the program.
Students benefited from an impressive lineup of guest speakers this year, including:
- Mike Hightower, retired president of Universal Creative
- Joe Rohde, vice president and renowned Walt Disney Imagineer
- Bob Weis, retired president of Walt Disney Imagineering
- Zolt Hormay, creative vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering
- Bob Rogers, founder and CEO of BRC Communication Arts, and recipient of TEA and IAAPA Lifetime Achievement Awards
Themed Experience students also engaged in exciting industry collaborations. In the fall they partnered with the P1 Motor Club – Florida’s premier private racing club currently in development – to develop concepts for high-end themed racing experiences. P1 will feature more than ten miles of track, club facilities, and residential neighborhoods.
In the spring, students collaborated with Orlando Shakes on its production of Cabaret, designing and implementing a themed lobby and service experience that extended the 1930s Berlin theatre set into a “Kit Kat lobby bar” and adjacent exhibition/dramaturgy space providing historical and emotional context for the show.
Eighteen students and alumni participated in a themed finishes workshop with professionals from Casto Creative, gaining hands-on experience with industry standard materials and techniques used to create decorative concrete and faux finishes in theme parks and luxury venues.
The UCF/Universal Creative Lab course was extended for a third year. This partnership continues to benefit both organizations, providing Universal with skilled applicants and interns, while giving UCF Themed Experience students rare access to the creative and production processes behind world-class attractions and experiences.
