Themed Experience Design
Themed experience design is about more than building something beautiful. It’s about building something that works every day: something that holds its audience, rewards repeat visits and delivers the same impact in year three that it did on opening day. The design and the operation have to be planned together from the start. We do both through the combined platform of RWS, JRA, ted and ARC.
How We Approach Themed Experience Design
Most design processes treat the physical environment and the live programming as separate briefs. We don’t. The spatial design, the entertainment programme, the character moments and the operational rhythm are all developed together because they depend on each other.
Creative World-Building
We begin with the experience your guests are entering. What is the world? What does it feel, sound and look like? What story does it tell before a guest reads a single sign? The creative framework we establish at the start is the standard every downstream decision is measured against.
Environmental Design and Production
Our JRA and ted teams design the physical world: architecture, scenic construction, lighting, sound and spatial flow. We produce these elements in our 100,000+ sq ft of studio space in New York and London. From concept through fabrication and installation, the environment is built inside our platform.
Live Entertainment Integration
The live layer is what makes a themed experience a destination rather than a backdrop. We cast, costume and operate the performers, characters and shows that bring the theme to life every day. From a costumed character encounter to a full theatrical production, the human moments are designed into the experience from day one, not added later.
Seasonal Refresh and Ongoing Programming
Themed experience design doesn’t end at opening. We build refresh cycles and new programming into every long-term relationship so the experience keeps earning attention and repeat visits. Our best client relationships span years, not projects.
Trusted by the World’s Leading Destinations
- 1M+ live moments delivered every day worldwide
- Themed experiences operating in 50+ countries across six continents
- Clients include MSC Cruises, Six Flags, Warner Bros. and the NFL
- Named Agency of the Year at the 2025 Sports Technology Awards
Common Questions
We have an existing IP to work with. Do you design original worlds or do you bring licensed properties to life? Both. We design original themed experiences built from a destination’s identity and we create IP-based environments that bring licensed properties to life for guests. In both cases, the design process begins with the same question: what world are guests entering, and how does every spatial and programming decision serve that world?
We are early in planning. Is it too soon to engage a design partner? It’s the best time. Themed experience design decisions made early shape everything that comes after: the scale of the environment, the placement of live entertainment zones and the guest journey architecture. Engaging us at the concept stage typically reduces total project cost and significantly improves the outcome.
Let’s Design an Experience Worth Coming Back To
Tell us your destination, your audience and your vision. We’ll build the themed experience around it.
