Every year, the WXO’s annual event delivers experiences, events, workshops, and encounters that leave people saying, “That was exactly what I needed – but not what I expected.”

That’s because we don’t just curate – we co-create.

After all, we’re here to equip experience professionals like you with the tools, ideas, and connections to thrive. And what better way to start than by co-creating the very thing that brings us together?

Welcome to our bonus lineup of content submissions from the WXO community for this year’s World Experience Summit.

Take a look below and get voting – you have a massive say in the content that is on at our World Experience Summit.

Voting is open until Fri March 7th so be quick about it.

12. Mechanics, Metaphor and Meaning: Creating Play That Resonates

with Arlo Howard

Description:
In this active workshop, we will use a rapid game generation process to explore how big ideas can be distilled into playable mechanics or guest activities. We’ll experiment with how these actions can function as metaphors, amplifying the purpose of a piece and creating deeper resonance. Working in small groups, participants will put these ideas to practice and create scratch versions of new play-driven experiences.

Format:

• Workshop

Content Track:

• Creative & Experience Design

Why Would Someone Come?

• Elevate their experience design
• Learn tangible tools, actionable frameworks
• Make connections, build network
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different
• A sense of awe
• A feeling of belonging

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals

Level of Expertise:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

with Joshua Sehnert

Description:
The Gambler 500 is not just an off-road rally—it’s an unscripted adventure, a community-driven movement, and a masterclass in experiential design. What began as a 500-mile challenge in beat-up cars has grown into a grassroots phenomenon that blends chaos, creativity, and conservation. Participants navigate backroads in ridiculous vehicles, forge lifelong connections, and haul thousands of pounds of trash out of the wilderness—all while having the time of their lives.

In this session, Farkey—longtime Gambler—will take you inside this wild world. He’ll share his own journey in The Coyota Camry, a 250,000-mile road warrior that has been to every drivable U.S. state and most national parks. He’ll explore how the Gambler 500 embodies the future of experience design, where guests are not just spectators but active participants shaping their own stories.This talk will reveal how the event’s DIY ethos, gamification, and real-world impact can inform themed entertainment, interactive storytelling, and experiential design, offering fresh insights into how we create meaningful, self-directed adventures for audiences.  

Format:

• Talk
• Comedy

Content Track:

• Festivals
• Adventure Tourism
• Grassroots movements
• Environmental Impact / Conservation

Why Would Someone Come?

• Learn about Open World Adventure and Gamification
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different
• Elevate their experience design

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Adventurers
• Hooligans
• Wannabe Racecar Drivers  professionals
• Business leaders

Level of Expertise:

• Advanced
• Intermediate
• Beginner

with Sarah Taylor

Description:
Sarah, Partner at Keystone Law, specializes in helping experiential leisure operators secure premises licenses for alcohol sales and entertainment, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements for a seamless launch and operation.

Format:

• Workshop
• Networking event
• Talk & panel discussion

Content Track:

• Business & Revenue

Why Would Someone Come?

• Make connections, build network
• Find business opportunities
• An understanding of the regulatory landscape operators will be navigating when opening and operating an experiential leisure concept

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Entrepreneurs
• Business leaders

Level of Expertise:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

with Luis Medrano

Description:
A new branch of animation has emerged that departs from passive viewing and delves into immersive experiences where audiences step into the story. We’ll go through insights on creative and technical specifics when creating animation for live experiences – like writing the audience into the story, choosing the right virtual camera lenses for deeper immersion, and adapting art direction for different live experience canvases. Aimed at experience professionals of any background, this talk explores animation as a tool for immersion and empowers them to maximize the impact of their animation content when included in their projects.

Format:

• Talk with Q&A

Content Track:

• Creative & Experience Design

Why Would Someone Come?

• Learn tangible tools, actionable frameworks
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different
• Elevate their experience design

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Entrepreneurs

Level of Expertise:

• Beginner

with Lee Francis

Description:
We are all connected to our Indigenous Imagination. It is a state of intentionality and understanding that doesn’t originate from a place of consumption. Rather it exists in the slipstream, in relationship, and in curiosity. Learning to access that state can create deeper and more resonant and immersive narrative experiences for visitors, guests, and attendees.

Format:

• Talk
• Workshop

Content Track:

• Business & Revenue
• Creative & Experience Design

Why Would Someone Come?

• Elevate their experience design
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different
• A feeling of belonging

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Entrepreneurs

Level of Expertise:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

with Arthur Zards

Description:
An experiential card game / challenge to allow for engagement and experiences to be designed among the participants. The concept promotes meeting new people and makes for an excellent ice-breaker.

