Theme Park Apprentice Winter 2017 - Challenge 1

Sea Rescuer’s: The Ride (A Dark Ride by Sally Corp)
This would be a very unique shoot ‘em up trackless dark ride located on what is currently the Starlight Amphitheater at Morgan’s Wonderland in Texas!! The queue would be placed on the grassy field, which would have to be leveled and concrete-d. The whole area’s theme is the sea, as the ride’s built next to a lake! The outdoor queue (which is accessible in wheelchairs) has some good ocean theming, some TVs, a lot of ocean themed games, shade, a drink stand, and other things to keep kids cool and entertained. Once you enter the building, there’s an indoor queue, which is pretty much the same as the outdoor queue, but inside. The cars are the type of cars that you see on Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, except with the 2 leftmost seats are removed so there is space for a wheelchair, and they’re themed to submarines. There are individual seatbelts for each of the individual seats, and there are no technical restraints for the wheelchairs, but a door on the side of the car must lock as well as the wheels. The station has room for 3 cars to load at once, and once they’re ready to go, they move out and start their course. There are 6 six rooms with a little transition space in between and they are placed in a clockwise fashion, I’ll do a super short breakdown of each scene.

Transition 1/Scene: Captain Divey Jones explains to you that you’re going to be helping them improve the sea and we should get moving, the car heads down a tunnel that simulates diving. You’re in a coral reef with animals swimming around, and you use the “Aqua Blasters” (the guns) to evaporate trash that is caught in the coral. This scene, like most others, has a curved screen with a lot of high quality physical sets covering the edges and the rest of the room.

Transition 2/Scene 2: The car moves through a physical coral reef into the next scene. In this scene there is a bucket of shells that kid has dropped in the ocean, you (holding the gun down) must move the oversized shells back into their place, like a puzzle! Same screen set up as 1.

Transition 3/Scene 3: You enter the rusted out hull of an abandoned ship. There are tons of colorful fish swimming around and treasure laying all around. Your trackless car goes on a random path as it sneaks and floats its way through the elaborately themed scene

Transition 4/Scene 4: You exit the ship. In this scene, destroy the trash wall separating baby turtles and they’re parents. Same screen set up as 1

Transition 5/Scene 5: This is the biggest scene, your car explores in a HUGE room themed to a coral reef, there are colorful animals, plants, music, lights, sounds, smells, and overall just a beautiful room with a ton of detailed sets

Transition 6/Scene 6: Captian Divey thanks you for your service and you head back up to shore. After the transition, you go into a giant beach scene where a bunch of smiley sea animals wave goodbye it’s overall like an ending Disney Movie scene

Hope you enjoyed and I look forward to seeing your feedback!!!!

PRESS RELEASE: Coming to Canobie Lake Park in Salem, New Hampshire for 2018 is the park’s wildest coaster yet, the Canobie Twist! Manufactured by The Gravity Group, this new coaster will turn riders a full 360 degrees with it’s signature “Canobie Twist” corkscrew element, while riding a smooth wooden track. Replacing the classic Canobie Corkscrew coaster, one of the first rides in the world to turn riders upside down, Canobie Lake Park’s newest addition will be a welcome ride to the skyline of the park. Standing at a height of 80 feet and reaching a top speed of 50 miles per hour the coaster has 10 airtime moments in 2,300 feet of track. The Canobie Twist will feature two six car signature Gravity Group Timberliner trains.
2018 will be the largest investment year in Canobie Lake Park history with the Canobie Twist costing 6 million dollars and the area midway improvements costing 1 million dollars.

Approximate location in the park (circled in red)

RIDE EXPERIENCE:
Station: The coaster will reuse the current Corkscrew station. Riders board one of the two Timberliner trains and are secured by a comfortable lab bar. The trains is dispatched and will enter a small right hand turn, and begin to climb the 80 foot tall lift hill.
Lift hill: There will be signs on the side of the lift hill marking the heights of other Canobie Lake Park landmarks.
Ride: The drop will lead directly into the “Canobie Twist” corkscrew element and then the coaster will drop and lead into an overbanked turn. From then there are 10 amazing airtime moments and 5 lateral force elements until the coaster leads into the final break run. The ride will feature a transfer track and a storage area.

Thanks for holding this judges, after being on this site for a while I still haven't done one of these yet and I had a ton of fun!

Lake Compounce; Bristol, Connecticut - a park I know fairly well, as I visited it quite a few times when I was younger. It certainly has a well deserved reputation as a thrill park- but I feel it could use something quite a bit different... When looking for a location to put a new ride (as the park doesn't have much room to build anything new, at least according to their own map), I settled on the eastern edge of the park, avoiding removing a roller coaster or any part of their water park, due to not only size issues, but also cost. My victim would be the Saw Mill Plunge- a simple log flume. Its replacement will be much, much, more interesting...

This ride will be, as far as I know, a first by the park- a ride based on a IP. Specifically, a dark ride based on the French literary classic, Les Misérables, by Victor Hugo. (I should warn you, if you haven't read it, or seen the musical, that this is going to be rather spoiler heavy). It would, ideally, use similar technology to that of Shanghai Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure for the ride system. That allows for near continuous control of the ride vehicle - including orientation and the speed of the vehicles.

Note: in a perfect world (which this one is), each and every character is going to be an AA, however the same can be accomplished by screens if need be due to financial issues. I'm assuming, however, that money is no object, as this ride would probably cost an ungodly amount of money, both from the ride system itself, as well as the theming that I have imagined within it. Probably $10 million or more. Considering there is only 1 other kind of ride like this in the world, however, it's hard to figure out how much it would actually cost.

Riders enter the new mini-area which surrounds the ride, from a bit of a hill. Not only is it thematic, it also allows the ride to be completely dug into this new hill, and not into the ground. Given that the water table is not horribly deep in the area, this is almost required. The ride is themed as if they are entering a non-descriptive French building, heavily damaged from the battle in the middle-end of the novel. Throughout the line, we see evidence of the revolutionaries having been there previously, as well as bits and pieces of the story of Jean Valjean, our major characters. Papers on tables, pictures on walls, and other such things. Perhaps even audio of the revolutionaries speaking to each other. Finally, our riders make their way to the front of the line. The ride vehicles are kind of like the boats from any other flume ride, except decorated in the colors of Louis Philippe I, the King of France at the time of the June Revolution during when most of the novel (and ride) take place.

Scenes 1: We get a bit of a catch-up on the beginning of the story so far. We see Valjean convicted of his first crime, and sentenced to his prison camp, where he begins the novel. Screens flash. It is now 1815. He's released, and meets the Bishop, who blesses him. Screens flash. It is now years later.

Scenes 2-3: He becomes mayor of a French town, and a factory owner- and is told by a dying woman to protect her daughter. Our protagonist runs off, and gets Cosette, the woman's daughter, from the Ternardiers- a nasty pair of innkeepers. Screens flash. It is now 1832. Valjean and Cosette live happily in a convent.

