We sat down with Surrell to talk about what storytelling means today — not just for theme parks, but for anyone looking to make an impact. Here are five insights he believes every student should know.

1. Storytelling Is a Universal Skill

Whether you’re designing a ride, writing a research paper or helping a patient, storytelling matters. It is how we connect, communicate and create meaning.

“Regardless of your discipline …  we’re all storytellers,” Surrell says. And it is particularly important in today’s entertainment options: “The thing that separates theme parks from amusement parks is stories.”

He encourages students to understand classic story structures, like the hero’s journey, because they help us make sense of life.

“I’ve mapped my own personal and professional life to the hero’s journey — and I’ll be damned if it doesn’t work,” he says.

2. Curiosity Is Your Superpower

Surrell believes curiosity is essential, not just for creatives but for anyone who wants to innovate.

“You need to be a student of life. You need to be curious about everything, because you never know what’s going to come into play in this field.”

While working on Disney’s Pal Mickey, Surrell had to learn about unfamiliar subjects to write dialogue for the interactive toy. It was a challenge that pushed him outside his comfort zone and led to the creation of a toy that entertained and educated guests at the parks, including Animal Kingdom.

“All of a sudden I’m a zoologist  … literally having to learn about ring-tailed lemurs,” he says.

3. Comfort, Reassurance and Escape Are Human Needs

Theme parks aren’t just entertainment — they’re emotional experiences. Nostalgia plays a big role in this, especially in places like Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Surrell says.

“There’s something inherently reassuring about going to a place that … remains the way you remembered it as a kid,” he says.

He sees themed entertainment as a noble pursuit, one that supports mental and emotional well-being, which became very apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Theme parks are explicit about it,” he says. “It’s comfort, reassurance and escape. There really is no more noble pursuit than to provide that for people. Our central product really is emotion.”

4. Be Ready to Pivot

Surrell’s career path — from performer to Imagineer to professor — shows the power of flexibility.

“You have to be ready to pivot and adapt to whatever life in the industry throws at you.”

He shares how a mentor once advised him to gain more experience before applying to Disney. That advice led him to Universal, and eventually back to Disney.

“Five years later, a job opened up … That was a deviation from the path I thought I was on.”

Students should be prepared to adapt, take risks, and embrace opportunities outside their original plans.

5. Themed Experience Is a Growth Industry

The themed entertainment industry is booming, and that extends beyond the opening of  Epic Universe and Disney’s expansions. Themed experience can be found everywhere now, including restaurants, hotels, libraries, cruise ships, hospitals, museums and retail. Surrell sees UCF as the ideal place to study this field.

“It only makes sense. We’re in the theme park capital of the world … the go-to place for themed experience,” he says.

He compares ±«°äąó’s program to film schools in the 1960s — a launchpad for a new generation of storytellers.

“This program offers young people a very clear and legitimate pathway into the industry.”

Surrell’s message to students is clear: Be curious, be adaptable and embrace storytelling — no matter your field.

“Charge forth now because you have everything on your side,” he says. “Be fearless, be courageous and go for it.”

With specialized programs in hospitality and themed experience design — alongside robust engineering opportunities through student-led clubs and industry partnerships — UCF has played a critical role in preparing the workforce behind Epic Universe’s debut and has built a direct talent pipeline into the park.

Now as the park prepares to open its gates this week, it’s also transforming how students learn.

Epic in Curriculum

At ±«°äąó’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, located less than a mile from Epic Universe, the park has become a living case study for both faculty and students. Ranked No. 1 in the world for hospitality education by CEOWORLD magazine for 2025, the college is globally recognized for its leadership in shaping future professionals in tourism, attractions and entertainment.

“Anyone looking to build a career in the global attractions industry would not find a better place to attend than UCF.” — Carissa Baker ’08MA ’18PhD, Rosen College assistant professor

Carissa Baker ’08MA ’18PhD, assistant professor of hospitality, has embedded Epic Universe into multiple classes across the theme park and attraction management curriculum. In one course, students analyze the park’s community and economic impacts. In another, they follow the site creation process from research and development to operations and guest experience. Students have also designed guest experience concepts based on Universal’s creative parameters and presented them directly to leaders at the company.

“Several of my students were involved in design, construction and operations development for the park,” Baker says. “Dozens were in attractions commissioning roles, and many are working at the park full time, part time and through internships.”

Culinary Spectacle as Storytelling

Epic Universe is also reshaping ±«°äąó’s approach to culinary education. Chef Jonathan “Jay” Judy, assistant chair of the Department of Foodservice and Lodging Management, and senior instructor, uses the park’s immersive lands to explore how food enhances themed environments.

