Challenge 6: Themed Area
Lands, districts, countries, islands, pavilions...all are terms used to denote sections of a theme park. In general terms, these sections can be called themed areas, as every element within shares a common theme. You’ve shown off several individual components of your proposed theme park, so now it is time to give an idea of the bigger picture.
The Challenge:
For this challenge, you must design an entire themed area of your park. This area should be one mentioned in a previous proposal. The main requirement of this area is that everything within must be tied to a common theme. Whether it is a single theme or a more broad theme is up to you, but you should be able to explain how everything connects if it is not obvious. While there is no maximum size for your themed area, at minimum it must contain at least three attractions, one dining location, and one retail location. Additionally, any previously mentioned element within your area must be included in your proposal.
The Proposal:
For this challenge, your proposal should be 5-10 pages and should include:
-The name and theme of your themed area
-The location of your themed area within your park
-A list of attractions, dining locations, and retail locations in your themed area
-A layout description and/or map sketch, describing the location of every element of your themed area
-A summary of any previously presented elements and a link to the original proposal(s) (Note: If the HTML code doesn’t work, just state the challenge it was used in)
-A brief description of each additional element (attraction, dining location, and shopping location) in your area (you don’t need to go into extreme detail...1-3 paragraphs per element is fine)
-Anything else you feel is necessary to complete your proposal
For this challenge, you may use up to 10 images in your proposal. Additionally, if you create a map it will not count as one of your images.
The Deadline:
All proposals must be submitted by Saturday, July 23rd at midnight.
GLORIOUS KIEV
Every culture has its heroes, mythic superhuman figures whose tales quickly pass into legend. For the Russian people, this is the role of the bogatyrs, brave knights-in-shining-armor whose exploits are celebrated in ancient byliny. These noble heroes battled dragons, invaders and tyrants, and brought freedom to the Slavic peoples.
Glorious Kiev, one of Buyan Park’s six realms, honors these legends. The setting is Ancient Kiev a millennium ago, first capital city of the Rus’. Hewn into the wilderness are monumental palaces and fortresses constructed from whole oak logs. These structures are both massive and beautiful, embedded with early examples of beautifully ornate Russian art. This land’s grand splendor sits enclosed under an ovular domed ceiling, which is painted with stars, sunset and daylight, recalling the famed summer White Nights of St. Petersburg.
From the central hub of The Great Oak Hill, guests head to their left towards Glorious Kiev. The land may also be reached by the adjacent Folklore Forest. Guests cross a trade river and pass through fortress gates, which frame lively views of Vladimir’s Carousel. They instantly find themselves within a bustling feudal city. A sense of adventure permeates! Royal flags flutter atop competing palace spires. Colorful tournament tents fill the spaces between wooden citadels. The scent of delicious roast shashlik lingers. The kvass flows like water. Kiev’s citizens hustle about on their daily business. Visitors to this mighty land can even meet a knight errant and join him on a daring quest.
STREETMOSPHERE & INTERACTIVITY
While Glorious Kiev is naturally stuffed with rides and shows inspired by famous Russian bogatyrs, perhaps the greatest attraction is the land itself. Glorious Kiev is in essence a “permanent Renaissance fair.” Her streets teem with engaging “streetmosphere” performers. Cast members mingle with guests in a variety of medieval roles. Shopkeepers call to passersby. Musicians, clowns and jugglers dazzle with impromptu acts. At noon, three and six, Prince Vladimir and his retinue emerge from the palace and tour the dusty cobblestone streets.
Guests are encouraged to participate in the merriment. They too may wear medieval costumes, either brought or bought. They may converse with Kiev’s citizenry. From the fishmonger to the jester to the guards, a singular street theater narrative will form. Guests learn of threats to Kiev, such as fearsome creatures or invading armies. They are invited to apprentice with a mighty knight and join his quest to face this peril. Guests’ actions have an impact, and the outcome of the day’s events teeter in the balance.
These stories are easily switched seasonally, or even daily, making each visit to Glorious Kiev unique. Such interactive theater brings guests face-to-face with legendary bogatyr figures, figures which remain today as popular within Russia as Marvel’s superheroes are in the United States. Beloved characters appear in an informal street setting. Glorious Kiev offers live action roleplaying on a massive scale, where guests help shape events and become one with the adventure!
ATTRACTIONS
Glorious Kiev’s attractions transport guests further into the world of chivalric romances. Rides and shows seek to strike a healthy balance, from heavy thrills to family fun.
Ilya vs. the Robber (height requirement: 48”)
“Steel thy nerves!”
Ilya Muromets, greatest of bogatyrs, features in Kiev’s signature attraction. Tales of Ilya are familiar to every Russian schoolchild. Though sickly and weak as a child, Ilya later obtained superhuman strength and freed the city of Kiev from pagans. Ilya’s most famous exploit pitched him against the flying monster Nightingale the Robber. This fearsome forest-dwelling beast, half-man and half-bird, would lie in wait in the treetops and destroy entire cities with his whistle.
Thrill-seeking guests may now choose sides. This battle of titans is represented by “Ilya vs. the Robber,” a GCI dueling wood coaster with a world’s-first element! This coaster is located outdoors, overlooking Palatial Gardens and the Neva River. Its titanic structure is styled after ancient Kizhi Pogost’s log structures, with curved steeples atop the hills in place of classic coaster cupolas – thus our woodie (though still identifiably a coaster) is visually fitting. For visitors traveling to Buyan Park, this distinctive creation is one of the first things they see.
Guests queue up in a towering timber fortress alongside jagged log fencing. Eventually they must choose. The “Ilya Muromets” line heads through a stone medieval stronghold, where riders board GCI “Millennium Flyer” trains fashioned like riveted bronze armor. Heading outdoors on the train, they experience a thrilling, vintage woodie full of dips, airtime hills, and rickety, rattling tracks!
Those selecting “Nightingale the Robber” enter a darkened forest and board trains quilled like a colorful, monstrous bird. These trains are unique: “Nightingale the Robber” is the world’s first suspended wooden coaster! Riders travel entirely within the wooden structure, perpetually forested by planks, narrowly dodging “leg chopper” elements. Both sides “duel,” their distinctive tracks interacting, overlapping, “Nightingale” often directly over or alongside “Ilya,” recreating their epic struggle. Each ride lasts 2:30 over nearly 4,000 feet of track and reaches speeds of over 55 mph. Hourly capacity for the two rides combined is 2,500.
Since “Ilya vs. the Robber” is one of Buyan’s few outdoor attractions, it sadly must close from November through March. During this time, the queue is reutilized as a walkthrough attraction, gallery space for use by up-and-coming St. Petersburg artists.
Ruslan & Ludmila
“Journey to a strange realm of sorcery where true love triumphs over evil.”
Alexander Pushkin’s “Ruslan and Ludmila,” through composed in 1820, perfectly recalls ancient byliny, and is now regularly told alongside them. The story is utter simplicity! The wicked sorcerer Chernomor kidnaps the tsar’s beautiful daughter Ludmila on her wedding night, and her groom Ruslan sets out to save the day.
Buyan’s “Ruslan & Ludmila” is a relaxing dark ride into legend, achieved with omnimover cars similar to Efteling’s “Carnaval Festival.” Animatronics and visuals are simplistic, stylized after the art of Ivan Bilibin, and realized inexpensively so to highlight and celebrate the artifice. This ride is a musical adventure. A progression of lyrical songs, all inspired by Glinka’s “Ruslan and Ludmila” opera, propel riders through the tale.
Guests begin by entering a festive wedding hall, festooned in flowers and ribbons, bells ringing. Their 8-minute journey begins in the midst of a vibrant wedding between Ruslan and Ludmila. As vehicles spin, the scene is darkened by evil magic, Ludmila missing but for her veil. Guests accompany Ruslan as he sets forth to rescue her upon his mischievous horse Potemko – sure to be one of Buyan Park’s favorite original creations. Riders journey over raging rivers, into a haunted wood, and past prophetic visions told by a blind seer (a Pepper’s Ghost effect). Across a deserted, skeletal battlefield, and face-to-face with the granite head of a knight the size of a house (really several independent animatronics which appear as one). Passing through a rockslide of anthropomorphized stone guardians, they finally enter Chernomor’s shimmering lair of crystals and geodes and coral. All these wondrous visions and more to follow weave an enchanting and heroic yarn perfectly suited for the entire family. (Hourly capacity is 2,400.)
Bogatyr Steeplechase Race (height requirement: 48”)
“Gird your horse and race your fellow knights across the countryside!”
Since “Ilya vs. the Robber” is unavailable during winters, Glorious Kiev features an additional roller coaster to entice adrenaline junkies. “Bogatyr Steeplechase Race” is equally unique, an enclosed steeplechase “racing” Zamperla coaster. This is a modified variation on Zamperla’s MotoCoaster, heavily influenced by Blackpool’s “Steeplechase.”
Passing through a medieval stable, guests find evidence of four competing bogatyr - Dobrynya, Alyosha, Anika and Nikita. These knights wage unending rivalry in jousts and tourneys. Under a thatched stable roof, two parallel boarding platforms lead to four color-coded horses, bedecked with regalia and lances. Each bogatyr’s horse seats two across, much like Knott’s “Pony Express.” Horses travel in trains of two, to aid in capacity, allowing a total of 16 riders for each ride, and 1,920 hourly.
All four trains exit at once. They pause within the ride’s show building, housed partly underneath the “Ilya vs. the Robber” structure. The nighttime countryside sits under a twinkling star field. A trumpet sounds, and the horses magnetically launch at 40 mph along a twisting, turning, compact course. The horses race each other past rows of trees, over stone walls and medieval farms, circling ponds and around an old church steeple which gives the steeplechase its name. The final straightaway provides another exciting magnetic launch towards a finish line arch made of harvest crops. Banners unfurl from the ceiling for the winning horse as all return to the station. This is a thrilling yet family-friendly coaster, fun for its racing elements and its distinctive horseback sensation.
