Student resources
Schools & courses
College & University
It’s never been easier to get a taste of this industry. There are an increasing number of educational offerings in themed experience design, including individual classes, degrees, and masters-level programs. Start your search at the Themed Experience & Attractions Academic Society, where most of these programs are members.
Master classes
Some industry veterans offer master classes to share their expertise. They cover the range from entry level to advanced topics. Here are just a couple:
Theron Skees, veteran WDI executive, at The Designers Creative Studio.
Kile Ozier, master of story and spectacle, at kileozier.com.
Resources
Books
Creating Memorable Worlds: A Journey into Themed Experience Design, Skees
Creative Catalyst: Empowering Experience Design Teams From Ideation to Production, Ozier
Themed Estimating (not yet titled), Jablonski & Kelly (2025)
Scripted Spaces: Story-Driven Design and the Visitor Experience, Tuch (2026)
Imagineering an American Dreamscape: Genesis, Evolution, and Redemption of the Regional Theme Park, Hill
Designing Disney, Hench
Designing Disney’s Theme Parks: The Architecture of Reassurance, Marling
Theme Park Design, Alcorn
The Imagineering Pyramid: Using Disney Theme Park Design Principles to Develop and Promote Your Creative Ideas, Prosperi
Walt's Revolution!: By the Numbers, Price
The Immersive Worlds Handbook: Designing Theme Parks and Consumer Spaces, Lukas
Theme Park Project Management, Usle
Theme Park Sustainability, Usle
Design Is Storytelling, Lupton
Designing Experiences, Rossman & Duerden
Reimagined Worlds: Narrative Placemaking for People, Play, and Purpose, Kerrison
Immersive Storytelling for Real and Imagined Worlds: A Writer's Guide, Kerrison
Integrated Storytelling by Design, Paulsen
There are many more books you should be reading, including books on Imagineering and others. Find the books on this list and see the associated “also boughts” on Amazon.