PERSONALIZED THEMED EXPERIENCES
MFA Theater, themed experience design thesis
A FRAMEWORK FOR CREATING ATTRACTIONS THAT LEARN FROM THEIR GUESTS.
Digital platforms such as Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube demonstrate the effectiveness of recommendation systems to personalize content and drive revenue, yet themed attractions have historically offered limited personalization.
This thesis explores how recommendation systems can enhance adaptive themed experiences, focusing on branching narratives and dynamic environments that respond to guest behavior. Research from literature relevant to recommendation systems, along with analyses of successful attractions and digital experiences, informed the creative solutions developed for The Nexus.
In this immersive walkthrough attraction, guests pass through a magical portal into a multiverse that adapts to their preferences and actions. This research shows how integrating recommendation systems with experiential design can enhance personalization, expand creative possibilities, and provide a framework for designing adaptive themed experiences.
Why Personalization Matters
Guests spend every day inside personalized ecosystems shaped by platforms like Netflix, YouTube, TikTok, Amazon, and Spotify. These systems curate content, adjust pacing, and anticipate preferences with remarkable precision.
In contrast, most attractions still present the same narrative regardless of who walks through the door. This gap creates a clear opportunity.
At a glance:
• Guests expect experiences to acknowledge their preferences
• Adaptive moments strengthen emotional impact
• Variation encourages repeat visits
• Personalization adds value without increasing labor demands
How Adaptive Systems Work
Adaptive experiences do not require full branching narratives or complex AI. They rely on a simple structured loop that supports creative control.
The adaptive loop:
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Guests express small signals through choices, behaviors, or interactions
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A lightweight preference model interprets those signals
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The attraction selects the version of a scene, transition, or environment that best aligns with the guest
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The system updates itself as the experience continues
What Creative Teams Can Do With It
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Adaptive preshows - Guests choose an artifact, role, or guide that reshapes how they experience the world.
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Selective story emphasis - Scenes shift tone, pacing, or character focus based on emerging preferences.
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Environmental modulation - Lighting, sound, and media adjust to create a more adventurous, calm, mysterious, or energetic version of the experience.
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Role and group matching - Guests with compatible preferences can be grouped to strengthen shared engagement.
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Scene layering - Projection, media, and scenic cues swap in and out to reinforce the selected narrative arc.