Behold, Svyatogor! (height requirement: 36”)
Towering as tall as the mountains, the giant Svyatogor is a common villain in byliny. Like many a giant, Svyatogor terrorizes the countryside heedlessly, upturning houses at will. Buyan Park now plunges guests under the shadow of the dread Svyatogor!
Small farmhouses on the outskirts of Glorious Kiev show the telltale signs of Svyatogor’s massive presence. Footprints the length of several carts dot the mud. A creaking windmill sits wrecked before a ravaged barn. Queueing guests enter the farmhouse kitchen (pre-show) when rumbling tremors underfoot announce Svyatogor’s arrival. Screens in the windows show his approach. Panicking cast member farmers evacuate guests to a vaulted basement and secure them into seating.
“Behold, Svyatogor!” is a Vekoma Madhouse, a swinging gondola flat ride which utilizes optical illusions to disorient riders and simulate a giant attack. Svyatogor is depicted like a natural disaster, like a tornado. The barn sways as he lifts it into the air from outside. Seats swing. Soon the ceiling rotates independently of the floor, to reveal mighty Svyatogor peering in on helpless riders, the barn high up in midair! The giant taunts riders mercilessly. Eventually he tires of his games and returns the barn to the Earth.
The Heroes of All Time
Underneath a simple tournament tent, audiences gather for an interactive live show with six performances daily. Children who sign up in advance are trained to become knights. They are equipped with simple armor costumes and safe, lightweight false swords. On stage, the Three Bogatyr – Ilya, Dobrynya and Alyosha – train their young apprentices on the rules of chivalry.
Soon the stage is overrun by the dastardly Golden Horse! These klutzy Mongolian invaders issue comic threats to the Three Bogatyr. The children face off one-on-one against members of the Horde. Inevitably, the children always emerge victorious, and the Horde vanishes. Having successfully trained as knights, participants receive souvenir scrolls. This is a simple attraction, yet ideal for engaging young guests.
Vladimir’s Carousel
The earliest carousels were devices created by horsemen to use as jousting practice before tournaments. “Vladimir’s Carousel,” which rotates counterclockwise in the center of Glorious Kiev, is a modernized throwback to these historical prototypes. It is a two-story carousel, the smaller second floor accessible by staircase. This upper level is exceedingly primitive – crude barrel-shaped wood horses which hang from above.
As Prince Vladimir’s horsemen brought the city increasing wealth, he ordered the creation of a far more elaborate carousel. Thus the lovely ground-level carousel was created, and the old primitive model was set atop it. Finely-carved horses feature, painted like Russian Easter art. For historical accuracy, riders may try to grab the brass ring! (A lost tradition elsewhere, Russian safety laws still permit it.) Whosoever snags the ring shall be bestowed a single-use Bogatyr Pass, Buyan Park’s line-cutter option.
The Path of Batu
“The Path of Batu” provides park-wide waterway transportation (to be detailed at a future date), pausing in nearly every realm. The docks of Glorious Kiev, where “The Path of Batu” loads, may be found on the outskirts near the wooded gate.
DINING
Food throughout Glorious Kiev reflects the medieval diet, modified wherever necessary to suit contemporary tastes. Dining options run the gamut, from elaborate sit-down restaurants to simple quick service stands. Here and elsewhere in Buyan Park, mobile food carts are provided as needed to round out our offerings with simple beverages and snacks.
The Feast OF Alexander Nevsky
Within the Great Hall of Prince Vladimir, diners enjoy an epic dinner theater replicating a royal medieval banquet. Live performers breathlessly recreate Alexander Nevsky’s fabled Battle on the Ice against German invaders. Pricing has now been corrected to reflect median Russian income, with adult meal packages newly at 400 rubles ($6). Winner of a Hummel-certified TPA Award! (See Challenge 3)
Podacha
Whenever a banquet feast was held, the tsar would show favor to the common folk in a tradition calledpodacha. So do we. Along the exterior of the Great Hall, the “Podacha” counter provides visitors with a sampling of “The Feast of Alexander Nevsky.” Snack-sized versions of feast dishes are available. “Podacha” is also noted for its drinks, both alcoholic and non, particularly medieval kvass, which even today Russians prefer to Coke.
Dobrynya’s Broiler
Dobrynya Nikitich, slayer of dragons, has discovered an unexpected use for the dragon skulls in his collection: They fuel an excellent barbecue! Located under a (very well ventilated) tournament tent, Dobrynya has set up an expansive barbecue arena, dragon skulls along the edges providing flames.
Here, countless chefs grill on skewers, the favored Russian method. They cook up an assortment of shashlik meats, from lamb to pork to beef, as well as mixed vegetable skewers with or without meat. These simple and portable meals are served counter style. Shashlik is an exceedingly popular street food throughout modern Russia, and should appeal to a majority of our guests.
Seating is available throughout Glorious Kiev’s grounds, particularly on tiered levels overlooking the “Heroes of All Time” arena.
Ratmir Roast
“Ratmir Roast” is a simple food stand operated out of a conical steeple building, perfect for hurried guests. Quick prepackaged foods include fruit cups, salads, and chiburekki (a medieval deep-fried turnover). Plus the featured item, that most popular of Ren Faire foods: turkey legs! Since turkeys were unknown in medieval Russia, these gigantic spiced treats are given a fantastical twist and are instead sold as Dragon Legs.
RETAIL
Merchandise throughout Buyan Park is offered under certain principles: Merchandise will be unique and appropriate to its location, and it will be high-quality and beautiful. Goods made available in Glorious Kiev reflect the handicrafts, clothing and knightly possessions of the medieval era.
Alyosha’s Armory
Folk hero Alyosha Popovich is proprietor of a grand armory market run out of his private home. Encased along the walls amidst personal furnishings, Alyosha has erected spoils from his campaigns against the Tatars and Mongols. All manner of armaments, outfits and goods line the floorplan. “Alyosha’s Armory” is the centerpiece shop for Glorious Kiev, where guests may find nearly all of this land’s unique products.
Popular merchandise includes medieval costuming, meant to aid guests get into Glorious Kiev’s interactive spirit. Everything needed for bogatyr-themed roleplaying is available here. For children, Alyosha offers harmless plastic swords and shields and arrows, with the admonition that horseplay and fighting are to be avoided according to chivalric code.
Games of chess and tafl are set up in a private corner of the armory. These popular games of skill are free for guests to play, either among each other or even against Glorious Kiev’s play-actors.
Novgorod Goods
Among the various medieval tournament tents is one of special note, decorated in a Bilibin-esque style. Within is a moderately-sized gift shop which specializes in ornate handmade knickknacks. Professional artisans can be seen actively painting beautiful wooden tchotchkes – that is, small decorative trinkets. For an additional fee, guests can have their names painted onto these goods, a one-of-a-kind item to bring home and cherish.
Vseslov’s Spoils
Located near the Folklore Forest entrance, “Vseslov’s Spoils” acts as an offshoot to “Alyosha’s Armory,” offering much of the same merchandise as its larger sibling. This market is situated out of a blacksmith’s shop, with goods displayed atop disused anvils and cold forges. Next door, a live blacksmith fashions real horseshoes – many of which are used by Buyan Park’s own horse teams. The blacksmith interacts with curious guests, and can create personalized horseshoes bearing their names.
***
With daring chivalric adventures which appeal to an assortment of ages, Glorious Kiev sparks the imagination in all who visit. It is filled with rides, both thrilling and sedate, plus live shows which round out the experience. But the pleasures of Glorious Kiev extend far beyond simple theme park attractions! This entire realm is an immersive (yet low-tech) arena for live theater, an interactive venue for an engaging roleplaying experience. By plunging guests into the textured, vibrant world of ancient Kiev, Buyan Park engages its Russian target audience. Glorious Kiev’s subject matter is at the very foundation of Russian culture, a bit like Camelot for the British or Jamestown for the Americans. Far from a themed land based on a mere movie, Glorious Kiev is born from the very legends of a people!
Crystal Palace
Flashback - The Theme park
A word from our sponsor:
Although I think I have used the name in a previous Theme Park Apprentice game, this “Land” is something different completely. There should be no real overlap, other than being inspired by the architectural style, and the general concept of the “Great Expositions. It does however link to the Dark Ride Challenge
A Great Exposition? No, The Greatest Exposition
Crystal Palace plays home to the Greatest Grand Exposition there never was. Imagine if all of the great thinkers of the 19th century were all in one place, and larger than life and greater than not just their actual accomplishments, but bigger than any exageration any 19th century snake oil salesman ever could have sold - Brunel, Alexander Graham Bell, Edison, Tesla, Verne, and more can all find a home here.
Crystal Palace exists in this alternative world, where the 20th century is always just around the corner, and the 21st century a dream. It is not a place of “Science” as we know it, but “Science!”, where Science becomes a magical promise of wonder.
The goal of using “old style” rides in this are is relaxed, as the goal here isn’t to create what was, but what might have been dreamed of, and provide an experienced to match.
The Layout
The Crystal Palace is mostly indoor area, with a few outdoor areas. The building Floorpan is not dissimiliar to a London Underground Roundel, placed on its side, the “Stripe” makes up the Grand Galleria, with “Wings” on either side. One end of the stripe connects to Jubilee Gardens, the other to a timber deck and hoverport.
The entire shape is split into four quadrants, starting with the Jubilee entrance and moving clockwise, you’ll find the following themes:
Funny Future
P.T. Barnum welcomes you to the future of fun! In amongst the long lasting bubbles that float in the sky you’ll find a range of sideshow attractions and animatronics designed to make you smile.
