Since 2010, Theme Park Apprentice has had 8 complete seasons, as well as a few spin-off competitions. Over the years, the competition has evolved, from a somewhat informal game among regular posters to a serious competition with a prestigious title on the line. With so many threads scattered all throughout the site, we've decided that now is a good time to create an archive. Therefore, I present...
Theme Park Apprentice: The Archive
Below, you will find links to every challenge from every competition of Theme Park Apprentice. Whether you wish to look back and see how it all began, reminisce about your past attempts and remember the thrill of it all, or look through old proposals to get ideas for next time, it is all accessible right here. What is not included are links to any of the discussion threads, as those are meaningful during the competition but tend to be less relevant at a later date.
Unfortunately, due to the way this site is set up we do not have a way to host this information where it will be permanently linked. However, at the beginning of each competition, a link back to this archive will be inserted, and as competitions are completed new archive threads may be posted. However, this archive may always be found by searching the site for "Theme Park Apprentice: The Archive," or anything similar.
I'd like to thank Douglas Hindley for taking the time to dig up most of the old threads and assemble the links in a document to make this archive possible. If you find anything that is incorrect, please comment below and I will fix it when I can. Other than that, enjoy!
THEME PARK APPRENTICE
Dates: April - June, 2010
Host: Tim W
Competitors:
1st: Nick Markham
2nd: Anthony Murphy
3rd: Amanda Jenkins
4th: Wok Creative
5th: Dan Babbit
6th: Kevin Smith
7th: Joshua Counsil
8th: David L.
Notes:
-This game was launched following the success of several other games, including Disney Trivia, Disney Jeopardy, and Disney Riddler Challenge.
-As the initial season, this competition was fairly informal. For the most part, deadlines were flexible and there were few challenge requirements.
-There were no actual judges in this season. Instead, Tim W gave informal commentary at the end of every challenge and many other competitors would provide their thoughts. Elimination was determined via a front page poll where site visitors would vote for who they want to remain, with the competitor receiving the fewest votes being eliminated.
Challenges:
CHALLENGE 1: Themed Restaurant
Summary: Create a full service restaurant with immersive theming. Additionally, there should be some form of show element to the restaurant, but it does not have to be a full dinner show (though those were permitted).
Winner: Wok Creative (TV Dinner-Live)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (though Joshua Counsil was almost eliminated for posting late)
CHALLENGE 2: Dark Ride for DHS
Summary: Create a dark ride for Disney's Hollywood Studios based on a movie or TV show that is not represented in any Disney park. It can be any type of dark ride, but it may not be a roller coaster or a flume ride.
Winner: Amanda Jenkins (Disney's The Thrill of the Chase)
Eliminated: David L. (Willow: The Lucasfilm Classic Comes to Life)
CHALLENGE 3: Parade for MK
Summary: Create a daytime parade similar to Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams for Magic Kingdom. The parade may be based on specific IP or it may just be a character parade, but all the floats must fit into a consistent theme.
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated: Joshua Counsil (Disney's American Dreamers & Doers)
CHALLENGE 4: Roller Coaster
Summary: Create a highly themed roller coaster or flume ride. The attraction must be on par with Revenge of the Mummy and Space Mountain in terms of theming, but it may be indoors or outdoors.
Winner: Nick Markham (Iron Man: The Ride)
Eliminated: Kevin Smith (Body Wars: Fighting the Invasion)
CHALLENGE 5: 3D Show for Epcot’s Imagination Pavilion
Summary: Create a 3D or 4D show to replace Captain EO. The show may not be based on Mickey, Muppets, or a Disney/Pixar film.
Winner: Amanda Jenkins (Disney's How to be a Hero starring Goofy)
Eliminated: Dan Babbit (The Avengers Initiative)
CHALLENGE 6: Hotel in Any US Park
Summary: Create a themed hotel for any park in the United States that needs one. Any theme may be used, but it may not be one used for a hotel at another theme park.
Winner: Anthony Murphy (The Grecian Inn)
Eliminated: Wok Creative (Calico Trails Hotel)
CHALLENGE 7: New Land at IOA
Summary: Create a new themed island to replace Marvel Super Hero Island using a franchise Universal owns or could acquire (no superhero franchises). Existing attractions may be rethemed or removed, but the final area must have at least 1 roller coaster, 3 non-coaster attractions, 2 dining locations (one full service and one quick service), and 2 retail locations.
Winner: Nick Markham (Sci-Fi Planet)
Eliminated: Amanda Jenkins (Sci-Fi Island)
CHALLENGE 8: Theme Park for WDW
Summary: Create a fifth gate for Walt Disney World. The park must have a unique theme for Disney and contain at least five themed areas, each with a minimum of four attractions, two dining locations (one full service and one quick service) and one retail location.
