Beginning January 2022, Disney Parks is launching a reimagined line of educational experiences for visiting student groups that will harness beloved Disney franchises – Star Wars, Pixar, Frozen, etc., as well as Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Live Entertainment.
Disney Imagination Campus, which debuts at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, will involve a collection of interactive workshops, performances and special events touching on a variety of subjects, including performing arts, technology, science, humanities and leadership.
“Our Walt Disney Imagineering partners are renowned for blue sky thinking, masterful storytelling, and creative problem-solving,” said Maryann Smith, Vice President of Sales, Services & Events at Disney Destinations. “We’ve taken these key skills and worked with Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Live Entertainment and other Disney thought leaders to create new educational experiences to challenge students to use their imagination, all within our real-world learning laboratories and performance venues across our theme parks.”
The Disney Imagination Campus curriculum will also leverage a new collaboration with education platform Kahoot! to integrate interactive elements into select Disney Imagination Campus experiences. Kahoot!, which has engaged 5 billion cumulative players since 2013, empowers students to learn through play with its live games, study tools and challenges.
“Kahoot!’s long-standing relationship with Disney is now expanding beyond the classroom, bringing interactive learning experiences to the Disney Parks designed for Disney Imagination Campus students,” said Eilert Hanoa, CEO of Kahoot!. “Whether students are visiting the Disney Parks for a day or participating in workshops, we’ve developed interactive, self-guided challenges that will test their comprehension and retention of key learning objectives during their visit. This is a holistic, groundbreaking, and experiential approach to education.”
In addition to drawing on its decades of experience in the youth education space, Disney collaborated with teachers to develop a uniquely Disney curriculum with a hands-on approach to learning. Based on industry trends, the imagination-powered curriculum emphasizes key performance criteria as well as the critical skills students need to succeed in today’s business world, including leadership, confidence, creative problem-solving and team work.
Carylann Assante, Chief Executive Officer of The Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA) and the SYTA Youth Foundation said, “No matter what workshop a student participates in, the Disney Imagination Campus will inspire creativity, promote exploration, expand thinking and leave a lasting impression!”
The curriculum is based on four educational pillars. They are:
- Performing Arts – Students will engage in workshops taught by world-class Disney entertainment professionals and perform on Disney stages for audiences from around the world.
- Art & Humanities – Students will discover the role that artists play in theme park design through the exploration of artistic media and storytelling.
- Science & Technology – Students will explore how science and technology applies to every element of the theme park experience and is used to create Disney magic for guests.
- Leadership & Innovation – Students will engage in hands-on learning that challenges their creative problem-solving and communication skills based on the real-world business experiences of Disney leaders.
Ahead of the January 2022 launch of Disney Imagination Campus workshops, student groups can learn more about the curriculum and register for workshops by visiting https://www.disneycampus.com/.
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