In PT Barnum’s Fantastic Zoo you can encounter (animatronic) fantastic animals that are so rare, Griffin, Jackalope and wee tiny haggis beasties are just some of the creatures PT Banum himself will show you. Only the fantastic inventions enabled by science have allowed these creatures to be caught and displayed for your amusement.
You can also visit HocusPocus’ Fun House, and snack at the amazing “Presto” dairy, where you can create your own ice cream and watch it freeze in front of your eyes through the addition of Liquid Nitrogen
Just walking around the area is an experience in itself, you’ll find a number of Barnum’s staff using fabulous contraptions to play (good natured) practical jokes on guests and other staff members alike, if you like what you see many of these are available at Barnum and Bailey’s retail emporium.
Sparks and Sound
This is dedicated to the power of electricity and the wonders it brings.
Families will be able to enjoy the Bell coaster together. A mini spinning wild mouse, with modest speeds and curves to ensure the spinning isn’t too much, will take you through the telephone system to help Bell remove all the bugs from the system.
The coming of electrictiy as many know however brought with it not just wonder, but the what was perhaps the worlds first, and biggest, format war - the war of currents. You’ll be able to experience the power of electricity on Tesla vs Edison: The Showdown. Strapped into a disco-coaster with Edison at one end, and Tesla (who’s ideas Westinghouse brought to market) at the other, each of these great minds will channel power into the ride, with the car moving away from the inventor who is currently putting in the most power. Who will be the first inventor to push the car all the way up the half pipe?
When thats done Grab a bite in the Edison Automat, on the corner with the gallerea (with seating extending into the gallery). Our completely modern and amazing restaurant has all of your favourite sandwiches, Burgers, and hot and cold snacks.
You'll also be able to see a range of weird and wonderful electric gizmos from over the ages that you won't believe are real (but they are)
Transportation Station
Transportation Station plays home to the park’s alternative gate, which can be accessed via ferry and hovercraft in the peak season. Whilst an amazing way to arrive at the park, guests can also book an (upcharge) helicopter tour of the port and nearby countryside.
Although present within the Transportation Station, these are not the only reasons to visit. The Transportation Station also allows transfers to the Jules Verne’s “Shoot the moon”, an outdoor Itamin Steel Launched coster themed to fire from what appears to be a giant cannon with a top hat extending into the bay at 1000ft, which then goes through a second top hat over the launch station (nicknamed re-entry), before orbiting around to the station.
Younger guests might prefer to take a trip around the world, in less than 40 days. You’ll ride a balloon through a dark ride like experience, once you board you’ll be hoisted into the air where your car will run suspended around a track inspired by the novel, before gently arriving back in the Crystal Palace
Hungry? Check out the Skydeck Sushi and Oyster Bar, whether you choose to eat inside or outside of the Crystal Palace structure (either overlooking the bay, or overhanging the galleria), you’ll be sitting on what appears to be the Promenade deck of an Airship liner, where you can sample some fantastic seafood and shellfish dishes inspired from menus all around the world, made fresh right in front of your eyes.
The Great Machine:
The Great Machine is dedicated to the greatest machine most of us will ever experience, our own bodies. You’ll find all sorts of strange cures and devices within Burke and Hare’s sanatorium, although as there does seem to be something strange about those guys you might want to avoid trying the cures for yourself.
Have no such reservations about Louis Pasteur’s Laboratory, the good doctor needs some help with his research: He’s borrowed a device from Nikolai Tesla to help him learn more about how bacteria and germs attack the human body, but he needs a willing research assistant to use it on… I err mean provide invaluable assistance. Guests will be shrunk to the size of bacterium and sent on a fantastic voyage around the body (represented through a pipeline roller coaster) to gather valuable information whilst in communication with Pasteur through a Marconi Wireless set.
Other elements
In the middle of the Galleria stands a Giant Clock, shaped to be a giant tree with woodland creatures surrounding the tree. On the hour the woodland creatures enact a scene working together to store food for the winter but enjoying their work as they do it. This speaks to the four themes of the “land” - The goods are transported into the tree, by creatures who are working together/communicating whilst enjoying their work, and this all allows the “great machine” to keep working. The clock isn’t the only piece of greenery as the Galleriea hosts a large ferned area with dancing water fountains and birdsong, allowing the great outdoors to be experienced and enjoyed indoors, no matter what the weather is.
Parents seeking a refuge will find Livingstone’s Tavern in amongst the greenery, where you’ll be able to discover some of the finest ales in the world, or take a bite from our fresh, classic bar menu.
New England
New England is a themed area inside America the Beautiful. Guests can experience many rides and attractions, not to mention fine dining, and truly embrace the New England spirit.
New England will truly encompass the spirit of New England. New England will be set in the North Shore/Boston area, and show the New England spirit, in all its forms. This land will be set in the North Shore area, allowing for coast and city and history all to be woven together as one New England, as any New Englander will tell you, that’s how it really is.
Once inside New England, guests can find many iconic buildings and landmarks. Guests can see the John Hancock building, along with motif number one, Old North Church, and many others. There are also many other buildings to add to the ambiance of the North Shore. Guests can find wooden boathouses with buoys along the walls, seventeenth century architecture, and large skyscrapers. Guests can pass a fake shop that has a sign above the door reading “Boston Tea”, and a sign on the door saying “We are sold out”.
Guests in New England primarily follow one street, curving in line with the lake. Most buildings are on the side opposite the lake, but not all. For example, guests can find Paul Revere’s Ride, Freedom Fliers, and Boston Tea Party opposite the lake, but Rough Waters and motif number one are found on the waterfront.
There are three main types of buildings. These styles will have many variations on the same basic principles. Some of the buildings are more geared to the Maine coast, and the fisherman’s life style. Many of these are wooden buildings with buoys along the walls and sides. These are reminiscent of motif number one, and similar buildings.
Some of the buildings in New England are large skyscrapers. Using mostly backdrops, and forced perspective, these are meant to be reminiscent of the Boston city. One of these is a copy of the John Hancock building. Many other tall structures can be found, some of them very contemporary, others that seem as though they’ve been there for sixty years even.
And lastly, we have the historical buildings. These are reminiscent of Paul Revere’s house, in their eighteenth century architecture. Many of these are made of bricks, and are not very tall. These buildings probably have the most variation.
Guests in this area can also find the street show Witch!.This show happens several times a day, and tells the story of the witch trial of Rebecca Nurse.
Guests can find the New England spirit in all its forms through the attractions, dining, and retail as well, so let’s take a look at those, shall we?
Attractions
Guests in New England will find many attractions, including two e-ticket attractions.
New England is home to two E-Ticket rides. Rough Waters and Freedom Fliers are sure to draw guests into this area of the park.
Rough Waters
Rough Waters is a new screen based simulator type ride in the New England themed area of America the Beautiful. In the coastal area, guests board a fishing vessel for a trip out in the ocean, until the weather doesn’t cooperate. One thing after another goes wrong, and guests must find their way back to shore before the ship sinks!
Queue
Outside the queue, guests find a copy of the Gloucester Fisherman (statue above), with its dedication to “They that go down in ships”, is meant to be more than a little foreshadowing. The queue is divided into two sections. In the first section, guests find fishing equipment and ads for fishing tours. They appear to be in a sort of wooden garage. They pass empty rooms, and hear bits of thunder outside, but very faint. In the second section, guests pass several rooms with televisions playing a news clip of a small storm approaching the area. Guests are told this will cause nothing more than small waves, and maybe light showers.
Now guests board. Much like other one-room simulators, there are six rows of seats seating twelve across. We appear to be in the upper decks of a ship, with a large window in front of us. Off to the right, a small screen shows the captain of the ship.
The ride
The captain on screen tells us how to prepare for departure, “Stow all handheld items under their seat, pull the seatbelt strap from the right and insert it into the buckle on the left, no flash pictures, smoking, food or drink, etc.” After a seatbelt check, we hear two long blows of the ship’s horn and we begin to move forward.
The captain explains to us that we’ll be going a few miles from shore to where there have been large catches that day. We hear a radio telling us that there is a small storm and that all ships are advised to go into shore as soon as they can. The captain assures us this will be no issue, and we turn right into the sea.
It seems to begin raining on the window, and guests can no longer see clearly. Another radio transmission comes in telling guests that the wind has picked up as another small storm has fused with this one. Wind Speeds will increase, and heavy rain will begin. All ships are advised to get off the water as soon as possible. The captain tells us that we had better head in, as the storm is getting pretty bad. The ship has begun to rock back and forth, and the movement is building larger.
The ship is immediately hit with large amounts of wind. The waves on the ocean become larger, and guests can feel the boat moving over the waves. The boat dives into a wave, and the captain yells back, “Get off the deck! GET OFF THE DECK!” Sprays of water splash the guests, as they crash into wave after wave. Just then, another transmission comes in. “The storm has gotten worse. We have received sightings of tornadoes and waterspouts. The governor has issued a state of emergency and all ships must get into shore immediately.”
The captain turns the ship 180 degrees, and the ship is now pointing towards the dock. The captain tells his crew to do everything they can to get the ship back as soon as they can.
When guests are back at the dock, the storm lightens up. Only minimal rain, and the wind has mostly stopped. Guests are warned by the captain not to out in a storm again, even if it was his idea. Guests exit the vehicle into a hallway leading to a gift shop, selling Rough Waters merchandise, and copies of Sebastian Junger’s “The Perfect Storm”.
Overall, Rough Waters will be a ride to remember. It has a minimum height requirement of 40 inches and will be great for all riders.
Freedom Fliers
Freedom Fliers is a new, flying-type rollercoaster coming to America the Beautiful. Guests may board a jet engine plane and go for a spin on patrol. The ride may seem out of place in New England, but the ride is based on the Air Force base that is built on Cape Cod, and patrols and protects our coast.
