Roberta Perry Explains The Attraction Of Themed Attractions As TEA Master

TV & Film

Jun 24

Roberta Perry holding her TEA Master award, with a picture of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad inserted behind I — Image Source: CultureSlate

Roberta Perry is one of the first members of the Themed Entertainment Association, serving as president and being one of the founders of the THEA awards. She launched Edwards Technologies with Brian Edwards, along with her own company, Roberta Perry & Associates. She has worked with clients such as Sega and Videlio-HMS across her many years in the business industry.

In 2020, she was recognised as a TEA Master. Another award of the Themed Entertainment Association that recognises those individuals who have made a lasting impact on the themed entertainment industry. In speaking with Attractions Magazine, Perry reveals many notable things from her time working alongside the themed entertainment industry.

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Main Street USA of Disneyland Anaheim at night — Image Source: Disneyland Resort

At the age of 16, Perry didn’t see the attraction of attractions while on a trip to Disneyland. While her brother was busy getting on all the rides, she sat on a fountain thinking, “There are no cute boys here – there’s nothing to do!” That thinking would change years later when meeting Buzz Price and Marty Sklar, developers of the same Disneyland she had once visited. That meeting would pull her into the themed entertainment industry.

In founding Edwards Technologies, she was part of Universal Studios’ first Orlando project. In attending the forming meeting of TEA, it was there that she would meet Price and Sklar. Where the love of the industry started. From her own words, “it wasn’t a theme park that convinced me; it was the people.” She got to know the people of the industry, see how creative and awesome they were, and wanted in. Her favourite memory comes during her time as president of TEA, where “it was my honour to present Marty Sklar with his Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Perry enjoys immersive experiences, which would be why her favourite attraction is The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. For her first time on it, she “was blown away, and I had to go back again. I had to get back in line, whatever it took to go on that ride again.” The immersion of it, she says, “will live with me forever. And I still think it’s one of the best attractions out there.” That, despite the fact she’s not much of a Spider-Man fan.

Two guests sat in a meeting with a staff member of The Continental in the John Wick Experience — Image Source: ComicBook.com

That love of immersive attractions is most likely why immersive theatre really take off in America. For her, immersive theatre is an excellent experience, an opportunity “to really dive deep into a story line.” An experience where you follow an actor through a story told via the many rooms of that attraction. Different actors have different stories through those rooms, making it an experience that can be shared with friends and family.

Getting to experience more immersive theatre is likely one more reason Perry wants to travel Europe. Touring the theme parks of Europe is something that has been on her bucket list for ages. While part of the THEA committee, she “would see all these amazing European attractions, and the people I met at the THEA gala were just the nicest people.” So naturally, she wants to spend a week hopping around the theme parks of Europe to experience them for herself.

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