Winner: Nick Markham (Disney HERO Park)
Runner-Up: Anthony Murphy (Disney's Wonderful World of Music)
WATER PARK APPRENTICE
Dates:June – July, 2010
Host: Tim W
Competitors:
1st: James Koehl
2nd: Dan Babbitt
3rd: Anthony Murphy
4th: David L.
5th: Justin Miranda
6th: Joshua Counsil (resigned)
7th: Adam Nodjomian
8th: Hannah Caller (dropped)
9th: Tyler Bell & Nick Markham
11th: Neil Reece (resigned)
12th: TH Creative (resigned)
13th: Andy Milito & Kathryn Leigh
Notes:
-This season was originally started as a half length spin-off season. However, due to overwhelming support it was extended to a full length competition.
-Due to the number of competitors, double elimination was intended to be used for most of the competition. However, since several competitors withdrew this was abandoned after the second challenge.
Challenges:
CHALLENGE 1: Boat Ride
Summary: Create a themed boat ride that contains no thrill elements. The attraction may be a dark ride or it may be outdoors, and it may be located at any park.
Winner: Joshua Counsil (Log Driver's Waltz)
Eliminated: Andy Milito (Attack of Jaws) & Kathryn Leigh (Princess and the Frog: Down the Bayou)
CHALLENGE 2: Water Playground
Summary: Create a water playground for a water park or a theme park. The water playground may be a water fortress or a more general kids area with water features.
Winner: Dan Babbitt (Willy Wonka's Candy Playground)
Eliminated Tyler Bell (Bikini Bottom) & Nick Markham (Looney Toon's Splashtown)
CHALLENGE 3: Water Thrill Ride
Summary: Create a flume ride on par with Splash Mountain. The attraction may replace an existing ride, but it may not be a retheme of an existing flume.
Winner: James Koehl (Titanic-themed boat ride)
Eliminated: Adam Nodjomian (The Odyssey by Homer)
CHALLENGE 4: Water Show for IOA
Summary: Create a water show in the lagoon at the center of Universal's Islands of Adventure. Any type of show may be used as long as it contains water in a critical role.
Winner: Dan Babbitt (The Lost Adventure)
Eliminated: Justin Miranda (Marvel's Avenger Water Show)
CHALLENGE 5: Water-Themed Coaster for SW San Diego
Summary: Create an aquatic themed roller coaster for SeaWorld San Diego. The coaster may be inspired by those at other SeaWorld parks or it may be something completely unique.
Winner: James Koehl (The Seaplechase Coaster)
Eliminated: David L. (MaRiNe MoNsTeRs Of ThE pAsT)
CHALLENGE 6: New Port for DisneySea
Summary:Create a Port for Tokyo DisneySea. The port must contain a minimum of three attractions, two dining locations (one full service and one quick service), and one retail location.
Winner: James Koehl (Kauai Island)
Eliminated: Anthony Murphy (Olympus Port)
CHALLENGE 7: Water Park for DLR
Summary: Create a water park for the Disneyland Resort. The water park should be similar in theme and scale to Disney's previous water park ventures.
Winner: James Koehl (Disney's Water Kingdom)
Runner-Up: Dan Babbitt (Pixar Landing)
THEME PARK APPRENTICE 2
Dates: October 2010 – January 2011
Host: Tim W
Competitors:
1st: Dan Babbitt
2nd: James Koehl & Anthony Murphy
4th: Andy Milito
5th: Adam Nodjomian
6th: David L.
7th: Nick Markham & Jeff Moon
9th: Nathan Alexander (resigned)
10th: Jorge Arnoldson (dropped)
11th: Ty Mullins (resigned)
12th: Justin Miranda (dropped)
13th: Thomas Crain (resigned)
14th: Tyler Rizzo
Notes:
-This was a two part season. For the first few challenges, competitors worked within their local regional theme park. After the number of competitors had been whittled down, challenges took place at various destination theme parks.
-This season started without all of the challenges fully designed. During the course of the competition, a couple challenges were designed by committee.
-Due to the number of competitors in this season, a multi-tiered elimination system was planned. Eliminations were to start with three per challenge, then reduced to two, and then reduced to one. However, due to contestants withdrawing this system was not used.
Challenges:
CHALLENGE 1: Hometown Theme Park Attraction
Summary: Create an attraction for your home park. No additional restrictions were used in this challenge.
Winner: Jorge Arnoldson (Rainforest Rescue)
Eliminated: Tyler Rizzo (Water World: The Ride)
CHALLENGE 2: Hometown Theme Park Store
Summary: Create a retail location for your home park. No additional restrictions were used in this challenge.
Winner: Nathan Alexander (Wonka's Factory)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (2 competitors dropped)
CHALLENGE 3: Hometown Theme Park Restaurant
Summary: Design a restaurant for your home park. Full service, quick service, and buffets are all permitted, but character dining is not.