Queue
The queue will be mostly outdoors, through and around several decommissioned jet planes that would otherwise be discarded, until guests reach a large door that seems to go into a flight hangar. Here, the line splits in two, and there are two loading stations.
The ride
The trains appear to be a row of fighter jets, and there are eight planes in a train. The planes are blue, and have large stars on the wings. Each plane has a row of four floorless seats underneath it, and guests sit in these. They pull down their shoulder restraints, and the seats tilt forward. Their feet seem to be pulled back to the plane, and guests are now lying down on their stomachs. The planes move forward out of the hangar, merge with the other track, and onto a straight piece of track. The planes launch forward and shoot up.
They take a left and dive while doing a twist at the same time. They move back up, and turn right into another dive. When they seem to be crashing, they take a hard left and miss the ground by only a small distance. Guests fly up and over the hangar, and move up and left into a loop. This loop is different in that the the planes fly down into it, rather than up. After this, guests dive again to the right, and go up into a half loop and twist the other half. Now, guests make a large climb, and then dive at a ninety-five degree angle and turn left and rise just before they hit the ground. Guests are now in a series of large turns, and the turns are banked so that the guests are completely sideways. First a right, then left. Then straight for a bit, then right up a hill, and left back down. Another left back up, and straight down. Guests go up into a loop, and then turn left. Guests roll around another piece of track, timed so that another set of planes is being rolled around at the same time. Guests now find that the track splits in two. Ride trains will alternate going left and right, allowing for two different ride endings.
The first Ending
The first ending is where guests turn left. They go down while turning, and swerve up at the last second. Guests now take a hard right into another left, and move up and over a small hill, before flying upwards again. They go high, and then dive, and begin to slowly approach the hangar once again, where they loaded.
The second Ending
If the planes take a right, they are in for a whole other track. They move up while turning right, and take a huge dive at the peak. Guests fly forward into another down loop, and come out into an ascent. They dive, and are near the ground. Guests begin to slow down, and approach the hangar where they loaded.
The ride has four-to-five inversions, and has a height requirement on fifty-six inches.
When guests are at the hangar, the seats swing back, and guests disembark. On their way out, guests go through a gift shop, selling Freedom Fliers merchandise and aircraft models.
Other Attractions
Not every ride can be thrilling and exciting. There are also two other quality attractions in New England. Paul Revere’s Ride and Boston Tea Party. Guests can also find preferred seating for Independence.
Paul Revere’s Ride
Paul Revere’s Ride is a new dark ride coming into New England. Join Paul Revere on his famous ride!
Queue
The ride is entered through the front doors of the Old North Church, where Paul Revere began and ended his ride. Once inside, guests wind around to the basement, where guests board their vehicles.
The Ride
The vehicles move forward, and seem to exit the church. The ride comes to a stop not far from where we loaded, but doors have closed behind us, so we cannot see backwards. It is nighttime. We see an audio-animatronic Paul Revere on a horse.
PAUL:One if by land, two if by sea.... Hurry up, I need to warn the citizens of the incoming British! (A few seconds later) Ahh. By sea then. Off to the Lexington then. Come, we must be gone!
We move forward a bit, and are now in the streets of the city. Around houses and blocks, with Paul Revere seemingly riding next to us. We round a corner and stop quickly.
Now we are at the home of Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
PAUL: Adams, Hancock, get out now. It’s me, Revere.
ADAMS (Who has just opened the door with HANCOCK): Revere, what are you doing here at this hour?
PAUL: The Redcoats are coming up the Mystic river. I came to warn you so you could get out of here before they arrested you.
HANCOCK: Thank you for the warning. Adams, we had better be off. (Hancock closes the door with he and ADAMS in side.)
PAUL (To riders): Task one, done. Now to warn the Sons of Liberty.
We begin moving once again, a left, right straight, left, left, right. We are moving through the countryside, and have seen no houses or people, until we take a sharp right and stop immediately. There are several men in British revolutionary war uniforms.
BRITISH MAN:Where are you going in such a hurry at this hour?
PAUL REVERE: Trying to get home to Boston before the storm comes.
BRITISH MAN:It isn't going to storm is it?
PAUL REVERE: We just rode out of it ourselves.
BRITISH MAN: Well, that could slow our men down.
PAUL REVERE: What are you talking about?
BRITISH MAN:Nothing, nothing, on your way then.
Guests begin to wind around another right turn, and begin riding through the New England scenery. After a few moments, guests find that they are being chased by British soldiers. We wind around a left, a right, and past several historical New England landmarks.
We move forward again and find ourselves back at the Old North Church.
PAUL:Thank you for your help. Now, I have some more work to attend to. (Shouting to tower) Make that two lamps!
Guests move forward and take a left, back in the basement of the church. They unload where they loaded, and exit back into New England
Paul Revere’s Ride will be a great ride for guests of all ages. It has no height requirement, and will tell the story of Paul Revere’s famous ride in a truly immersive way.
Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party is a new “teacup” ride coming to America the Beautiful. Unlike most teacup rides, which are simply placed in an open space and riders can only see other rides they could be riding if they were not riding that ride, this puts guests in the action of the Boston Tea Party, even though it is a comical take on the event. In each corner of the ride, a different scene is being shown. The first is a man carrying eight or nine crates of tea, and seem to be close to falling off. The second is two people loading tea crates into a cannon, and every so often, a loud bang goes off in that corner of the area. The third scene is a group of people raising a glass of an unidentified drink that is not tea, while dumping out (very expensive looking) teacups over the raining. We will also see a British soldier in attempt to shut down the operation, but is being held back by two rebels, and the others are drenching him in, you guessed it, tea. Boston Tea Party will be a great ride for kids and adults of all ages.
Independence
Guests in New England have better viewing for Independence. This live show on Liberation Lake about a revolutionary war battle combines old and new technology to create an artistic representation of a battle. (See: Street Show Round.)
Dining
Guests in New England can find two dining locations. One of which is sit down and the other counter service.
Cape Ann's
Cape Ann's is a sit down dining establishment. It gets its name from the smaller cape north of Cape Cod. Here, guests order family style, and can pick from many seafood and shellfish options. The decor is themed to fishing materials, portraits of the coastline, and signs and memorabilia from Cape Ann past.
Captain Jack’s
One can tell based on just the name that guests can find another seafood dining location in New England. Captain Jack’s serves seafood, and fried seafood in many forms. This includes fish n’ chips, Fried Clam sandwiches, Fried shrimp sandwiches, and the Maine lobster roll, just to name a few.
Retail
Guests in New England can find several retail establishments. There are two gift shops at the end of Rough Waters and Freedom Fliers, but also a few stand-alone shops as well.
The Seaside Shoppe
Set in an outdoor space, covered by a large awning, The Seaside Shoppe allows guests to find just about anything from New England they could possibly need. Many of the items are perishable, hard to fly with, or fragile, so any item can be shipped to your house for no fee. Large companies that already have a nationwide status and merchandise exclusive to America the Beautiful can be found here. For example, “Yankee Candle” will be selling many of its ocean, sea, or forest scented candles in The Seaside Shoppe. New England motif merchandise, including but not limited to, Vermont maple syrup, New England Patriots and Boston Red Socks clothing, along with America the Beautiful sports clothes and equipment, and much more is sold here as well.
Rebel Storehouse
Rebel’s Storehouse is a much smaller retail location than The Seaside Shoppe. Here, guests can find merchandise pertaining to the American revolution. This includes but is not limited to clothing with sayings from the war and a few new ones, including but not limited to “One if by land, Two if by sea.”, “To the revolution!”, and “Rise up!”. Also sold is clothing designed to look like uniforms from the war, toy weapons, hats, musket balls, tea bricks, and more.
Conclusion
As you can see, New England will capture the true spirit and essence of this great corner of the U.S.A.. New England will be a land that all guests, big or small, can enjoy.
The islands of the Pacific are known for their sandy beaches, lush mountains, and stunning vistas, attracting millions of tourists annually. While their natural beauty is unparalleled, the intriguing myths that enrich the islands’ cultures are an attraction in-and-of themselves. At ImagineNations, these legends come to life. Whether it be feasting on fish caught by Maui, trekking past waterfalls on a bridge built by Menehune, or speeding through a volcano to escape the fiery wrath of Pele, Paradise Isles captures the beauty of the islands and shares their vibrant stories.
Paradise Isles has three separate islands that are connected by a series of bridges, wide enough to accommodate the crowds. Two separate bridges connect one of the islands to the central hub of the Imagination Station.
The three islands are disconnected from any landmass. They are comparable to Tom Sawyer Island in Disneyland; they sit freely in a body of water within the park itself. All of the show-buildings are hidden under the mountains. To enhance the illusion of an isolated tropical oasis, the three islands, each with its own mountain, are strategically positioned to protect sightlines from within the land. Once Guests have entered Paradise Isles, they will see nothing but islands and the sweeping ocean between them.
Furthermore, Paradise Isles focuses on recreating the natural beauty of the islands of the Pacific. While the attractions are world-class, the land is an attraction in itself, rich in details and full of scenic spots. By wandering the trails and exploring the lush tropics, Guests are completely immersed in a distant island. While the rest of the park’s horticulture is meticulously maintained, much of the flora in Paradise Isles is left unattended to create an authentic tropical environment. Of course, pathways are kept clean at all times.
Unscheduled street performers frequent the land. Guests might catch a ukulele performance, interactive drum lesson, or an impromptu hula flashmob! All of these experiences enhance the authenticity and immersion of Paradise Isles.
Attractions
Pele’s Revenge
Speed through an active volcano as you experience the fury of Pele, goddess of fire!
Polynesian legend tells of a capricious, jealous, and powerful Pele, the goddess of fire. Eons ago, she struggled against her sister Namaka, the goddess of water. After losing the legendary clash, Pele was banished to Kilauea, the same volcano that Guests happen to be exploring.
