Your challenge this week is to create a roller coaster for your theme park. You may use any style of coaster: wooden, steel, hybrid, etc. It must be appropriate for your park and it must be realistic in concept (no mile-high first hills). It may be indoor, outdoor or a combination of both. You should include specs such as manufacturer, length, number and capacity of trains, number of inversions if any, etc. However, we are more interested in what the theme of the coaster is, how the theme of this coaster is developed and how it fits into your park rather than in lots of technical details.
The deadline for submissions is June 29th at 11:59 pm PT, website time.
"...Yeah, cos that's what we all want on a roller coaster, a little more sonic".
DISCLAIMER: While this coaster is going to be well-themed, it’s “story” is going to be one of those “show don’t tell” experiences. What might seem obvious to savvier theme park goers might not connect with those who just want a good roller coaster ride. This is also going to be like the early Fantasyland rides in which you are going through the story through the eyes of the protagonist which makes the ride almost a psychological experience.
Background Information: This attraction is going to be inspired by Once Upon a Time, so here’s just a little background information for those who have never seen the show. This coaster is going to be inspired by the series’ take on the story of Little Red Riding Hood. In the show, their version of Red Riding Hood (Ruby) is actually the wolf due to her mother being a werewolf and family heredity. The only thing that can stop her from turning into the wolf is her red cloak. (Someone correct me if I got my facts wrong. I usually don’t watch Once episodes after watching them.)
Queue/Façade: This coaster will be set in the Enchanted Forest area of the park in a wooded setting. Here guests will go through the queue which is set up to look like a lumberjack’s cabin which features several wanted posters for Red Riding Hood warning guests about her recent ravaging in the area. Further along, we also see the lumberjack’s abandoned camp which has been ravaged by the wolf/Red which shows a tent with claw marks and blood splattered throughout the queue (may be edited to make it Disney-clean).
Trains: This ride will use a Vekoma ride track (who previously partnered with Disney on rides like Everest, RNRC and Big Grizzly Mountain) and the coaster trains will seat 16 passengers (4 cars with 2 rows of 2 abreast) with individual lap bars. The trains have a red wolf’s head on front (similar to Cheetah Hunt) with splashes of red, silver and black throughout the train. Once on board, the guests will see this attraction through Red’s eyes and feel her transformation and fury as a wolf as well as her attempts to control her raging beast.
Ride Experience: The coaster rolls out of the station down a gentle dip as well as some sharp turns as the guests hear the sounds of an angry mob of villagers attempting to hunt down Red. The coaster takes refuge in an enclosed cabin in which we hear Red attempting to control the animal inside as we hear snarling and howling before the coaster takes off from 0-60 mph out of the station and up a 90 ft. hill. After dropping down the coaster goes up a series of camelbacks and sharp turns/drops through the forest as we feel Red’s adrenaline rush as a wolf. The coaster then speeds through a village which involves sudden twists and turns (imagine Cheetah Hunt’s low, quick turns through Big Bad Wolf’s setting) as well as jumping on some of the buildings. As the coaster passes through the village, we hear the voices of hunters attacking the “wolf” as guests will feel blasts of air from their crossbows. The coaster ends up retreating into an underground cave before coming to a stop. We hear Red’s voice amongst the wolf’s growling as she tries to find a way to put a stop to this insanity. The coaster goes through another 0-60 launch out of the cave and up another series of hills and sharp turns through the forest. The ride’s enclosed finale takes place in the ruins of an old castle which Red’s curse is broken as the coaster goes through a helix as well as a corkscrew before rolling out of the castle and into the unload area. This finale will also feature red strobe lighting effects to symbolize the red cloak covering up the wolf and converting Red back into her human self. This coaster will take on an even different form at night in which the outdoor forest/village areas feature new sound and lighting effects to give the ride a scarier feel once the sun goes down.
At the Battle of Yavin, Luke Skywalker famously fired the shots that destroyed the first Death Star, flying with the X-Wing unit, Red Squadron. For his part, designated Red 5, Rebel Alliance leaders offered Luke the chance to lead the group, renamed Rogue Squadron. The unit would be the Rebel's elite star fighter unit, only the best would be accepted. This group led the evacuation on Hoth, Helped destroy the second Death Star and has been the spearhead of every major military campaign the Alliance and later on, the New Republic, was involved in.
As time has progressed, the group has changed, Luke is no longer an active member, Wedge Antilles leads the group and he is looking for new pilots. In order to qualify Candidates must take part in a series of grueling tests, none more feared, or anticipated is the Combat Sim.
Think you have what it takes to join the Elite? Are you the best of the best?
The Rogue Squadron Rollercoaster is one of the Parks signature rides. It is a S&S Pneumatic launched coaster themed to the Star Wars Universe. It has a top speed of 106MPH and takes a mere 2.1 seconds to achieve, making second only to Dodonpa for acceleration and a whopping 2.55 G's gives thrill seekers a buzz they won't forget.
THEME
The Coaster is set in the Parks 'Rebel Alliance' area and is the first E-Ticket attraction confirmed for the area. The Coaster itself is an indoor/Outdoor hybrid coaster and the second half of the track is visible from most areas in the park. Painted in Battleship Grey with Red struts, it makes for an imposing structure. The Entrance is via the Rebel Alliance Starfighter Academy building. Guests will enter the building and throughout the queue area, Costumes from the films and props will be displayed. Dennis Lawson will also reprise his role as Wedge Antilles for the propaganda video that plays throughout the queue area. Taking scenes from the films and the video games, Wedge will recap the Rogue Squadron's history and tell you of pilots whom you will be following.
"Greetings to you Candidates. Today is a special day. Some of you will be leaving here with the Rogue squadron patch on your flightsuit. Some of you wont. Pilot training is not easy and I commend all of you for reaching this far. To do so is no mean feat and even if you should not make the cut today, you can be assured that you will have no problem finding a home somewhere in the fleet, The fact that you have survived until this point in your training means you have exceptional prowess in a cockpit.
Many have been where you are now, most have gone no further, Those lucky few that will, follow a great heritage. Luke Skywalker. Jek Porkins. Zev Senesca and Biggs Darklighter to name just a few of those whose names adorn the Rogue Squadron Honor Role.
Rogue Squadron started of as Red group, back at the battle of Yavin. After that day, history had a new hero and the Alliance had ready made leader in their hands. After the Death Star was destroyed, Red Squadron was split into 2 separate divisions, Renegade, led by Commander Narra and the Rogues, led by Luke Skywalker. Many of you know much of the history already but for those that don't, I'll spare you the details and just give you the highlights. After Narra was killed in the line of duty, the two groups merged and became Rogue Squadron. The history of this squadron is impressive. As a unit, it has both Death Star kills and the Hoth Evacuation on its list of successful missions, but these are by no means all of them.
Today, The Rogues are the most elite starfighter unit in the Alliance. It is my honor and privilege to lead those pilots who are chosen into battle. I expect your best efforts at all times and I promise in return I will do everything in my power to keep you alive and bring you back home in one piece.
I wish each and every one of you the best of luck, and of course. May the Force be with you"
As you meander through the queue, you pass through several 'scenes'. Starting off in the pilots ready room, lockers adorn the walls, flight suits are hanging on pegs and tables are covered with helmets and caf mugs. A sabaac deck or two can be seem as the game has been abandoned half way through. Between the video loop of Wedge, PA announcements can be heard calling out familiar names from the movies, such as "General Solo, please report to main hanger bay" and the like. Some of the lockers nameplates can be seen, these will feature some of the pilots from the Rogue Squadron history.
At the end of the ready room is the Rogue Squadron Honor roll with the names of all the official members of rogue squadron past and present.
After the ready room you enter the Maintenance bay. Spare parts are stacked up in boxes and on shelves. Off to one side of the room, the tail end of an X-Wing can be seen as a team of droid's work on the ship. It shows some damage from a recent battle and along the wing we can make out the words CMDR L. SKYWALKER. The far end of the maintenance hanger is a video screen that shows an open hanger looking out into space and shows various ships passing by. (For those of you that have seen the films, think of the Death Star in Episode IV, the hanger that housed the Falcon that's the kind of effect with the screen I am trying to recreate).
