Members of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) are gathering this week in California for the attractions body’s annual Summit and Thea Awards Gala.

Kicking off on Thursday (5 April) and concluding on Saturday (7 April), the event at the Disneyland Hotel will see more than 700 members of the themed entertainment industry celebrate the best the sector has to offer.

On its first day, the Summit will be worked around a look at where the visitor attractions industry is going, opening with a conversation with Phil Hettema – the 2018 Buzz Price Thea lifetime honouree.

Looking at issues of gender inclusion, the keynote speech will be delivered by Valorie Kondos Field, an award winner for her work as a choreographer with SeaWorld San Diego and head coach of the six-time national champion UCLA Bruins Women's Gymnastics team.

Day two will feature case studies of Thea Award-winning projects. For each case study, attendees will be guided through the process that led the attraction to receive the prestigious accolade.

Among the presentations, attendees will get a closer look at Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disney’s California Adventure; Chimelong Ocean Kingdom’s Journey of Lights Parade; and the Jameson Distillery experience in Dublin, Ireland.

The event will conclude with the Thea Awards Gala, which honours themed entertainment’s finest achievements and greatest contributors. This year’s winners – announced at the IAAPA Expo in November – include the likes of Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Derren Brown’s Ghost Train at Thorpe Park and Efteling’s Symbolica. The Awards are being dedicated to the late Marty Sklar – Disney Legend and recipient of Thea lifetime achievement award (1995) who remained closely involved with TEA and the Thea Awards until his passing last year.

For more information on the TEA Summit and Thea Awards Gala, click here.