During the 2018 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Attractions Expo in Orlando, Florida, Disney Parks Live Entertainment was honored with Brass Ring Award for Best Theatrical Production for Beauty and the Beast aboard the Disney Dream.

IAAPA presents Brass Ring Awards to honor excellence in food and beverage, games and retail, human resources, live entertainment, marketing, new products and exhibits. The tradition of the brass ring, a term now synonymous with spectacular achievement, dates back to the 1800s. Rings were suspended above carousel riders; low enough for them to grasp, but high enough to pose a challenge. Most rings were made of iron, but a few were made of brass, so grabbing the brass ring was a valuable treat. Skilled riders who grabbed a brass ring often earned prizes, including a free ride on the carousel.

The IAAPA Brass Ring Awards are similarly prestigious, marking achievements of excellence throughout the global attractions industry.

Additionally, Disney was awarded two other Brass Ring awards. One for Most Creative Multimedia Spectacular: Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland, and Best Hard Good Item: Light Up Slinky Dog. Plus, it was announced that Nemo & Friends SeaRider at Tokyo DisneySea Park will receive a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement.

Bob Weis, President of Walt Disney Imagineering, shared his appreciation for the industry honors on behalf of Imagineers, “I’m so proud of the Imagineers who created and brought to life Nemo & Friends SeaRider at Tokyo DisneySea; our Live Entertainment teams that delivered two more award-winning shows – an amazing nighttime spectacular honoring the 35th anniversary of Tokyo Disneyland, and an innovative and powerful theatrical performance of Beauty and the Beast aboard the Disney Dream cruise ship; and the merchandise team who helped bring Slinky Dog to life in an entirely new way as a light-up toy.”