Next guests pass into the Flight Deck. Here off to one side we can see a full lifesize replica of an X-Wing that is being prepped for fuelling. Cast Members will be in this area, pretending to get ships ready, they may call out words of encouragement to guests as they wait in line. As guests near the front of the queue a second video will play. This one from Admiral Ackbar.
Welcome to the Flight deck. In today's test you will be expected to control your craft through a series of maneuvers whilst trying to hit targets as you fly around the course. For some of you this will be your first time in an Incom X-Wing Space Superiority Fighter, Your body will be subjected to extreme forces and our medial droid's advise anyone with a heart condition, history of vertigo, epilepsy and if you are pregnant, not to continue with your training at this time. In a moment, your Flight Crew will direct you to your cockpit, please ensure all belongings are stored in the allocated lockers, you will be flying in zero G and you do not want things floating in your cockpit.
As you proceed through the course there will be several targets that you will have to try and shoot, they will be stationary and your final score will be graded on how many you hit.
May the force be with you.
As guests enter the loading bay, they will be assisted into the cars that are painted to resemble an X-Wing. There are two sides, both follow the same course but launch at 1 minute intervals. Each car seats 12 in 6 rows of 2. The right side is a typical car, the left is a suspended car. The rows are staggered so the back row is higher than the front. In the case of the hanging side the rows will raise on hydraulics prior to launch.
(I have spoken with several people and I have been advised that despite the different car types, they are both able to run on the same track and it allows for a different ride experience)
RIDE
The ride is launched from the docking bay through a tunnel into the building and up a hill. Guests in the generic cars will be launched at speeds upto 106 MPH as they climb the first hill with 2.55 G being registered, the suspended coaster fires at a slower 78 MPH due to safety issues.
Once launched, the cars go up the hill where two targets are illuminated, 1 on the left, 1 on the right, guests on the right will be able to shoot the right hand side and the left, the one one the left. The building portion of the ride is dark with starlight and illuminated targets (think similar to the signs in Rock'N'Roller coaster) as guests top the hill they drop into a Zero G Roll, dropping into darkness, blaster fire noises can be heard as guests bottom out and round into a banked curve where the second series of targets are. From here, the coaster gets another speed boost from magnets to help it fly into a teardrop loop and out into another long banked curve, into a sidewinder where on the exit the next two targets are. The Cars will then slow for a moment before another magnetic boost will fire them up a hill and outside where the hill tops out at 179 feet before a 77 degree drop into a cutback that follows into a hammerhead curve where the penultimate targets are located, then into a corkscrew with another boost, guests fly around the last bend before once again being boosted into a Norwegian loop where the final targets are located and then coast round into the building where one final hill and drop of 38 feet being them to the station.
Ride time should be 1.47 for the seated coaster and 1.55 for the suspended.
Guests exit through the Rebel Alliance Munitions supply depot and have the chance to purchase their photo and see their score.
TECH
As far as I know this is the only ride to feature two separate types of car on the same track which I have been assured is possible. The X-wing also features a target shooting element, granted not easy but again, perfectly plausible. The Blasters will be on the restraints and use lasers to detect accuracy on the targets, they in turn via Wi-Fi send those scores back to the control center so they can be processed and added to the guests photographs if so needed.
The Coaster features a pneumatic launch system capable of upto 106 MPH and throughout the course, magnetic relays provide the cars with additional speed when needed to give the impression of the ships slowing and accelerating. Most of the technology is easy to transfer from other rides in the market today but combined give a brand new experience to guests and the 2 different formats of the cars allow for 2 separate ride experiences and the tiered seating again allows for multiple experiences.
The Targets inside the building are fixed to the wall and are highlighted with lights and LED's, outside they are attached to the struts on the coaster and again are highlighted with bright colors and LED's. The targets resemble archery targets but are Black and Blue in color with the centre 'Bullseye' being the Rogue Squad patch. Guests are invited to log their scores at the attached gift shop and weekly winners with highest percentage will be e-mailed a certificate showing their acceptance into rogue squadron and their names added to the Honor roll in the ride itself for a period of one year and a digital photograph sent to them with their name on the roll.
THEME
As with many coasters the theming is all in the pre ride area and the cars itself due to the large scale of the track, a color scheme is all that can be realistically done. The Pre ride is quite large and allows for a fully immersive experience with even the safety briefing being given by one of the films most memorable characters. The ride is an obvious E-ticket and fastpass (Or Jedi pass as the park calls them) is available for this ride but numbers are limited.
TIE IN
The ride sits as the Star Wars land premiere attraction in the Rebel Alliance part of the park. A smaller, TIE Fighter coaster is located in the Galactic Empire, but is much smaller and does not feature the target shooting element. Merchandising for this ride is huge. As well as the obvious X-Wing toys and t-shirts, Replica flight suits are available complete with Rogue Squadron livery. The Photograph has two options, a group photo of the whole car or an individual one with a frame looking like the cockpit of an X-Wing. The lure of Star Wars makes this ride an obvious choice for the park and other than the Millennium Falcon, an X-Wing is arguably the most iconic ship in the Star Wars universe.
Backstory: When the dragons lived in Mythrrium, they were a technologically advanced society, albeit one that primary utilized mechanical power over electrical power. On Earth, however, they have been forced into hiding and therefore have very restricted access to raw materials. Recently, however, a secret partnership between Argetine Industries and the dragons somewhat alleviated this problem. In return, Auric Argetine, a scientist and engineer and head of Argetine Industries, was offered assistance with a number of projects to develop new creations both for the dragons and for humans. Though all know that Auric's mental prowess exceeds that of even the smartest humans, few realize the true reason for it: he is not actually human, but is a dragon imprisoned in a human body.
Theme: Visitors have been invited to Argetine Industries for a demonstration of a new prototype. They are not told in advance what the project is, only that if successful it could become the most efficient short-range transportation method available.
Exterior: Argetine Industries is a compound containing several buildings. To access this attraction, visitors proceed to the largest building, a ten-story structure located toward the back of the complex. A sign indicates this as the Product Demonstration Lab, but the facility looks more like a forest green office building. Several other projects are scattered about out front (including an interesting off-road vehicle, a ring-like structure that looks somewhat like a portal, and a centrifugal catapult), with signs stating their purpose. To enter the queue, guests proceed to the base of the building, where a large set of glass doors allows them entrance.
Queue: The queue consists of two rooms on the ground floor of the building. The first room is a domed exhibition hall containing many smaller items of interest on display stands. Most of these are objects seen in other sections of the park (every technologically advanced device in the park (outside of Mythrrium) bears the Argetine Industries label, even if it isn't always easy to see). Some are similar to everyday appliances, (computers, communicators, and other personal electronic devices), others are weapons (a plasmablade is on display, as is an energy gun), and a few are things that are rare in the human world (such as a hologram projector). The queue winds through this room, and then enters the next room, which is much smaller. In here are blueprints, diagrams, sketches, and calculations, all pinned up on the walls. Many are for the projects guests have already seen, but some are for completely different devices. As guests near the back door, they pass a section of related images, including a free body diagram of a dragon in flight, a blueprint for a winged device with seats attached, an artist's rendering of the device flying through a canyon with humans onboard, and some g-force calculations for specific maneuvers. At the back of the room, guests assemble before three closed doors. Once they open, guests proceed into the auditorium where the preshow takes place.
Auditorium: The auditorium holds approximately 150 guests at a time. It resembles a small theater, but all the chairs have been removed. A stage is located at the front, with a projection screen on the wall behind it. Once everyone is inside, the lights dim and Auric Argetine (portrayed by an animatronic) walks out on stage. He begins by reminding guests that the contents of the presentation are not public knowledge, and then briefly talks about the principles of flight. After mentioning how much of a convenience the ability truly is, Aruic activates the projector. An image of the winged device appears on the screen with the title Project Dragon Wing. Auric says that the Dragon Wing aircraft is the closest he has got to mimicking the flight of a dragon, then goes into a few specifics of the vehicle, namely:
-Each wing is capable of carrying four passengers, but can be flown by just one. They can also be programmed with a predetermined flight path.