Scene 4: We see Marius and friends, the former residents of the ride building in which the guests entered. We see them plotting to overthrow the King, and they begin to build a barricade. During this scene, the boat begins to slowly rotate backwards, in order to prepare for the first drop. Right before the drop however, we hear the first shot, and see the battle begin to brew.

Scene 5: During the boat drop, which should be 15-20 feet or so, we hear the sounds of the battle. People screaming, people shooting, people dying. And of course, we hear Valjean get mixed up in all of this- trying to save Marius, who's become his daughter's lover. The boat rotates forward at the end of the drop.

Scene 6: With the drop over, we see the entire barricade in one giant room, much like the room with the ships in Pirates. On one side are the rebels (and Valjean)- the other side is the Government. A fierce battle ensues. Marius is shot, and we hear Valjean run away. The boat gets ready for another drop...

Scene 7: A short drop into the sewer. We see Valjean, with Marius on his back, being confronted by Ternardier and his wife, who are picking through the dead for gold and other bits to sell.

Scene 8: Eventually, Valjean escapes from them, and we have a hill to bring us back up a bit. It is a bit longer then the last drop. We see most of the revolutionaries being killed, and the government declaring the battle won. Valjean runs away with Marius, triggering the final drop, which is the longest one.

Scene 9: Marius reunites with Cosette. We see them being married- and the Ternardiers happen to confront Marius one last time, before leaving. Screens flash- a few months after. Valjean dies in a church, surrounded by Marius, Cosette, and several ghosts. The hologram ghosts represent several people- the revolutionaries, Eponine, the Bishop, Fantine, and others who Valjean has affected throughout his life. The ride ends as Valjean's soul, again represented by a hologram, rises up with the ghosts. The riders exit the boats, and are lead back up to the surface by escalator.

I wanted to pick and attraction that would fit inside the park, but also be simple enough for the smaller park to be able to afford this kind of attraction.

My attraction is very similar to a carousel, but not like any carousel you have been onto before. Situated in Santa’s Village AZOOment Park (Dundee, IL), this attraction is called “Motor Racers”

It is situated in a covered building made to look like an industrial factory with graffiti and other scenery around (including trash). You walk onto a circular platform to see your mode of transportation. Everybody picks a cycle and we are ready to go! There are no seatbelts so you better hang on!

See, instead of horses, there would be motorcycles four across. Since motorcycles and horses are ridden the same way, you would the same as well. The bell rings and the attraction starts, but it keeps speeding up and speeding up. You wonder, how are you going to stay on your “hog”, well, you are only going 15 mph, but that is certainly faster than those horse carosels. Instead of bobbing up and down, you end up going forwards and backwards in place so that it looks like you are racing your friends down the road and around the curve! This exhilarating ride continues for 2 minutes until the siren sounds and its time to “pull over” and stop.

Since there are no seatbelts, there would be a height requirement of 40". Still, this should be an attraction that can be enjoyed by the entire family!

Hi everybody,

I am not going to have anything for the first round. Work and family have taken up too much of my time this week. Glad I am in the for fun contest. I hope to have something for next week's challenge. Sorry again.

Just off of I-75, five miles south of Valdosta, Georgia lies Wild Adventures. What started in 1996 as a petting zoo on a $10 million plot of farm land owned by Kent and Dawn Buscher has grown into an amalgamation of amusement park, zoo, and water park. Currently, the park is home to 59 attractions of all kinds, including seven roller coasters and seven water-based attractions in the Splash Island section of the park.

While it sounds all fancy, it's safe to say that Wild Adventures isn't a particularly a "must-visit" amusement park stop for anyone other than those in the south Georgia/north central Florida area. Between a history of financial troubles and a location that's not particularly close to anything noteworthy, the park has remained a somewhat quaint park, overshadowed by the Six Flags parks to its north and the huge cluster of central Florida parks to its south.

Of course, Wild Adventures has certainly grown since its inception and the first addition of rides in 1999, the Splash Island expansion being its largest expansion when it opened in 2003. Smaller attractions are added every few years, but there has been a significant lack of major thrill ride additions to the park: the last roller coaster to be added to the park, family steel coaster Viking Voyage, debuted nearly a decade ago.

So, enough story time. Let's spice this park up.

Introducing Sandstorm, the newest roller coaster at Wild Adventures!
Sandstorm is located on the east side of the park when coming in the front gates, just behind the Tasmanian River Rapids ride. Although the park is no longer separated into themed sections, the ride's theming would fall in line with what used to be the Australian Outback themed section of the park, in order to fit in alongside the leftover theming left behind on the aforementioned Tasmanian River Rapids and the Boomerang roller coaster.

Sandstorm stands as a first for the park: the coaster is the first Intamin LSM launched coaster to debut in the park in its two decade history! Despite not being the tallest ride in the park, Sandstorm also serves as the new fastest roller coaster in the park, surpassing Cheetah's max speed of 52 mph!

In keeping with the main theme of Wild Adventures, Sandstorm's queue features different kinds of wildlife, this particular exhibition based around more desert-based animals: the Rattler frisbee ride in the park does this with, well, rattlesnakes. In the case of Sandstorm, the queue features various reptiles, including geckos, snakes, and lizards of varying species for guests to browse and learn about while waiting in line.

Upon reaching the station, riders are seated in the coaster's single train, fitted with over-the-shoulder restraints: the train consists of six cars with four seats per car. Before the ride begins, our ride operator greets riders with a typical Wild Adventures adlib, as they always love to do: "Hello everyone, and welcome to Wild Adventures! My name is _____, and I'll be your operator today."

The ride begins with a slow start out of the station that takes riders around a small banked curve. At this point, the operator would come back online: "Here in Valdosta, the weather calls for..." He/she goes offline. One brief dramatic pause later: "Oh... well, everyone, you may want to brace yourselves. There's a storm coming!"

BOOM. The coaster reaches its first launch, which propels riders to the ride's top speed of approximately 61 mph and up the first of the ride's hills, reaching a height of approximately 92 feet. The peak of the hill transitions into a zero-g roll and sends riders back down the hill and into another banked turn.

From here, riders experience another hill, this one inversion-free and just smaller than the first hill, and ride it down into a small overbanked turn that takes us over the station and some of the track we've experienced so far. We then come to our second inversion, a barrel roll, and shortly after another launch to keep momentum, our third inversion, a traditional loop. After one final hill, and another handful of twists and turns, we arrive back at the station.

A basic mock-up of the coaster itself:

Some stats for the ride overall:
*Height - 92 feet
*Drop - 84 feet
*Length - 2726 feet
*Speed- 61 mph
*Inversions - 3
*Duration - 0:49
*Height Requirement: 52" minimum

The arrival of Sandstorm at Wild Adventures marks the fourth major roller coaster at the park, and hopes to draw in returning guests and brand new families alike!

