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TEA recently presented its latest tributes to the creators and developers of compelling entertaining, historical and educational places that exemplify the value of globally engaging themed entertainment and experience design. Matt Kerr summarises the 20th annual Thea Awards – hosted earier this year at the Disneyland Resort in California – and the international attractions that have garnered the coveted Thea tribute.
Recognising a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements Award: Buzz Price As a child, Garner Holt was so amazed by a Wonderful World of Disney episode of the Haunted Mansion that he decided he would create animatronics for a living. Flash forward to 2014 and he has generated a decades-long portfolio of amazing animatronics, parade floats and other fantastic scenery and theming elements that redefine story creation, technical artistry and engineering wizardry.
At 18, Garner applied to Disney’s MAPO division where all of the mechanical animation was then manufactured. His portfolio showed animated figures that he’d been building since age 12, but was told: “Disney has all the professional animation builders it needs”. So Garner expanded his operation over the years, building animations and shows for clients worldwide.
Garner’s advice – put enough perseverance and focus on your dreams, and they will come true. In time, you will become the very best in your business.
Garner Holt is now the largest animation show manufacturing operation worldwide and a key contractor for Disney because of their rigorous attention to quality. Little Mermaid, Haunted Mansion and Buzz Lightyear are just a few of their amazing projects. All this makes Garner a worthy recipient of the Buzz Price Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Garner Holt persevered with his dreams
Karen McGee
BRC Imagination Arts Award: Distinguished service The TEA is proud to present the 2014 Distinguished Service Award to Karen McGee – executive assistant with BRC Imagination Arts – in recognition of her outstanding contributions as a member “above & beyond the call of duty” to the association.
As the coordinator for the Awards Nominating Committee for over 12 years, Karen administers and manages all of the applications, submissions, nominations, media presentations, record-keeping and committee communications for the Thea Awards Judging Committee.
In addition to her work with the TEA, Karen has helped create and plan philanthropic events for such charities as Cystic Fibrosis, Bay Area Lupus, Scleroderma and Stanford Kidney Research, Family Promise, Bridge to Home Shelter, Single Mothers Outreach, Breast Cancer and many others.
Karen McGee
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room Anaheim, CA, USA Award: Classic This year’s Classic Award winner, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, celebrated its 50th anniversary in June 2013. Pre-dating Disney’s Carousel of Progress, Great Moments with Mr Lincoln and Pirates of the Caribbean, it is the longest-running theatre show in the industry.
The world’s first “theatre-in-the-round” audio-animatronics show, the Enchanted Tiki Room stars 225 animated singing birds and flowers in an island-inspired musical revue. When introduced in 1963, this immersive experience – filled with entertaining characters, fun songs and innovative technology – brought story and characters to life in a whole new way. This new technology soon became one of the dominant tools used by designers and engineers in our industry. Animatronics for Abraham Lincoln, Pirates of the Caribbean, and many other Disney attractions wouldn’t have been possible without it.
Tiki Room also introduced the first original song created for a Disney park show: “In The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room”, written by Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman a year before they won an Academy Award for Mary Poppins. Story-tunes for other Disney Park shows would follow, such as “It’s A Small World”, “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” and “One Little Spark”.
The Orange County Register reported, “The basement was as big as the Tiki Room, and filled with all kinds of control cabinets, air valves and more” and went on to say, “Now you could probably put all the audio and programming data on a laptop!” Walt Disney’s drive to “blend creative imagination with technical know-how” had its first complete show example in Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room.
Not only is the Tiki Room a much-loved fan favourite, it launched a 3D animation sector that influenced attractions created for practically all theme parks worldwide.
TEA recently presented its latest tributes to the creators and developers of compelling entertaining, historical and educational places that exemplify the value of globally engaging themed entertainment and experience design. Matt Kerr summarises the 20th annual Thea Awards – hosted earier this year at the Disneyland Resort in California – and the international attractions that have garnered the coveted Thea tribute.
Recognising a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements Award: Buzz Price As a child, Garner Holt was so amazed by a Wonderful World of Disney episode of the Haunted Mansion that he decided he would create animatronics for a living. Flash forward to 2014 and he has generated a decades-long portfolio of amazing animatronics, parade floats and other fantastic scenery and theming elements that redefine story creation, technical artistry and engineering wizardry.
At 18, Garner applied to Disney’s MAPO division where all of the mechanical animation was then manufactured. His portfolio showed animated figures that he’d been building since age 12, but was told: “Disney has all the professional animation builders it needs”. So Garner expanded his operation over the years, building animations and shows for clients worldwide.
Garner’s advice – put enough perseverance and focus on your dreams, and they will come true. In time, you will become the very best in your business.
Garner Holt is now the largest animation show manufacturing operation worldwide and a key contractor for Disney because of their rigorous attention to quality. Little Mermaid, Haunted Mansion and Buzz Lightyear are just a few of their amazing projects. All this makes Garner a worthy recipient of the Buzz Price Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Garner Holt persevered with his dreams
Karen McGee
BRC Imagination Arts Award: Distinguished service The TEA is proud to present the 2014 Distinguished Service Award to Karen McGee – executive assistant with BRC Imagination Arts – in recognition of her outstanding contributions as a member “above & beyond the call of duty” to the association.
As the coordinator for the Awards Nominating Committee for over 12 years, Karen administers and manages all of the applications, submissions, nominations, media presentations, record-keeping and committee communications for the Thea Awards Judging Committee.
In addition to her work with the TEA, Karen has helped create and plan philanthropic events for such charities as Cystic Fibrosis, Bay Area Lupus, Scleroderma and Stanford Kidney Research, Family Promise, Bridge to Home Shelter, Single Mothers Outreach, Breast Cancer and many others.
Karen McGee
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room Anaheim, CA, USA Award: Classic This year’s Classic Award winner, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, celebrated its 50th anniversary in June 2013. Pre-dating Disney’s Carousel of Progress, Great Moments with Mr Lincoln and Pirates of the Caribbean, it is the longest-running theatre show in the industry.
The world’s first “theatre-in-the-round” audio-animatronics show, the Enchanted Tiki Room stars 225 animated singing birds and flowers in an island-inspired musical revue. When introduced in 1963, this immersive experience – filled with entertaining characters, fun songs and innovative technology – brought story and characters to life in a whole new way. This new technology soon became one of the dominant tools used by designers and engineers in our industry. Animatronics for Abraham Lincoln, Pirates of the Caribbean, and many other Disney attractions wouldn’t have been possible without it.
Tiki Room also introduced the first original song created for a Disney park show: “In The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room”, written by Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman a year before they won an Academy Award for Mary Poppins. Story-tunes for other Disney Park shows would follow, such as “It’s A Small World”, “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” and “One Little Spark”.
The Orange County Register reported, “The basement was as big as the Tiki Room, and filled with all kinds of control cabinets, air valves and more” and went on to say, “Now you could probably put all the audio and programming data on a laptop!” Walt Disney’s drive to “blend creative imagination with technical know-how” had its first complete show example in Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room.
Not only is the Tiki Room a much-loved fan favourite, it launched a 3D animation sector that influenced attractions created for practically all theme parks worldwide.
The Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) charity has announced its first five-
day Living with Cancer and Beyond retreat, which will be held at Carden Park Hotel and Spa in
Cheshire, UK, between 1 and 5 September.
Patmos Aktis, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, has opened in Greece, with a renovated and
rebranded wellness offering called Ansana Wellness and Spa.
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property in Hawaii, US, has opened its
22,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor Spa at Mauna Kea as the final step in the property’s overall
renovation, which has cost more than US$180 million (€166 million, £140 mill
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
