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.
Continue reading “Student theme park clubs”Category: Club/Competition
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.
Thrill Design Competition 2025
The announcement for the 2025 Toronto Metropolitan University Thrill Design Competition went out on 2025 February 25 to every club or school that had previously participated or requested information. 🎉
Continue reading “Thrill Design Competition 2025”TMU Thrill Club history
An enjoyable walk down memory lane preceded my visit to the Thrill Club meeting on 2025 February 5, visiting campus from my sabbatical away. I presented about the history and past activities of the club since its precursor (student research assistants in the THRILL Lab) and establishment as a formal club, and had a chance to think about the great careers that have emerged from the club.
Continue reading “TMU Thrill Club history”2024 Open Qualifying
Welcome to new teams and returning teams, making a record number of teams entered in the 2024 Open Qualifying challenge for TMTDC: Toronto Metropolitan University Thrill Design Competition. We’re currently reviewing the submissions and will send out invitations by the start of August. From there it is a whirlwind of preparation.
Continue reading “2024 Open Qualifying”Thrill Design Competition
The 2024 Toronto Met U Thrill Design Competition is underway with Open Qualifying challenge in the hands of new and returning teams. Teams interested to receive announcement for 2025 should contact us and we will be sure to send an announcement in early 2025.
Continue reading “Thrill Design Competition”Mock competition
Toronto Met Thrill Design Competition is now an established elite experience for students interested in theme park design. The TMU Thrill Club had a taste of the experience over the weekend of 22 – 26 March 2024, braving a big dump of snow to get to the challenge reveal. One attraction design challenge, and the luxury of FOUR days to tackle it! (The Invitational has a maximum of three, and as little as ONE day to design a challenge response!) As usual, all challenge details are top secret, so nothing more to say here. Teams presented to a fantastic professional jury comprised of Peter Marshall (FORREC), Joelle Javier (TSSA) and Jake Fulton (outgoing Club President and TMU 2024 grad joining Universal Destinations and Experiences).
Human factors in amusement rides and attractions
Virtual visit to Queen’s U
Themed Entertainment Development Team (QTEDT)
Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.
Continue reading “Human factors in amusement rides and attractions”Thrill Design Competition
The competition originally known as the “Ryerson Invitational Thrill Design Competition” was renamed with the renaming of the University, and is now known as the Toronto Metropolitan University Thrill Design Competition. In addition, in 2022, we introduced an Open Qualifying (OQ) competition in the summer, to select teams for invitation to the TMU Thrill Design Invitational, taking place at Universal Orlando Resort.
Thrill Club project demo
Shortly after the Thrill Club began developing a scale model dark ride for its future activities, we had the opportunity to offer a demonstration for an audience of amusement ride safety inspectors, owners, and others at the annual TSSA Ride Safety Seminar in Niagara Falls. A smaller scale first draft model was quickly completed and packed for transport! Club president Jake Fulton attended the safety seminar and enjoyed great professional networking and continuing education hours as well.