The Odyssey

The Odyssey is a groundbreaking new attraction at Mount Olympus theme park in Wisconsin Dells, WI. Mount Olympus park is mainly a regional park, but it’s thrill scene is clearly present. The park is home to the first upside-down wooden roller coaster Hades 360, which also hosts the world’s longest underground tunnel on a ride. It is also home to several other wooden roller coasters, and a variety of additional flat-rides.

Mount Olympus doesn’t end there. It is home to a resort, as well as 4 park experiences: The Indoor Waterpark, Outdoor Waterpark, Indoor Theme Park, and Outdoor Theme Park. As part of its outdoor theme park, the park has several different go-kart courses.

The addition of a highly themed ride is exactly what this park needs to go from regional park to national favorite. It fils what is currently missing from the park. By using a new ride system to improve a well-loved type of ride that provides both thrills and theme, this ride appeals to all types of theme park visitors, and will make people from all across the country want to visit it.

The Odyssey is a fully immersive attraction sure to draw massive crowds to this previously unknown park

The system

This ride uses an innovative boat system which includes a submerged track. Attached to the track is a separate platform, which is then attached to to the boats which seat the guests. This allows the boat to spin independently at certain points in the ride. The bottom platform stays firmly attached, while the boat spins using either the natural centrifugal force of the track or a motor.

At points during the ride, the track lifts out of the water and onto dry land, allowing for a roller-coaster type experience. The track is similar to that of Test Track at EPCOT, meaning that it can change speed without environmental stimulus, such as a drop.

Facade and Queue

The Odyssey is housed inside a massive new structure, placed on what is currently a parking lot. To account for increased crowds as the park is put “on the map,” the parking lot could be converted into a garage. The structure is Mount Olympus. It is based on a fanciful, whimsical design, rather than being based on the actual mountain. It is tall and relatively narrow, with a snow-capped peak. The ride takes place both inside the mountain and around the outside of it. The biggest drop is from about three-quarters of the way up the mountain, and is clearly apparent from outside the ride. The mountain serves as a “weenie” for the ride, as well as a symbol for the park.

Guests enter the ride through a faux-marble structure reminiscent of the Parthenon. The structure is open to the air, but covered to provide shade. After twisting and turning through this, they enter a building. Inside are statues of the twelve main gods and goddesses, available to pose with. Along with the main gods and goddesses stands Hebe, goddess of youth, whose outstretched hand ensures that younger guests meet the 44 inch height requirement. Then, guests enter the next room, which features an epic mural of the Trojan War, including the famous Trojan Horse. This is also the space where guests board the boats to begin their adventure.

The Ride

The Odyssey Begins

The ride begins as guests travel outside. Once riders are strapped into the lap bar restraints, they are on their way. Riders hear a voice say “Odysseus? Is this you? I need you to come home to me. Things are getting...complicated here in Ithaca. Please come home as soon as you can.”

This is important for setting up multiple premises of the ride. First, it lets guests know that, in this adventure, they are playing the part of Odysseus, rather than watching him go through the adventure. Second, it establishes the goal, which is to return to Ithaca.

Polyphemus: The Cyclopes

Polyphemus' eye is first illuminated from a great distance, as guests enter a dark cavern. From this distance, the blue iris appears to be a window outside, or a view of water, but as guests get closer, it begins to dawn on them that they are actually looking deep into the eye of a giant cyclopes. The rest of the beast's face (the only visible part) is illuminated. Guests plummet beneath the hideous face before shooting back up, in a water-coaster type experience. As things calm again, they proceed outside towards Circe’s island.

Circe's Island

The ride slows down as Circe's Island comes into view. It is a Greek island, with many olive trees and grapevines growing on the walls. The boats emerge from the water and go onto the island, where the enchantress Circe (an Audio Animatronic) welcomes them. But, then, she turns everybody on the boat into pigs! Guests ride by a “mirror,” which shows a boat full of anthropomorphic pigs, presumably the guests. Hermes appears and returns them to a normal state, and flies them off the island, raising guests even higher in the mountain.

The Land of the Dead

Here, all is dark and gloomy. Guests enter the room after an ascent up the mountain. This room uses black lighting to create a contrast between the dark atmosphere and bright reds and oranges of artificial flames. Guests find the ghosts of Odysseus' crew, and the seer Tiresias, who warns you to beware Aeolus' winds. Of course, guests do not know what this means until the next room.

Aeolus' Winds

Aeolus, the Wind God, appears as a projection. His room is painted in hues of blue and white, like the sky, made up of swirls and clouds. Aeolus appears as a disembodied face among the clouds, in the style of the Cheshire Cat projected and designed to blend in with the decoration of the room. The wind god tells the guests that he will help them reach Ithaca, but then turns on them! The boat switches directions, and is sent backwards down a drop. At the bottom of this drop, guests find themselves in a portion of calm, scenic, river that leads around a bend to the next scenes. The boat’s motorized pivoting turns the guests to be facing forwards.

Scylla and Charybdis

Guests approach two caves from outside the mountain. Two signs above the caves read “TURN BACK” and “KEEP OUT.” Both appear to be hand-painted on broken boards with uneven edges.

The track here splits, sending some riders towards Scylla, the six-headed monster, and others towards Charybdis, the whirlpool beast.

Scylla

Riders enter the cave on the left and are plunged into complete darkness for a few seconds. Then, the lights flicker, and guests get a glance at the huge monster high above their heads. The lights go out again, and the ride speeds up.

Guests make sharp turns at high speeds, feeling the splash of each one. Then, they hear the thunderous, booming roar of Scylla's six heads. Then, the lights flicker again as they plummet underneath Scylla into a small splashdown.

Charybdis

The Charybdis experience is entirely different from Scylla. While Scylla is a visible monster, Charybdis is a more abstract one, created by the Greeks to explain the existence of whirlpools. Guests enter the cave on the right, and immediately find themselves in complete darkness. The motorized spinning system starts up, meaning that guests start spinning quickly. Guests take a sharp right turn before beginning a series of wide turns, simulating the whirlpool created by Charybdis. During the wide turns, guests find that they have been returned from darkness and are now in the light. If they look at the water, they can see intense turbulence created by several jets, all pointing tangentially to the circular room. The spinning accelerates as the ride progresses. Eventually, they continue spinning as they are sent down a small splashdown.

The Lotus Eaters

The Lotus Eaters are best known for the intoxicating effects of the Lotus flower. The flower also seems to change time, so what feels like a few minutes might be several days.

As guests enter this room after the two alternate tracks recombine following the encounter with Scylla or Charybdis, the track comes out of the water and onto dry land. The boat also releases from the platform beneath it, allowing centrifugal force to spin the boat freely through this room.