The queue twists through lava tubes and into a wide cavern. Constant streams of steam rise from openings in the rocks, evidence of the volcanic activity below. Occasional whispers echo though the cavern. “Stay away,” they warn.
This indoor/outdoor steel rollercoaster has a top speed of 55mph as it twists past pools of lava and through the caverns of a volcano. The climax of the ride is a fast vertical elevator to the crater of the volcano. Using a customized version of the new elevator system developed by Mitsubishi Electric for the Shanghai Tower, the ride vehicle and the track beneath are lifted nearly 200 feet into the air in just a few seconds. Combined with audio, wind, heat, and lighting effects, the lift simulates a volcanic launch into the sky. After a few seconds at the top, just as Guests have caught their breath and witnessed the stunning view of Paradise Isles, the carts race down the side of the mountain in a brief outdoor portion before speeding inside and finishing the ride. With a ride time of about two minutes, the thrilling attraction boasts an hourly capacity of 2,050 Guests.
Outriggers of the Ocean
Board a peaceful ride between the islands and experience the stories of their creators.
This high capacity, slow-moving dark ride takes Guests on an exciting journey some of the most famous Pacific legends, seamlessly marrying physical sets with projection-mapping for an immersive storytelling experience. The ride begins as a leisurely boat ride between the islands. Guided by a track, the outriggers start a gentle trip in the ocean between the islands. After two minutes of the outdoor viewing, the boat glides into a cavern, entering the dark ride portion. With each subsequent scene, a new story from a new island is told. Whether it’s the myth of Ruatapu’s revenge of New Zealand or the coconut tree legend of Tahiti, each story is told in a visually breathtaking display with state-of-the-art animatronics. The nine minute attraction ends with a message shared throughout all of the respective cultures; although each story and people come from a different place, they are all united by the land as one. They are all “o’hana”. The outrigger speeds up as it rides a wave back to the dock and Guests disembark. With its high capacity vehicles, this immersive attraction has an hourly capacity of nearly 3000 Guests.
Spirit Spin
Whisk around an ancient burial site, but be wary of the spirits of dead warriors!
Nightmarchers, the spirits of deceased warriors, are rumored to walk around the islands in a fog, pounding their drums and chanting. They demand respect for their ultimate sacrifice; if you dare to make eye contact, you instantly turn to stone.
A burial ground for Hawaiian ghosts sits in a barren field of volcanic rocks. While rumored to be ground frequented by Nightmarchers, intrepid Guests board this unassuming teacup flat ride, spinning in the midst of an ancient burial ground. The teacups start slowly, accompanied by peaceful island music. Suddenly, the music is replaced by chanting and drums that quickens in pace, and the teacups speed up. Dense fog rises from the ground; the Nightmarchers are approaching! The fog completely envelops the Guests, preventing them from seeing anyone or anything outside of their vehicle. With a few flashes of light and a final beat of the drum, the ride comes to a slow. Fans whisk away the fog. Fortunately, the Guests survived a close encounter with the Nightmarchers.
Spouts of Paikea
Play in the waterspouts of the water god and a few of his whale friends.
After fleeing his nemesis on the back of whale, Paikea developed a close relationship with whales. Fortunately for Guests, the Maori god of water wants to help mortals beat the heat!
The area, which protrudes into the ocean, centers around a large fountain with a sculpture of Paikea triumphantly riding on the back of a whale. The sculpture spins and travels vertically on a spout of water. Other whale sculptures are carved into the base of the fountain, shooting water from their blowholes at random. Occasionally, a whale tail “splashes” water from the nearby ocean into the area. Spouts of water shoot vertically throughout the area, and other water features complete a whimsical and fun water playground.
Menehune Exploration Trails
Hike through valleys, scale past waterfalls, and trek through lava tubes in this interactive, outdoor adventure!
The Menehune are a dwarfish, mischievous people that live deep in the forests and valleys of the Hawaiian Islands. Legends says that the Menehune were superb craftspeople who built entire temples, fishponds, roads, bridges, and houses overnight. While few have seen the Menehune, their creations are undeniable. Now, Guests can embark on a journey as they explore the island and visit some of the Menehune’s structures.
The Menehune Exploration Trails traverse and crisscross a large portion of the island and takes place in the island's dense rainforest. When Guests arrive at the entrance to the trails, they receive a vintage map detailing the location of different paths, landmarks, and scenic viewpoints. Noteworthy interactive elements include the swinging bridges over a river, seated zipline, rope courses, and lava tube slides. Guests of all ages will enjoy exploring the trails of the Menehune, discovering some of their creations, and experiencing the natural beauty of Paradise Isles.
Canoe Adventures
Paddle a canoe with friends, family, and a helpful fisherman.
Every culture around the Pacific relied on outrigger canoes for exploration, fishing, and trade. Now, Guests can board their own outrigger canoe and paddle through the ocean between the islands. With two guides per outrigger canoe, each canoe can hold ten Guests at a time. Their travel path explores the ocean, providing stunning views from the water in exact center of all the islands. The canoes also explore a cave under one of the islands, and with the aid of projection-mapping, the cave paintings come to life in a vivid display of color. The movement of the canoes adds a kinetic element to Paradise Isles, enriching the environment for every Guest.
Naupaka
Witness the heartbreaking love story of Princess Naupaka and the fisherman Kaui in this spectacle of acrobatics and aerial stunts.
Many years ago, Princess Naupaka lived high in the mountains. One day, she ventured out of her royal abode and visited the beach, appreciating the pastel sunset as it set over the ocean’s horizon. Much to her surprise, she met a young fisherman named Kaui and instantly fell deeply in love. When she returned to her palace, Naupaka was devastated - she knew that someone of her status could never marry a commoner from the village. Her father, the ali’i (king), noticed her grieving and advised her to visit a distant heiau (temple) to ask the Hawaiian gods for guidance. Naupaka and Kaui travelled together for days, through the widest valleys and over the tallest mountains, until they arrived at the heiau. Together, they prayed to the gods for their blessing. Shortly after, a terrible storm answered them. Naupaka and Kaui knew what the gods had decreed: they could not be together. In tears, Naupaka took the white flower from her hair and tore it in half. She placed one half in Kaui’s hand, solemnly telling him to return to the village. Naupaka returned to the mountains, destined to live a lonely life.
Today, the Naupaka plant grows along the beaches of Hawaii with only half a flower. The Naupaka plant that grows high in the mountains grows with the flower’s other half. These plants are frequent sites throughout Paradise Isles. This beautiful myth comes to life with aerial stunts, impressive acrobatics, intricate costumes, and live music in a circular theatre. Comparable to a Cirque du Soleil production, the 25-minute Naupaka spectacle wows guests with five daily performances.
Kumulipo
Join the wise Kumu for a dancing and culinary luau adventure through the islands.
This dinner show tells the creation story of Kumulipo in a traditional luau form and uses the same circular theatre as Naupaka. The buffet, featuring scrumptious dishes like baked mahimahi and ahi poke, is open for 40 minutes before the 35-minute show begins. With lei-making and hula lessons before the show, Guests are sure to be thoroughly entertained. Kumulipo is a culinary and visual spectacle that Guests don’t want to miss.
Mo’olelo Legends
Listen to a master storyteller recount traditional myths aided by mystical, dancing waters.
At numerous times throughout the day, a master of Polynesian oral mythology shares some of the richest tales of his culture. Shaded by a pavilion and next to the ocean, Mo’olelo Legends recounts several different stories depending on the showtime. The narrator, equipped with a gourd drum and ukulele, is a lively and animated character who improvises with the audience and involves them with the telling of the story. Several lava rocks throughout the pavilion have spouts of water that “dance” between the rocks and over the heads of Guests at key moments in the story, enhancing the storytelling process. Stories of the magical fishhook, the trickster Maui god, and the beautiful goddess Hina are among those to come to life at this oceanside venue. Mo’olelo Legends is an intimate and fun show for Guests of all ages.
Torch Lighting Ceremony
Watch the procession of royalty as they light the torches and welcome in the night.
Every day at sunset, the echoing call of a conch shell echoes throughout Paradise Isles, welcoming the imminent night. A colorful group of musicians and dancers follows, playing and dancing their way through the land as one of their members lights the torches that line most of the land’s pathways. This traveling troupe stops at three locations on their route to perform a few traditional dance numbers. The Torch Lighting Ceremony enhances the vibrant atmosphere of Paradise Isles.
Pele’s Glass Masterpieces
Purchase stunning glass sculpture masterpieces.
After realizing the geothermal power could be harnessed to blow glass, master glassblowers quickly made a home in this cavern. Here, Guests can witness glassblowers demonstrate their highly technical craft and peruse high-end, delicate pieces. Acknowledging the difficulties with transporting glass art, the professional team with ship any purchase to any destination in the world. While an expensive gallery, everyone will enjoy the eye candy of the art and the remarkable intricacies of glass blowing.
Tribal Tats
Adorn yourself with temporary tattoos in traditional tribal designs.
Throughout Polynesia, tribal patterns hold an important cultural meaning and have been tattooed for hundreds of years. At this outdoor shop, Guests can learn about the significance of different designs and choose their favorites to wear around for the rest of the day.
Front Street Shops
Shop for souvenirs, shirts, slippers, and more at these quaint stores.
These fun shops flank a waterfront walkway with views of the Imagination Station. Instead of all connected as one massive shop, each storefront is independent of the next and sells unique merchandise coupled with ImagineNation gear, creating an intimate and authentic town atmosphere.
For lunch and dinner, Uncle Kimo cooks up scrumptious local grindz at this counter service restaurant. Served in a paper togo box, every meal comes with a scoop of white rice and a side of tossed or mac salad. Vegetarian options ensure that all Guests can enjoy Uncle Kimo’s cooking. Outdoor seating is accompanied by tranquil views of the other islands.