Winner: James Koehl (High Rollers Restaurant)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (2 competitors dropped)
CHALLENGE 4: Live Show for DHS
Summary: Create a musical to replace Beauty and the Beast-Live on Stage at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show may be based on Disney IP or may be an original creation, but it may not be a remake of a previous show.
Winner: James Koehl (Miss Disney Villain)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (1 competitor dropped)
CHALLENGE 5: Two Epcot Pavilions
Summary: Paired up with another competitor, each team must create a scientific pavilion for Epcot's Future World and an international pavilion for Epcot's World Showcase. No themes may be duplicated and no previously used ideas may be reimagineered.
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated: Nick Markham & Jeff Moon (Egypt & The City of Heroes)
CHALLENGE 6: Hyperion Wharf Entertainment
Summary: Create an entertainment venue for Hyperion Wharf. The only restriction is that it cannot utilize the same theme as anything present in Pleasure Island.
Winner: Adam Nodjomian (Oceanus Maximus)
Eliminated: David L. (The Disney MAGNIFICENT Steam Boat)
CHALLENGE 7: Harry Potter Attraction for IOA
Summary: Create an attraction to be added to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Any type of attraction may be used, but it must be for Hogsmeade and not for Lost Continent.
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated:Adam Nodjomian (The Third Task)
CHALLENGE 8: Hotel
Summary: Create a hotel for any theme park. The hotel may not utilize the theme of a rejected hotel concept or the theme of a hotel presented in a previous season of the competition.
Winner: Anthony Murphy (Marceline Depot Hotel)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (James Koehl was last, but due to rounding errors the vote was declared a tie)
CHALLENGE 9: Land for Holiday World
Summary: Create a themed area for Holiday World. Competitors were randomly assigned one of the major holidays not already represented at the park to use as a theme: Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, New Year's, and Easter.
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated: Andy Milito
CHALLENGE 10: Roller Coaster for MK’s Fantasyland
Summary: Create a roller coaster for Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom. The coaster must be original, not a clone from another park, and it may not be themed to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (suspected vote tampering was in play)
CHALLENGE 11: Theme Park
Summary: Create a theme park for the location of your choice within the United States. The park must contain at least four themed areas, each with a minimum of three attractions, one dining location, and one retail location.
Winner: Dan Babbitt (Disney's Dark Kingdom)
Runners-Up: James Koehl (DisneySky) & Anthony Murphy (Disney's Adventure Cove)
THE NEXT WALT DISNEY
Dates:January – April, 2011
Host: Andy Milito
Competitors:
1st: Joseph Catlett
2nd: Eric S
3rd: Anthony Murphy
4th: Andy Milito
5th: Damond Harris
6th: Randall Peek
7th: Tim W
8th: Tom Riggs (dropped)
Notes:
-This was a one-time spin-off competition that occurred to allow Tim W time to retool TPA after the events of TPA 2. He officially authorized this competition and was a competitor. Despite hosting, Andy Milito was also a competitor in this season.
-This season was entirely focused on Disney parks, with very general requirements. Since the assumption that all proposals were to conform to Disney standards was implied, this will not be stated in challenge summaries.
Challenges:
CHALLENGE 1: Dark Ride for DL or MK
Summary: Create a dark ride for either Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom.
Winner: Tom Riggs (Up: Race to Paradise Falls)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination
CHALLENGE 2: Shop for WDW or DLR
Summary: Create a retail location for any of the US Disney parks.
Winner: Joseph Catlett (The Studio Archives)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (1 competitor dropped)
CHALLENGE 3: 4D Disney Show
Summary: Create a 3D or 4D show for any Disney park.
Winner: Anthony Murphy (Epic Mickey)
Eliminated: Tim W (Concerts! 3D)
CHALLENGE 4: Themed Roller Coaster
Summary: Create a themed roller coaster for any Disney park.
Winner: Joseph Catlett (Rainbow Ridge Racers)
Eliminated: Randall Peek (Tinker Bell: Pixies and Pirates)
CHALLENGE 5: Disney Hotel
Summary: Create a hotel for any Disney resort.
Winner: Joseph Catlett (Star Wars Mos Eisley Resort)
Eliminated: Damond Harris (Mickey and Friends Neighborhood Hotel Suites)
CHALLENGE 6: Water Ride
Summary: Create a water ride for any Disney park.
Winner: Anthony Murphy (The Sorcerer's Apprentice)
Eliminated: Andy Milito (A Bug's Life River Rapids)
CHALLENGE 7: Replace Toontown Fair for MK
Summary: Create a themed area to replace Magic Kingdom's Toontown Fair. The area must contain at least three attractions, one dining location, and one retail location.
