Disney's Evening Sweep as IAAPA Reveals Brass Ring Award Finalists

But only one can win....

IAAPA has announced the finalists for their 2025 Brass Ring Excellence Awards, with Disney getting represented in various categories. 

What’s Happening: 

  • Today, IAAPA - the global association for the attractions industry - announced the finalists for the 2025 Brass Ring Excellence Awards. 
  • The Brass Ring Excellence Awards are among the most prestigious honors in the global attractions industry, recognizing organizations that push boundaries, elevate guest experiences, and demonstrate operational excellence across all facets of the business.
  • The top three finalists were chosen by each of IAAPA’s awards judging task forces as it relates to their respective award category. 
  • This year’s finalists represent attractions, destinations, and experiences from around the world, showcasing how creativity, collaboration, and commitment to excellence continue to shape the future of the attractions industry. Each finalist exemplifies best-in-class execution within their category and serves as an inspiration to industry peers worldwide.
  • Official winners will be announced on Feb. 5, 2026, and celebrated at this year’s IAAPA Honors, taking place May 12–14 in Xcaret, Mexico.
  • Check out the finalists below, with Disney finalists highlighted in bold: 

Best Talent Acquisition Program:

  • FACE Amusement, Downtown Flavortown Talent Acquisition Program
  • Qiddiya Investment Company, Six Flags & Aquarabia Talent Acquisition Program
  • Europa-Park Resort, Europa-Park Hotel School Collaboration Program

Best Training Program: 

  • Fort Wayne Zoo, Zooprint Training Program
  • Ocean Park Corporation, Marvellous Villager Part-Time
  • The Entertainment and Education Group, Guest U Connect Training

Best Health and Wellness Program:

  • Gröna Lund, Re:Boot
  • Beach Park, Taking Care of You
  • Slidewaters/Lake Chelan Waterpark, Wave Mates

Best Reward, Recognition, and Retention Program:

  • Parques Reunidos, WOW Service Program
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Boardwalk's Best
  • The Entertainment and Education Group, Day Maker

Best New Food & Beverage Build: 

  • Universal Horror Unleashed, The Boiler
  • Meow Wolf Grapevine, Prime Materia
  • teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, Anko

Best New F&B Special Event or Festival: 

  • Vancouver Aquarium, Night at the Aquarium
  • Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park, Cherry Jubilee
  • Kolmården, Bamse’s Magical Dining Adventure

Best New Menu Item - Limited Operation:

  • Fantasy Island Amusement Park, Taste of the Park
  • Lagoon Amusement Park, The Peacock Float
  • Lakeside Surf/Slidewaters Waterpark, Coconut Curl Shrimp Taco

Best New Menu Item - Year-Round Operation: 

  • Hersheypark, All Day Souvenir Cup Vending Machine
  • Universal Horror Unleashed, Death By Chocolate
  • Parque Diversiones, Asociación Pro-Hospital Nacional de Niños, Helado Tornado

Most Creative Atmosphere Production: 

  • Universal Studios Japan, Melting Pot
  • Universal Studios Singapore, Minions Summer Street Party
  • Universal Beijing Resort, Universal Spring Carnival Party

Most Creative Halloween Production: 

  • Six Flags Parks, Conjuring Beyond Fear
  • Universal Studios Singapore, Once Upon A Time... To Die
  • Tokyo Disney Resort, The Villains' Halloween... "Into The Frenzy Parade"

Most Creative Spectacle: 

Most Creative Theatrical Production - Limited Operation:

  • Kolmården, The Enchanted Golden Egg
  • Dollywood Parks and Resorts, From the Heart: The Life and Music of Dolly Parton
  • Dollywood Parks and Resorts, Play On: A Celebration of 40 Years of Dollywood

Most Creative Theatrical Production - Year-Round Operation:

  • Puy Du Fou España, El Misterio de Sorbaces
  • Disney Cruise Line, Disney Treasure, Disney The Tale of Moana
  • Puy Du Fou España, A Pluma y Espada

Most Creative Holiday Production:

  • Europa-Park Resort, Winter Zirkus Revue
  • Busch Gardens Tampa, Christmas On Ice
  • Universal Beijing Resort, Universal Winter Holiday: This Time of Year Is

The Showstopper: 

  • Universal Beijing Resort, Universal Cool Summer: Battle of the Bands
  • Image Engineering, MLB All Star Game: Hank Aaron Tribute Home Run Comet
  • Georgia Aquarium, Ocean Lights featuring Glow Sync Air

Most Creative Digital Marketing Campaign

  • Liseberg, The Weather Game
  • Gröna Lund, Carpe Diem
  • Morey's Piers, AI Can't Work Morey's

Most Creative Integrated Marketing Campaign

  • SeaWorld Orlando, Howl-O-Scream 5 Years of Fear
  • Doha Quest, Discover Your Quest Self
  • Yas Island Abu Dhabi, What Can’t We Do

Most Creative Outdoor Advertisement

  • SeaWorld Orlando, Big City Penguins
  • Morey's Piers, Jaws Will Drop
  • Universal Beijing Resort, New Brand Campaign OOH: No Boundaries Infinite Universe

Most Creative Social Media Marketing Campaign

  • Ocean Park Hong Kong, PandaHK: A Social Media Celebration Honoring the Twin Cubs’ 1st Birthday
  • City of Dreams Resorts Limited, The Once-In-A-Lifetime Aquatic Show
  • Jungle Island, Baby Capybara Yoga Campaign

Best Collective Visual Merchandise Display

  • Warner Bros. Movie World, The Wizard of Oz Merchandise Display
  • Universal Studios Japan, Halloween Horror Nights HamiKuma
  • Xcaret Park, Main Plaza: Raíces de México

Best Custom Retail Souvenir

  • Disneyland, Key to Disneyland
  • Vancouver Aquarium, Rescue Otter Plush
  • Beach Park, Parque Arvorar, Arvorar Magic T-Shirt

Best Customized Game Prize

  • Dollywood Parks and Resorts, Cinnamon Bread Plush
  • Morey's Piers, Bruce - Great White Shark
  • Europa-Park Resort, Ed & Edda (50th Anniversary Edition)

Best Individual Merchandise Display

  • Sky Pirates of Mermaid Bay, Kraken Merchandise Display
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Clammin'
  • Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver Aquarium's Otterly Adorable Display

Best Sustainability Program

  • Grupo Xcaret, Xustainability: Grupo Xcaret´s Sustainability Model
  • Disney Consumer Products, Disney Figurine Set Sustainable Packaging Program
  • Efteling, A Sustainable World of Wonders

Top FEC of the Year

  • HUPALUPA Istanbul
  • Spy Ninjas HQ
  • HALL U NEED

Top LBE of the Year

  • FG Big Wheel
  • Deutschlandmuseum
  • Sixty to Escape Woodfield

To Completely Editorialize: 

  • Disney has a clean sweep in the Most Creative Spectacle category, promising that the company will take home that award. 
  • However, of the three nominees - World of Color Happiness, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, and Disney Tales of Magic - for me, the winner is quite obvious. 
  • That title SHOULD go to Disney Tales of Magic, which takes over the night sky above Disneyland Paris with projections down Main Street USA, fireworks from Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant, and most stunning of all - Drones. 
  • The soundtrack is fantastic, the projections are absolutely vivid, and the drones add an impressive level of theatricality that is not seen anywhere in the Disney Parks in the states. 
  • While a new World of Color would have had my attention almost any other year, World of Color Happiness (which I’ve already shared my thoughts on) does not live up to the bar that was set by other iterations of the Disney California Adventure spectacular. 
  • As for Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, the same can be said. While it is great to have a nighttime parade at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World once again, the spectacle - as pretty as it is to look at - feels small and simple in comparison to other nighttime parades at the Disney Parks around the globe. 
  • Check out our video of what I think SHOULD take home the award in our video below. 


Tony Betti
Originally from California where he studied a dying artform (hand-drawn animation), Tony has spent most of his adult life in the theme parks of Orlando. When he’s not writing for LP, he’s usually watching and studying something animated or arguing about “the good ole’ days” at the parks.
View all articles by Tony Betti