Cafe O’Lei
Enjoy breakfast and lunch at this waterside cafe.
This beach cafe cooks up classic breakfasts with an island flair. Enjoy a veggie “Mowie Wowie” omelet, a hearty “Paniolo” french toast, or a crab cake eggs benedict. For lunch, Guests can treat themselves to teriyaki sliders or a burger patty on rice smothered in gravy. Fuel up for a day of island exploration!
Maui’s Fish Shack
Grab a plate of coconut shrimp or fish tacos caught by the world’s best fisherman, the god Maui himself!
When Maui defied his brothers and caught the largest fish in the world, rumors of his legendary fishing skills spread throughout the Pacific. By popular demand, he’s opened a fish shack! Feasting on delicacies like macadamia nut crusted mahimahi, seared ahi, and poke bowls, Guests can dig in at surfboard tables. After eating at Maui’s Fish Shack, everyone reaches the same consensus: Maui is just as good a cook as he is a fisherman!
Coconut Hut
Beat the heat with tropical beverages, shaved ice, and fruity popsicles.
Enjoy a fruity slush from the hull of a coconut or the bottom of a pineapple. Hot days are much cooler with rainbow shaved ice or a homemade popsicle made with 100% fruit.
The deadline for Challenge 6 has now passed. Thank you to everyone for your submissions. We will have critiques and rankings up as soon as possible. The final challenge will be posted as soon as we announce who the finalists will be for this competition.
Glorius Kiev-Douglas Hindley
PROS:
-As always, your detail and attention to theme is outstanding. You’ve done a fantastic job of creating a fully believable, fully immersive land.
-The inclusion of the “renaissance faire” atmosphere will surely bring with it a unique and personal feel.
-Your maps give a perfect and incredibly detailed layout of the land. These may be the best self-produced maps we’ve seen in TPA.
-The inclusion of a world’s first inverted wooden coaster is really a show-stopper—something which would be entirely unique in the world. This instantly gives your park a world-destination attraction
-Ruslan and Ludmila is a wonderful dark ride addition that is a perfect quality attraction with a wonderful storyline. The music would also add to the experience.
-The Heroes of All Time would be a sure fire hit with audiences of all ages, but it would be something really special for young guests.
-Your dining options are great and fairly priced, the same goes with your retail options
-I especially like Alyosha’s Armory as it offers guest the chance to purchase merchandise and other items which will allow them to immerse themselves in the spirit of the land.
CONS:
-The improv actors and figures are a bit of a gamble. While they are most welcome, a lot of it may come down to their skills as an actor and entertainer. You couple this with the fact that this would mostly be a full-time job for most of these individuals and I could see an issue with quality drop-off happening over time, as the actors/entertainers become bored or otherwise disinterested in their roles. This is more of a hypothetical, but it is something which would concern me as a theme park operator. It would also be incredibly costly, essentially significantly increasing your training, staffing, and on-boarding costs. Perhaps I’m being overly critical, but it was something which stood out.
-While the idea of an inverted wooden coaster is entirely unique, I’m not so sure the actually ride experience would be that comfortable or enjoyable. Wooden coasters are beloved for their rickety, bumpy, and wild nature and putting this in an inverted format may lead to some severe head and neck aches.
-A lot of your attractions have height restrictions, which isn’t necessarily bad as you’ve provided some solid other attractions without these restrictions. But apart from Rulan and Ludmila, these attractions are relatively mundane and could be easily found at many other theme parks around the world. My concern would be that this would be a must-do area for people ages 10+, but there is very little for the younger or even the senior guests to enjoy.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Glorious Kiev is an achievement in themed design. Everything is meticulously detailed and fits within the parks overall theme and narrative. The interactive elements would provide guests with a unique and personal experience upon every visit and, coupled with the appropriately themed dining and retail options, would truly bring guests back to medieval Russia.
CRYSTAL PALACE-CHAD H
PROS:
-The concept of this land is really unique, and I think you’ve done a great job of taking a “what if?” scenario and seeing it through to its end.
-The themeing of this land would be incredibly unique, providing a unique Victorian/Turn-of-the-century feel with the inclusion of wild and wacky scientific elements. It has a distinctly steampunk feel, which is something which isn’t done a lot in theme parks around the world.
-The attractions you’ve chosen all seem to be variations of classic amusement park attractions with some unique and added twist. This is a great choice for your parks overall theme, as you’ve kept in line with the period appropriate rides and attractions while still adding some new technology and twists.
-The inclusion of historical inventors and thinkers is a really nice touch. This is in keeping with your parks theme and also provides guests with a way to connect with history. Very well done.
-The Presto ice-cream sounds delicious and would be a blast to make and then eat.
CONS:
-The first thing that pops out at me is the relatively quick descriptions you’ve given to your attractions. While this isn’t necessarily bad, I would have like to have seen at least one longer description of what you would consider to be your lands marquee attraction. The Great Machine seems like it would be a fun or interesting attraction, but without more detail, I’m left wondering what type of attraction it exactly is. Is it a show? A dark ride? What’s the storyline? Is it supposed to be a scary experience?
-Speaking of marquee attractions, though you have a good line-up of attractions, nothing really jumped out to me as a “must-do” experience. While I don’t expect the land to be filled with E-Tickets, having at least one unique or truly original and exciting attraction would do a lot to improve this land.
-I would have liked to have seen some more variation of dining options. As it stands now, you have very limited and standard dining options which don’t offer anything original or unique to the guests. Apart from the Sushi and Oyster Bar, your dining options are scarce.
-I think you’ve got a conflict of themeing going on by adding the clock-tree with the woodland critters around it. While it is unique, it clashes with a land centered on science and technology, itself placed within a large crystal palace.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The Crystal Palace would offer guests and exciting opportunity to interact with memorable and historically relevant inventors and inventions. You have a solid line-up of attractions to keep guests in the area for a good amount of time. The absence of a marquee attraction diminishes some of the appeal of the area, though you make up for it by having a plethora of decent attractions scattered throughout the land. Ultimately, I would have liked to have seen a little more detail given to your attractions, as many of them aren’t adequately described to get a solid grasp on how guests would respond to them.
NEW ENGLAND-REALDONALDDUCK
PROS:
-New England is the birthplace of the Revolution. I’m glad to see you’ve included a good mix of modern day thrills with historically-centered attractions. You have a great mix of attractions which could be enjoyed by a wide variety of audiences.
-Your themeing choice is smart. Boston is an iconic American city and having a New England area themed to any other city would be a missed opportunity in my opinion (though Philadelphia would have been an excellent choice as well).
-Your historical rides are well-thought out and detailed. You’ve taken three of the most iconic historical events in American history and brought them to life in an attraction format (Salem Witch Trials, Paul Revere’s Ride, and the Boston Tea Party).
-Your e-tickets would be sure to be hits, and would give your park some much needed high-intensity thrills.
CONS:
-Your lack of dining and retail options is a little disappointing. Apart from sea-food (which would be sorely missed in a Boston themed land), there is little to offer guests in regards to variation.
-While Rough Waters would surely be an intense attraction, the ride experience itself seems pretty bland from a themeing and narrative perspective. The idea of simply having a rough sea adventure only lends itself to one general location (the ocean). I feel like you’re limiting the technology and potential of advanced motion simulator technology, which has the capability to transport riders to all sorts of interesting locations and historical events which would otherwise cost millions to build if built as a traditional dark ride. Lastly, the constant rocking and rolling of the attraction would be sure to induce a lot of nausea for many guests.
-While I like the idea of Freedom Fliers in theory, I’m worried about the attraction clashing with the themeing of the land. Without more concrete details, I can’t really get a good visual on how much land this would take up and how it would intrude upon the overall visual theme of the land.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Overall, you’ve created a highly detailed land which is, for the most part, appropriately themed. Your mix of historical attractions and high-adrenaline thrills offers something for all guests to enjoy. The lack of expanded dining and retail options does diminish some of the potential impact the land could have but, overall, you have created a solid, appropriately themed land which fits within your park respectfully.
PARADISE ISLES-ANDY TEOH
PROS:
-Just as with Douglas, your attention to detail and your overall grasp of your parks overall theme is perfect. You’ve successfully integrated a fully realized and elaborate land which fits thematically and narratively into your park.
-The attractions you have detailed are varied, unique, and accessible to most guests. You’ve got a fantastic mix of high-thrill e-tickets, immersive dark rides, transportation attractions, walk-through attractions and ‘plussed’ flat rides. There is something here for everyone, and your guests will be able to find something worthwhile regardless of age or preference.
-You’ve got what would no doubt be one of the most beautiful and elaborately detailed lands in the world on your hands. The concept of having separate ‘islands’ and lush, beautiful foliage, would make this land a delight to even set eyes upon.
-Your dining options are fantastic. They offer a variety of dishes from the Polynesian culture, including classic comfort food options as well as some healthy and adventurous option.
-I really got to hand it to you in regards to your more mundane rides. You’ve added pertinent and emergent technology to keep these experiences fresh. Spirit Spin and Outriggers of the Ocean offer enough unique effects and experiences that they many guests who normally wouldn’t bother with similar rides at other parks, would surely want to ride your version of the aforementioned rides.
-You have a great line-up of non-ride attractions, all of which focus on the narrative and storytelling aspects of the land. This enhances the thematic goals of your park.
-Your map is perfectly detailed and easy to follow and offers a great visual guide of the land itself.
CONS:
-If I’m envisioning this land correctly, it would be a pretty large land. That’s fine and most likely necessary for the amount of attractions and dining options in this land, but the circumnavigation of the land would put a lot of walking in for guests. This isn’t so much a bad thing, but I could quickly see guests getting tired just walking around this one land alone. It also may cause some serious bottleneck issues if your bridges aren’t build wide enough.
