Building Worlds, Not Events: The Rise of Story-Driven Destination Design

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As destinations evolve beyond one-off events into fully immersive, story-driven environments, experiential design is entering a new era: one where narrative shapes not just what guests see, but how they move, engage, and return. At the forefront of this shift is EPIC Entertainment Group, a company redefining how places come to life through story. We spoke with Co-Founder and Managing Partner Steve Sheldon about what it really means to build a narrative-driven destination, and why this approach is changing the future of guest experience and revenue alike.

Q: Everyone talks about “immersive experiences,” but what actually separates a true story-driven destination from a well-produced event?

A: A well-produced event entertains for a moment. A story-driven destination gives a reason to stay, explore, and come back. The difference is intention. In a true narrative environment, every element—entertainment, design, food, retail, guest flow—is working together to support a larger story. Guests aren’t just watching something happen; they’re stepping into a world that unfolds around them. That’s where you start to see real impact: longer dwell time, higher per-cap spending, and a deeper emotional connection. It stops being an event people attend and becomes a place they return to.

Q: When you’re designing something like “Holiday in Oz,” are you starting with the story, the space, or the audience… and how do those priorities shift throughout the process?

A: It always starts with story—but not in isolation. We look at three things simultaneously: the narrative we want to tell, the physical environment we’re working within, and the audience we’re designing for. The magic happens when those three align. At the beginning, story leads. It sets the tone and defines the emotional journey. As we move into design and production, the space becomes more influential—how guests move, where moments reveal themselves, how scale and sightlines support the experience. By the time we’re in operations, the audience takes priority. We’re watching behavior in real time, and adjusting to make sure the experience feels intuitive, engaging, and repeatable.

Q: There’s a growing push toward “experience over everything”—how are narrative-led environments changing the way destinations think about attendance, engagement, and ROI?

A: We’re seeing a shift from measuring volume to measuring value. Narrative-driven environments don’t just aim to increase attendance—they increase the quality of each visit. Guests stay longer, spend more, and are more likely to return because they feel like they’ve only experienced part of the story. It also opens the door for layered revenue streams. When retail, food and beverage, and premium experiences are integrated into the narrative, they feel like a natural extension of the story—not an add-on. Ultimately, ROI becomes more sustainable because you’re building something that evolves over time, rather than resetting with each new event.

Q: How do you strike the balance between honoring a destination’s existing identity and completely reimagining it through a new narrative lens?

A: That balance is critical—and it starts with respect for the place. Every destination has a history, an audience, and a sense of identity that people are already connected to. Our job isn’t to replace that—it’s to amplify it. We look for what’s already authentic and build the narrative around it. When you do that well, the experience feels like a natural extension of the destination rather than something imposed on top of it. The goal is for guests to walk away feeling like they’ve seen a new side of a place they thought they already knew.

Q: What measurable impact have you seen when a destination shifts from programming events to building narrative-driven experiences?

A: The biggest shift is consistency. With traditional events, you tend to see spikes—strong attendance during a moment in time, followed by a drop-off. Narrative-driven experiences create a more sustained level of engagement. We’ve seen increases in dwell time, per-cap spending, and repeat visitation across multiple projects. In most cases, overall revenue jumps significantly because guests are engaging across more touchpoints throughout the experience. But beyond the numbers, the long-term impact is brand equity. You’re creating something that people associate with that destination year after year—which is far more valuable than a single successful event.