-The wings can be joined together into a chain or fly independently, and will function the same way in either configuration.
-A simple harness and ankle cuffs are all that is required to secure passengers.
-Passengers board the wings in a seated position, but during flight they are in a prone position.
-While the prototype is able to fly, it is not able to hover and must be supported externally until it reaches flight speed. The final version will have hover capabilities.
-In the event of an emergency, the wing possesses a transporter that will teleport it to a specified point, but this can cause major damage and render the wing unusable until repair work is completed.
The slides on the screen depict what Auric is talking about, adding helpful visuals to the presentation. Auric then announces that guests will not only get to see a demonstration of the Dragon Wing, but they will get to participate and ride along as well. A map of a demonstration flight path is shown, with several various obstacles to avoid. Auric then tells guests to prepare for immediate departure, and three doors on the opposite side of the auditorium open. Guests exit and climb a set of stairs to the boarding area. The total duration of the preshow is approximately 5 minutes.
Boarding Area: The boarding area looks like a hangar. Several tracks run across the ceiling, and a few Dragon Wing vehicles sit off to the side. On the far side of the room is the control room where the operator sits. A clock above this room counts down from sixty seconds every time a train enters. Guests file through a short switchback queue until they reach the grouper, who assigns them a number (1-8, up to four guests per number). Guests are instructed to place any loose articles into the nearby storage bins (labeled with the numbers and located on a conveyor belt that advances as each train arrives), then go to their assigned gate. Here, they wait until the next train pulls in, then the gates open and guests board. The following safety recording is heard during this process:
“The Dragon Wing can accommodate four passengers per row. When the gates open, please proceed to the furthest available seat in your boarding aisle. Once seated, pull down on the harness above you until it locks in place. A flight technician will be by to check and assist you momentarily. As a reminder, no loose articles may be carried on board, and any form of photography or video recording is prohibited. Thank you, and enjoy your flight.”
Operators check restraints, then an all clear is given and guests are on their way.
Ride Information: Dragon Wing is a Bolliger & Mabillard Flying Coaster. The ride is about 4000 ft. long and 110 ft. tall, with a 100 ft. first drop. The ride reaches a maximum speed of just over 50 MPH, and has a ride duration of around 3 minutes. The coaster technically features 3 inversions, but riders are never fully inverted during their flight. Dragon Wing has 4 trains, each 8 cars long seating four across in a single row for a capacity of 32 riders per train. Normally, only three trains are used, but on particularly busy days all four can be put onto the track. With four trains and a 60 second dispatch interval, the ride has a theoretical capacity of 1,920 riders per hour. To decrease the typically long loading times associated with flying coasters, this ride utilizes separate load and unload points and does not lift or lower riders in the station. The trains feature an on-board audio system that plays audio clips and a synchronized score during the flight.
Ride Experience: Riders leave the boarding area, entering a tunnel, and make a right turn, then begin to ascend the lift. As they climb, a computer runs through a series of checks.
Computer: “Propulsion System: Active. Stabilization Systems: Active. Guidance System: Active. Passenger Safety Systems: Active. Emergency Transport System: Active. Initiate Flight Lock.”
Without stopping, the seats are lifted to a prone position and locked in place.
Computer: “Flight Lock Complete. Flight Path Logged. Engine activation in 10…9…8…”
As the countdown continues, the background score begins to play and Auric’s voice is heard.
Auric: “Remember, I’ll be monitoring your flight, so don’t concern yourself with it. You’ll be in a controlled environment, so nothing could possibly go wrong.”
The trains emerge from the roof of the building as they crest the top of the lift. Riders have a moment to look straight down at the ground over a hundred feet below before they plunge down the first drop. Just in time, the train pulls into a low, sweeping right curve, slowly rising as it turns. The train dives again, then arcs straight back upward. At the top of this hill, riders bank to the left and dive into a trench. The ride follows the trench, zigzagging left and right as necessary to avoid crashing into the dirt. At the end of the trench, trains rise into a right-hand horseshoe turn, which leads into a zero gravity roll. After several more twists and turns on a winding run through a grove of trees, riders gently spiral up to about 60 feet and reenter the building on a block brake section.
Inside, riders find themselves in a maze of structural elements. Due to the lighting, riders can see the supports but not the ride track. Trains dive to the right, passing through several tight clearances. As the trains begin to ascend, they clip one of the supports and roll over. An alarm sounds and a “Malfunction!” warning is heard as trains negotiate an airtime hill, resulting in forces pulling riders outward (an odd sensation, but the forces are limited enough to not be dangerous), then enter a freefall toward the ground. At the last second, trains roll over again and turn left sharply to avoid crashing into the wall of the building.
Auric: “I’ve taken manual remote control. Hold on, I’ll get you out safely.”
Trains rotate to the right and shake erratically as they make a right-handed turn (this is done by altering the banking slightly back and forth during the turn). Suddenly, the trains nose dive. Quickly, they pull up into a left-handed turn, nearly strike a support column, and then swoop down and under a horizontal beam. A loud bang is heard and the cars shudder (through use of a trick track), then the warning of “Engine Failure!” is heard. Trains spiral upward, losing momentum, and begin to fall. Suddenly, a tunnel of light surrounds riders as they travel through a diving barrel roll. At the end of this tunnel, riders hit the brake run and come to a quick stop.
Auric: “Is everyone okay. Good. I got you back with the emergency transport system, so at least that works. I must apologize for the mishap, but I guess that’s why the Dragon Wing is still a prototype.”
Seats are lowered, then riders advance around a turn and back into the hangar where the unloading station is located.
Exit: Restraints are unlocked and riders are asked to clear the unloading platform as quickly as possible. In the hallway beyond, the bins are waiting with all stored possessions (in the event there is a delay and the bins must advance, an employee will place everything into an overflow bin). Guests retrieve their possessions, then descend a set of stairs and follow a corridor back to the front of the building. They emerge into a small room where on-ride photos may be viewed and purchased (photos are taken at the bottom of the initial plunge), then exit back into the park through a revolving door.
Miscellaneous Information:
-Dragon Wing is considered a medium intensity thrill ride, as although it is a large coaster it does not have any extreme elements or strong forces.
-Dragon Wing is the world’s only flying coaster to feature separate loading and unloading areas, the only one that does not assume flying position while in the station, the only one with a significant indoor portion, and the only one with an airtime hill.
-Like all B&M Flying Coasters, Dragon Wing has a height restriction of 54”, and is the only ride in The Dragon Realm with this high of height restriction (one other coaster is 52”, and all other attractions are 48” or less).
The goal of the ride is to put the guests into an "episode" of Doctor who, where they are "rescued" by the Doctor.
Location:
Doctor Who: Escape the Vortex is the first anchor in the previously unannounced area “Tomorrow’s World”. Named for a forward thinking BBC TV series that looked at inventions through the 1970’s and 1980’s, its brand remains strong despite being long out of production (With old episodes still played either in full or partially today either for nostalgia, or to compare previous predictions of future technology with reality).
Tomorrow’s world offers a nostalgic view of the future based in 1960/1970's view of how things would turn out. Think Monsanto's house of the future and you're most of the way there.
Background.
Following numerous unexplainable events suggesting that Earth was at risk from hostile alien groups in the mid 20th Century, it became obvious that a multinational task force was required to counter the alien threat. Ever since the men and women of U.N.I.T (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, or UNified Intelligence Taskforce depending on what era episode you’re watching) have been preparing, watching, training, and on occasion even saving the planet – sometimes with the assistance of a time travelling alien known to them only as “The Doctor”. Knowing the populace at large is simply not ready to deal with the existence of Aliens (much less hostile ones), U.N.I.T work mostly in secret, publicly being engaged in Anti-terrorist activity.