The speed of the ride increases as guests enter a brightly colored room full of kinetic motion. The colors are hues of pink, purple, and blue. The room is intended to be a little disorienting, but not so much so that it makes the rest of the ride unenjoyable. Guests travel around sharp turns, designed to provide a maximum spin effect. All along the track, there are markers for the number of “days” guests have been with the Lotus Eaters. By the end of the room, they see that they have been in the room for two years.

Calypso and Mount Olympus

After dropping away from Aeolus, Guests are on Calypso's Island. The track comes out of the water as she tells them that they are trapped on the island. She gives an evil laugh, which is interrupted by a crash of thunder from Zeus. A booming voice tells riders they must come to Mount Olympus to be freed.

Guests ascend the remainder of the mountain from the outside. They go inside to find an ornately decorated version of Mount Olympus. Corinthian columns line the room, and much of the decoration is coated with Imitation Gold Leaf. There are enormous laurel wreaths hanging on the walls. The gods at first appear to be statues, but they come to life as guests enter the room. Zeus tells the guests that he was very impressed by their heroism, and therefore wants them to be released from Calypso. The gods all congratulate the guests, and then Poseidon suggests he has a fun way for them to return to earth. With that, guests turn a corner, and find themselves looking down a massive drop of approximately 75 feet.

Guests zoom down the hill, landing in a soaking splashdown at the bottom. Water cannons fire from two giant replicas of Poseidon's Tridents. The guests then circle back around, going through a scene that is a celebration of your return to Ithaca, and then unloading in the same place where they began the adventure.

Conclusion

Overall, The Odyssey is a great family-friendly attraction that could put Mount Olympus on the theme-park bucket-list. The ride combines in-depth storytelling with thrills that everyone can enjoy. From its new ride system to its time-tested storyline, The Odyssey could be the perfect addition to an up-and-coming park. This singular attraction could bring this small park national recognition.

Area 51: Extraction

Area 51: Extraction, the Adventuredome’s first dark ride, is an exciting attraction that combines the thrill of an escape room with an interactive ride experience through a mysterious government hideaway.

Location: The Adventuredome - Las Vegas, NV

The Adventuredome is an indoor theme park located outside of the Circus Circus complex.

Park location: This attraction will be located in the center of the park. It will replace the 4D theaters, party rooms, mini golf, the play area & a section of the arcade.

Attraction Story:

In 1963 a group of travelers vanished in the Nevada desert. In the decades following their disappearance, various stories have emerged regarding what happened……

Queue:

Guest enter into what appears to be a large dusty bunker. There are 2 large monitors above. The walls contain info on the missing tourist via old newspaper clippings, old area maps, postcards, etc. There is also specific info on each of the missing tourist (i.e. Gary Jones, an insurance salesman from Oklahoma…..) The monitors above broadcast old news footage of the story. Allegedly, the tourist were taking a day trip from Las Vegas & reportedly got lost in the desert near Area 51.

The news footage includes a mix of mysterious & humorous interviews (“Well I heard they were all turned into casino chips" "My friend Betty Ann saw one of them tourist singing with Elvis years after they supposedly disappeared" & “What Happened on the Fateful Day”). There are also old commercials touting coming new Las Vegas attractions such as Circus Circus.

At a certain point, the broadcast is intercepted by a mysterious figure who informs the guest they could be the key to unlocking the mystery, but they need to work together & work fast because he believes someone......or something......has tracked his coordinates & they are in route to the bunker.

At this point, guests (in a predetermined number) enter the main room. This is an old 50’s style laboratory. There is a large digital countdown clock above & the figure from the queue appears to instruct guest. Here, more clues about the mystery will be discovered & revealed.

The mystery man instructs guest they have 4 minutes to crack the access code that must be entered to proceed. If they successfully crack the code in time…..they proceed directly to special designated line (that is more a less a “fast pass” line). If the puzzle isn’t solved in time, all the guest will exit out a different door into the standard line.

The access code requires a 6 digit entry (this could be alphabetical or numerical) & the “lab” is divided into 3 zones. Each zone will yield 2 digits for the access code, which must be entered before the countdown clock expires. Guest are placed in small groups in the 1 of the 3 Zones upon entering.

This room is staffed by an attendant who monitors the activity. Puzzles will be randomly generated electronically, ensuring variety for returning guest. As the clock winds down, something begins banging on the door & observant guest may notice other activity of an impending intruder.

Once inside the loading dock (via the stand by line or the special line) guest will board their vehicles pods. The ride vehicles are somewhat similar style to the Little Mermaid or Haunted Mansion, only these vehicle pods have a larger alcove & you can't see behind or beside you.

The vehicles then proceed to the main area, which is a large circular room The room is mostly dark, with the exception of various blinking lights on the outer wall. The vehicles move & settle into their position, which when all the vehicles are set, form a 360 circle. All the vehicles are facing the outer wall & guest are unable to see who is in the ride vehicle next to them.

The mystery voice begins & frantically tells guest that "They've infiltrated the main center of the complex, but they need to get out, because".....at that moment, a strange alien sounding voice informs guest that they indeed have been holding the tourist for decades........but they will release them them in exchange for 5 of the guest who are currently in the room & they've already made their selection.

At that point, there's a lighting effect & 5 live performers (who were camouflaged with full body suits) & blended in completely with the wall run screaming toward random vehicle (the performers can be positioned at any area, so guest will never know where they are coming from). Suddenly, the ride vehicles begin to spin randomly into the center of the circle (Think the tea cups). One of the vehicles that spins isn't designated for guest and contains an AA alien......that will spray green "slime" (water) at various times whenever it's faced with another vehicle (and again, because the vehicles are alcove style, guest won't know who is in any given ride vehicle before it turns around.)

The live performers will continue to move about the room surprising guest as the pods spin randomly in the center

As the ride winds down, smoke effects begin & fill the lower areas where the vehicles are and the alien distorted voice announces they will now intercept their chosen replacements. The ride vehicles end in the original 360 formation facing the wall. However the 5 live performers are now BEHIND 5 of the pods (and no one can see them because everyone facing the outer wall) & they surprise the selected guest.

Area 51: Extraction brings an exciting "twist" (pun intended) to a familiar spinning attraction by incorporating live performers & an ever changing experience.

FUN JUDGING!

Well here we are! I am super excited to be judging, and I’m doubly excited to see competitors new and old having fun. Most “For Fun” submissions came out very fast – even within hours of the challenge posting - which is a testament to your enthusiasm and quick-thinking.

I’m still forming my judging approach. I wish to be as positive and constructive as possible. I’ve competed (and won) twice before, and I’ve learned immeasurably from past judges. My general advice: Take judges’ advice to heart. Still, your #1 judge is yourself, and if this isn’t fun, it isn’t worthwhile. Use this “For Fun” competition as an opportunity to try crazier ideas. Get wild with it! See what works. And...onwards!