-I really like Outriggers of the Ocean, but without a modified version of the outrigger, this could be a potential lawsuit should someone fall into the water. I’m nitpicking now, but it is something I noticed.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Overall, I think you’ve knocked it out of the park with this land. It offers a perfect mix or high thrills, family fun, and engaging non-ride attractions. This could easily be a high-traffic land throughout the entirety of the day, and you’ve strategically placed your attractions to keep traffic flowing throughout the land itself. You’ve also got plenty of great dining and retail options, which offer guests unique experiences and opportunities. Great job.
Congratulations for all the competitors who made it this far! This was another fantastic round and you’ve provided the competition and the readers with plenty of quality material! Best of luck to you all, as the next round is for all the marbles!
Kenny (South Central District): You have an interesting theme for an area of your park, one that has not been attempted before. Street Savers is probably the standout attraction of your area and sounds like a fun dark ride, but I worry the subject matter of the attraction may result in it being unpopular. Eminem's Dance Party is a good way to plus a basic flat ride, just be careful of which music you play on the attraction. Urban Street Limo Co. is a more basic flat ride, and while those can work I don't understand how a superloop relates to a limo. Your two restaurants are good options and should provide enough variety to satisfy everyone. The two shops are also decent and offer a fair selection of merchandise. Overall, this area is alright, but it honestly doesn't sound like a particularly appealing area to visit. Even if it is improving, most people aren't going to visit an area themed to be rundown and those who live in areas somewhat like that are probably going to steer clear. I think you have a good grasp of what is needed for a themed area, but I think your idea of a good theme is way off base.
Douglas (Glorious Kiev): This is an excellent area for your park and fits nicely within the overall theme. The whole city is well designed, drawing visitors in and encouraging them to spend a fair amount of time exploring the area. While it may be expensive to have a large number of streetmosphere performers, that really makes this area feel alive and immersive. I'm not sure focusing on a daily story is the way to go as most visitors would likely be more interested in small-scale events rather than something lasting all day. For your attractions, Ilya vs. the Robber is an excellent signature attraction. GCI is, in my opinion, the premier wooden coaster manufacturer and you've imagined their most unique project to date. However, I think you may have extreme difficulty with a suspended wooden coaster. You could probably pull it off with RMC's topper track technology, but a traditional GCI wood track? Probably not feasible. Ruslan & Ludmila is a great dark ride for your park and provides a nice attraction for all audiences. Bogatyr Steeplechase Race, the second coaster in your area, provides another very unique attraction that will appeal to those looking for a thrill but not an extreme adventure. Your other attractions are more minor, but all are great family attractions. Your various dining locations all fit really well within your themed area, and although four is a lot each is unique and fleshes out your land nicely. Your three retail locations are also great fits and each sell unique souvenirs, but I would suggest having a small selection of more traditional offerings available for those guests who just have to have them. Overall, Glorious Kiev is an excellent themed area and is at the leading edge of current theme park design. The land is immersive and very well balanced, offering something for everyone without becoming bogged down by an excess of anything. This is a section of your park that I could see a typical visitor spending a few hours in, and while some areas simply encourage running from ride to ride this one has plenty of diversions to keep guests occupied even if the rides aren't for them.
Chad (Crystal Palace): Your themed area works nicely both in terms of theme and in terms of function. While the individual attractions don't fit perfectly with the rest of the park, they also don't seem so different that they feel out of place in your park. Funny Future seems to be a good kid-friendly section, but with attractions that can be enjoyed by adults as well. Sparks and Sound may be the highlight section of your area, with a couple family-friendly thrill rides. However, I do think you missed an opportunity by not enclosing the Disk'o in a Faraday cage and having a giant Tesla coil as a part of the ride. Shoot the Moon is probably the most incongruous attraction at your park, but it does sound like it would be a very exciting roller coaster. The balloon dark ride, however, is a nice family attraction. In my opinion, the Great Machine is the least interesting section of your area and I'm a little disappointed that you went with a third roller coaster rather than something more unique to this section of your park (such as a water-based dark ride). The Giant Clock is a great centerpiece to your land, but it doesn't really seem like the best icon to tie everything in the Crystal Palace together. Overall, this is a pretty good themed area, though it does have a few problems. You seem to be a little overly reliant on thrills and offer very little for those who aren't interested in rides. Additionally, I would have appreciated more detail on some elements of your land, particularly the non-ride components of each sub section. The concept sounds like a solid one, but from the description it is hard to get a clear picture of whether the finished product really lives up to it.
Realdonaldduck (New England): New England is a very important part of early American history so I'm glad to see you have created a faithful representation of it for your park. Focusing on Boston is almost required in order to do this area properly, so using iconic buildings from that city with hints of other parts of the region is a good way to go. Making your land a single street is good for simplicity, but it is also much more difficult to accurately portray the feel of the real location. Rough Waters is the first headliner attraction in your area, and you've chosen a great theme for it. However, the ride experience itself doesn't seem all that impressive, and I worry that the constant rocking motion in an enclosed simulator would likely lead to major motion sickness and frequent protein spills. Freedom Fliers as a decent roller coaster, though I think many of the elements would likely be too intense for a flying coaster. That said, I really like the idea of having two different endings as this hasn't been done on a coaster before. Paul Revere's Ride is a good family dark ride, though it doesn't seem to have a whole lot of action. I think more definitely could have been done with this concept. Boston Tea Party is a nice "plussed" flat ride that would be fun for everyone. Your dining locations are a bit disappointing as it sounds like you've created full service and quick service versions of the same restaurant. Yes, you need seafood in this area, but you don't need two seafood locations with nothing else around. Both your retail locations are good, though the Seaside Shoppe seems like it relies too much on items that can probably be purchased elsewhere. Overall, you've got a good New England area, but I feel like it is too small and doesn't have much of interest beyond its major rides. This area would benefit greatly from a couple attractions for non-riders as well as more variety in dining and retail offerings. It is not bad by any means, but I do think your land feels more like framing for your attractions and less like an immersive location.
Andy (Paradise Isles): A Pacific island area was a given for your park, but I did not expect such a large area of three smaller islands. Your themed area alone is probably at least half to total size of some theme parks. This is definitely a land that would be worth visiting even if it didn't have any rides just to take in the impressiveness of the setting. Pele's Revenge is an excellent roller coaster and is certain to satisfy all thrill seekers who visit your park. Outriggers of the Ocean is almost as good and has such high capacity that even on busy days waits should be minimal. Spirit Spin is a good upgrade from the basic teacup attraction. For the other attractions in your land, Spouts of Paikea and Menehune Exploration Trails seem like they would be particularly popular with younger visitors. The latter may even be fun for older visitors as well. However, based on my experience with Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes, the Canoe Adventures seems like an attraction visitors might be curious about but will regret riding a couple minutes into their journey. Your various live entertainment offerings are all top notch and are sure to keep this section of the park busy throughout the day. Your dining and retail options are all excellent and fit well in this land. Overall, you've created an outstanding themed area for your park that is sure to be a must do section for all visitors. In fact, with incredible variety of attractions present and the size of the land it is almost a smaller park within your park. Provided the crowd control issues could be managed, this may set a new standard for immersive theme park lands.
Excellent work, everyone! If you haven't already, congratulate yourself for making it this far. As soon as all the judges have finished their critiques, we will announce the finalists and move on the last challenge.
I just heard from DPCC that he had something unexpected come up and won't be able to post his critiques until tomorrow. However, the results are in for this challenge, and they were very close.
Congratulations to Andy Teoh for his winning submission, Paradise Isles!
Now, to announce our three finalists. The competitors who will be presenting a complete park to the judges for the title of champion are:
Andy Teoh, presenting ImagineNations
Douglas Hindley, presenting Buyan Park, and
Realdonaldduck, presenting America the Beautiful
Unfortunately, Chad H, you just missed the cut and are hereby eliminated from Theme Park Apprentice 8. You had some excellent ideas in this competition, they unfortunately just came up a little too short. I'd like to thank you for competing and I hope you will continue to be involved in future competitions. Of course, you are welcome to present Flashback: The Theme Park as an unofficial submission if desired.
Now, finalists, the ultimate challenge has arrived. You have just under two weeks to assemble your complete park and pitch it to the judges. Remember, whoever wins this challenge will be crowned the champion of Theme Park Apprentice 8.
Thanks guys, I felt I was running on empty. I'm going to have to shape up if I'm going to compete again.
The level of competition this year I think has been the highest yet.
And Douglas, how do you find the time to do those images? If you're not some marketing/branding professional, you should be!
Chad, it's a shame to see you go. You've always done very strong work. Indeed, Magna Britannia is one of the parks which drew my attention to TPA to begin with.
Thanks for the compliments. In a way, I am in branding - I help manage a start-up brand I co-created slightly over a year ago. When do I find the time? After work on weekdays. (Weekends are for social lives.)
I look forward to seeing more from you in the future!
Wow! Once again we have so many great entries, and all four of you have really stepped up their game this week! This was another hard decision for me and my fellow judges.
