HFT 4755: Theme Park Management

I just wanted to tell you guys about the pimpest class I have-Theme park Management! I am going to ask the teacher if I can post his book online, but it is awesome. The first chapter talked about the history of theme parks, mentioned Cedar Point, Kings Island, Darien Lake, and is going to be a great class.

Anyone interested, apply to University of Central Florida

www.ucf.edu

That's kind of a neat little niche they're carving out there. Like journalism, it probably won't get you paid much, but if the teachers are all real industry types and not academic those-who-can't-teach types, I bet you'll score a lot of good knowledge from the course.

That's interesting Turbo, I bet you are really gonna enjoy that class. You'll have to update us whenever you learn something really interesting that you'd like to share. I wish we had a class like that here at Emory...

Some of the other courses I found that they offer are:

HFT 3784

Amusement Technology
PR: HFT 1000 HFT 4755. Exploration of various technologies utilized by the leisure-based entertainment industry. Includes amusement devices, operational and IT software packages as well as ride and show systems. 3(3,0)
3 units min / 3 units max, Lecture

HFT 4532

Managing the Employee Experience in the Theme Park and Attraction Industry
PR: HFT 4755 and junior standing or C.I. Managing staffing needs, supervision, communication, legal compliance, and retention in the theme parks and attraction industry. 3(3,0)
3 units min / 3 units max, Lecture

HFT 4758

Contemporary Issues in the Theme Park and Attraction Industry
PR: HFT 4755 and junior standing or C.I. Examination of current issues in the theme park and attractions industry, including hands-on situation analysis. 3(3,0)

HFT 4759

Product Development in Theme Pks & Attractions
PR: HFT 4755 and junior standing or C.I. The strategic management process associated with product development in the theme parks and attraction industry. 3(3,0)
3 units min / 3 units max, Lecture

HFT 4786

Managing the Guest Experience in the Theme Park and Attraction Industry
PR: HFT 4755. The management of guest needs and expectations in theme parks and attractions 3(3,0)
3 units min / 3 units max, Lecture

HFT 4787

Operational Issues in the Theme Park and Attraction Industry
PR: HFT 4755. Organizational structure and operational culture of theme parks and attractions 3(3,0)
3 units min / 3 units max, Lecture

I wish I lived in Florida. Do they offer telecommuting for these courses? I would love to take them just for fun if they do. There are probably tons more that can be taken and applied to the Theme Park industry besides these that are directly related to it.

Beast:
my initial post might have looked even better if I had posted those, thanks for the backup though:)

Turbo, you are the lucky one though! These just sound like they might be fun for some of us amusement park/rollercoaster junkies. Especially the ones who would like to think of making a living in the industry. (even if that is kind of unrealistic as some would say).

For the record obviously anyone could have found those, and I did not necessarily have to post what I did...but I did.

Also where can I join FTPLA? LOL. *** Edited 8/26/2004 4:54:14 PM UTC by beast7369***

Turbo, is their an ISBN Number on the book? Perhaps anyone who is interested might be willing to purchase the whole book off of Amazon.

I took that class at UCF last semester. It was pretty good. My professor was Ronald Logan, a man who has had multiple decades with Disney, mostly producing parades and stage shows for Tokyo Disneyland. He even gave me some cool memorobilia.

Last night I had my first class in 'Contemporary Issues in the Theme Park Industry', HFT 4758. The professor is Scott Lee, a guy I had for 'Managing the Guest Experience' last year. The class is mostly based on guest speakers (mostly management from Universal and Disney) and one on-site visit to Universal during Horror Nights, looking into how they prepare.

The class is at the new UCF Rosen school, which is very near the Orange County Convention Center and Sea World. It was pretty cool driving to class last night, passing the American Idol auditions at the OCCC, all the great hotels in the area and seeing Kraken in the distance. Orlando is an exciting place to be! :)

Oh how I envy those that live in Orlando.

I know someone who is taking the same course at the University of Central Florida! Do you know someone named Michael?

Which course? 4755 or 4758?

4755 I believe.

Can we take any of these classes online because I am attending a community college here in Omaha Nebraska but would love to take all those classess. That is so sweet.

There are a couple online courses you can take. Here's one, for example: http://www.alcorn.com/themeparkengineering/index.html

Numerous schools also offer theme park management courses, which are sometimes referred to as "hospitality and leisure management." *** Edited 8/27/2004 4:31:42 AM UTC by acewepeel***

Would that also be called Hospitality Administration/Management?

The Degree (or major) is 'technically' "Hospitality Management".

Then there are , I believe, Seven 'Tracks' (no coaster pun intended), including:

Restaurant Management, Hotel Management, Theme Park and Attraction Management, and several others, I'll have to check my course catalog.

The Rosen School (of hospitality management, new campus on Universal Blvd.) is also really amazing about providing us with job and internship opportunities. They send out about 10 emails a day to us, from a lot of places that are specifically looking for Rosen students. UCF is on the rise, big-time, especially the Rosen school.

The big dilemma I'm having, though, is that I work full time in the title business (real estate). Not related to hospitality at all, but it pays really well, and I need to keep this job to pay tuition and rent. So taking internship opportunities is nearly impossible for me now, but I'll make that leap soon enough. I'm still young. ;)

I think its great they are offering these classes, it really sets them apart from other schools and programs. My only comment is that sometimes it takes actually working in the profession to really know what it takes to make a successful theme park/entertainment facitily. So if they incorporate some type of hands on experience it would make the program awesome.

Haiderodes:
The internships for the theme park track are mostly disney and universal, and start off in the supervisor position.
Coasterqueen:
The book is is personal written coursepack, but I will ask permission to give out the website and password for the readings.

this seams really interesting.