Kenny Cook – “Sea Rescuer’s: The Ride”
This would certainly be an awesome addition to Morgan’s Wonderland. The park mostly appeals to handicapped visitors, which is really neat. “Sea Rescuer’s” (did you mean for this to be a possessive title) retains that wonderful appeal, but would also be a wider regional draw for all types of guests if done well.

It’s a shame to lose the amphitheater, but in this 25 acre park the only other obvious expansion option would be into the lake, so I understand the move. Morgan’s Wonderland is a non-profit park (the only one of its kind?), making a trackless dark ride sound a bit pricey – it’s likely to cost from $10 to $40 million. I’m also not sure if the “Aqua Blaster” guns can easily accommodate wheelchair guests without heavy modification, but I’ll assume they can.

The ride feels like a cross between Knott’s “Voyage to the Iron Reef” and SeaWorld’s “Antarctica.” Not bad choices (particularly for a regional specialty park), and the scenes work well individually, they just don’t mesh well together, especially switching from shooter scenes to trackless scenes. You don’t mention if the trackless rooms (the abandoned ship and the coral reef) have interactive elements, making the ride seem disjointed. What is the overall story here? Perhaps a singular focus throughout, such as on cleaning trash, would create greater cohesion. Captain Divey Jones is a good specific detail. “Smiley sea animals” aren’t so much. As this competition continues, I’d love to see more fleshed-out details like Captain Divey, which really help a proposal “pop.”

Jaiden – “Canobie Twist”
Your proposal is short, surprisingly short, so I am very impressed by how much detail is included. I immediately understand Canobie Lake Park and how you’re adding to it. The images aid immensely; I recommend other fun players attempt visuals too! All that’s missing are a few additional coaster stats, but you’ve more than satisfied this challenge’s needs.

For a park like this, you’ve wisely opted for a few-of-its-kind coaster experience. This is wholly realistic and true to the park’s character. Though replacing the historic “Canobie Corkscrew,” your “Canobie Twist” is respectful of both it and the park’s still-running 1936 woodie “Yankee Cannonball.” The signature corkscrew element is an unusual one for a wood coaster, but surely feasible. The corkscrew is a lot of fun as the first feature following the lift hill, especially since you cannot do a really tall or crazy drop in your setting. I’d have liked an additional inversion since “Canobie Corkscrew” has two, but space is tight as it is. The 10 airtime hills keep the ride thrilling for its remainder. The lift hill signage covering Canobie Lake Park history is a fantastic minor touch, giving a barebones coaster additional personality!

Not sure if The Gravity Group is the best coaster company for you – I assume they were chosen for “The Voyage” at Holiday World. My gut says Rocky Mountain Construction, makers of inversion-heavy woodie “Outlaw Run,” would be better. Really, though, this is an AJ question. Your $6 million price tag seems reasonable, maybe a little low, but still a good investment for a park this size. Great simple proposal!

Matt R – Les Miserables dark ride (it needs a name)
For sheer dark ride awesomeness, something executed at the level of Shanghai Disneyland’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” would be impossible to beat! We’re playing “For Fun,” with unlimited funds, so sure, Lake Compounce can do this. (Though the $10 million price tag is maybe only 1/25th what it would really cost, going by Disney’s expenses.) Heck, given the freedoms we’ve given “For Fun” competitors, you could’ve placed this in a Disney park – Walt Disney Studios Paris would be ideal in terms of need and French theme – and it would still meet the “awesomeness quota.”

A Disney-quality boat ride through the French Revolution is an instantly engrossing concept. It fits the “POTC” formula but is still totally new. You have a wonderful queue – other than the “non-descriptive” show building – setting the time and place nicely. The ride’s centerpiece scenes, concerning the climactic battles from Les Miserables, are all very good, and work well with the ride’s rotations and drops.

However, I think you’ve had a little trouble trying to use the dark ride format to tell a tale a complex as Hugo’s, as you admitted in the chat thread. You’re attempting to tell the entire Valjean narrative, meaning multi-year time jumps and dozens of important characters. Basically, whenever you write “screens flash,” you’re using a cinematic/novelistic technique which momentarily breaks the physical reality of the dark ride medium. I might suggest focusing more exclusively on the French Revolution scenes (basically, expanding Scenes 4 – 8 into the entire ride, with the ghostly epilogue included). Lose the Ternardiers; maybe bring back Javert. Look to the storytelling in Paris’ “Pirates of the Caribbean” for how to compress time and location and keep the epic scope. Tell the tale of the Revolution through Valjean’s eyes, layering in bits of his tale, and you have a next-gen boat ride par excelence!

Just not sure it fits Lake Compounce.

Derekvb
Thanks for the heads-up about your absence this week. In the regular competition we provide “real world passes” for similar reasons.

THEME PARK APPRENTICE PLAY-OFF CRITIQUES
CHALLENGE 1

Anthony Murphy - Motor Racers
It seems like your visit to Cedar Point had a strong impression on you- “Motor Racers” is really just Cedar Downs with motorcycles instead of horses. This is not a bad thing at all, since Cedar Downs is one of my favorite rides there and I also used this “racing derby” concept in my final presentation for Americana 1900 with “The Great Train Robbery” and used trains and horses instead of motorcycles. This style of ride would certainly fit physically into Santa’s Village AZOOsment Park, and would also certainly be able to be created under the budget limits in the challenge.
I’ve never been to (or even heard) of this park, so I did my research to see what it is. Boy, it is a small park, which showed that you chose well- it would be a challenge to create something to put this park on the map.
Now here it comes. We’ve met, and I know you’re a smart guy and would want me to be honest and constructive. Also, we’ve competed against each other numerous times, so I know full well what you are capable of, and what you are capable of is formidable and is not to be dismissed by your fellow competitors. I think you spend too much time at Six Flags. Motor Racers, with its industrial factory design, graffiti and surrounding trash, would not fit into Santa’s Village. Granted, what little theming there is at this park is underwhelming at best, but it still is a theme park- sort of- and putting a gang-tagged factory in the middle of it looks like Santa’s elves drank too much spiked egg nog and revolted. The ride itself would be physically fun, but it doesn’t thematically fit in this park, plus you didn’t say where in the park it would be located.
A racing derby would be a great addition to this park, providing a family thrill ride that could be enjoyed by all, and would give people a reason to check out the park for a chance to ride a truly unique amusement park ride concept. But motorcycles? Biker elves? Think of the setting, the theme of the park. What at the North Pole moves fast? What moves quickly side-by-side? Reindeer. “Reindeer Racers” would have used this underutilized amusement park ride mechanism and would have been a major enhancement to the theming of this park.
Anthony, I also felt that you could/should have spent a bit more time on the write-up. It felt rushed, like it was the first draft after a long day and you just hit “send” to get it over with. You are capable of more, and I am challenging you to give us more. Your Cubbies won the World Series and forced Cedar Point to rename our beloved Top Thrill Dragster the Top Thrill Cubster for opening weekend! Show us what else the boys from Illinois can do!