“Our students aren’t just studying the industry. They’re helping shape its future.” — Jonathan “Jay” Judy, Rosen College faculty member

In his course, Culinary Experiences in Theme Parks and Attractions, students study the full lifecycle of culinary operations in destination attractions — from food concept development to intellectual property (IP) integration and guest immersion.

“When Universal Orlando announced the themes for the various worlds, my students created sample menus based on the IP for each world. We have also used Epic extensively as a class discussion topic,” Judy says. “Watching a park like Epic Universe launch is a masterclass in themed food innovation. From kitchen concept to culinary spectacle, this course gives students the tools to imagine and execute food experiences that could exist in any world, real or fictional.”

Epic Economics, Real-World Impact

The scale of Epic Universe also offers powerful insights into economic development, infrastructure and regional transformation — areas that Rosen College Associate Professor Jorge Ridderstaat is bringing into the classroom.

“Epic Universe presents a valuable opportunity to view a theme park not just as an attraction, but as a major investment with measurable economic impact — something I’m looking to incorporate into my Hospitality Industry Finance class,” Ridderstaat says.

He notes that the park’s projected $7 billion investment and estimated 17,000 new jobs could generate up to $2 billion in economic impact in its first year, while driving new infrastructure and expanding the region’s global tourism appeal. But he also encourages students to consider other related topics — such as housing affordability.

A Creative Pipeline to Universal

“Epic has solidified Orlando as the international hub of the themed entertainment industry.” — Peter Weishar, director of UCF’s themed experience graduate programs

±«°äąó’s themed experience M.F.A. program, based in the College of Arts and Humanities, is providing a direct pathway into the creative engine of the industry. The programs — which are among the first of their kinds nationally — teach students the unique creative skills, processes, and concepts needed to design and produce themed environments and attractions. Many graduates go on to become show set designers, architects, show writers, coordinators, project managers, producers, art directors and even creative directors at some of the top themed entertainment companies.

Through the UCF/Universal Creative Lab, students work directly with Universal Creative’s show producers, engineers and designers, gaining rare access to behind-the-scenes development processes.

According to program director and professor Peter Weishar, approximately 40% of themed experience students go on to work for Universal Creative.

“Our students, alumni and even faculty have worked for years to help make Epic Universe a reality,” Weishar says. “Now that it’s opening to the public, it’s serving as a working laboratory for new ideas, innovation and experiential learning.”

“UCF is in the perfect location to collaborate with some of the top creatives in the field,”  Weishar adds.

Engineering the Experience

At the intersection of innovation and imagination, ±«°äąó’s STEEL Club — the Society of Themed Entertainment Engineers and Leaders — is creating new pathways for engineering students to enter the attractions industry. Founded in early 2024, the club has quickly become a hub for students eager to apply technical skills to the world of themed entertainment.

Focused on disciplines like ride control, show systems, mechanical safety and systems integration, the club regularly hosts industry speakers from Universal Creative, Disney, SeaWorld, and third-party vendors. Members also participate in technical workshops on topics ranging from Arduino programming and LED integration to mechanical modeling and wiring — all aligned with the demands of modern attraction engineering.

“We’re building a great program,” says Mikel Garner, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and STEEL Club vice president. “We look at design, manufacturing, and maintenance — not just how a ride looks, but how it runs and how you troubleshoot it to keep guests safe.”

Garner, who was a Compliance and Auditing intern for Universal Creative, says his experience applied Advancing Standards Transforming Markets (ASTM International) safety standards and engineering best practices to support the development of the park.

STEEL President Bryanna Price, also a senior mechanical engineering major, says the club was founded to fill a gap at UCF for students who wanted hands-on, engineering-focused experience in themed entertainment.

“We’re helping students develop tangible technical skills that translate directly into the industry,” Price says.

The club recently competed in the Ride Engineering Competition, where student teams design and build operational ride models under strict time and size constraints. In the latest event, held at The Ohio State şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą, Price’s team built a fully functioning flat ride model from scratch — applying controls, mechanics and problem-solving under real-world pressure.

“It’s exciting to know we’re helping prepare the next generation of engineers for the theme park world — right here at UCF.” —  Bryanna Price, student and STEEL Club president

Beyond competitions, STEEL students are attending industry events like the ASTM F24 Conference, which develops global engineering safety standards for amusement rides and devices. They’re also partnering with other UCF organizations to grow their board, expand student participation and bring in even more professional mentorship.

“We’re still a young club, but we’ve already seen members go on to internships with companies like SeaWorld and Universal,” Price says.

For UCF, Epic Universe is more than a neighbor — it’s a living laboratory. From immersive design to food and beverage innovation, and from economic modeling to technical prototyping, UCF students aren’t just learning about the future of themed entertainment — they’re building it.