Bringing Imagination to Life: Immersive Worlds & Experiential Entertainment

(3 Credits)

In an era of digital saturation, why are we flocking to physical theme parks, mega-concerts, and "pop-up" worlds at record rates, and how does the global entertainment industry continue to up the game and evolve experiential entertainment into a cultural force? Using the Disney model of immersive storytelling, placemaking, and operational excellence as a framework, we will audit the machinery of enchantment to understand how theme parks transform media into high-stakes destinations that create shared meaning and economic value. Through case studies and fieldwork in Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s fastest-growing entertainment hubs, we will investigate the logistical, ethical, and psychological architecture of entertainment destination spaces and interview experts from experience designers and engineers to hospitality staff and data collectors of consumer sentiment. Students will analyze how these environments are financed and marketed, who they benefit or exclude, and how they drive tourism and diversify global economies. Ultimately, the course invites students to rethink “fun” itself: as a business strategy, a cultural language, and a powerful engine of human connection.