Theater 146/446: The Art and Process of Entertainment Design
Spring 2025 | Fridays 2:00-4:50P | Broad 2100A
Discover how world-class theme park rides and immersive experiences—such as escape rooms, pop-ups, and virtual reality—are brought to life. This course explores the creative and technical process behind designing attractions that blend storytelling, technology, and interactive elements to create unforgettable guest experiences.
Through a mix of lectures, group projects, and guest speakers from top industry professionals—including designers, engineers, producers and more—students will gain hands-on experience in themed entertainment and experience design. Topics include ride systems, show design, scenic production, interactive media, and the latest advancements in immersive technology, with case studies on some of the most groundbreaking attractions in the industry.
Open to students of all majors, this course is perfect for anyone interested in theme parks, immersive storytelling, or interactive media. Whether you dream of designing attractions, creating immersive brand experiences, or pushing the boundaries of digital and physical worlds, this class offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at how major brands bring their visions to life.
About the instructors:
Daniel Baker is a creative leader at the intersection of technology and themed entertainment. As an Executive Product Manager at Disney+, he spearheads Interactive & Immersive Experiences (XR/VR/AR), pushing the boundaries of storytelling through cutting-edge technology. With over 14 years at Disney, Daniel has produced award-winning interactive rides and experiences for Disney Parks and Studios, including WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure and the Play Disney Parks app. A former Walt Disney Imagineering producer, he has led teams of artists, designers, and technologists to create groundbreaking digital-physical experiences that bring Disney stories to life in ways never before possible.
Katie Stratford McCarthy is a Producer specializing in the design and fabrication of large scale spaces and experiences. She started her career with a decade at Walt Disney Imagineering, overseeing hundreds of projects across the globe and throughout the production pipeline. Katie is currently part of the leadership team at Martin Brattrud, a contract furniture company that manufactures custom pieces for stadiums, corporate headquarters, and other large scale developments