Given the nature of the threats that U.N.I.T face, the casualty rate can be often quite high – often alien weapons can result in not even a recognisable body after an encounter. In order to ensure that Morale remains high U.N.I.T. make it a point to celebrate bravery and achievement within their units… However if an alien was inclined to try and attract the attention of the Doctor, attacking a large group of “his friends” might just be one way to get it…..
Queue
The queue area is themed as a military recruitment centre, full of posters encouraging people to join UNIT to help protect their society and families. Video monitors play a video (classified "Top Secret") explaining the history of UNIT and their involvement with an "Scientific Advisor" known as the Doctor. The film in addition to showing new content also contains clips from the series where UNIT has been in action.
Pre Show
The Pre-Show has two goals - Setup the "Crisis" for the doctor to get involved in and Have the Doctor "Rescue" the guests"
An important part of the Doctor Who mythos is the Doctor’s TARDIS. On the outside it assumes the shape of a 19th century British “police box” (Police boxes offered a phone link to the station house in pre-portable radio times, and could be used as a shelter or as temporary cell), it is approximately 1-2 metres x 1-2 Metre x 2-3 Metres to the external observer (For imperial/US standard units, replace Metre with Yard).
On the inside however, the TARDIS is a boundless warren of rooms and corridors that well exceed the dimensions of the exterior box… Even the first room encountered when entering the TARDIS is much wider, longer, and higher than the exterior shell permits. The TARDIS is also capable of Materialising, and Dematerialising almost anywhere… This presents a challenge to the inclusion of any Doctor Who related attraction – how to bring these physically impossible (with current technology at least) attributes into a ride experience.
The technical setup of the scenes is displayed thusly - note this is not a cutaway image, its just for demonstration of the guest flow - the coaster boarding area would actually be at 90 degrees to the other areas, not directly on top of Scene 2.
Scene 1
Scene 1 looks like a ballroom in a hotel room. The guests assemble towards the rear where a large TV screen (especially constructed to hide any bezel or suggestion its a screen) where a stage should be. The screen stars with a scene where a "Brigadeer Yates" welcomes everyone to the ceremony awarding the "John Benton Award for Bravery". The Brigadeer stars on the description of the attendee, but after about 2 minutes is interrupted by a voice
"Ah-Ten-Shun UNIT Sol-diers halt what you are doing and suh-ren-der or else you will be Ex-Ter-min-ate-d"
The Screen is invaded by Daleks, and several doors towards the screen burst open with Animatorinic Daleks. A Voice comes from behind the guests "Quick, through here" (a pair of double-doors open to the opposite side of the stage. (the Animatroinic Daleks start patrolling through the tabled areas Demanding animatronic humans "Halt" as they escape
Scene 2
Scene 2 itself is built effectively inside an elevator, machinery slowly lifts the entire room to the upper level – this lift is designed to run so slowly as to be as imperceptible as possible.
Scene 2 appears as the lobby for a hotel room, with a figure looking down on the guests below… (Animatronic)
"Well hello there, I'm the Doctor, yes that one…. And I see you've already met the Daleks… Not sure what they're doing here, crashing parries isn't usually their style… although they don't usually get invited to many as it is."
"Doctor?" (The Doctors current assistant comes into view) "(You've told me about The Daleks/ We've met the Daleks before), they don't take prisoners or demand a surrender?
"Yes…. I was just getting to that…. Why would they take prisoners… unless they want something? And why take UNIT prisoners… who could they be trying to get at? Unless they want….."
Assistant: "Want what?
Doctor "No Time, we must get back to the TARDIS"
Assistant: "But what about them?" (Indicates the guests) "We can't leave them to the Daleks"
Doctor: "You're right…. Hmmm, I know" *Snaps his fingers, and the trademark sound of a TARDIS materialising can be heard. The Doors the guests enter through open to reveal The Tardis, with both front doors open* "Quick, quick, get in, before the Daleks find a way around"
Scene 2 ends with the Doctor clicking his fingers, and the doors opening back the way the guests came… but instead of the room they left, the doorway is blocked by the TARDIS, with its door also wide open, the guests enter through into scene 3.
The guests enter Scene 3, the doors close, and the sound of dematerialisation can be heard
Scene 3
Scene 3, like scene 2 is built as an elevator which begins after the TARDIS Dematerialises, however unlike Scene 2 its not a smooth ride this time, the motion is intentionally jerky to reflect the Tardis being “in flight” through the “time vortex” as its being pursued. (Certain performances each day are done instead smooth to allow for guests with mobility issues).
Scene 3 takes place in the TARDIS control room. A large screen takes up an entire wall showng the TARDIS control roll, and the doctor hurriedly rushes around the console, pushing buttons, flipping levers, etc
"They've pursued us into the vortex (assistant name here)"…
(2 minutes of technobabble and shaking)
Doctor: We'll have to go after them at the source *Flips leaver* Full speed back then
Assistant: Doctor, what about them *indicates the guests*
Doctor: Hmm, you're right, too dangerous, much too dangerous. Will have to get them to the escape pods… Quick, go through this door here (indicates door to the right) The Tardis will lead you the rest of the way.
The guests go through TARDIS-Coridoors to the coaster loading area.
Coaster
The Coaster is designed as much as possible to reflect a rather difficult “flight” through the “time vortex” (When depicted as flying the TARDIS is usually spinning, reflecting the choice of spinning wild mouse for this ride). The Cars, sitting 4 people each, are painted in blues and blacks to reflect the exterior of the TARDIS itself, with a flashing blue light in the centre. Restraints include both a lap bar and shoulder harness.
The Coaster car also contains speakers, which throughout the experience play the Doctor Who theme (the extended version used in the credits), with track elements designed to change roughly in time with the music – when the music changes so does the ride element being experienced. Booster and brake sections are frequent on the track to help ensure that changes in customer weights do not overly affect the synchronisation.
The track does not use conventional chains, using LIM technology to gain a similar speed to chains, but to give a more sci-fi feel to the ride.
Timing
(Starts indoors, - all underground and indoor with the track going through a round tunnel showing effects similar to the "vortex")
0-2 Seconds - motion starts in station,
2-6 seconds - first lift
6-8 seconds - turns 90 degrees, slight spiral down to start spinning motion
8-15 seconds - Second lift
15-17 seconds - Steep drop 1 on a 90 degree turn
17-19 seconds - matching hill, straight
19-23 seconds - 180 degree wide turn
23-26 seconds - Steep drop 2, peeks outside during drop, but heads underhand at end, straight
26-33 seconds - Straight, with a 0 Gee roll, Photo.
33 - 37 seconds - Rockets up a steep hill, into an over banked 180'degree turn
37 - 40 seconds - Matching Drop
40-43 seconds - Short hill
43-47 seconds - 360 spiral, heading underground
47- 50 seconds - 0 Gee roll
51- 53 Seconds - Up hill to over banked turn exterior
53 - 56 seconds - Down over banked turn
57 - 60 seconds - Straight, then station brakes
60 seconds + - Exit then Unridden return path
Exit
The guests exit through another part of the recruitment centre, offering a range of Doctor Who related gear.
http://madamepickwickartblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/munster2.jpg
Grandpa and Herman Munster have got the fever…SPEED FEVER! Now you’re invited to buckle up, put the pedal to the metal and speed off in Grandpa Munster’s self designed racer THE DRAG-U-LA.
This launch style, dual track coaster at SCREAM! Park is inspired by the classic MUNSTERS episode, HOT ROD HERMAN, where Herman makes the dumb decision to enter a drag race to impress his son Eddie. Even dumber, Herman bets the family car on the outcome of the race. After losing the car, Grandpa designs his own dragster titled the DRAG-U-LA which is shaped like a coffin with organ pipes the exhaust and a tombstone on the front grill reading “DRACULA: Born 1367-Died ?” Grandpa then enters the race, wins and gets the family car back.
