This has always been my favorite challenge, so much that this is the 4th time a challenge like this is being done. That said, I would advise you to take a look at them simply by searching for Theme Park Apprentice hotel and Next Walt Disney Hotel. You may NOT submit a hotel with a theme that is the same as a planned hotel (there are many that Disney had) or that was submitted last year. Be original with your theming, there are plenty of different themes yet to have been used and the possibilities are endless. Please be sure to not copy any of the ideas presented the past two seasons or during Andy’s Next Walt Disney competition.
We have to say goodbye to our next contestant, Eric S, this week. Congrats on doing a good job Eric!
Submissions are due by July 30.
By the way, it's still me Andy. I noticed that I had forgotten a letter in my last name, but I had never bothered to change it. It's still me though :P
Marvel Studios Resort
Marvel Studios Resort is a moderate priced hotel themed to none other than Marvel Studios's greatest superheroes!
The resort consists of 6 pairs of 3 story hotels. There would be a total of 600 rooms, so there would be 100 rooms in each hotel. Each building’s exterior is normal, but the interior is shiny silver. The 6 hotels would form a circle around the pool (which I will describe later).
The lobby is where your stay begins! First off, the lobby is full of pictures of your favorite superheroes, including:
Spider-Man
the Fantastic Four,
Iron Man
the Hulk
Thor
And more. Occasionally, the heroes (Cast Members in costumes) would greet guests and give out autographs and photo ops. At the front desk, you decide what hero you want your room to be themed to. Of course, if all the rooms based on a certain hero, say Spider-Man, are full, you would choose another. Also, if you don't care which hero your room is themed to, the receptionist would pick out an open room for you.
Rooms, as stated before, would be themed to different heroes (there are more than one of each hero's rooms). For example, rooms based on the Hulk would have wallpaper that looks like it's smashed in, the furniture would be green, et cetera. Disney would also team up with Sony and supply PlayStation 3s in every room, for ultimate superhero gaming. Each room would contain some of the superhero games out there, such as:
*Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
*Thor: God of Thunder
*Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
*Captain America: Super Soldier
*Iron Man
And others.
Each room would have two queen size beds, a couch (that folds into a bed), a small kitchen with microwave and small fridge, and a bathroom with shower/bathtub, small closet, a table with 4 chairs, and a balcony.
The gift shop, "Superhero Central", would sell all sorts of Marvel merchandise. Some of the merchandise would include:
*original drawings of the heroes
*costumes
*DVDs
*comic books
*action figures
*video games
*pins
And more!
The pool would be nice and large to accommodate many guests at one time. The pool would be shaped like a "POW" action bubble.
There would be three body slides that empty into the pool:
*Hero's Apprentice- a small slide with a few turns
*Central Crusader- a medium sized slide with more turns
*Ultimate Warrior- the largest slide with many turns and drops
And who could forget the toddlers? A small section of the pool grounds is dedicated to toddlers, with a small slide and fountains. This area is called "Lil' Avengers".
Marvel Studios Resort's first of two restaurants, Marvel Cafe, is in a building off to the side of the circle of hotels. Marvel Cafe is where you can be served your classier dinner items. Marvel Cafe is a unique restaurant that serves you authentic Chinese food! Choices for your dinner include:
*Chicken (Kung Pao, Beggar's Chicken, etc.)
The other restaurant, Vigilante Diner, serves lunch and dinner. The restaurant serves mainly fast food, such as
*Burgers
*Hot dogs
*Chicken nuggets/strips
*Chinese food (more along the fast food kind)
And others, of course!
As for breakfast, it is served in the lobby of your hotel, with common foods like eggs, waffles, noodles, and others.
Prices would be in a moderate range.
*Standard rooms- $164 (1,056.57 Chinese Yuan)
*King rooms (king size bed instead of 2 queens) - $185 (1,191.87 Chinese Yuan)
*Avengers Suite (king bed, large table, better kitchen, etc.)- $301 (1,939.20 Chinese Yuan).
I hope you enjoyed your stay at Marvel Studios Resort! Please come again!
The Disney Tapestry Cruise Resort is the newest and most unique hotel ever conceived of by Disney. It gives visitors to Hong Kong Disneyland the opportunity to enjoy the magic of a world-class Disney Park and create the life-long memories of a Disney Cruise in one amazing experience and at a financially-reasonable rate. This moderately-priced hotel has nearly all of the amenities found on every other Disney Cruise Line ship, is permanently "docked" beside Hong Kong Disneyland for ease of access, and has a wide variety of cabins sizes available to meet nearly all budgets and family sizes.
