Ringling College’s exciting design competition for high school students
Are you a high school student with a passion for immersive worlds, storytelling, and design? Ringling College of Art and Design’s Theme Park Design Competition invites aspiring Entertainment Designers to imagine and create innovative solutions to a fictional theme park challenge. Open to U.S. high school juniors and seniors.
Selected winners can earn prestigious prizes, including tuition scholarships to Ringling College, behind-the-scenes experiences with Universal Studios, travel accommodations, and more.
This year’s contest will run from September 1–November 30, 2026.
Competition Details
Unlock your creativity by downloading the comprehensive project brief, which is your roadmap to understanding the challenge at hand. Find all the details you’ll need to design your innovative solution and begin your immersion in the world of Entertainment Design.
Your challenge is to conceive an original parade float—one worthy of a major theme park boulevard or a world-famous city parade route. You’ll think like an artist, a sculptor, an engineer, and a storyteller. Your float must stop people in their tracks, make them feel something, and give them an experience they’ll cherish forever!
Judging
A panel of judges including faculty from Ringling College of Art and Design, designers from Universal Creative, and other experienced entertainment design professionals will evaluate all entries.
Designs will be evaluated on several criteria including functionality, practicality, ingenuity, visual appeal, and brand integration. Each entry will be scored by the panel of judges, with the winning entry or entries determined by a combination of evaluation scores and the judges’ individual feedback.
Judges:
Merritt Andrews, Universal Creative
Josh Jaillet, Universal Creative
Aaron (A.J.) Jeromin , Universal Creative
Megan Robinson, Universal Creative
Mike Woodcock, Universal Creative
Ying Wu, Universal Creative
Jamie DeRuyter, Department Head, Entertainment Design
Seongwoo Nam, Faculty, Entertainment Design
Greg Randle, Faculty, Entertainment Design
Contact
Entertainment Design
Jamie DeRuyter
Entertainment Design Department Head
Quick Links
Competition FlyerExample Submission
First Place
$20,000 tuition scholarship to Ringling College of Art and Design (non-transferable and dependent on acceptance into the major of choice for Fall 2027 or Fall 2028) and exclusive VIP “behind-the-scenes” experiences with Universal Studios with complimentary travel and accommodations.
Dates and Deadlines
September 1 through November 30:
Submission portal opens for candidates to upload entries
November 30:
Final deadline for all complete competition entries
January 2027
Winners announced
Prize Package
The top three prize winners will receive:
$20,000 tuition scholarship to Ringling College of Art and Design (non-transferable and dependent on acceptance into the major of choice for Fall 2027 or Fall 2028) and exclusive VIP “behind-the-scenes” experiences with Universal Studios with complimentary travel and accommodations.
Second Place
$10,000 tuition scholarship to Ringling College of Art and Design (non-transferable and dependent on acceptance into the major of choice for Fall 2027 or Fall 2028 Semester).
Third Place
$5,000 tuition scholarship to Ringling College of Art and Design (non-transferable and dependent on acceptance into the major of choice for Fall 2027 or Fall 2028 Semester).
Finalists that do not receive a scholarship as set forth above will receive a Ringling College/Universal promotional gift bag, including, but not limited to, Ringling College and Universal branded materials such as tote bags, t-shirts, tumblers, and stickers.
Eligibility:
The Theme Park Design Competition is open to all U.S. high school students enrolled in grades 11 and 12 during the 2026-27 school year.
Judging
First Place
$20,000 tuition scholarship to Ringling College of Art and Design (non-transferable and dependent on acceptance into the major of choice for Fall 2027 or Fall 2028) and exclusive VIP “behind-the-scenes” experiences with Universal Studios with complimentary travel and accommodations.
Second Place
$10,000 tuition scholarship to Ringling College of Art and Design (non-transferable and dependent on acceptance into the major of choice for Fall 2027 or Fall 2028 Semester).
Third Place
$5,000 tuition scholarship to Ringling College of Art and Design (non-transferable and dependent on acceptance into the major of choice for Fall 2027 or Fall 2028 Semester).
Finalists that do not receive a scholarship as set forth above will receive a Ringling College/Universal promotional gift bag, including, but not limited to, Ringling College and Universal branded materials such as tote bags, t-shirts, tumblers, and stickers.
Eligibility:
The Theme Park Design Competition is open to all U.S. high school students enrolled in grades 11 and 12 during the 2026-27 school year.
A panel of judges including faculty from Ringling College of Art and Design, designers from Universal Creative, and other experienced entertainment design professionals will evaluate all entries.
Designs will be evaluated on several criteria including functionality, practicality, ingenuity, visual appeal, and brand integration. Each entry will be scored by the panel of judges, with the winning entry or entries determined by a combination of evaluation scores and the judges’ individual feedback.
Judges:
Merritt Andrews, Universal Creative
Josh Jaillet, Universal Creative
Aaron (A.J.) Jeromin , Universal Creative
Megan Robinson, Universal Creative
Mike Woodcock, Universal Creative
Ying Wu, Universal Creative
Jamie DeRuyter, Department Head, Entertainment Design
Seongwoo Nam, Faculty, Entertainment Design
Greg Randle, Faculty, Entertainment Design
Submit Your Entry
Ready to roll into the future of Entertainment Design?
