Adirondack Studios

To close out our Week of Thankfulness, we above all want to express our gratitude to our global team. Our 300+ welders, artists, accountants, administrators, salespeople, sculptors, carpenters, crafters, painters, project managers, electricians and more #makeascene with us and for us every day, turning dreams into destinations and "blue sky" ideas into red carpet moments. We simply could not have lasted a year - much less 50 -without them. We also thank you - our clients, collaborators and partners - for trusting in and collaborating with us. Our US offices will be closed tomorrow and Friday so our teams can celebrate the people and things they are thankful for, but we look forward to returning Monday rested and ready to keep designing, fabricating, developing, creating and collaborating. #wemakeascene #thanksgiving #thankyou

We continue our posts of gratitude with a deep hat tip to IAAPA for an exquisite Expo. Not only did it enable us to forge new industry partnerships and swap stories with treasured old friends, but it also provided our internal team with the opportunity to reconnect and celebrate our collective successes. It also served as the perfect kickoff for our 50th Anniversary celebrations! "The incorporation of intellectual property into attractions is only accelerating, so that was a definite trend I observed," said Jeff Moulton, VP of Project Delivery. "In addition, accessibility and mental and physical wellbeing were a topic of much discussion, and both are areas where small cultural changes can make a sizable impact. But I was most excited about meeting the new wave of leaders at various events like IAAPA Career Slam. It's encouraging to see how passionate young people are about our industry." "IAAPA Expo was such an amazing experience," said Steve Smith, Business Development Specialist. "I got to meet so many talented people, dive into some great sessions, and celebrate ADKS' 50th Anniversary with friends old and new. It was a week of creativity, connection and inspiration, and I'm heading home feeling energized and excited about what's next." "Collectively, we held over 70 meetings with colleagues, clients and partners throughout IAAPA Week," added Clara Rice, Director of Global Marketing. "What really struck me from both those meetings and the educational sessions is that the lines between verticals (and even regions) are blurring. Partnerships are forming between companies across oceans and time zones. Themed experiences are fusing with retail and food and beverage and waterparks and festivals. It's thrilling to see it all take shape. To steal a line from Wicked, 'together we're unlimited.'" And so, to those who attended #IAAPAExpo, thank you. Thank you for your creativity, your openness, your innovativeness, and your inability to take 'no' for an answer. You are the future - and we look forward to sharing that future with you. #Thanksgiving #gratitude #wemakeascene

It's Thanksgiving Week, and we have a lot to be grateful for, including the addition of two new team members to our Pasadena creative studio! Alex Pandjiris | Project Lead Designer With over 15 years of experience in themed entertainment design, Alex has designed large-scale projects through all phases from initial concept through installation. She has played a key role on projects including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Warner Bros. Abu Dhabi, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Despicable Me, Lilo + Stitch, Cars Land, and Pandora: World of Avatar. Alex enjoys leading teams in creating fabrication models and drawings that provide a bridge between design and production. She has also worked in Production as a CNC Programmer, Production Manager, Carpenter, and Interactives Fabricator and Programmer. Alex is a member of IATSE Local 44, where she has provided fabrication design for TV and Film projects such as Obi Wan, Picard, Mandalorian, and American Ninja Warrior, where she learned she may never be a ninja. Outside of work, Alex volunteers each weekend at the LA County dog shelter and enjoys hiking with her two dogs. She still hopes to be a left winger in the NHL someday. 🏒 --- Koryn Wicks | Project Coordinator Koryn Wicks is an immersive creator and choreographer whose work integrates dance, theater and interactive media.   In 2019, Koryn won the Grand Prize at the LA Immersive Invitational. Her immersive work has been featured in Slamdance, the Denver Film Festival, and FIVARS (Festival of International Virtual & Augmented Reality Stories), as well as throughout the U.S., Canada, and internationally. She also choreographs for film, television and music videos, recently including an ABC pilot and a music video for the billboard topping artist SHAED. She has taught dance and immersive performance at CalArts and other institutions throughout Southern California and holds an MFA in Dance from University of California, Irvine. Outside of the office and dance studio, Koryn enjoys horror movies, records, museums, hiking, camping and her geriatric Chihuahua, Lennon. 🐕 Please express your thanks to Alex and Koryn for joining us. We can't wait to see what they create! #wemakeascene #thanksgiving #design #projectmanagement

Time to celebrate (again)! Congratulations to the entire team behind Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea, which will receive the Themed Entertainment Association 2025 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement - Theme Park Land! #TheaAwards

What a week! We're excited to announce that ADKS President/Principal, Michael Blau, has been named to the 2024 Blooloop 50 Theme Park Influencer List! Michael received the award for his legacy of industry leadership, including a term as President of the Themed Entertainment Association. He was also recognized for his 21-year tenure at Adirondack Studios, where he has progressed from Art Director to President, fostered the company’s current success, and is positioning ADKS and its global team for a sustainable future. Join us in congratulating Michael and the entire slate of Theme Park, Museum, Immersive, and Zoo/Aquarium Influencers! Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gdt24YQk. #blooloop50 #wemakeascene