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated: Anthony Murphy (Tron)
CHALLENGE 8: Disney Park
Summary: Create a new Disney theme park. The park must have at least four themed areas, each with a minimum of three attractions, one dining location, and one retail location.
Winner: Joseph Catlett (Disney's Worlds of Wonder)
Runner-Up: Eric S (DisneyElements)
THEME PARK APPRENTICE 3
Dates: June – August, 2011
Host: Tim W.
Competitors:
1st: Jeff Eliot
2nd: James Koehl
3rd: Andy Milito
4th: Joseph Catlett
5th: Eric S
6th: Dan Babbitt
7th: Dominick D
8th: Adam Nodjomian (dropped)
9th: Colin Sullivan (dropped)
10th: Thomas Crain
11th: Nick Markham
12th: David L.
Notes:
-This was the first official season with a season-long theme. For this season, almost all challenges took place at international destinations, and those that didn't took place in international themed areas of US parks.
-This was the season that formalized the elimination format that has been used in every season since, with a single elimination after each challenge. This was also the season that started the trend of having separate challenge and discussion threads.
-This season ran into a fair number of problems during its run, both with competitors dropping and with the poll results being questionable. As a result, this was the final season to use a site poll as the sole elimination method.
Challenges:
CHALLENGE 1: World Showcase Ride
Summary: Create an attraction for any of the World Showcase pavilions at Epcot. No additional restrictions were used in this challenge.
Winner: Joseph Catlett (RIVER OF DREAMS: A Tanuki's Eye View of the Art of Japan)
Eliminated: David L. (Atlas Mountain Adventure Tour)
CHALLENGE 2: Beastly Kingdom in DAK
Summary: Create an attraction based on a mythological creature for Beastly Kingdom at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Any creature from any culture may be used, but it must be a real legend and not something made up.
Winner: James Koehl (The Rise of the Phoenix)
Eliminated: Nick Markham (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)
CHALLENGE 3: Character Dining for WDSP
Summary: Create a character dining experience for Toon Studios in Walt Disney Studios Paris. Any Disney characters that would be appropriate in this section of the park may be used.
Winner: Adam Nodjomian (Positivement le Mal)
Eliminated: Thomas Crain (Tiana's Palace)
CHALLENGE 4: Nickelodeon Roller Coaster for Pleasure Beach
Summary: Create a roller coaster based off of a Nickelodeon character for the Nickelodeon area at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The character may not be from any show already represented in the land.
Winner: Andy Milito (Danny Phantom: Enter the Ghost Zone)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (1 competitor dropped)
CHALLENGE 5: DC Attraction for Movie World
Summary: Create any type of attraction for Warner Bros. Movie World. The attraction must be themed to a DC comics character other than Superman or Batman.
Winner: Joseph Catlett (Arkham: The Joker's Madhouse)
Eliminated: Dominick D (unknown)
CHALLENGE 6: TDL Tomorrowland Stage Show
Summary: Create a live show for Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland. The show should serve as a replacement for One Man's Dream 2: The Magic Lives On and should fit within a Sci-Fi City overhaul of the area.
Winner: Jeff Elliott (Kingdom Hearts: Pete's Blunder)
Eliminated: Dan Babbitt (Monster University)
CHALLENGE 7: BTTF Replacement for USJ
Summary: Create a replacement attraction for Back to the Future at Universal Studios Japan. The attraction must remain a simulator and may be themed to anything not present at the park except for Transformers.
Winner: Andy Milito (Ghostbusters: Ghost Invasion)
Eliminated: Eric S (Fast and Furious: The Monte Carlo Job)
CHALLENGE 8: Hotel for HKDL
Summary: Create a moderate or value hotel for Hong Kong Disneyland. Any theme may be used except those of unbuilt hotels or those presented in previous competitions.
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated: Joseph Catlett (Pixar Acres)
CHALLENGE 9: Land for SDL
Summary: Create a themed area for Shanghai Disneyland that is not a duplicate of a land in another Disney park. The themed area must contain at least three attractions, one dining location, and one retail location.
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated: Andy Milito (Game Central)
CHALLENGE 10: Theme Park for Dubai
Summary: Create a theme park to be built in Dubailand. No additional restrictions were used in this challenge.
Winner: Jeff Elliott (World Wonders Theme Park)
Runner-Up: James Koehl (Oasis)
THEME PARK APPRENTICE: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Dates: January – February, 2012
Host: Tim W
Competitors:
1st: James Koehl
2nd: Nick Markham
3rd: Dan Babbitt
4th: Joseph Catlett
5th: Jeff Elliott
Notes:
-To date, this is the only invite-only season of Theme Park Apprentice. In this season, all former champions returned in order to determine the champion of champions.
-Unlike previous seasons, this season used a non-elimination points system. The winner was whoever could perform the best consistently throughout the competition, not whoever could survive the longest.