Guests to the park will enter a race track with a sign reading “MOCKINGBIRD HEIGHTS RACE TRACK” with banners of Grandpa Munster and Herman made up like slicked up, grease monkey racers. As you enter the queue, announcements play over the public address system regarding race times and interviews with the racers about the races for today. In the final room before boarding, you are given the standard safety spiel video from Herman and Grandpa using snippets of footage from the 60s show plus sound alike voices when needed.
It is now time to head out onto the track where two side by side tracks await you with a stretch Drag-U-La hot rod waiting for you and 11 other riders per vehicle on each side. Once seated with standard lap bars (get ready for some air time), racing signal lights turn from red to yellow to yellow to green and you’re OFF! Your car is sent hurtling down a straight away going from 0 to 45 miles per hour in 4 seconds past a grandstand with animatronics of the entire Munster family cheering you on as you hurtle around a steeped banked turn as you speed along racing neck and neck for the lead with the car on the adjacent track. It’s at this point that you hit a bunny hill and your car goes veering off the track and into the stands sending film projections of race fans flying in all directions. Your car then heads off up a hill and then down through a graveyard, twisting and turning as you knock over grave stones and scaring the life out a poor grave digger who’s sticking his head out of a freshly dug grave.
Your cars then zip around three tight turns through the residential area of Mockingbird Heights and then through the front gates of the Munster Mansion, crashing through the front doors and into the secret opening under the staircase which opens up for you. You then head down into complete darkness until you run into a massive animatronic if Spot, the Munsters pet dragon that is now breathing smoke and fire at you as you and the other car on the other track turn in tight helixes around each other. You finally crash through the back of the Munster mansion and over 4 bunny hills which bring you back to the race track, the finish line, brake zone and a Herman animatronic waving a checkered flag.
Hope you enjoyed the race…and if your car didn’t win, feel free to ride again and try your luck.
The Laboratories land is well manicured and open with modern, mathematically inspired architecture reminiscent of the great particle physics labs Fermilab and CERN. The main drag is lined with the flags of the many countries that have contributed to the field. It also follows a constant curve, as indeed the street lies on top of the largest of the circular paths that the Synchrotron coaster follows in the tunnels below. The view of the land from the surface will be reminiscent of the aerial view of Fermilab shown below, which also gives an idea of the track layout for the Synchrotron coaster (all on a much smaller scale of course).
Two spurred paths depart from the main street in opposing directions and converge in the distance on the headquarters of Positron Laboratories; Touschek Hall, inspired by Wilson Hall at Fermilab, below. The doors are wide open and a large banner directs guests towards the tour of the Synchrotron that is the highlight of this apparent open house.
The hall is bright and open and includes exhibits on current research into the Higgs boson as well as more established topics such as bubble chambers (particle detectors) and photographs of the spiraling data they produce, exemplified below. As always Laboratory Assistants, dressed as contemporary physicists (khakis and checkered shirt with prominent credentials hanging from their neck and a radiation badge clipped to their shirt) wander around to explain the exhibits and answer questions. A bank of lockers for loose belongings is in a room to the left while the shop and ride exit are to the right.
The banners point to the back of the hall, which is roped to create the beginning of the wheelchair accessible queue. The queue makes its way out of a back door and into a hallway, with screens along the wall showing the standard model of particle physics in motion format. There is enough information for the curious, but the posters make sure that everyone who passes through this space understands that matter is made of atoms, atoms have electrons orbiting a nucleus, the nucleus is composed of neutrons and protons and these protons are what the Synchrotron accelerates and smashes into similar particles known as antiprotons. This hallway also moves the guests away from an area that can be seen from the outside, reducing the need for expensive facades.
The queue continues into a smaller, darker room with concrete walls and a tall ceiling that is difficult to see from the ground. It houses a detailed, non-functioning replica of a Cockroft-Walton acclerator, which look like the stuff of 50’s science fiction but actually allowed the first particle physics experiments and continue to give the initial boost for larger accelerators like ours.
The line winds around and under this accelerator and passes by a few exhibits such as the CRT tube familiar from old televisions that is, in fact, an electron accelerator. Another one of these tubes demonstrates how magnets can be used to bend a stream of charged particles (such as our protons) to follow a circular path within machines called synchrotrons so they can be continuously accelerated before being steered into collisions with other particles. A small but fascinating exhibit shows the Meissner effect; a small, spinning magnet levitating above a piece of superconducting material. It is explained that these superconducting materials make the large magnetic fields required for bending the paths of very fast travelling particles possible.
The next room that the guests enter is brighter, with white walls and ceilings. The queue winds around more exhibits that explain the workings of the detectors used to examine the leftovers of collisions in the search for new particles. Another bubble chamber is here, and a large mural of the particle tracks from that type of detector is on one wall. In the middle of the room is a spark chamber, shown below, that exposes the path of high energy particles with a row of sparks. It is tuned to the energies of cosmic rays so that it fires regularly.
Guests are ushered into the next and final prep room 32 at a time. This room displays only a few posters and a short video that puts together all the information from earlier; what a proton is and how it will be accelerated in the synchrotron then collide with another, similar particle known as an antiproton with the remains examined by detectors. Finally, the video explains that for this special open house Positron Laboratory engineers have figured out a way to send visitors along with the protons in the synchrotron and that they hope we enjoy and learn from the experience. When the video concludes another door opens and the guests make their way down a concrete ramp into a large, somewhat dim and ostensibly underground area. The walls are concrete and pipes and conduits make their way out of a tunnel, into the room, and out another tunnel. Upon closer examination, some of the pipes form a roller coaster track and indeed, an inverted coaster train hangs below.
The coaster itself is an Intamin (of course it’s Swiss) inverted ride. The trains consist of four cars with two rows each. Riders sit two across; train capacity is thus sixteen. There are three trains, all painted gray with yellow highlights and the Positron Laboratories wordmark superimposed over the now-familiar bubble chamber spiral paths decorating the fairings. The track is Columbia blue and sand-filled to cut down on noise and vibration. Riders choose the seats they wish to wait for until they are seated. After checking the restraints an assistant says that the experiment is ready to commence and another at a control panel declares that he is turning on the ionizer as the brakes are disengaged and the train drifts into the tunnel ahead.
(The tunnel in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN)
The pipes and conduits continue into the concrete tunnel, which is lit all the way down. A fire extinguisher is on the wall, as are signs warning of high voltages. A pipe labelled “liquid helium” purges a puff of steam. The tunnels are actually above ground, but enclosed. Ventilation holes are bent to keep light from coming in while letting pressurized air and screams out. The coaster is propelled with linear induction motors (LIMs) which are first noticed by the noise of them ramping up and then by the train being launched straight ahead to a speed of about 45 miles per hour. After a short distance the track banks and turns to the left into the first synchrotron ring. This section is a circular downward helix, but to give the illusion of passing through the same ring multiple times the track is tightly enclosed in the tunnel and passes similar landmarks, such as the extraction opening through which we supposedly entered the ring, twice. During the third rotation, while the tunnel apparently continues on in the circle the train passes straight through an opening in the side of the tunnel, banks to the right and enters another ring. The curvature in this ring is much less, indicating the ring is much larger and the riders experience a brief respite from the g-forces in the previous helix. After a few moments, however, another set of LIMs give the coaster a boost in speed. The ride at this point actually goes underneath the park along the curved street of the Positron Laboratories land and can be felt and heard by the guests above. The ride makes a full circle before encountering the final set of LIMs which accelerate the train to its top speed of 75 mph for the next rotation. In this section of the ride the second rotation lies to the inside of the first, although the same trick is used to give the illusion of multiple laps in the same ring. The ride has just about completed the second rotation when riders peering down the tunnel see another train headed straight for them. A mirror has been placed in the tunnel along with conduits extending to its surface to represent the collision of the train with its “antiparticle”. Just before the perceived impact the coaster brakes enough to throw riders against their harnesses while a bright light flashes and a loud crack is heard. The coaster veers up and to the left sharply enough to give each row a good view of its upcoming annihilation, with an accompanying flash of light and noise for each car, before exiting the tunnel and plunging into darkness. The coaster is now in a dark building, lit by occasional flashing lights to the sound of electrical discharge to represent the spark chamber detectors seen earlier and give those prone to motion sickness a point of reference. The move out of the tunnel continues into a double corkscrew that the contemplative rider may compare to the spiral paths seen on the bubble chamber photos and up into a tall overbanked turn. The coaster drops back down and into a vertical loop then back up a short hill (where running brakes may be warranted) before falling into a downward helix and a few banked turns. The ride finally exits out of this darkened room and into a large concrete space similar to the loading platform where it hits the final brake run and the riders disembark. The ride runs about one minute and twenty seconds, station to station.