The name "Tapestry" derives from the "Tapestry of Nations" and "Tapestry of Dreams" parades that entertained millions of Epcot visitors until 2001. The World Showcase at Epcot, where these parades were performed, and the nations represented there, are a major influence on the design of shopping and dining areas onboard the Tapestry.
For consistency, we will refer to The Disney Tapestry as a "ship" for the rest of this proposal. Guests will often be referred to as "passengers."
The Tapestry takes its lines and coloring from the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the first two ships in the Disney Cruise Line Fleet. It is approximately 900 ft. long from bow to stern, nearly 120ft. wide, and displays a dark hull with bright red funnels and yellow striping on the hull. The hull contains eleven decks rising from water level to the uppermost Sun Deck. The Tapestry is not actually floating, but is completely surrounded by water to give it the appearance of being afloat.
All support and service access to the ship is via underground/underwater utilidors, while passengers will access the ship via several permanent gangways connecting it to the Passenger Terminal, between the mainland parking area and the ship.
Passengers will enter the ship's magnificent World Lobby, sleek, streamlined, timeless Art Deco. Here they will find Registration, Concierge, Purser's Office and all other services needed to assist them in having a perfect "cruise". Wide, elegant staircases and banks of elevators connect all decks of the ship to this magnificent space.
Taking the staircase down from the World Lobby, passengers reach Deck 1 and find the World Food Court, a dining area capable of seating nearly five hundred guests. Lining the walls of this area are counter-service restaurants representing all of the nations found at the World Showcase at Epcot, with this difference- China is now in the prime central location, opposite the entrance to the food court, with the United States taking China's place and all other nations in their respective locations. Each offers take-out foods based on the world-famous recipes featured in their Epcot pavilion's restaurants.
Returning to Deck 2, passengers pass through the World Lobby and discover several shops selling Disney clothing , souvenirs, and anything needed for a great visit to Hong Kong Disneyland. Desk 2 also houses the Tapestry Cinema, a state-of-the-art movie theatre showing both new release and classic Disney films every evening free of charge to registered passengers.
Deck 3 is reached by elevator and staircase from the World Lobby, and contains the magnificent heart of the ship, the Tapestry Atrium, a four-story-high mall running nearly three hundred feet down the length of the ship.
Shops representing all Epcot nations and others such as Australia, India and Brazil line this exciting space, decorated with beautiful tapestry banners and the constant moving sculpture of the ship's elevators. A large family-style restaurant and ice-cream parlor is also found on Deck 3.
Decks 4, 5,and 6 contains a wide variety of cabins, many of which overlook the Atrium from private balconies.
Decks 7 and 8 contain passenger cabins, with an extensive fitness center on Deck 8.
Many of the outside passenger cabins on Decks 4 through 8 feature private balconies overlooking either Hong Kong Disneyland Park or the South China Sea and Jamaica Cay.
Deck 9 is the fine dining and entertainment center of the Disney Tapestry. The centerpiece of this area is the "Tapestry Grill", reminiscent of the California Grill at the Contemporary Hotel at Walt Disney World Resort.
It sits high on the ship, and its huge windows face Hong Kong Disneyland. This deluxe restaurant is THE place to have a memorable meal with one of the finest views of the evening fireworks over the park.
Many of the dishes found here have been perfected in restaurants at Disney Parks and aboard Disney Cruise Line ships around the world.
A sample from the ever-evolving menu would include:
Maple Glazed Salmon with Onion-Mashed Potatoes
Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli
Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab and Asiago Cheese
Shrimp Scampi with Orange Harissa
Rosemary Grilled Lamb Chops with White Beans and Marinated
Artichokes
Grilled Rib-eye of Beef Smothered with Mushrooms and Blue
Cheese
Stilton Cheesecake
Artist Point Berry Cobbler
"Reflections" is a large, beautifully appointed Chinese buffet located next to the Tapestry Grill. Less adventurous diners can share the spectacular view of the fireworks and the Park in a relaxed, family-oriented setting. Foods from across China are available, emphasizing traditional ingredients and presentations.
The other side of Deck 9, on the starboard side overlooking the outdoor recreation area (to be discussed later) is a stylish lounge area, The "Tapestry of Dreams Lounge", with live music and a world-ranging collection of beverages and snacks available.