Douglas Hindley - Glorious Kiev
What I like about this land is that it’s very immersive. I think, if executed as well as you’ve described, this would truly transport guests to another time. Your focus on the bogatyrs is an interesting choice, and one that seems to fit well in this land, and in your park as a whole. Your “Streetmosphere” seems really fun, and it would make the experience more fun as a whole. But, always be careful not to overload streetmosphere. When it comes to small scale street shows as you’ve listed, you probably don’t want more than one happening at a time. Guests don’t know where to look and become overwhelmed. Having more than one would also be very likely to block pathways. So just be sure they’re spread out through the day. I don’t know if a suspended wooden coaster is feasible, but I’m not the mechanical expert here. Your decision to have some parts of the park outside makes some sense, as it allows you to have large rides that don’t fit indoors. However, it would be incredibly difficult to maintain theming and continue to suspend disbelief as people exit the building. You tell an interesting story with Ruslan and Ludmila, and I wish I knew more about the ride so I could say more about. I think it’s good because it’s a story accessible to both Russian locals and American tourists. I worry that much of Syvatogor’s story will be lost on tourists who are unfamiliar with the character. Having him appear first as a tornado is especially confusing. Guests won’t be sure if it’s a giant ride or a tornado ride. Heros of All Time is decent, but it’s pretty basic. I would have liked to see something more original than a “Jedi Training” overlay. Your restaurant options are good, and fit well in your area. Your retail locations are also decent, and you’ve done a good job offering both park-specific merchandise and more traditional “Russian” merchandise. Overall, you’ve done a lot of good work in this land, and a lot of it. But you’ve set our expectations high. I want to see this kind of work six times in the finals.
Chad H. - Crystal Palace
“The Greatest Exposition that never was” is an interesting concept for a land, especially in your park, with its retro theming. I’m disappointed that you didn’t decide to use old-style rides, as so much of your original park proposal rested on that. It makes it so that the land doesn’t quite fit in your park. Dividing into sub-lands is always a risky move, and in this case, I don’t think it really paid off. In an exposition, part of the appeal is that there’s something new and different around every corner, an unlimited variety of innovations. I think that by dividing them up, you’ve taken away some of the variety, some of the surprise. I think it would be better to mix them together, to mesh them into one exposition rather than several mini lands. “Funny Future” is an odd choice for this. It doesn’t really fit with the forward-thinking theme, and while it has the potential to be something, it doesn’t really fit, and it seems pretty empty. Sparks and Sound makes more sense for the land. Your Tesla/Edison ride is decent, but it doesn’t really tell a story. “Transportation Station” is also decent. The two rides there both seem entertaining. The Great Machine also makes some sense, but not a lot. A pipeline coaster is a bit of a stretch for what you’re conveying. But, the main problem here is that your land is not very cohesive. The four areas only fit loosely together, and they aren’t impressive by themselves. You have too much variety for them to work well together. This wants to be a park with each of these as a land, but it’s been reduced to being only one land. This is an idea that wasn’t refined enough to work well as a land.
realdonaldduck - New England
In a New England themed area, Boston is absolutely the right choice, and I really don’t know that there’s another one. I’m glad to see you’ve incorporated some historical elements as well as some more modern ones, as that’s very much what Boston is really like. Your layout is disappointing. By having no side streets, you’ve given guests nothing to explore. Boston is full of hidden places to explore, and you really haven’t captured that here. Give guests something to see. Without it, it doesn’t feel like an immersive land, but more like framing for your rides. I think you’ve actually written precisely the wrong amount for your attractions. With less writing, you make it clear that you’ve only given us a taste. With more, you could give us the full three-course meal. What you’ve given us is like half of an entree. It’s clearly not the full rides, but it’s too much to feel like it’s just the beginning, so it just leaves me wanting more, and your rides feeling empty. I think Rough Waters is a missed opportunity for a water ride. This ride would work so much better as a raft ride, like Kali River Rapids, than it does as a motion simulator. Simulated rocking and rolling is likely to make people nauseous, whereas an actual raft ride probably would not. The idea of double endings on Freedom Fliers is really good, but I wish they had more variation than they do. I also think that while this ride makes sense logically, having visible rollercoaster tracks is likely to disrupt the whole ambience of the area. If you had more side streets, you could put it far away from the main road, which would hide all but the highest points from guests on the main road and across the lake. Paul Revere’s Ride is a great concept that’s been somewhat poorly executed. There’s an opportunity here for excitement, chase scenes, and beautiful countryside. What you’ve included is mostly talking. It’s also important when writing dark rides to rely more on visual storytelling than dialogue. I actually really like Boston Tea Party, and I think it’s a really fun and amusing take on a traditional teacup ride. Your dining is lacking. You basically have two versions of the same restaurant. It would be improved so much by just a little more variety. Your retail is decent, but also limited. Overall, this land works, and fits your park, but there’s not enough to it outside your attractions for it to be truly great.
Andy Teoh - Paradise Isles
This is a really great land that goes above and beyond its attractions. Your inclusion of so many hidden pathways and picturesque scenes makes this feel more like Polynesia, where these views tend to come as a surprise just around the next corner. Pele’s Revenge works well as a coaster for your land, and I’m glad to see you’ve incorporated mythology in your land. I like Outriggers, but I’m not sure how many stories you’ll be able to tell. Maybe focus on just one or two. Spirit Spin feels a bit forced, but I think it will work. But having a scary ride here may not be the right direction to go seeing that the land is mostly about, well, paradise. There’s nothing scary in paradise. The rest of your attractions do a great job setting up the atmosphere of the area, even if they aren’t E-Ticket rides. They don’t want to be. Both of your live shows seem impressive, but I’d like to know more about them. Your shops are good and make sense, but I don’t like that the Front Street Shops face the Imagination Station. They storefronts don’t quite match the feel of the rest of the park, and it would be better if guests could see the flourishing paradise behind them. Your dining options are good and varied, and I like that you’ve included an option for pickier eaters. Overall, you have an excellent land here, and I hope we can see work of this quality from you in the finals!
This was the highest level of work so far, and I’d like to congratulate the three finalists. Good luck to you! See you in two weeks!
>>> “Funny Future” is an odd choice for this. It doesn’t really fit with the forward-thinking theme, and while it has the potential to be something, it doesn’t really fit, and it seems pretty empty.
I mostly agree DPCC, My interpretation of the rules was that I had to use HocusPocus's house of fun in the land before the land was fully developed in my mind, and even though I really now wanted to shift it over to Atlantic Boardwalk (where it would fit better), I was stuck with it.
At the time I wrote the Hocus Pocus entry, all Crystal Palace was supposed to be was a modernish glass structure, and I had visions of a track going over a public walkway (that track became house of fun, even though I abandoned that part). The idea of the "Greatest Exposition" was something I made up late saturday night when I was drawing too much of a blank to do Atlantic Boardwalk.
So I did the best I could do with House of Fun. I figured that P T Barnum was the right time period and its not too much of a "break" to fit in a fun house with him.
The moral of the story I think is, in the "Whole park game" is to write the last challenge first. The good news is we already know what its going to be. Its easier to come up with a new ride for an already fleshed-out land than it is to try and make a land fit a ride.
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+South Central District+ (Unofficial Submission)
Hi everyone, this is my unofficial submission for the themed land competition. Since I am not officially competing, I decided to change the whole concept of this land from Ghetto to a bad part of town that’s being changed into a center of urban culture and hip hop. This concept is completely unique and the only of its kind. This land is located in the back right area of my park. It is bordered in the front by The Swamp and on the left by Paimut, Colorado. Hope you enjoy!
Rides:
+Demolition Day+ Please look at Challenge 4 for a detailed rundown of this ride. Thrill rating 5/5
+Street Savers+ This is a Sally Corp dark ride with Oceaneering Vehicles. It is themed to a company that has created an anti-graffiti spray, that when it touches graffiti, it disappears. And they have hired you to go around the city and clean up the streets. During the ride, you run into a tagger who sprays “graffiti” on you (this effect is kind of like how the Joker animatronic does it in JL: BFM). You also race through alleyways and through live construction sites after making a wrong turn. In the rides finale, you run into a van full of taggers. They (through the screen) try and spray your van, but of course you fight back and win! You quickly turn into the next screen to see them getting arrested and the police chief thanking you for your help.
How the graffiti erasing effect is done is that there is a screen covered in “graffiti.” When your laser touches that part of graffiti, it disappears. If not all the graffiti is gone, a voice comes on and tells you that there are other places we need to clean up, and the cart moves on. Thrill Rating 4/5
+Eminem’s Dance Party+ This is an indoor scrambler ride. It is themed to Eminem throwing a giant dance party, and you’ve been invited. The preshow is Eminem thanking you for coming and inviting you to show your best dance moves on the floor. The doors open and you board the cars. The music and lights start, and the crowd (projected as silhouettes) starts cheering. The ride does a normal scrambler cycle and then he thanks you for doing your best dance moves. You exit into Eminem’s Riches room where you can buy souvenirs. Thrill rating 3/5
+Urban Street Limo Co.+
This ride is a Larson Superloop (not marketed as a coaster…duh) themed to riding a limo to the grand opening of the Urban Art Museum. This ride is one of the only rides at my park that isn’t 110% themed. The queue has some light theming explaining this backstory. You move into the partially enclosed station that is themed like the Limo’s company’s headquarters and departure station. You go through the ride cycle and exit on the opposite side you entered on. You walk down the little ramp and enter a building hidden from the queue by shrubs. The Urban Art Museum! You walk through it and exit out the building. This ride takes your photo at the exact moment your hanging upside down and you reverse directions. Thrill Rating 5/5
Dining:
+Urban Street Café+ One of the finer dining restaurants in my park. It would be comparable to Blue Bayou at Disneyland. It features upscale American comfort food with a twist. Most of the food is vibrantly flavored and nicely plated. The price for an entrée sits around $26.
+Braxton Ave. Cafeteria+ A simple buffet styled restaurant comparable to Pizza Planet at Disneyland. It serves traditional American comfort food. The prices are dirt cheap here with the average entrée (not a combo meal) being around $7
Shopping:
+Urban Street Shoppers Market+ A trendy clothes and souvenir store. It sells basic merchandise, but also features trendy clothes.
+Urban Street Limo Co. Shop+ This is a gift shop outside the exit for the Urban Street Limo Co. ride. It sells mugs and hats with the company name, and also sells things like pins. This is also the location where you can buy your on ride photo.
I put a lot of time into this and I hope you enjoy. Please comment your thoughts!