Andy Milito- Sandstorm
You chose wisely when you decided to use Wild Adventures as the location for “Sandstorm”. It sounds like a park that needs an infusion of adrenalin (and visitors)(and cash) and Sandstorm would be a great draw for visitors, especially for theme park fans driving down to the Florida parks from the east side of the country on I-75. While now they would just drive past the exit, they would now have a reason to stop and perhaps spend a few hours (and a few $) at Wild Adventure. Your location for Sandstorm is a good one, and its presence might inspire the park to reconsider and reemphasize some theming. Australia is a land that is far too ignored in the theme park world.
Your proposal meets all the criteria of the challenge. It fits the theme of the park, it fits the footprint of the park, it fits the budget of the park, and it provides a reason for visitors to come to the park and return to the park. Your description of the ride experience, including the listing of ride specs and image of the ride track, was beneficial. In spite of what some think, since I spend so much time at Cedar Point, I am really not a coaster expert and might need to defer to those who are, but I suspect you might need to have two trains available rather than the one you mentioned. This coaster would be very popular, especially in an under-coastered region of the theme park world.
If I would have added anything, it would be a tunnel section to represent actually being in a sandstorm. Not a traditional dark tunnel, but perhaps one with special lighting to represent being engulphed by the sandstorm. Toss in some wind machines, sound effects and it could be a great and unique addition to the ride. I also liked the queue’s theming- perhaps you could get Geico to sponsor it?
The written proposal was clear, concise, established the need for this attraction and how it would satisfy that need. Well done.

DPCC inc.- The Odyssey
I don’t think I’ve ever understood the fascination with Greece and Greek myths in TPA proposals. There have been many, but this is one of the better ones. You chose the perfect park for it, tying it into the park’s theme and providing an icon for the park that surprisingly doesn’t really have one (not counting the Trojan Horse which does not really seem to be used as an icon by the park as far as I can see).
As far as being a park in need of an infusion to bring it to national attention, Mt. Olympus is a borderline choice, but this attraction might be the thing to push it over into true national status. Its location in the park is a good one, but I doubt that you would need to construct a parking garage to replace the lost parking space. This is obviously overflow parking, and I suspect it is little used and could easily be replaced by removing the wooded area between it and the current main parking lot, or if available the wooded area to the north.
Telling a detailed, complicated story to a dark ride audience is a challenge, and I felt that you did a fairly good job in establishing what the various gods did without going too deep into ancient Greek theology. Use of Hebe to check height of riders was a cute touch. You should establish who the disembodied voice calling Odysseus back to Ithaca is- most people will have no idea who it would be, and might just think that it’s something or someone evil trying to trap him. I suspect that most riders would really not care who the various gods involved with this are anyway- they’d just want to have fun on a wet dark ride. Don’t let the story telling interfere with their fun.
Your ride vehicle concept in interesting, but I question how realistic it would be within the financial restraints of the challenge or of the park. It seemed fine to me- a bit complicated but acceptable- until you have the boat being released from the platform and finishing the ride unattached to the platform. It’s a lot easier to unattached a ride from the platform than to reattach it safely, especially if there’s water involved. I just foresee the potential for major mechanical downtime when something doesn’t line up right.
This proposal is for a technically challenging attraction that could be a major advancement in dark ride story telling. It could also be a maintenance headache that could reflect negatively on the park if guests who come to ride it are constantly faced with delayed rides because of technical problems. Would it be great to ride? Yes! Would I like to ride it? Yes! But the R&D required to make it work, for a seasonal park like Mt. Olympus, might be cost prohibitive. Perhaps a different, more proven ride mechanism without the detachable platform, would be something to consider.
Your technical write-up, including writing style and accompanying visuals, were very good and you have shown continued improvement in your writing and presentational abilities. This proposal proves that you certainly deserve to be in this play-off competition.

Jay R.- Area 51: Extraction
The Adventuredome is certainly a theme park in need of something to redeem it, and looking at the map on line you chose a good location to place your proposal. The theme of rescuing trapped/captured travelers in the desert of Nevada from aliens is a really good choice, but I was confused who or how many there were because you tended to switch back and forth between singular (traveler) and plural (travelers). Phrases like “..the tourist were…” tends to get under my grammar police nerves. Something to consider.
I believe I understand the basic premise of your proposal, but to me it seemed to be a bit confusing, like a first draft that needed to be proofread by someone impartial to see if it all made sense. The section at the beginning, in the bunker where the riders needed to solve a puzzle of some kind to crack the code, seemed totally unnecessary and confusing. Perhaps if it could be experienced or at least further fleshed out in the description, it would have made sense, but I can’t really see how it would benefit the riders. Would there really be a need for a fast pass line for this ride in the space available for this attraction? Using the area to establish the premise for the ride would be fine, actually beneficial, and the pre-show could be great fun for those waiting, watching old commercials for Circus Circus, the Adventuredome when it first opened, and explaining what the purpose of the dark ride component would be.
Having actors attempting to interact with spinning ride vehicles would be a complete disaster, begging for serious injuries, and I didn’t understand what the purpose of the ending with them choosing five people from the riders was. What happened to the five “chosen”? Having this as a more basic dark ride shoot-em up would be much easier for the riders to both understand and master. I liked having an “alien” attack the riders with water- perhaps carry this further where there were multiple aliens, perhaps on the opposite side of each ride vehicle, so that as they spun around you never knew if you were going to be facing an alien or another guest- if you shoot an alien, you get points. If you shoot a rider, you loss points. If you shoot an alien and miss and the alien shoots you, you lose points- and possibly get wet.
It sounds like I hated this proposal, and that is NOT true. I see tremendous potential in it, and think that with more thought and simplification it could be a great attraction that could draw people back to Adventuredome in droves. I’m a big believer in reality in proposals, and while I can see the thrill of having live actors interacting with riders, I also see too much potential for disaster. Remember the KISS principle (“keep it simple, stupid”) and NO! I am NOT calling you stupid! Far from it! I think that combining a teacup-style spinner with a shooter is a brilliant combination that could put Adventuredome back on the map!

Keith Schneider-no proposal posted. Please contact us to assure us that you’re ok.

This is my first foray into Judging, and I will admit to you all I am not as well versed as to the various manufacturers of coasters and of all the various and wonderful parks that dot the nation. That being said, I will do my best.

