Join us on Wednesday 15 January 2025 at 4 pm GMT, to discover the latest innovations in thrills. Our guest speakers will share insights into how to thrill your theme park audiences, from Halloween events to roller coasters.
This free online session is part of the blooloop Festival of Innovation.
From 15 to 16 January 2025, this event will gather visitor attraction professionals to hear from industry experts and explore the winners of the 2024 blooloop Innovation Awards, presented with AREA15.
In this session, Lora Sauls, assistant director, creative development and show direction at Universal Orlando Resort, will speak about how the company keeps Halloween Horror Nights content fresh each year and how important it is to listen to what guests like.
Sauls is joined by John Burton, senior creative lead at Merlin Entertainments, who will discuss Merlin’s Halloween offerings and how challenges with Hyperia drove innovation.
Meet the speakers
Lora Sauls
As assistant director, creative development and show direction at Universal Orlando Resort, Lora Sauls leads her team through the creative process and execution of all Universal Orlando marque events, including Halloween Horror Nights, the world’s leading Halloween event.
Sauls joined the Halloween Horror Nights development team at Universal Orlando in 1998. She told blooloop: “My story is kind of unique, but fun. I started at Universal Orlando 28 years ago as a singing and dancing Bride of Frankenstein.
“I never thought that would be my trajectory into Halloween Horror Nights. But 28 years later, I have had the great privilege of working as a show director for the shows, haunted houses and scare zones for Halloween Horror Nights. Now, I have the honor and privilege to lead the team that creates all the content for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando.”
“The team here at Universal Orlando, from the scenic and character designers to the show direction team that I get to lead, we just love what we do, and it really shows,” she added.
John Burton
With a background in architecture and a passion for immersive storytelling, John Burton creates exceptional theme park experiences around the world. He serves as the senior creative lead at Merlin Entertainments‘ Resort Theme Parks division and manages the creative development of renowned parks including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, Gardaland, Heide Park, and Warwick Castle.
Burton’s recent projects include leading the design and implementation of major attractions such as Nemesis Reborn at Alton Towers and Hyperia, the UK’s tallest roller coaster, and oversight of The World of Jumanji at Chessington, which features the world’s first Jumanji-themed coaster, Mandrill Mayhem. Other significant projects include The Curse at Alton Manor, The Walking Dead: The Ride, and Colossos: Kampf Der Giganten.
Innovation Awards
Innovation in Thrills – The Rise of Halloween Events is taking place at 4 pm GMT on Wednesday 15 January 2025. The session will also be available on demand for 30 days after the event.
At the end of this session, we will reveal the winners of the Thrills category in the blooloop Innovation Awards, which celebrate the incredible dynamism, imagination and creativity that drive the attractions business. Attendees in this session can browse all the entries, and vote for their favourite to win our Public Choice Award.
To register to attend this free event, please click here.
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