The guests are directed back up a ramp "aboveground" and are invited to examine the data from the experiment in an office. Screens and posters show particle tracks, mass-shell plots and whatnot but guests will be most interested in the on-ride photos, taken during the collision and available for purchase. This office exits into a larger space, open to the main hall, that sells books and posters on the subject of particle physics and accelerators in addition to souvenir shirts and magnets (the non-superconducting kind). Guests with questions after the ride will find themselves back in the hall where lab assistants are available.
DeepVenture Inc. - Join DeepVenture Inc. on their latest quest to uncover the mysteries of the ocean floor on a thrilling indoor roller coaster ride.
Premise - DeepVenture Inc. is a failing research team who is dedicated to exploring the bottom of the ocean. They specialize in tectonic plates, Hydrothermal vents, rifts, trenches, underwater volcanoes, etc. They have been receiving spikes in tectonic plate movement on the bottom of the ocean, and have hired you to investigate in their last attempt to acquire some good information and regain reputation.
Location - The attraction is located in Uncharted Adventures' "Deep Sea" section of the park. You will find the attraction in "Exploration Cove", one of two sub lands in Deep Sea. The attraction is located not far from "Us and the Deep".
Technical Aspects - The ride itself is manufactured by Premier. The coaster includes a launch of 40 MPH, multiple steep drops, curves, twists and sudden stops. There are no inversions. A simple lap bar is what is used to keep guests in their seats. The ride relies on many immersively themed environments and special effects to place guests into an underwater world. Each train is one car and is composed of three rows of four. On-board audio is utilized to enhance the experience.
Facade - The exterior of this attraction is that of an old seaside warehouse. The name "DeepVenture Inc." is printed in large, blue letters alongside the front wall, but is fading away. The whole exterior looks shabby, which directly contrasts with the appearance of the highly acclaimed OSeanic research facility. Guests enter through a large doorway and into the main queue.
Queue - Once guests enter into DeepVenture Inc.'s facilities, they truly realize that this place is far from perfect. The queue stretches through multiple rooms which feature dated technology and old research experiments. The whole interior looks run down and dirty, giving guests the feel that this company is truly failing. The place appears to be strangely empty, as if nothing is going on. Guests pass through the final research room and are directed into the pre-show room.
Pre-Show - Guests enter a larger room, with a stage against the far wall. The room follows suit of the rest of facility, in the fact that it is dirty and not well maintained. A large screen is against the far wall, just above the stage. The lights dim and an old presentational video is played on the screen which shows footage of DeepVenture Inc. in it's glory days. The video suddenly cuts off and using the same hologram technology used in Disaster!, two men walk out on the stage. They are not dressed nice, the shorter man is in a Hawaiian tee and khakis while the tall, lanky one has a plain white lab suit. The shorter man addresses himself as the owner of DeepVenture Inc. and thanks the guests for coming.
He explains that the video was to show us what DeepVenture Inc. used to be like, and how he hired us for our talents to help them discover what was causing these spikes on the ocean floor in an attempt to get them back on track with (hopefully) a great discovery. The taller man then goes on to describe what kind of submersible we will be using and what we are looking for. He says that we must find the source of distress and take a sample from the ocean floor in order to assess what kind of conditions are creating such a spike in tectonic levels. They both wave us off and walk off stage and the lights become brighter as guests are led into the loading area.
Loading Area and Ride Vehicles - The loading area is made to look like an indoor submarine dock. The submarines (the ride vehicles) will pull up and guests will load into them. The tracks in the loading area is just barely underwater to give the illusions that the submarines did just come up and dock. The ride vehicles are made to look like tiny submersibles which seem like they have been inactive for quite some time and and are very dated. Guests board the submersible, the glass cover comes over riders so that they can breathe, the lap bars are lowered and then the train is off.
Ride Experience - The train immediately exits the loading area with a short 15 ft. drop. This is used as a transition from the surface to underwater. The vehicle coasts into a beautiful show room with screens all around riders that project images of the vast ocean. Floating all around guests are jellyfish, as if guests are in the midst of a field of jellies. Sunlight is still present in this level of the ocean, and the voice of the scientist comes on and alerts that we must go deeper.
The vehicle takes a right turn and goes down another short drop into the next show scene. Here it is much darker and the ride vehicle traverses around a completely pitch black room. The lights of the submersible come on and guests can see all around them that they are in an extremely rocky and jagged environment. Animatronic bioluminescent creatures are seen all around rider's peripherals, so basically anywhere where the front lights aren't shining on.
Suddenly a hydrothermal vent releases a burst of hot air which illuminates the room. The vehicle continues to move along at a slow speed until another one goes off. The scientist comes on again and announces that were getting closer to the hotspot. A rumbling envelops the too and the vehicle's speed increases. Rocks begin to fall and dust (smoke effects) clouds the view from the submersible. The vehicle slows down as it navigates through the thick dust. At the end of the dust cloud, we come face to face with an underwater volcano that is very much active. The vehicle completely stops before it and the scientist announces that the robotic arm on the bottom of the submersible is collecting a rock and sediment sample. The volcano rumbles again and starts causing the trench all around the submersible to collapse.
The vehicle accelerates to 40 MPH and into the main coaster show room. Once again, the lights are the only thing illuminating the underwater world, so guests see only what is directly ahead of them. There are many close calls with the collapsing rocky trench as the vehicle intertwines with it's surroundings. The vehicle comes to a complete stop before a dead end. The whole vehicle begins to shake and then moves backwards down a steep drop as there was no other way to escape. The vehicle twists through helixes, curves and drops backwards now, with only what is directly in front of rider's being illuminated, and which is still the elaborate collapsing rock work.
The vehicle slows down and the lights begin to flicker on and off. Soon, guests are in complete darkness. The scientist comes back on and says that we have to make it to the surface and the only way now is to shoot straight up and hope we don't hit anything. During this stop, a track switch occurs. A second launch soon happens, only at 20 MPH, and shoots riders up a steep piece of track in complete darkness, which provides great air time at the top. Once guests reach the top of the hill, they hit "sunlight" and appear to be above water. Real water is once again used here and the track is slightly submerged. All around guests are beautiful moving backdrops of the ocean and the sky.
The vehicle glides along the track as our scientist friend tells us that he was able to do a computer scan on the sediments we gathered the second we received it, and that it had traces of Polythamine, which proves that it's very new sediment, meaning that this volcano is very recent and has quite the potential. He tells us that the volcano is in the process of helping form a new island, and we were just caught in the middle of one of many processes. He alerts us that we made quite the discovery and that this will probably be truly helps to put DeepVenture Inc. on the right path.
The vehicle coasts into DeepVenture Inc.'s submarine dock (the loading area) and guests disembark from the submersible and exit right into the rest of Uncharted Adventures' Deep Sea.
Exposition Summit: A Literary Park
Land: Whodunit???
This attraction is based on Sir Author Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.
This is an indoor, large, steel, wild mouse roller coaster. (Similar to Coast Rider at Knotts Berry Farm)
The "wild mouse" style of sharp twist & turns is meant to mirror the "twist & turns" of a mystery.