Anthony Murphy- I like your concept and it seems very doable. I was reminded of Cedar Downs at Cedar Point, which is a wildly popular ride.
The only thing I wish is that you had been a little more descriptive about the surroundings and the motorcycles themselves. Maybe show us some pictures of the type of cycle you would have. New Honda Pocket rockets or would they be the old school Indian and Harley Davidsons. Are we in modern times or are we back in the 50s when the riders were looked upon as hoods and trouble. Is there anything else on the walls that enhances the experience? What material are the walls made of? Colors? How is the ride lit?
Great concept I just would like to see more details so that I have a very clear picture in my mind of the experience.

Andy Milito- Sandstorm- I found Sandstorm to be an outstanding submission. It fits with the park, you obviously checked the park and chose a footprint and you came up with an actual drawing. I could picture the ride quite clearly. The queue is themed but i wasn't sure if the theming was continued through the ride itself. Since it is a sandstorm what kinds of things happen during the ride to reinforce that? Maybe an area inside with videos all around with film of a sandstorm, or air moving toward or to the side of the riders. The rides I have been on and have watched that have a theme generally carry it some way through the whole ride. That being said, I liked it.

DPCC- Odyssey- I re learned things about Greek Mythology I had long forgotten. (geek alert... when I read "Aeolis" what immediately went through my mind was "Calling Aeolis 14 Umbra, Aeolis 14 Umbra." bonus points if you know where that is from) I admire the attention to detail and fleshing everything out so that the reader can quite easily picture in their minds exactly what is happening. You mapped it out very well. I like that you took the time to do a logo and that you put together an illustration of how the ride car would work.
The one criticism I have is most people will not understand most of what is going on without a lot of explanation, which the ride will need to do. Greek gods and mythology are not well known these days, and while people will still have a lot of fun riding it, a good portion of the story will go over their heads. Perhaps in the queue there could be prologue information for the guests waiting in line to read. Or better yet, in the style of "Soarin", a video that has someone laying the groundwork so that every rider gets the most from their experience.

Jay R- Area 51: Extraction - I like the concept but I found the description a bit confusing at times. I like the 50s concept and I could see how that would work. I would like to see more description of the setting. you touched on it but I wanted to read more of what your concept was. For example, How does the lab look? What kinds of things are in the lab? How do the guests know what the code is? How many characters, where is it entered? I get the concept of the actual ride since I have ridden "Haunted Mansion", but again, I would like more details about how you see this ride. are there holograms, for instance? what is the lighting? more of a moment by moment description of what the rider is seeing and feeling. A very clever concept that I would ride. But tell me more.

First off, excellent job everybody! For those of you attempting to win a coveted spot in the Tournament of Champions, I've read your work and look forward to seeing what you come up with next. For everyone in the Fun Division, I must admit I was very surprised at the quality of the proposals given how quickly they were written and the increased difficulty of this challenge compared to typical round one challenges. While the mechanics are not quite there yet, the ideas absolutely are.

Before posting my critiques, I just want to remind everyone that in an effort to help you, I will likely mention almost every negative factor I spot but may gloss over a few positives to keep the critiques to an acceptable length (I usually shoot for about 1/2 page each). This does not mean I disliked your proposal, as they all ranged from good to great. It simply means there are more areas that I think you could improve on. Lastly, if you have any questions about your critiques, post them and I will absolutely respond. Okay, here we go...

Kenny Cook (Sea Rescuer's: The Ride): I could probably name 90% of the theme parks in the US, but Morgan's Wonderland is one I'd never heard of prior to this challenge. You've definitely succeeded in picking an obscure park here. Putting an ocean-themed ride next to a lake is perfect placement, especially in a park that lacks a unifying theme. The queue line is excellent for a park aimed at children, with plenty of things to keep everyone entertained. Creating cars that can fit a wheelchair is absolutely essential at this park, so I'm glad to see that you've come up with a solution. I would, however, suggest a vehicle without motion capability and with seats that can be folded up as needed so that capacity is not compromised and the wheelchair rider does not miss a single element of the ride.

The opening scene in your attraction is a great introduction to the ride. I really like the idea of cleaning up the ocean, as it puts an important message into the ride in a very kid-friendly way. I do like your attempts to have the blasters do more than simply shoot things, but at the same time I worry it might be confusing unless you make sure to have Captain Divey narrating the whole time so that kids know what to do. I also feel like you've tried to squeeze two rides into one here, as half of it feels like a shooter while the other half is more of an exploratory dark ride. If you intend the ride to be a shooter, you need to make sure there are interactive elements throughout, but I do really like that you've got a mix of physical sets and digital scenes. The ride itself sounds like it's about 3 minutes long, which isn't bad but is a little short.

Overall, for a first proposal this is decent. I would like to see a little more specifics on exactly what is contained in the scenes, and particularly with something like this I would like to see a bit of a post-show (the way your proposal ends, I must assume that guests walk directly off the platform and back onto the midway). As an attraction, you've definitely created something that will increase the draw of Morgan's Wonderland, and while not something that will draw people from a thousand miles away, it is something that may draw some families with kids away from San Antonio's larger parks. Great job!

Jaiden (Canobie Twist): Canobie Lake Park definitely meets the small park criteria, as it is likely unknown by any non-enthusiasts outside of New England. While it is disappointing that you're essentially replacing an old coaster with a new coaster, the park does have limited space so it is understandable. Reading your description, this immediately sounds like a very similar ride to Mine Blower, the new Gravity Group woodie at Fun Spot America in Florida, which is a good size for a major coaster at this park.

Reusing the station of the Canobie Corkscrew is a great idea to save money, and since Timberliners are shorter than Arrow looper trains, you probably could fit the transfer track in the building as well. Given that Canobie doesn't have very many tall rides (and this won't even be the tallest in the park), putting height comparison signs along the lifthill seems a bit silly. I definitely would prefer more description on the layout, as all I've got is that the ride has a drop, corkscrew, overbanked turn, and another 1,000+ feet of miscellaneous elements. What does this ride do? What types of elements does it have? What makes it different from what riders experience on Yankee Cannonball and Untamed? At a park with only four coasters, it is essential that they all be unique, so I'd like to hear more about what makes this a unique ride.

Overall, I think you have a good concept, but you need more detail in your proposal. From your proposal, I have no doubt the ride will be interesting, but I want to know why I should go ride it. You need to be able to persuade New England residents to visit Canobie Lake Park instead of Six Flags New England or Lake Compounce in order to try out the Canobie Twist, but I don't think you've quite done that. Don't get me wrong, you've got a really good idea here, I think you just fell a little short of greatness.

Matt R (Les Miserables: The Ride?): While not exactly a small park. Lake Compounce is definitely not a major destination. However, your ride is likely the most ambitious project ever taken on by a park of that scale. In fact, I would say it is impossibly ambitious, but since this is the fun division we'll assume money is no object and Lake Compounce is able to purchase the IP rights. To give you a baseline, however, modern Disney E-tickets cost in the neighborhood of $200 million, while a $10 million dark ride (approximate cost of Voyage to the Iron Reef or the Six Flags Justice League rides) is considered a big investment at most regional parks. That out of the way, there is one more glaring issue...you haven't given your ride a name. What is this thing called?