Challenges:
CHALLENGE 1: Cirque du Soleil Show for Downtown Disney
Summary: Create a Cirque du Soleil show similar to La Nouba for Disneyland's Downtown Disney. The show must have a storyline of some sort and must not be a copy of any previous Cirque du Soleil show.
Winner: Jeff Elliott (Buratino)
CHALLENGE 2: Hotel for USO
Summary: Create a luxury hotel for Universal Orlando Resort. The hotel must be a top tier hotel that is more luxurious than the existing Universal resorts and must include a five diamond restaurant.
Winner: James Koehl (The Victoria Palace Hotel)
CHALLENGE 3: Music-Themed Land for DHS
Summary: Create a area of Disney's Hollywood Studios that is themed to music. The area must contain at least three new attractions and one dining location, and it must also be built around the existing Rock 'n Roller Coaster, incorporating the ride into its theme.
Winner: Joseph Catlett (Rock and Roll Boulevard)
CHALLENGE 4: Boutique Park for WDW
Summary: Create a small theme park for Walt Disney World that is full of non-traditional attractions, similar to SeaWorld's Discovery Cove. The park must contain at least five attractions and at least one dining location.
Winner: Nick Markham (Western River Expedition)
CHALLENGE 5: IP-Based Park
Summary: Create a theme park based entirely on a single IP or a collection of related IPs. The park must contain four or five themed areas, each with a minimum of three attractions, one dining location, and one retail location.
Winner: Jeff Elliott (South Park: The Theme Park)
Wow! Was this a trip down memory lane. You two did an amazing amount of research in compiling this list!
AJ,
This was an awesome idea and a great project! Thanks so much for this!
Good to see this up
Ahhh, I love this. Those were some fun times, especially my first one; TPA4. I've always wanted to do TPA again, so maybe next season for me.
Bryce, that would be great! I always was impressed with your proposals.
Can't wait to compete in the next season of TPA!
Thanks for putting this together AJ! This is cool. Appreciate it!
I'm still happy about my 2nd place / runner up standing in TPA 5 :-). Everyone is so creative, so just advancing in rounds made me happy.
Plus, it's always great to see the other ideas & concepts from the rest of the competitors.
Great Job with this! It's so cool to have everything in one place!
This discussion has been archived and is no longer accepting responses.
THEME PARK APPRENTICE 4
Dates: June – August, 2013
Host: Tim W
Judges: James Koehl and Jeff Elliot
Competitors:
1st: AJ Hummel
2nd: Bryce McGibeny & Chad H
4th: David L.
5th: Dan Babbitt
6th: Andy Hiscutt & Andy Milito (dropped)
8th: Dominick D
9th: Joseph Catlett
10th: Michelle Kowalski (resigned)
11th: Karly Tenney
12th: Jay R (dropped)
13th: Brett Angwin
14th: Issac M., Matt Babiak, & Manny Rodriquez (dropped)
Notes:
-This season was given a theme of nature and the environment. Every challenge related to the natural world in some way and environmental awareness was expected to be considered with designs.
-This was the first season to use a panel of judges. All judges would provide independent critiques, then they would rank competitors and the bottom three would be placed in an elimination poll. The judges were selected by audition from previous champions and finalists.
-Due to suspected poll tampering, this season introduced a rule that the judges could eliminate someone by a unanimous decision.
Challenges:
CHALLENGE 1: Dark Ride for SDL’S Fantasyland
Summary: Create a dark ride for Fantasyland at Shanghai Disneyland. The attraction must be based on a Disney IP that involves animals, has never been used on a Disney attraction before, and is not connected to an attraction already planned for Shanghai Disneyland.
Winner: AJ Hummel (Brother Bear: Kenai's Journey)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination
CHALLENGE 2: Ride and Animals for Busch Gardens Tampa
Summary: Create an attraction that contains both a ride component and a wildlife component for Busch Gardens Tampa. Any type of attraction may be used, but it must be safe for both visitors and wildlife as well as educational for visitors.
Winner: AJ Hummel (Falconidae)
Eliminated: Brett Angwin (Gorilla Jungle)
CHALLENGE 3: SeaWorld Nighttime Experience
Summary: Create a nighttime spectacular for any of the SeaWorld parks. Any type of show may be used, but consideration for the park's animal residents must be taken.
Winner: David L. (Journeys: The Bottlenose Dolphin)
Eliminated: Karly Tenney (Shamu and Friends)
CHALLENGE 4: Permanent Environmentally-Themed Universal Haunt
Summary: Create an extreme permanent haunted attraction for a Universal park. The attraction must be based on some type of environmental or natural disaster and cannot utilize any IP.