The aft section of Deck 9 contains the "Red Sky at Night" club, aimed at the young and young-at-heart. The world's newest music can be found here from late afternoon to early in the morning, a large dance floor is available, and plenty of plush seating gives spectacular views of the surrounding sites.
Deck 10 is the place to sun, swim and play without getting sand in your suit. Several sizes and styles of swimming pools are here, from the shallowest baby pool to long lap pools. Family hot tubs, a water basketball area, and a play area with slides and dumping buckets of water make this an area for the entire family to share. Hundreds of deck chairs provide places to catch a few rays, and plenty of umbrellas provide shade for those who just want to enjoy the view of Hong Kong Disneyland or the South China Sea.
Several counter-service restaurants are located here, serving snack foods from all over the world. The area of the ship normally occupied by the Bridge is here filled with a play room for children, where they can spin the ship's wheel, push the buttons, ring the bells and pretend they are the ship's Captain.
Deck 11, the uppermost deck, is a relatively small area located amidships, between and surrounding the ship's funnels. This is an adults-only area, with a relaxing swimming pool, large hot tub with a swim-up bar, plenty of places to sun and relax, and an intimate restaurant offering light meals emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables.
There is one more recreation area that makes The Disney Tapestry a "must-experience resort"- Jamaica Cay, an island found in the large lagoon between the ship and the coast. Jamaica Cay is a small version of Castaway Cay, the private island in the Bahamas that is a port of call for many Disney Cruises.
Gentle waves softly rolling onto dazzling white sandy beaches, palm trees waving in the breeze, comfortable private cabanas with hand-woven rattan furniture- all this and more can be found on this charming island. It is truly an island, accessible only by boat from a dock on the starboard side of the "Tapestry" (and from a utilidor for support services and to provide handicapped access if requested). A counter service bar and restaurant provides all types of beverages, light meals and snacks to hungry and thirst island-goers.
Jamaica Cay- a place to relax, lay in the sun, swim in the crystal-clear water, and forget your cares and worries.
Over eight hundred cabins provide an amazing variety of facilities and price ranges for the two-thousand-plus passengers that the "Tapestry" can accommodate.
A sample of some of the cabin styles and prices (per night) include:
Inner cabin (no outside view): $199 U.S.
Inner cabin (atrium view): $229
Outer cabin (ocean view): $249
Outer cabin (park view): $299
Outer cabin (park view
with balcony) $379
Two-bedroom Suite with
private balcony (park view) $699
The cabins on board the Tapestry are smaller than those in the other Hong Kong Disney Resort Hotels, and that reflects in the fact that this hotel is rated a moderately-priced hotel rather than deluxe.
This is not a complete list of cabin designs available, but just a sampler of the multiple choices that Disney Tapestry passengers have at their disposal, based on their personal needs, desires and budget. Prices will vary depending on availability, season of the year and special offers.
The Disney Tapestry Cruise Resort is a unique addition to the Hong Kong Disney Resort. Its affordable accommodations make it possible for many more families to enjoy the benefits of staying on-site, while the amazing facilities it offers Disney guests make it a destination resort in its own right. The outstanding restaurants, family-friendly entertainment facilities and world-class shopping areas make The Disney Tapestry one of the finest hotels in the entire Disney Resort family.
PIXAR ACRES
Standing tall in a lot directly east on the other side of the Disneyland Resort Pier from the Disneyland Hotel and next to the land that has been set aside for a future second theme park, stands the new Disney’s Waterfall Resort. The building is round with a modern looking blue glass exterior. On the outside surface of the building are little spinning bits of glass/mirror that spin in the wind and make the whole building flicker as if the entire building were a large shaft of moving water. On each of the points of the compass N/E/S/W, there will be large statues on the top of the building showing Mickey Mouse in his iconic pose from Fantasia making it look like Mickey is the one charming the shaft of water that is the building into the air.
On the top of the building there is a large partially retractable dome roof that creates an inner atrium park that is around 5 acres of total ground space. Even though the building looks round from the outside, it is actually more of a stacked donut shaped.
The hotel is 12 stories above ground and three stories below ground and encompasses around 800 rooms of various sizes with the smaller rooms toward the bottom of the building and the larger, many bedroom suites toward the top. There will be corridors down the middle of each floor separating the rooms that look to the outside and rooms that look toward the inside. The three underground floors will be used for hotel internal facilities including cast member dining, water purification and pumping facilities, laundry, etc.
