Subscriber Exclusive: Bonus Q&A with Shelby Honea, show producer for Universal Creative

As show producer for Universal Creative, Shelby Honea helped bring the brand-new VelociCoaster to life, but that Raptor-themed roller coaster really only scratches the surface of her resume. Don’t let her relative youth deceive you, because Honea has already worked on over 50 attractions and experiences during her brief career.

Earning a B.S. in Entertainment Engineering from the University of Las Vegas, Honea worked for Cirque du Soleil, Caesars Entertainment, and Walt Disney Imagineering (where she helped produce video for Avatar: Flight of Passage and Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!) before joining Universal Creative in 2017. Since then, she worked on the redesigned Raptor Encounter, and received a Team Member Satisfaction Leadership Excellence award for “fostering an empowered and connected design team.”

There was simply too much interesting information to fit into our VelociCoaster feature article, so here are five bonus questions and answers from our exclusive interview with Shelby Honea to help you get to know this rising leader in the themed entertainment industry.

What were some formative theme park memories that led you to your career path?

The first time I experienced The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal’s Islands of Adventure was nothing short of true, incomprehensible magic. My entire family was speechless, but for me it was like a puzzle I had to figure out. Later, getting to work with some of the innovators responsible for that attraction — it has been very hard to keep my cool.

How did working for Vegas casinos prepare you for designing theme parks, and what can the two industries learn from each other?

Theme parks, casinos, even cruise ships are just different flavors of immersive experiences. Vegas tends to be a bit more experimental with trends, cruise ships can change and adapt for their market, while theme parks are a bit more timeless. I am very interested to see how these industries adapt over the next few years.

What educational or career advice for other young women who want to join the traditionally male-dominated themed design industry?

My biggest piece of advice for anyone interested in this industry is to make your own experience. I often hear “I want to get into the industry, but I can’t without professional experience.” So many things are relevant to themed entertainment! You can start building your portfolio with school theater, homecoming floats, and even neighborhood haunted houses — all are relevant experiences. Everyone’s path is different, and usually not linear. If you see a chance, (even if it doesn’t seem like a direct path) take it!

What were some of your specific responsibilities within the VelociCoaster team, and is there anything in particular you’re especially proud of personally contributing to the final product?

Our creative team was smaller compared to some of our other projects, but still truly collaborative. Everyone involved brought something unique to the table. Personally, I am most proud of that collaboration and the culture of fun and innovation we created — I’m happy to see the opening team keeping that energy alive as they welcome the first guests. As Show Producer, I strived to protect the story from beginning to end and remove any obstacles that popped-up along the way. I worked very closely with Universal Pictures on the overall “Jurassic” authenticity.

You’ve just finished building the VelociCoaster, what are you going to do next?

I’m going on a Florida fossil dig, actually! What can I say, I can’t get enough. So far, the reactions have been deeply satisfying and still slightly unreal. As theme park designers, we live for these moments! And soon, we’ll be back to work preparing for the next big thing!

You can read our full interview with Shelby Honea now in the digital version or print version of your Summer 2021 issue.