Winner: David L. (The Shack on Whitaker Hill)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (1 competitor dropped)
CHALLENGE 5: Environmental Movie Show
Summary: Create a theme park show based on a movie with an environmental message (except Avatar). The show may be a live show or a 3-D movie and may be located at any appropriate theme park.
Winner: Dan Babbitt (Happy Feet: On Thin Ice)
Eliminated: Joseph Catlett (Watchmen Friends: The Environment: Three Minutes Til Midnight)
CHALLENGE 6: Animal Hotel for DAK
Summary: Create a moderate resort themed to an animal. The hotel should be located in the Animal Kingdom resort area and not be connected to the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Winner: David L. (Disney's Night Owl Resort)
Eliminated: Dominick D (Lion Paradise)
CHALLENGE 7: Cedar Fair Dinosaur Overlay
Summary: Create a themed roller coaster and additional mini-land to complement Dinosaurs Alive. The project may be for any Cedar Fair park that already has Dinosaurs Alive, or it may be for a potential installation at another property.
Winner: Chad H (On the Hunt at California's Great America)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (2 competitors dropped)
CHALLENGE 8: Healthy Restaurant for USO
Summary: Create an organic restaurant for one of the three hotels at Universal Orlando Resort. The restaurant should be similar to The Wave at Disney's Contemporary Resort.
Winner: Chad H (Unplugged: Acoustic Cuisine)
Eliminated: Dan Babbitt (The Groove)
CHALLENGE 9: Restore an Epcot Pavilion
Summary: Create a plan to revitalize an Epcot pavilion that has fallen into neglect. The entire pavilion may be replaced with a new attraction or the pavilion may receive a major overhaul, but no matter what the pavilion must keep the same theme.
Winner: Bryce McGibeny (Imagination Pavilion)
Eliminated: David L. (Our Universe of Energy Pavilion)
CHALLENGE 10: New Land for DAK
Summary: Create a new themed area for Disney's Animal Kingdom that utilizes animals as well as traditional theme park attractions. The area must have at least three attractions, one dining location, and one retail location, and it may not be themed to either Avatar or Beastly Kingdom.
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (tied vote)
CHALLENGE 11: Environmental Theme Park
Summary: Create a theme park that is both entertaining to visit and educates guests about the environment. The park must meet a set of various requirements and must be as environmentally friendly as possible.
Winner: AJ Hummel (Nature's Wonderland)
Runners-Up: Bryce McGibeny (Disney's EarthSea Adventure Park) & Chad H (Discovery-The Theme Park)
THEME PARK APPRENTICE 5
Dates: May-August, 2013
Host: Tim W
Judges: James Koehl and Andy Milito
Competitors:
Note: Competitors who auditioned but dropped prior to challenge 1 are not included.
1st: Chad H
2nd: Jay R.
3rd: Mike Kinshella (dropped)
4th: Bryce McGibeny (resigned)
5th: Alan Hiscutt
6th: Christopher Sturniolo
7th: Joseph Catlett (resigned)
8th: AJ Hummel
9th: Joseph M
10th: Dominick D (dropped)
11th: Karly Tenney
Notes:
-This was the first season to use a cumulative park format. Competitors pitched a park concept in the audition round, with all following challenges being set at the park of choice. For the most part, challenges were "create this for your park," so individual challenge summaries will not be included.
-This season followed the same judging rules as the previous season.
-This was the final season hosted by series creator Tim W. Following this season, the organization of the competition was entrusted to champions and fellow judges James Koehl and Jeff Elliott.
Challenges:
PARK PROPOSALS
CHALLENGE 1: Dark Ride
Winner: None Announced
Eliminated: Non-Elimination
CHALLENGE 2: 4D Film
Winner: Mike Kinshella (The Sandman's Theater of Mystery)
Eliminated: Karly Tenney (Jack the Clown: Come Face to Face with the Legend)
CHALLENGE 3: Walkthrough
Winner: Jay R. (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (3 late posters)
CHALLENGE 4: RollerCoaster
Winner: Mike Kinshella (The Shadow Strikes)
Eliminated: Joseph M (Positron Laboratories Synchrotron)
CHALLENGE 5: Restaurant
Winner: Alan Hiscutt (Pankot Palace Restaurant)
Eliminated: AJ Hummel (Festival of Elements)
CHALLENGE 6: Thrill Ride
Winner: Jay R. (007: Espionage)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (1 competitor dropped)
CHALLENGE 7: Live Show
Winner: Mike Kinshella (Showdown at Skull Creek)
Eliminated: Christopher Sturniolo (The Hero's Journey)
CHALLENGE 8: Water Ride
Winner: Mike Kinshella (Escape to Skullcano Island)
Eliminated: Alan Hiscutt (Gungan City Submarine Tour)
CHALLENGE 9: Hotel
Winner: Mike Kinshella (Hotel de Grandin)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (1 competitor dropped)
CHALLENGE 10: Complete Park
Winner: Chad H (Magna Britannia)
Runner-Up: Jay R. (Exposition Summit: Literary Park)
THEME PARK APPRENTICE 6
Dates: July 2014
Host: Jeff Eliot
Judges: James Koehl and Andy Milito
Notes:
-This season was originally intended to be run with two divisions. Each division would compete separately in a shorter version of the regular competition, which each division facing separate challenges. Those eliminated from the first division would be able to compete in the second, while those who started in the second would not get a second chance. Finally, the top competitors from each division would square off in the final few challenges.