Complete the challenge by submitting your design before the deadline using the process specified in the project brief. Once your entry is uploaded successfully, you’re officially in the running to make your mark in the world of Entertainment Design. Don’t miss this chance to get your creative vision noticed and celebrated by some of the top professionals in the design industry!
Submissions open September 1, 2026.
Chesuncook Resort
The Ring of Fire
Viking Voyages
Official Competition Rules
Want to know more? Click the button below to check out the official rules.
Theme Park Design Competition – FAQ
What is The Theme Park Design Competition presented by Ringling College of Art and Design all about?
The Theme Park Design Competition presented by Ringling College of Art and Design (“Competition”) is a challenge for individual high school juniors and seniors to conceptualize and create a schematic design for a branded mobile merchandise cart.
Competition participants will download a project brief, which explains the specifics of the design challenge. They will then follow each step of the challenge to create their own parade float. Finally, entrants must submit a digital file of slides including their cart design by November 30, 2026.
Who is eligible to participate in the competition?
The Competition is open to all currently enrolled U.S. high school students who are entering or will be in grades 11 or 12 during the 2026-2027 school year. This is a U.S.-based competition that is open to all high school Juniors and Seniors.
How will the entries be judged?
A panel of judges including professors from Ringling College of Art and Design, designers from Universal Creative, and other experienced entertainment design professionals will evaluate all entries. Designs will be evaluated by several criteria including storytelling, functionality, ingenuity, visual appeal, and communication. Each entry will be scored by the panel of judges, with the winning entry or entries determined by a combination of evaluation scores and the judges’ individual feedback.
Who owns the designs submitted to the competition?
Competition entrants retain all rights to their designs. We respect and acknowledge the creativity and ownership of each participant and ensure that their intellectual property remains their own. Upon submission, each contest entrant grants rights to Ringling College of Art and Design and Universal Creative to showcase and promote their competition submission.
Will designs submitted to the competition actually be fabricated and used in existing theme parks?
No, this design competition is entirely theoretical. We want to see your unique approach to this design challenge, but the designs are not intended for actual fabrication and implementation — it’s all about the idea!
Is there a limit to the number of entries per participant?
Each participant is allowed one entry. We encourage you to pour all of your creativity into one exceptional design that showcases your unique talent.
Can I collaborate with other students on a single entry?
No, this competition is designed for individual participation. Team entries will not be accepted.
May I use intellectual property that’s in the public domain?
Yes and No. Let’s look at Frankenstein for an example. While Mary Shelley’s written text is in the public domain, the iconic character design of the Frankenstein monster with the stitches on his head and the bolts coming out of his neck is a trademark owned by Universal. So this can be very tricky. When in doubt, reach out to your teachers or ThemeParkCompetition@ringling.edu and ask for advice on this topic.
Will there be opportunities for finalists or non-winners to receive feedback on their entries?
Participants may email and request a feedback session with Ringling College Faculty. We aim to ensure that you gain valuable insights into your work and have the opportunity to grow and develop your skills.
How can I learn more about the Entertainment Design program at Ringling College of Art and Design?
Entertainment Design is the art of creating compelling and engaging experiences that translate a narrative, concept, or theme into a real-world experience that resonates with guests. Our Entertainment Design major teaches you to collaborate with artists, designers, and other creatives to bring your vision to life, and develop the visual communication skills of an artist and the problem-solving skills of a designer. With a focus on the built environment, your artistic and technical skills are applied to project designs for theme parks, museums and exhibitions, concerts, sporting events, expos, hotels and restaurants, retail spaces, and more for an industry expanding worldwide. In this program, students learn how to be effective designers and collaborators within teams that work on creative projects across all kinds of entertainment experiences. We’re translating stories into real-world experiences.
Visit the Entertainment Design program and reach out to our Admissions team to connect with your dedicated Admissions Counselor and plan a visit to the campus.
I have more questions about the Theme Park Design Competition. Is there someone I can connect with directly?
YES! Please connect with Jamie DeRuyter, Department Head of Entertainment Design at Ringling College of Art and Design:
ThemeParkCompetition@ringling.edu
jderuyte@c.ringling.edu
(863) 558-1182
Or Destiny Summerville, Admissions Counselor:
dsummer2@ringling.edu
(941) 309-4063
Consult with an Expert
Jamie DeRuyter, Entertainment Design Department Head at Ringling College of Art and Design, is available to host a 30-minute online design consultation with 11th and 12th grade high school classes as his schedule permits.
Meet the 2025 Theme Park Design Competition winners
Get inspired by the winning projects from three high school students across the United States. For the 2025 competition, students were tasked with designing a themed cart.
First place: Ella McGinley
Belle Isle, Florida
Runner-up: Stellan Pearson
Sierra Madre, California
Runner-up: Ava-Marie Willie
Austin, Texas
“I love how fantastical dragons are, and that you can really invent their anatomy, which offers lots of opportunities for creative expression.”
Ella McGinley
“I designed my theme park cart as a way to present visitors with the idea of ‘machine as friend‘.”
Stellan Pearson
“This competition really opened my eyes to seeing art and design in a professional way.”
Ava-Marie Willie
Theme Park Competition