Outside of the attraction is a large sign placard that resembles an open book. The right side list the author, Sir Author Conan Doyle & additional info. The left side contains a summary.
QUEUE:
Guest enter a London neighborhood, where 2 inspectors form Scotland Yard (performers) are warning all visitors to be careful, due to a rash of mysterious disappearances....They will question random guest in line ("Where were you on the night of....?" "Do you have any alibis?", etc.)
Guest make their way to a residential district & to the entrance of the attraction, the address of 221B Baker Street.
The attendant at the entrance greets guest. "Finally, you're here....you know where to go, 17 steps up". For disabled guest, there is an elevator....with the variation "It's just 17 seconds up!". This attendant monitors the # of guest entering, while the Scotland Yard inspectors will continue to entertain / interrogate the guest in line.
The pre show begins at the "top" of the stairwell / elevator. The pre show is comprised as a series of rooms & all rooms are viewed as the guest proceed to the loading dock.
After arriving at the top, guest see the the entrance to a large room. The line leads guest into the detective agency of Sherlock Holmes. At the front of the room, we see a replica of the Baker St. apt (Desk, sitting room, etc.) There is also a large screen above the set.
PRE SHOW: Room 1
Within a few moments, Dr. Watson appears on the set & addresses the guest.
"So you're the new group of Baker Street Irregulars....Holmes said you'd be coming to assist us in our latest case".
"My name is Dr. John Watson, & I do hope you'll forgive me, but I'll need to make sure this group actually contains detectives". I've prepared a few simple questions to test your deductive reasoning.
A question wil appear on the screen & Watson will select someone to answer.
Questions are riddle based & Watson would quiz the crowd.
Example: (These are sample questions & are pretty easy, but you get the point:-)
Before Mt Everest was discovered, what was the tallest mountain in the world?
Johnny's mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May. What was the third child 's name?
There would be a series of different puzzles & riddles, for returning guest.
Watson would either select someone or ask if anyone knew the answer.
Room 2:
Guest enter the next room & meet Sherlock, who will lay out the mystery. This room contains Easter eggs from the world of Sherlock Holmes.
There are photos of "The Strand", a few "hounds", etc.
"I see you've all made it this far, passing Watson's preliminary test. Congratulations would normally be in order, but I have some unsettling news. Look to your left & your right, your front & your back......there are a number of individuals in this room who are planning to commit a crime......some may even be standing next to you & it's up to you to figure out who these scoundrels are.
The Mystery: Holmes explains the mystery. Visitors to London have been disappearing while riding a particular train.....ultimately it's been determined my old nemesis, Moriarty, has hired some unsavory characters to find more victims. I'm hoping to convince you to ride this train & see if you can solve this case.
We've reconstructed the crime scene & listed the clues....
Room 3: This room contains a screen which display the clues & a "crime scene". This scene contains one of the actual cars used in the coaster.
Guest will notice each seat is different. They are different colors, with numbers & other specific traits. All clues will eventually reveal a specific "seat". Any guest sitting the the selected seat is the "guilty party".
The following clues are simply examples. Because the clues are digital, they can constantly chang.
Clue # 1 - A man leaves home turns left, turns left again, turns left once more, than returns home. When he gets home he is greeted by two men in masks. Who are the men in masks?
THE RIDE:
Guest are seated in 1 of the 4 seats & the ride begins. The "train" races around the track, with images of London all around. At a particular drop, the camera snaps a photo & the ride end.
Upon exiting, riders enter the final room where all the photos can be viewed.
Under each picture, is the question "Which one is the criminal?" It's elementary"
The reveal is never directly answered (although an attendant can tell you which seat was selected)
Since we had one dropout this week, we will be holding a single elimination that will be sent to a vote. The vote will conclude this Tuesday.
Christopher Sturniolo: Wolfsbane pays homage to the old Disneyland dark rides of the past, where you are taking the place of the main character in the story. I’m continuously enjoying the Once Upon a Time references that aid in creating a unique angle to your theme park indicating that this is not your common storybook theme park. While the ride itself may be similar to that of Busch Gardens’ Verbolten, I think you managed to create your own unique and psychological experience.
Alan Hiscutt: I realize that you spent time developing a coaster, only to find that something similar had been designed. The Rogue Squadron coaster that you designed takes a fun and adventurous look into the Star Wars universe. The whole experience is very immersive beginning with the queue all the way till the ride. The two ride vehicles would allow for an entertaining experience, allowing people to enjoy the ride in two different ways. I think this made for a great signature attraction for your theme park.
Mike Kinshella: I continuously find myself a bit confused with the direction your park is taking sometimes, but I love it when you develop these types of rides themed to early 19th century America. As similar to Christopher’s ride, you chose a unique story system by having the rider become the main character. However, I enjoyed that the ride made the rider the villain. This high speed getaway surely serves as the prime perfection of your park’s style.
AJ Hummel: While not a direct dragon themed coaster, I think this was a rather unique approach to go for this week. I liked the whole concept of employing guests to be testers for a new dragon flyer prototype helping them to further understand how dragons fly. While the storyline may be a bit predictable, the ride itself would be rather fun. I especially enjoyed the coaster being a cross between a dark ride and a roller coaster.
Chad H: While I’m not overly familiar with Doctor Who, I think you managed to explain the basis of the show well in the beginning portion of your proposal. The whole scene production is a bit much, but would aid in your storytelling. When it came time to the actual coaster, I felt a lack of immersion. While it may have been for the best for cost saving measures, the actual coaster fell flat in comparison to the elaborate scenes before the coaster.
Joseph Catelett: Last week you were certainly on top of your game taking B-movies and allowing guests to explore their environments. While, I’ve never seen the Munsters, I felt a little underwhelmed by the racing proposal that was attached with it. The scenes through the race were definitely the more exciting part to the ride, transporting you into the world of the Munsters. While it wasn’t my favorite angle to create a lighthearted coaster for your particular theme park, the description still managed to create an interesting story.
Joseph M: Honestly, I was completely lost in your proposal till about half way through until you introduced what the coaster would be about. I’m certainly not a lover of science, and I just become lost in the sea of technical terms of this week’s proposal. When we finally got to the coaster, I think you redeemed yourself a bit. The ride was filled with flashing lights and sounds, which provides the basis for the theming. All in all, I think you had an interesting concept with an exciting ride experience, but had a poor beginning to the proposal.
Bryce McGibeny: I liked your concept a lot last week, however, I felt that it was rehashed a bit in this week’s proposal. The whole danger of being underwater was explored in your previous proposal, which was executed nicely. However, I felt déjà vu this week when scientists tried to help the riders survive an underwater volcano this time. The reasoning behind taking this trip underwater was an interesting change, however. I enjoyed the search to aid in scientific discovery.
Jay R: I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, and was excited to begin reading this proposal. I thought the preshow was executed well, and could have easily served as the basis for a children’s show. The whole concept of the scene reconstruction was rather interesting too. However, when it came time to the ride, it felt rushed. I got no sense of theming from the coaster, or any sense of what the coaster would be like. I think it could have made for a great proposal, but I realize that you probably encountered a struggle with time.
Alan Hiscutt: Let me go ahead and say that you did a fantastic job with the theming of your ride. It all felt really "Star Wars-y", and it was a great concept. I especially liked the addition of targets within the ride, giving guests a chance to interact within this universe. It was thrilling, and anyone could enjoy it. Fantastic job!
Mike Kinshella: You really have a way with setting up these little-known horrors (well, little-known NOW). This roller coaster worked really well as an indoor roller coaster, with a lot of effects and theming in your ride. It was thrilling, scary, and, all around, a great ride.
AJ Hummell: I felt like the theme of your roller coaster this time around was a bit of a cop-out (probably the wrong choice of words, but whatever). Instead of sticking to the mythology you created, you sort of drifted into high tech technology, which I did find disappointing. Regardless, the ride wasn't thrilling, which I actually liked. Instead of making a high octane ride for thrill junkies, you went with a medium thrill ride instead. For a person like me, who actually hates roller coasters, I was pleasantly surprised by your decision.