-Unlike previous seasons, competitors were permitted to use any attraction type for any challenge. However, each attraction type could only be used one time.
-Despite having over a dozen competitors, only two actually submitted a proposal in the first challenge. This lead to a cancellation of the competition and the judges elected to place Theme Park Apprentice on indefinite hiatus.
General Discussion Thread
THEME PARK APPRENTICE 6.1
Dates: January-March, 2015
Host: DPCC Inc.,
Judges: AJ Hummel, Chad H, Alan Hiscutt, and Anthony Murphy
Competitors:
1st: Blake Meredith
2nd: James Koehl
3rd: Brett Angwin
4th: Kevin Krom
5th: Travis McReynolds
6th: Jay R. (dropped)
7th: Parker Atkin
8th: Christopher Sturniolo (resigned)
9th: Keith Schneider
Notes:
-This season was created by DPCC Inc. after a failed attempt to create an unofficial competition. Following much discussion, DPCC was given permission to run the competition from the judges of Theme Park Apprentice 6.
-This season was pitched as a revival/reboot of the competition. As a result, the judging panel was mostly made up of former competitors who had never judged before and most of early competitors (TPA 1-3) were not involved in any way. The competition was also run using the cumulative format rather than the independent challenges seen in most previous versions.
-This was the first season to completely ditch the site vote. From this season on, the judges were solely responsible for determining all eliminations. Additionally, for this season only all judges posted public rankings.
-This season was plagued with numerous problems, including the resignation of a judge, the disappearance of another, numerous dropped competitors, and the host struggling with lack of experience. As a result, the competition was shortened from its original intended length and the remaining judges jointly ran the competition instead of relying on a single host.
-To date, this is the only competition in which a former competitor has competed under a pseudonym. James Koehl participated in this competition under the name Scott E, only revealing the truth following the final challenge.
Challenges:
PARK PROPOSALS
CHALLENGE 1: Dark Ride
Winner: James Koehl (A Trip to the Moon)
Eliminated: Keith Schneider (Zeus and the 12 Olympians)
CHALLENGE 2: Roller Coaster
Winners: Blake Meredith (Escape from Bald Mountain), Jay R. (Wall-E: Hyperspeed), & James Koehl (The Great Pacific Northwest Scenic Railway)
Eliminated: Parker Atkin (The Time War)
CHALLENGE 3: Live Show
Winner: James Koehl (Vaudeville)
Eliminated: Travis McReynolds (Pokemon Trainer's Academy)
CHALLENGE 4: Restaurant
Winner: James Koehl (Harvey House Restaurant)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (1 competitor dropped)
CHALLENGE 5: Themed Land
Winners: James Koehl (State Fair) & Blake Meredith (Courage Cove)
Eliminated: Brett Angwin (Never Land)
CHALLENGE 6: Entire Park
Winner: Blake Meredith (Disney's Realms of Imagination)
Runner-Up: James Koehl (Americana 1900)
THEME PARK APPRENTICE 7
Dates: July – August 2015
Host: AJ Hummel
Judges: James Koehl, Chad H, and Blake Meredith (select challenges)
Competitors:
1st: Douglas Hindley
2nd: Keith Schneider
3rd: DPCC Inc.
4th: Andy Teoh (resigned)
5th: Jeff Elliott (resigned)
6th: Karina Bhattacharya
7th: Juan Hamilton
8th: Tyler Harris
9th: Brett Angwin
Notes:
-Following the previous season, DPCC Inc. resigned from hosting duties. With approval from competition caretakers James Koehl and Jeff Elliott, AJ Hummel stepped up to replace him.
-This season used a non-cumulative competition format, with each challenge set within a different park chain. Challenges this season were intended to be closer to real-world scenarios with more restrictions than in previous competitions. This was met with mixed results...some competitors embraced the additional challenge while others felt it stifled creativity too much.
-This season also tried several new experimental concepts, such as a redemption challenge, new method for resolving ties, and a real life pass that permitted a competitor to skip a challenge and remain in the competition. Like the challenges, the new game mechanics ultimately had some benefits but also complicated the competition and led to problems toward the end of the competition.