We are thrilled to announce that Adirondack Studios has collaborated with The Luna Entertainment Group and Universal Orlando Resort to create Wicked: The Experience. This collaboration is in celebration of the highly anticipated release of Universal Pictures’ Wicked, coming to cinemas this November.    ADKS was honored to fabricate and install the experience’s show sets, and we can’t wait for visitors to immerse themselves in the experience, where they can view artifacts and enjoy photo opportunities, exclusive merchandise, plus much more!    For more information, visit here: https://lnkd.in/g-jk5wYW.   A tremendous thank you to the entire team at Universal Orlando Resort, The Luna Entertainment Group, and to our own team of artisans and craftspeople who help our clients’ ideas defy gravity every day: Clayton Altman, Damien Andersen, Jordan Auclaire, Quinn Bakke, Riley Barczewski, Jordin Bardin, Benjamin Batkay, Ellyzabeth Bencivenga-Gamage, Brian Bentley, Wendy Bink, Margaret Bollendorf, Meaghan Carpentier, Edwin Cathcart, Daniel Clancy, Jada Clement, Abigail Cox, Derian David, Joel Deurmeier, Sean Donohue, Breanna Donovan, Austin Drake, Billy Eisner, Raylen Farries, Efrain Figueroa, John Grant, Peter Gray, Seth Harkins, Courtney Harwood, Katelyne Harwood, Tim Heffelfinger, Frank Hererra, Olivia Hill, Steve Howey, Kurt Jilek, Bradley Koopmann, Karen Koziol, Matt Johnson, Christopher K., Nicole Labbe, Marc LaFrance, Ronit (Ro) Liberman, Andrew Lippens, Bill MacDonald, Lauren Metz, Robert Milstid, Michelle Molea, Jeff Moulton, Bruce Nancarrow, Alex Norton, Forrest Norton, Charlotte ODell, Nathan Paul, Rob Rathbun, Ysabelle Rattray, Matt Reardon, Jordyn Rennemann, Clara Rice, Jesus Rivera, Karissa Roberts, Tim Setchell, Noah Schmitt, Natalie Shires, Jessie Shur, Marshall Stevens, Chase Sutton, Lee Timmons, Chris Tsimbidis, Corey Tyler, Larry Walls, Park Warne, Robert Willard #WickedMovie #wemakeascene

Congratulations to Clara Rice, ADKS Director of Global Marketing, for being named to the Themed Entertainment Association International Board of Directors! Clara's service to the TEA began in 2011 as a member of the TEA NextGen Committee, which she then chaired from 2013-2015. Since then, she has served as a member and Vice President of the Eastern North America Board, member and Vice President of the International Board, and Chair of the Fundraising Committee. She now Chairs the TEA Wellness Council and will also lead the Global Marketing Committee. Our support of the TEA and Clara in this role aligns with our commitment to fostering a strong and thriving global themed entertainment community. We love that she's making a scene not just at ADKS but the world over! #wemakeascene #TEA

Get in the game! If you're at #IAAPAExpo, don't forget to pick up the latest issue of InPark Magazine at Booth 2071, featuring our 50th Anniversary board game! Members of the InPark and ADKS teams will have commemorative dice and game pieces so you can learn about our five-decade legacy and have fun in the process! Want to discover how we can #makeascene together? Send us a DM, and we look forward to talking with you! #wemakeascene #fabrication #design #scenic

"For 15 years to have passed and to have this renaissance for Tiana and 'The Princess and the Frog' is just phenomenal" - Anika Noni Rose Congratulations to everyone involved in the creation of Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disneyland, which opened today! We're thrilled that Rose, who starred as Tiana in the beloved film, loved the ride, and we hope all Disneyland visitors will too! ABC7 Los Angeles #Disneyland

In our estimation, this is a pretty exciting announcement! We are excited to welcome Zane Wayneright to the Adirondack Studios Estimating team, operating out of our Pasadena, California studio. Zane Wayneright (he/they) is a Southern Californian artist who has worked in entertainment and theatre for over fifteen years as a technician and designer. Since Graduating with a BA in Technical Theatre and Theatrical Design from California State University, Long Beach, Zane has honed their craft by exploring a variety of art forms and trades. For the last two years, they held the position of Stage Supervisor for the Kirk Douglas Theatre, and prior to the pandemic, Zane worked all over Los Angeles as a carpenter, rigger, scenic artist, head electrician, and production assistant, including places such as Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge, the El Capitan Theatre. Most recently, they designed props for East West Player’s production of Kairos and served as one of ADKS’ Site Supervisors for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Outside of their professional life, Zane enjoys creating various forms of digital art, from 3D models to digital zines and paintings, and cooking. Story telling has always been a passion of Zane’s, and they love to create stories and art centered on community. When not making art, Zane can be found travelling or spending time with their two huskies. We look forward to Zane's contributions and think our successes will only "multiply" with the help of their expertise! #wemakeascene #estimation