Category: THRILL

TMTDC 2026

Response to the 2026 Open Qualifying stage of the Toronto Metropolitan Thrill Design Competition was strong! We were able to invite teams from 35 universities to compete at the Invitational in November. Team rosters and rooming configurations are due September 09.

Teams will travel for arrival on November 11 (Wednesday).

The program begins early November 12 (Thursday)

Challenge presentations are scheduled Friday through Sunday.

IAAPA Expo Educational programming begins November 16 (Monday). The record-breaking exhibit halls open on November 17 (Tuesday) following the IAAPA Official Opening “kickoff” session, at which students can hear what the industry itself considers the most remarkable achievements and trends of the past year.

Due to the capacity limitations, we cannot invite every interested club/group to a challenge. We have offered the opportunity for non-competing clubs/groups to send a small Development Program delegation to observe on Saturday / Sunday AND receive IAAPA Expo admission. Interested clubs/groups may be in touch with us. We have a form for teams to request to be added to our mailing list. Any clubs/groups added through August 31 will receive information about the Development Program.

Thrill Design Competition

Information for faculty

Faculty guiding student teams or making decisions about giving academic consideration to student participation at the Toronto Metropolitan University Thrill Design Competition may wish to review some past publications about the competition to understand its design as a learning experience, and its results to date. Links are provided to some publications.

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Curricular considerations for engineering in themed entertainment

Paper presented to 2024 Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Symposium

Engineers contribute to attraction design, manufacture, systems integration, construction, installation, commissioning, and regulatory approval of attractions including amusement ride and show components from multiple manufacturers sourced from around the world, to be operated at venues ranging from major fixed-site theme parks to travelling carnivals.

Some branches of engineering education explicitly identify an application domain, but no specific theme park and amusement ride engineering program exists, nor is establishment of one likely. This paper begins a discussion of complementary learning goals applicable to engineers aspiring to theme park engineering careers. 

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Ride accident reporting still piecemeal, June 2026

A court in Greece has reportedly sentenced owners and liable personnel over a fatal injury in August 2024. The owner of a Halkidiki amusement park was sentenced to life in prison, with his co-owner/wife sentenced to 9 years for complicity, the certifying engineer to 13 years, and the ride operator to 6 years.

This post revisits an earlier topic of piecemeal reporting on ride accidents, and the impact on the general public who do not have time to scour the internet, laws, regulations, standards, and ride catalogs for more information.

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World’s Largest Swimming Lesson

2026 edition – June 25
locations worldwide!

Since 2010, “Team WLSL” from the aquatics industry has produced a worldwide day of swimming lessons. Taking place 2026 June 25, many local host locations including waterparks and other aquatic facilities will have learn-to-swim and water safety skills events. Tens of thousands of people will participate around the world. Look for an event near you.

Find a local event

Swimming lessons save lives.

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Student theme park clubs

University theme-park clubs are becoming more common. Amusement rides and theme-park-going is a familiar activity for most students. To tell stories or deliver immersive experiences begins with the crafting of the story or theme itself, and numerous creative disciplines contribute to the project execution, including architecture, landscape architecture, environmental graphics, interior design, set design to tell those stories in compelling places. They also contain a variety of technologies, from structures and mechanisms to digital media to deliver the immersive storytelling. The choice of which stories and experiences will be presented is based on strategic decisions, extensive economic analysis, and business analytics. Theme parks also contain the management of operational processes from guest-facing hospitality and service delivery to team-facing management and support of diversified employee cohorts, including entertainment and creative fields.

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Early birds

One month before the Open Qualifying round registration deadline, we have 18 teams registered, with a few additional teams starting to fill in the individual and team registration forms. Promotion of the competition is by word of mouth; we don’t use a website and advertising. Any university theme park design club can contact me to inquire. Inquiries after April 30 will receive the 2026 announcement.

The contact person must be a student or a student club. The competition involves a NDA process, which means that competition work cannot be submitted for academic credit or recycled in a portfolio, as faculty, staff, professional mentors, and family cannot see the challenges or help with the solutions.

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