Challenges:
CHALLENGE 1: Legoland (Interactive Attraction)
Summary: Create an interactive attraction for one of the Legoland parks. The attraction may be a ride, show, or walkthrough, but it must have an interactive component.
Winner: Juan Hamilton (Ultra Agents Battle Blasters)
Eliminated: Brett Angwin (The Lego Movie Adventure)
CHALLENGE 2: Cedar Fair (Dark Ride)
Summary: Create a modern dark ride for a Cedar Fair park that does not currently have one. Any dark ride system may be used, but the theme must remain generic and cannot be based on an IP.
Winner: Douglas Hindley (Chrono-Safari: T-Rex Trek)
Eliminated: Karina Bhattacharya (New World Expedition)
CHALLENGE 3: Regional Park (Food Court)
Summary: Create a station service restaurant for a regional park. The restaurant must offer a variety of regional cuisine and not rely on national chains.
Winner: Keith Schneider (Country Fair Southern Cook-Off)
Eliminated: Tyler Harris (The Royal Court)
CHALLENGE 4: Six Flags (Roller Coaster)
Summary: Create a record breaking roller coaster for a Six Flags park. The roller coaster must be an extreme thrill ride while being themed to the standards of Six Flags and should be kept to as low of budget as possible.
Winner: Jeff Elliott (Catwoman: The Ride)
Eliminated: Juan Hamilton (Bane: The Ride)
REDEMPTION: Alton Towers (Replace Smiler)
Summary: In the wake of the Smiler accident, create a new attraction for Alton Towers to replace the ride. Any type of attraction may be used, but it should be a worthy replacement for a Secret Weapon.
Redeemed: Karina Bhattacharya (The Final Defense)
CHALLENGE 5: SeaWorld (Revamp a Park)
Summary: Create a 5 year redevelopment plan for a SeaWorld park. The plan should address all problem areas of the property and should be able to reverse the falling attendance without dropping the park into bankruptcy in the process.
Winner: Jeff Elliott (SeaWorld San Antonio) & Keith Schneider (SeaWorld Orlando Five-Year Plan and Beyond: 2016-2025)
Eliminated: Karina Bhattacharya (SeaWorld San Diego 2016-2020)
CHALLENGE 6: Universal Studios (New Land)
Summary: Create a fully immersive themed area for a Universal park. The area must be based on a Universal IP and should be similar in size and content to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Winner: Douglas Hindley (Hill Valley)
Eliminated: Non-Elimination (due to problems with the scoring system making a double elimination unfair and the resignation of a competitor, four were permitted to advance to the final)
CHALLENGE 7: Disney (New Park)
Summary: Create a new Disney park to be added to any existing Disney Resort. The park must be of similar size to existing second gates, but should be a full day experience on its own.
Winner: Douglas Hindley (DisneySky)
Runner-Ups: Keith Schneider (Disney's Lost Kingdom) & DPCC Inc. (Exploration: Florida)
THEME PARK APPRENTICE 8
Dates: May – August, 2016
Host: AJ Hummel, judged by Blake Meredith and DPCC Inc.
Judges: Blake Meredith and DPCC Inc.
Competitors:
1st: Douglas Hindley
2nd: _realdonaldduck
3rd: Andy Teoh (resigned)
4th: Chad H
5th: Karina Bhattacharya
6th: Keith Schneider
7th: Christopher Sturniolo
8th: Andrew_G
Notes:
-This season featured the return of the cumulative format.
-For this season, competitors were asked to create a destination park that is not connected to any existing theme park resort.
-This was the first season of the competition with no involvement from any of the original champions.
Challenges:
PARK PROPOSALS
CHALLENGE 1: Dark Ride
Winner: Andy Teoh (Tales of the Arabian Night)
Eliminated: _realdonaldduck (Yosemite Valley Fire Patrol)
CHALLENGE 2: Flat Ride
Winner: Andy Teoh (Festival of the Lanterns)
Eliminated: Andrew_G (Astro Boy's Flyers)
CHALLENGE 3: Restaurant
Winner: Douglas Hindley (The Feast of Alexander Nevsky)
Eliminated: Christopher Sturniolo (Ink and Paint Club)
CHALLENGE 4: Thrill Ride
Winner: Douglas Hindley (Perun's Arrow)
Eliminated: Keith Schneider (Hurricane)
REDEMPTION
Redeemed: _realdonaldduck (Yosemite Valley Fire Patrol)
CHALLENGE 5: Live Street Show
Winner: Andy Teoh (Dance by Chance)
Eliminated: Karina Bhattacharya (Music Lights the Dark)
CHALLENGE 6: Themed Land
Winner: Andy Teoh (Paradise Isles)
Eliminated: Chad H (Crystal Palace)
CHALLENGE 7: Entire Park
Winner: Douglas Hindley (Buyan Park)
Runner-Up: _realdonaldduck (America The Beautiful)