PortAventura, Europa-Park and The Nest among winners of 27th annual TEA Thea Awards
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) has revealed the winners of its 2020 Thea Awards.
Winners this year – the 27th edition of the awards – include PortAventure World in Spain, which nabbed the Best Attraction award for its Sesame Street: Street Mission area.
Combining the popular Sesame Street characters with an engaging storyline and a bespoke gaming system, the attraction was deemed to create "a unique family attraction worthy of recognition".
In its assessment, the TEA jury said: "It powerfully illustrates how major IP-based attractions can be executed with excellence at theme parks anywhere in the world.
"After years of wondering exactly 'how to get to Sesame Street,' we now know it’s at PortAventura."
Other winners in the "attractions" category included The Twilight Saga: Midnight Ride at the Lionsgate Entertainment World in Zhuhai, China, which was recognised for its multi-rider, multisensory, interactive virtual reality experience.
The ride sees guests climb aboard their own motorbikes, each with its own multi-axis motion platform and lightweight, sanitary VR headset. Riders are greeted by Jacob, who introduces them to their mission: to ride out with the wolf pack to combat the vampire newborns prowling the forest.
Meanwhile, The Buzz Price Thea Award – given to an individual for a lifetime of distinguished achievements – was this year given to Bob Weis, president of Walt Disney Imagineering.
The 73-year-old industry veteran has been the creative and design lead for some of Disney’s largest and most successful parks.
"Bob's portfolio of work is unparalleled and recognised by the industry, his peers and the tens of millions of visitors as among the best," the TEA judging panel said.
"The admiration he has earned from our community over the decades is rooted in his authentic leadership style – that of a world-class visionary who is sincerely modest, selfless and kind."
Launched in 1994, the Thea Awards celebrate achievement, talent and personal excellence within the themed entertainment industry and have become internationally recognized as a symbol of excellence.
In total, there were 19 winners selected this year. See below the full list:
The Buzz Price Thea Award – Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements
Bob Weis, president of Walt Disney Imagineering
Thea ClassicBlackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, United Kingdom
TEA Peter Chernack Distinguished Service Award (recognizing exceptional volunteer service to the Association)
Dale Sprague – Canyon Creative
Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement (AOA)
• Entrance Experience Limited Budget – St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, St.Louis Missouri, USA
• Attraction – Sesame Street: Street Mission, PortAventura World, Tarragona, Spain (Attraction)
• Attraction – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, FL and Disneyland Park, CA, USA
• Live Show Spectacular – Qu Yuan, Jingzhou Oriental Heritage Park, Hubei China
• Attraction – The Twilight Saga: Midnight Ride, Lionsgate Entertainment World, Zhuhai, China
• Attraction Limited Budget – Snorri Touren, Europa-Park, Rust, Germany
• Technical Innovation – ARGUS LED Dome System
• Touring Exhibition, Limited Budget – Amazing Pollinators
• Live Attraction Spectacular – The Bourne Stuntacular, Universal Studios Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
• Connected/Immersive Storytelling – The Nest, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Attraction – Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Orlando, Florida, USA
• Immersive Design for Special Needs Guests – D.R.E.A.M. Centre, Chailey Heritage Foundation, Lewes, UK
• Museum Exhibit Design, Limited Budget) – “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall,” National Geographic Museum, Washington DC, USA
• Themed Hotel – Les Quais de Lutèce Hotel, Parc Astérix, France
• Technological Innovation of Industry Significance – Tait Navigator Automation and Show Control Platform
• Airport Destination Experience – Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore
PoartAventura TEA THEA THemed entertainment Blackpool DisneyTEA launches TEA Digital to keep attractions industry connected throughout COVID-19 outbreak
TEA postpones Summit, Thea Awards and SATE Europe as coronavirus continues to spread
IAAPA 2019: TEA reveals 26th annual recipients of prestigious Thea Awards
FEATURE: Awards – Awards season
Bob Rogers hands BRC to long-serving leadership team
Wellness care hospital opens in Vilnius with innovative spa and hospitality concept
Universal and Puy du Fou projects point to rise of Oxford–Cambridge corridor
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’ planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism investment.
For years, the corridor has been associated primarily with science, technology, housing and university-led economic growth. However, the clustering of large-scale visitor attraction projects along the
All-inclusive eco-wellness development Auko to open near Vietnam’s Son Doong caves
Shedd Aquarium upgrades its visitor experience with new Immersion Theater
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional revenue opportunities.
The attraction has transformed the aquarium’s Phelps Auditorium into a multi-sensory venue combining panoramic projection, environmental effects and interactive technology.
A new pre-show area allows visitors to engage with augmented reality marine animals before entering the
MCR is planning a luxury hotel for London's BT Tower
Joy as a radical act: Yinka Ilori launches solo exhibition celebrating the rebellious power of spreading happiness
Work gets underway on Madrid's €800 million leisure complex
Work is underway in Madrid on one of Europe’s most significant multi-functional complexes, combining sport, entertainment, culture and education.
The €800 million initiative to regenerate the former Olympic Aquatic Centre in the north-east of the city, next to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, is being led by Barsento – a joint venture between Live Nation Entertainment, Oak View Group and Atlético de Madrid. The project will
Therme Manchester reveals 90:90 strategy – 90 per cent of the UK population within a 90-minute drive of a Therme
Four Seasons’ Naples Beach Club opens 2,800sq m Sanctuary spa inspired by indigenous Calusa people
Orient Express Corinthian to host Ocean Rebirth wellness retreat in collaboration with Guerlain
Famed London nightclub, Tramp, launches Tramp Health
First look: Miraval opens on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia
Hainan Science Museum by Ma Yansong, opens in China
A new science museum has opened to the public in Haikou after attracting more than 350,000 visitors during a four-month soft opening period.
Designed by Ma Yansong and his practice MAD Architects, the Hainan Science Museum is located on the edge of Wuyuan River National Wetland Park and has already recorded peak attendance of more than 5,800 visitors in a single day.
Commissioned by




