Chad H: Using Doctor Who was a great idea, as it is such a hot property with many British citizens, and even some American ones. I for one don't know anything about Doctor Who either, and you did a good job of setting up the backstory. I felt like the concept you had, with scenes and all, would have worked better with a dark ride, but a wild mouse coaster worked fine. The timing was an interesting touch, and gave an interesting sense of how the ride progresses.
Joseph Catlett: You are doing awesome choosing your franchises and themes! The Munsters is another awesome fit to your park. The story wasn't as involved as your previous entries, but the dueling aspect was fun, and the Munters humor was certainly there. Overall, it was a fun experience, even though it lacked the depth of your other entries.
Joseph M: I felt like your science is getting really deep and complex, which can be an issue in the future. I'm still young, so it's understandable that I wouldn't understand any of this, but it all feels really, really complex. Although the terminology went over my head, the ride experience itself was fun. The effects were all really nice, and added immersion to your ride. Good job, just don't make everything TOO scientific!
Bryce McGibeny: The underwater theming with your roller coaster is really cool, and I like the direction of it all. The story felt familiar in several places, but it worked for the most part. The thrills worked, and the scenery was well done as well.
Jay R: Sherlock Holmes was a good choice for a ride, as seen in your build up to the actual ride. A nice mystery was established, and things were all looking interesting... and then the ride happens, and I was disappointed. The criminal aspect was neat, but I wish a little more detail had been put into the actual ride experience.
Alan Hiscutt- "Rogue Squadron- The Ride". Wow! Talk about dripping with theme! Your use of an extensive pre-show area, including having the safety announcements done by Admiral Ackbar, would totally immerse the riders into their roles as Pilot Candidates. I was unsure if the video announcements being made would be "forced" on the riders, to be sure that they understood what was happening, or if they could just walk past the monitors, ignoring them and missing out on the information being provided.
Your concept of two different types of coaster vehicles utilizing the same track is certainly revolutionary, but to be honest I reread the proposal multiple times and do not understand how it works. I suppose I must accept the fact that you claim it is possible, and if so, this would be a spectacular development. However, expecting riders to be able to shoot and hit targets while racing through a twisting, turning attraction that goes both indoors and out is unrealistic. It would take multiple rides by committed riders to expect them to become skillful enough to have any sort of respectable score.
It sounds like I didn't like this attraction, and that is not the case. I think the theming was amazingly presented and would be totally immersive for the riders, and this would be a Star Wars fan's dream. Your explanation of the technical details was excellent, with the exception of the dual coaster trains and how they can share the same track.
Mike Kinshella- "The Shadow Strikes". Putting the riders in the position of being the "bad guys" is a unique approach to theming an attraction. It would be important for the queue to make it clear to the riders that they are just that, the bad guys, and that The Shadow is the "good guy" who can defeat them. Never forget that many in your audience might not know who The Shadow is and how he operates. Once this is establish, I think that the entire proposal is a fine demonstration of how a theme, once established, can be carried through an entire attraction, making it greater than the sum of the parts. I especially liked how you integrated sound, lighting effects and detailed scenery into this coaster, thus making it a totally-engaging and immersive attraction. The plummet at the end would be particularly effective in both scaring the riders and showing them that The Shadow won't be defeated. A well-written proposal for a world-class coaster.
AJ Hummel- "Dragon Wing". I must disagree with you in rating this a "medium intensity thrill ride". Riders looking straight down 100 feet to the ground? An outward airtime hill? A freefall? That is not medium intensity, but majorly intense! The malfunction portion of this attraction would be enough to make me think twice about riding it twice, and I'm a coaster guy! I thought that the preshow was well-conceived, even with the queue and its many objects to look at being a bit reminiscent of portions of your walk-through attraction. The actual flight of the coaster dragon wings was well-described, and the malfunction portion would be one of the most unsettling parts of any coaster anywhere. Separating the loading and unloading areas was a very smart decision, one that every wing coaster should consider in the future. An excellent proposal!
Chad H.- "Dr. Who: Escape the Vortex" is a quite unique coaster experience. I commend you for using a coaster type that is mostly ignored today in this era of taller, faster and longer super-duper-hyper-megacoasters. You presented a detailed preshow that would set-up the story for the coaster, a story interesting for Dr. Who fans and accessible to non-fans. Your incredibly-detailed description of the coaster design, details and movements impressed me greatly, and this coaster would be thrilling to experience. My concern, though, is that the preshow and the coaster as presented in the complete proposal don't really have anything much to do with each other. Once the coaster ride starts, the preshow can be pretty much forgotten about, especially since the escape talked about dumps the riders into a merchandise shop rather than into some kind of resolution to the storyline. You created a wonderful background story; you presented an entertaining and fun preshow; you designed a unique coaster that pushed the limits of a wild mouse-type coaster far beyond anywhere it has been taken before, but there was no finale connecting the coaster to the story. As it was, it just stopped.
Joseph Catlett- "DRAG-U-LA" is another in your arsenal of comic treats.. I'm not sure if your park should be call SCREAM as much as LAUGH! You found the perfect vehicle (both coaster vehicle and pop culture vehicle) for your coaster. This coaster is not especially ground-breaking in technology or speed, but with this much theming you can't have the riders going so fast that they can't appreciate the wonderful images you're provided them. This would be an extremely fun ride to experience, especially for riders familiar with The Munsters in general and this episode in particular...not that I PERSONALLY am old enough to remember it....(cough, cough...). This coaster would be ideal for all ages, and might even entice visitors who think that they are too old to ride a coaster to give it a try, just to experience this great story you've recreated. My only concern is that I was unsure what the entrance queue would be like- this coaster would need to be an indoor coaster, but the entrance is into a racetrack, which is usually outdoors. That detail should have been clarified.
Joseph M- "Synchrotron" makes a really complicated concept seem really fun! I found it interesting how you took some complex scientific equipment and made them both decorative and informative in the queue area. I feel that visitors to your park are going to learn things whether they want to or not. The use of the multiple rings of the synchrotron, the increased speed of the coaster representing the increased speed of the protons, the sudden "annihilation" effect, the flashing of the electrical discharges all make this a totally unique coaster experience. How much would the average rider really understand about it and why the various effects are happening? That is questionable, and would probably depend on how much they paid attention to the preshow areas, but- whether they learned anything or not is irrelevant in the big picture. This is a remarkably original concept for a coaster, one true to your park and its theme and one that would be both informative and thrilling.
Bryce McGibeny- "DeepVenture, Inc." is a very interesting approach to this challenge. The very nature of the attraction makes having a fast coaster impractical, as most of the story line would be lost if the riders couldn't see it. Unfortunately this means that this coaster nearly becomes a dark ride, but I think that there is enough excitement, especially in the reverse sections, to make this definitely quality as a coaster. To be honest, I didn't think that the preshow story really worked other than to give you an excuse to have an attraction with a look different from OSeanic's facility (although I did really like the photo of the dilapidated warehouse with "DeepVenture, Inc." on it). It seemed a bit contrived and didn't add anything to the actual adventure. The coaster experience would be fun, mildly thrilling and visually spectacular, but the backstory cluttered the proposal up.
Jay R.- "Sherlock Holmes. Is that the name of the coaster? To be honest, many things in this proposal baffled me- I guess I am not a very good detective. Why would there be video screens in Holmes' Baker Street office? "Easter eggs from the world of Sherlock Holmes"? I read and reread the proposal several times but was not able to understand how the coaster had much to do with solving the mystery of "who did it?" I felt that this proposal was not up to your usual standards of quality and careful thoughtfulness.
1. Mike Kinshella
2. Christopher Sturniolo
3. Alan Hiscutt
4. Joseph Catlett
5. AJ Hummel
6. Joseph M
7. Bryce McGibeny
8. Chad H
9. Jay R
And our Challenge 3 and 4 combined bottom contestants will comprise of Joseph M, Christopher Sturniolo, and Jay R.