Format:

• Challenge

Content Track:

• Creative & Experience Design
• Business & Revenue
• Tech, Science, Impact & Innovation

Why Would Someone Come?

• The ability to create an experience with someone new
• Make connections, build network
• A feeling of belonging
• Elevate their experience design
• Learn tangible tools, actionable frameworks
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Entrepreneurs
• Business leaders

Level of Expertise:

• Beginner

6. Stop F***ing About

with Nigel Scott

Description:
Let’s stop f***ing about with marketing and use experiences to create a new world, not an immersive one, not a digital one, not a connected one, but one that’s better by applying experiential design to discover how today’s generation is thinking.

Format:

• Talk
• Networking event
• Experience

Content Track:

• Experience Design beyond marketing

Why Would Someone Come?

• Learn tangible tools, actionable frameworks
• Make connections, build network
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different
• A sense of awe

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Business leaders
• Entrepreneurs

Level of Expertise:

• Intermediate

with Rory Seydel

Format:

• Talk
• Workshop

Content Track:

• Creative & Experience Design
• Business & Revenue

Why Would Someone Come?

• Elevate their experience design
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Entrepreneurs
• Business leaders

4. Our Attractions Are too Big: How We Resize Them To Create The best Experiences For Our Guests

with Geoff Thatcher

Description:
We have a problem in our industry. Too many designers, architects and developers are creating experiences that are just too big for the audience. Attendees will rethink what makes a great experience as too many people in our industry think the bigger the better and that’s not true. And second, they will learn practical industry formulas that are proven and should be used on every experience project.

Format:

• Experience
• Workshop
• Talk

Content Track:

• Creative & Experience Design
• Business & Revenue
• Tech, Science, Impact & Innovation

Why Would Someone Come?

• Elevate their experience design
• Learn tangible tools, actionable frameworks
• Learn how to demonstrate the ROI of experience
• Impact the bottom-line
• Make connections, build network
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different
• A feeling of belonging

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Entrepreneurs
• Business leaders

Level of Expertise

• Intermediate
• Advanced

with Alejandro Garza

Description:
Create experiences that inspire a better world. A live orchestra and live generative visuals, headphones binaural and a guide meditation that helps anxiety and depression.

Format:

• Experience
• Performance
• Networking event
• Prototype

Content Track:

• Creative & Experience Design
• Business & Revenue

Why Would Someone Come?

• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Entrepreneurs
• Business leaders

Level of Expertise:

• Beginner

with Stuart O’Neill

Description:
Roller coasters and Attractions have been captivating audiences with adrenaline-pumping thrills and unforgettable experiences. But behind every twist, turn, and awe-inspiring experience lies a meticulous design process. This workshop led by Merlin’s in house creative team, we’ll take you on a journey through the essential steps of roller coaster and attraction design, from strategic audience positioning to selecting the perfect hardware or technology to craft a world-class experience. Whether you’re an enthusiast dreaming of designing the next iconic coaster or an industry professional who is looking to create immersive experiences, this workshop will equip you with a comprehensive roadmap to create unforgettable attractions. Strap in and get ready to bring your vision to life!

Format:

• Workshop

Content Track:

• Creative & Experience Design

Why Would Someone Come?

• Elevate their experience design
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different
• A sense of awe
• Learn tangible tools, actionable frameworks
• Impact the bottom-line

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals

Level of Expertise:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

with Louis Alfieri

Description:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a tool; it’s a revolution redefining how creativity is conceptualized, executed, and valued. This fireside chat brings together visionary panelists from the theme park, immersive entertainment, museum, investment, and financial communities to explore AI’s profound impact on the entertainment ecosystem.

With a special focus on entrepreneurs, small-to-mid-sized businesses, and the general labor pool, the session will shed light on AI’s dual potential: to democratize creative power while disrupting traditional structures. 

Format:

• Real-time AI Tools
• Talk

Content Track:

• Creative & Experience Design
• Business & Revenue
• Tech, Science, Impact & Innovation

Why Would Someone Come?

• Elevate their experience design
• Learn tangible tools, actionable frameworks
• Impact the bottom-line
• Make connections, build network
• Find business opportunities
• Be inspired – think bigger, bolder, different
• A sense of awe

Target Audience:

• Creative professionals
• Entrepreneurs
• Business leaders

Level of Expertise:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

And that’s it for now – so what happens next?

Voting is open until Fri March 7th. In the days after that, we’ll be in touch with the most popular entries before quickly start announcing speakers and sessions. Watch this space!

What if you have an idea for a session now? Don’t worry! We are still welcoming new submissions until Fri March 7th – don’t worry if it doesn’t make the voting process, we’ll still review it against the set criteria with input from the WXO’s World Experience Council.

Good luck!