Why? 

A trip to theme parks — Walt Disney World and Universal Florida — is a holiday for most people, but this destination for a field study is important for cultural and economic reasons and is worthy of reporting. Media outlets cover theme park tourism because of its news value, opportunities for strong reporting, critical writing and compelling visuals, and intersection with issues such as the economy. You can’t cover theme parks from afar but must be on site to conduct and produce credible, quality reporting. 

This is a legitimate form of journalism. Media outlets with a strong digital presence, including Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler and Fodor’s Travel, have a full focus on travel and food writing, while others, from USA Today to The New York Times to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, regularly cover what’s new in theme parks. 

The theme parks’ food scene is a focus of coverage because it provides an entry point for any student, not just journalism majors, to produce critical writing and compelling visuals for digital audiences. 

When? 

The 2026 Maymester would be a real reporting class that places students in the middle of the action with on-the-ground experiences. Students will receive three hours of elective course credit during the program.

The timing for a program launching in 2026 is right: Universal will be just one year into the opening of its third theme park in Orlando, Epic Universe, and Disney will have opened some reimagined rides and experiences, while it works on major expansions and updates to its parks. Both parks also continue to retool pricing structures for guests, which will allow students to examine the value of this popular vacation spot. 

Where? 

The program would be 100% in Orlando, with plans to spend two weeks on Walt Disney World property and one week on Universal Orlando property. The central Florida location is logistically easy to travel to by car or plane.

Scholarly work about Walt Disney World and its cultural impact exists. Scholarly reading and examining journalistic work covering theme parks by national news outlets and local coverage, including The Orlando Sentinel, will undergird the course. 

Guest speakers on location would include theme park officials and employees, and experts such as local journalists, professors, travel agents and food vloggers. Industry organizations also are devoted to this field, including the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Association of Attractions/Theme Parks (IAAPA), which bases its worldwide press and communications departments in Orlando.

What? 

Students will develop as storytellers and travelers; students will understand the importance of place and history in even the most routine stories they report; students will think critically about diversity in relation to travel writing; and students will evaluate how digital media are disrupting the travel-writing industry. The accessibility of a domestic field study that is so close to UGA and that offers all of these elements for experiential learning is unique.

The vibrant nature of Orlando’s theme parks and resorts will give students the opportunity to produce multimedia and multiplatform pieces by capturing audio, photos and video that would appeal to readers and viewers on digital platforms. The course would show students the industry expectations for travel and food writing and how to pitch stories in this freelance-driven space. The work that students produce could enhance their career portfolios, and there will be opportunities to be published by media outlets.

This specific location would allow me to bring together my experience writing about tourism and food for media outlets including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Travel Channel as well as my ability to structure courses with a focus on active learning and student engagement. 

My goal is to create a rewarding, fun experience for students that would combine academic rigor with experiential learning for a meaningful (and magical) Maymester.