On the ground floor, there is the check in facilities, various shops that sell essential items to the tourists as well as park souvenirs, and the separate entrance and locker room facilities for the waterpark. As the theme of the hotel is the water, the ground floor of the hotel will be themed to the underwater land of the Little Mermaid, while Ariel and King Triton are nowhere to be seen, there will be bits of coral sculpturing, as well as different painted frescos on the walls that all hint to the possibility that mermaids could be right around the next corner. Particularly in the lobby area, there will be large tanks of live fish to help break up the artificial quality of the sculpted coral.
The second floor of the hotel will feature three different restaurants. The first is a breakfast style restaurant featuring a coffee bar as well as varying styles of international breakfast foods. The second restaurant will have more of a quick lunch style of offering, even though it is a full day service restaurant, featuring international fast food fare with a large seating area. The third restaurant while also being a full day service restaurant will be much more of a sit down service restaurant with more filling dinner style meals, primarily offering a surf and turf style menu, serving fresh fish, steaks, as well as traditional Chinese offerings. The theme on this floor will be to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, sticking more with the landscapes and technologies featured in the 1953 classic movie than wildlife (because I have never been comfortable eating dinner with happy little fishies glaring at me while I eat their cousins).
The third floor is the first floor of guest rooms, of which there are ten floors of rooms, each floor of which is themed to different iconic Disney characters that live in the sea (or at least would fit in with a water theme). They are the characters and settings from the Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Atlantis, portions of Bed Knobs and Broomsticks, the whales from Fantasia 2000, and the pond scene from Sword and the Stone. The top two floors would have a surface of the water themes, the Princess and the Frog and Tarzan (specifically the scenes with the elephants swimming in the water). While there will be efforts made to tie the room decorations in with the rest of the floor, please keep in mind that this is a value priced hotel and some of the more expensive immersive room elements will need to be discarded or toned down in order to keep the costs within budget. The thought here is that with Hong Kong Disneyland close by and all of the available activities in the central area, you will not want to spend much time in your room other for sleeping.
In the 5-acre atrium of the hotel, there is the ultimate tribute to water; a large wall to wall waterpark, complete with water slides, wave-pools, dive chutes, Master-Blasters, lazy river, rapids, surfing simulators, and more. The water park will climb up the sides of the hotel, using steel extensions of the building to support water slides up in the air at ridiculously high heights, hugging the walls of the hotel. In order to keep the water park from having stairs all over the place to get riders up to the top of these rides and blocking the view from inside the hotel rooms, there will be glass elevators that will take the patrons up the sides of the building to the different levels of the rides. The water park will also have its own quick food facilities as well as small shops for various water park items. The water park will be a separately ticketed park with a discount and extra hours for people who stay at the hotel.
Next week we begin our 9th challenge with our final 3 contestants. It should be a great battle, regardless of who makes it! I know I've released little details about this next challenge so here's a bit of a short description:
In the next challenge, you will be designing unique disney "lands" for the Shanghai Disneyland concept. All (waiting for HK's expansion) MK style parks have one land that is unique to them. Tokyo Disneyland has World Bazaar, Disneyland Paris has Discoveryland, Disneyland has Critter Country and New Orleans Square, and MK has Liberty Square and the upcoming Storybook Circus. Hong Kong will be having three unique lands to itself, including Toy Story land, Grizzly Gulch, and Mystic Point.
Andy- I think you did a good thing by capitalizing on Disney's recent acquisition of marvel. The concept sounded good on paper, but I felt it was missing a bit of an "oomph" to make it truly special. I do like that you took the note to say that rooms would be themed to different heroes, including games as well. I think you had a good idea for the pool, but the restaurants could have been improved upon.
James- You definately had probably the most unique concept in the group. I know that we talked over the problem with the classification of this as a deluxe or moderate resort. I think it's probably borderline. I really do think this would work best as a deluxe resort though. I thought the idea was extremeley clever to have a stationary boat as the resort. While I think there could be definate potential to perhaps bring the cruise line to Hong Kong one day, I think you made your resort stand out just enough.
Jeff- Definately the most interesting and innovative idea this week. It reminded me a bit of like a Contemporary Resort 3.0 (As Bay Lake is 2.0). I think the resort could definately be classified more as a deluxe resort, than moderate. I enjoyed that you dedicated different floors to different movies and characters. The water park defiately put this resort over the top for me!
Joseph- I think you were definately close to staying in the projected moderate range for this resort, but it did remind me a bit of how the All Star Resorts are. I like how you separated the movies, and utilized movies outside of the hotel rooms. I know you have been sick, but I guess the resort lacked a little bit of "oomph", as I said before.