Given that a French building would look extremely out of place at Lake Compounce, I'm glad that you've created a small mini-land around the attraction. It still will look a bit odd in a historic US trolley park, but it fits better that way. The queue is a well-decorated atmospheric queue that does a good job of setting up the story and providing background information for those who are not familiar with it. Once the ride begins, however, things get a little messy. It is very difficult to portray time jumps on an attraction, so it would be better to cover scenes 1-3 in a pre-show before riders board, then focus strictly on Valjean during the battle on the actual ride. The scenes depicting this are very well executed, following the story in a manner that those with no familiar knowledge will likely still be able to follow along. I am glad you chose to streamline stick with one antagonist instead of trying to fit both the Ternardiers and Javert into the attraction, but the latter would have probably been a better choice. I am also a bit confused as to why you need the Battle for the Sunken Treasure ride system...from your description, a standard reversing flume sounds like a much better fit, especially given how prevalent drops are in the ride.

Overall, you have created a very good attraction that would absolutely put Lake Compounce on the map (if Boulder Dash hasn't already), and you have written a quality proposal. The main issues that I see involve either adaptation issues of the IP or incongruity between elements of your attraction, both things that can be improved with experience. Your proposal overall is very good, and you've created an attraction I'd love to experience, but particularly if you compete in a serious competition you need to keep realism in check.

Derekvb: Thanks for the heads-up. I hope I get a chance to read your work next time. It's fine for this competition if you can't submit every round, but be sure you'll have time to submit every week if you join a full competition in the future.

Anthony Murphy – Motor Racers

The task this week was to “with one attraction, build something so awesome and/or unique that it will put that park firmly on the amusement park map”. While what you propose is unique, it is not really unique enough to put the park firmly on the amusement park map, in fact, I doubt anyone outside of the region would even care about this type of attraction. Don’t get me wrong, you have a fantastic idea here, but the execution makes it sound much like Cedar Downs at Cedar Point, and while a cool nostalgic attraction, it is not stacking the people into the park the way a drop coaster or a wing coaster has.

I’m also going to pull exception to the theming including not much but trash and graffiti. While an industrial park is a perfectly good setting for an attraction I didn’t quite understand how the theming helped the attraction and the attraction setup the theming.

I think it is also strange that you would have a super powered carousel and not have seatbelts. Even antique carousels have been retrofitted to have seatbelts. Since you haven’t given a reason why the seatbelts aren’t going to be used, I’m not certain I understand the significance of the missing seatbelts in a time where safety is the most important thing.

I wonder what would have happened if you had used this idea for a roller coaster or a dark ride instead of a carousel.

Andy Milito – Sandstorm
The task this week was to “with one attraction, build something so awesome and/or unique that it will put that park firmly on the amusement park map”. I’m not so certain that this attraction has put your park firmly on the amusement park map. While this will be a fantastic coaster to add to a small park to firmly bump up their attendance numbers, I get the feeling that Cheetah Run in Busch Gardens Tampa is the better of the two coasters.

The theming that you have attached to this attraction is first rate, I like everything about this ride, and if you had placed it in roller coaster dead zone like Denver, this would have been the best roller coaster within 1000 miles in any direction, but when sitting in the shadow of Orlando, it is going to take more than something like this to compete. You alluded to this in your history of the park and then didn’t seem to want to work around the issue.

DPCC – The Odyssey
I have to admit that Mount Olympus is one of my favorite small parks. Free multi-level go-carts is a winner in my book even if the rest of the park sucked – which it doesn’t.

The task this week was to “with one attraction, build something so awesome and/or unique that it will put that park firmly on the amusement park map”. As a combination of Pirates of the Caribbean and Splash Mountain, this ride, if built and executed correctly could easily compete for the best dark ride honors and would have a good chance at winning the best new attraction of the year. Such accolades along with Hades 360 would put Mount Olympus (park) firmly on the amusement park map.

Well played to actually build the structure that the park is named after. After the newness of the ride has worn off, people will be convinced that the first ride in the park was the Odyssey ride and the rest of the park sprouted around it. Well played to have the Goddess of Youth be the one checking heights.

My only complaints here are that the story is a bit jumpy, I’m going to hope that the ride has better transitions, particularly at the beginning of the ride, and they were just left out of the description for brevity’s sake. There is also a bit of a problem with the cost, this is easily going to come in around $100 million if not more, which is an extreme sum of money for a small park.

Jay R. – Area 51: Extraction
The task this week was to “with one attraction, build something so awesome and/or unique that it will put that park firmly on the amusement park map”. You certainly have the unique thing nailed down, but I don’t think this will put the amusement park firmly on the amusement park map.

Well played to put an Area 51 attraction in Las Vegas, the closest city of any size to Area 51.

The Adventure Dome at Circus Circus is a very unique amusement park. It charges an entrance fee to the tune of $30 - $35 but it is used as a dumping ground for kids so their parents can run off and gamble. What Circus Circus needs is rides that are infinitely re-rideable to keep the kids interest when there are only around 20 rides inside the Dome. The re-rideability of this would be low and doesn’t feel like it would have the kind of reoccurring interest that it would need for a place like the Dome. Since this starts off with an escape room, it seems like the regular teenager clientele would not be interested in a forced escape room experience to start off the attraction and would be more likely to vandalize it.

Having 5 live performers jumping in and around moving vehicles sounds extremely dangerous for the safety of the actors. I’m not quite certain why this couldn’t have been done with animatronics and/or projections.

Maybe I’m reading this incorrectly, but this appears to be a highly themed teacups ride with an escape room opener. And to put this in you are taking out the 4d theater (which happens to account for 3 attractions on their listed attractions), the play area, mini golf, etc… I’m feeling like this is a bad idea to build at all and not just to try and get it on the amusement park map. You are losing way too much capacity in a park that has little to start with.

The results are in!

Week 1 Results

“Serious” Competition
1. Andy Milito
2. DPCC
3. Jay R
4. Anthony Murphy

“Fun” Competition
1. Jaisden
2. Matt R
3. Kenny Cook

Week 1 Results

Please keep in mind that the judges are not looking at the other entries and factoring that into their scores. Both sides are completely in a bubble.

“Serious” Competition
1. 88 Andy Milito
2. 80.6 DPCC
3. 70.6 Jay R
4. 67 Anthony Murphy

“Fun” Competition
1. 88.5 Jaisden
2. 81 Matt R
3. 73 Kenny Cook

Okay... this was brought up and Jim Koehl recommended I address this so that there is no confusion.

I am NOT just another identity for Jim. I allowed him to use my login on one competition but I am a separate person who helps him with graphics and pictures in his proposals...