I just want to let you guys know that it is imperative that noone drops out this week!!! I cannot have that happening, and I'm giving you more than enough time to work for this challenge! As stated, I will be assigning the duos this week. Due to Nathan's departure, the duos have been made ahead of schedule. Here they are:
Nick Markham – Jeff Moon
James Koehl – David L
Adam Nodjomian – Anthony Murphy
Andy Milio – Dan Babbitt
I've arranged the partners so that each group has one person to post videos or pictures. I would advise you guys to let that person post the entire idea for this week's challenge.
Please be sure to contact your partner in a timely fashion to decide upon your themes and begin your work. Please email me if you have questions or concerns.
Remember that the deadline for posting will be next Sunday, November 14. But if you guys can post sooner, that would be great!
Just to let you guys know, you will all be voting in the finale, so keep that in mind for the next couple of weeks. Contestants 8 through 3 will be included in the vote, along with myself giving us 7 votes. Please Please Please vote, everyone, even when you are fired! Just remember the check your email and send me a vote for the finale. I do not want the complications of the 1st season with voting.
These are tentative, meaning we may drop or add franchises.
After this challenge is done, I'd like to receive some feedback on it. Please let me know if you thought it was fun or not? Whether you thought it was difficult to complete or not? and Any improvements I can make if I have another duo challenge in the future.
Stark Expo: Epcot and Brazil!
We also call Physics.
I'd just like to let you all know that the current finale is scheduled to take place on December 8th. This is when the winner will be revealed and the TPA awards will be announced for the other contestants.
BRAZIL
Dan and I are doing our World Showcase pavilion based upon the South American country of Brazil.
Brazil features a wet and wild ride through the Amazon River, Amazon Adventures.
Background Story: Brazil, 1541: you’re traveling with Francesco Pizzaro in search of El Dorado, the City of Gold, which they believe it could be down the unexplored Amazon River. The exploration takes you into uncharted territory with never before seen animals, plants, and other life. You must be watchful of these exotic plants and animals because they could harm and even kill you! But lurking in the rainforest is an even greater danger: The Amazonians!
The indigenous want there land back and will do anything they can to get you to leave there land and be off with you! So your nice, leisurely trip down the Amazon River turned from a joy ride with the chance of gold at the end to a fight for survival! So will the Amazon River help you or the Amazonians?
Ride: The rafts at Amazon Adventures hold 8 guests at a time. Once all 8 guests are secure in their raft, the ride begins. The ride starts with nice, leisurely dips and falls. Then the Amazonians (Anamatronics, of course) pop up and throw logs into the river, which makes the dips and falls longer and faster and also churns up the water, which spins the rafts. You float down the harsh river, with lots of big turns where you will catapult around the curves at high speeds. As you continue down the river, more Amazonians appear and make the river even faster than it was before.
Now the river is running at a furious pace, and everyone is getting soaked. Eventually, a shortcut opens up, and your raft makes a turn down the shortcut. The trees are very dense back here, so it is very dark. Soon, you can see the light of torches. Your raft approaches a temple, which is covered in all sorts of exotic plant life.
You gently flow into the temple, where you find none other than El Dorado! As you leisurely float by, you can admire at all the gold of the undiscovered city. Unfortunately, you cannot retrieve any of the gold because all the harsh waters left your raft in bad condition, and too much weight could make it collapse and sink, so you and the other 7 explorers of your raft head back to the entrance to, hopefully, head back without running into any more Amizonians!
Brazil would also feature a restaurant that carries all sorts of Spanish foods from many different Brazilian cultures. The menu would include:
the churrasco:
the barreado:
the feijoada:
the frango com quiabo:
and many others!
Desserts would include:
cocada:
bolo de maracuja:
and many more!
Stark Expo: EPCOT
Tony Stark and Stark Industries decided to have their Stark Expo here at EPCOT. This year is centered around physics. Stark Expo decided to bring in top scientist in physics and this years spotlight scientist is Dr. Bruce Banner. And this year Tony Stark has adapted a new Iron Man suit for guests to the Expo to try out!
1st: Iron Man Armor MK III
Tony Stark has converted and adapted his Iron Man Armor MK III suit for the use and experience for the guests of the Expo. For the safety of the guests and Tony, Stark has made 2 tracks for the suits to follow and also to race, one blue and the other red.
Iron Man Armor MK III is a Dueling Roller Coaster with features 2 loops, 3 corkscrew, and various turns, drops and other fun stuff that are expected of roller coasters. Being a dueling roller coaster, you can race the sides red vs blue.
Gamma Bomb
Dr. Bruce Banner being the lead and highlight of the Expo scientist, is here to announce, unveil, and test the Gamma Bomb to the public and government. But during the testing things go very wrong, especially with Dr. Bruce Banner!
Guests are invited to see the unveil and demonstration of the gamma bomb by going on specialty designed vehicles and of course wearing safety goggles. The proving grounds are obviously not at the Stark Expo and EPCOT but at a "safe" location. Dr. Banner introduces you to whats being done in physics and what the gamma bomb is and what it will do! Dr. Banner has made and wants to test the first bomb. As the count down begins a child wanders onto the test field and Dr. Banner must jump out and save the child! Well the bomb goes off and Dr. Banner gets expose to gamma radiation and the Hulk arrives, is angry and sees YOU!!!
This ride, a la the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, will feature Dr. Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk who cant contain his anger want to take it out on you and the vehicles. The ride will feature Iron Man, SHIELD operatives and Colonel Fury trying to subdue the Hulk in any manner! The Hulk will throw and smash the vehicles, throw stuff at you and then throw you at everywhere! Iron Man will come and catch you and fight the Hulk while the SHIELD operatives will also try to help but wont get anywhere with it.
Guests will experience many different thrills whether it be sight, sound, smell and hot or cold and other things. This will be a fun and new ride experience for Disney that combines new and exciting technology.
Thanks for reading. God bless.
India, a nation of nearly 1.2 billion people, finally takes its place at Epcot in a dazzling complex that showcases just a fraction of this amazing and dynamic culture. Located on the present site of the Outpost, between Germany and China, the Indian Pavilion is a mixture of sights, smells, tastes and sounds that will keep Epcot visitors entertained for hours. It is not just one building, but a collection of structures in traditional architectural styles from all over the subcontinent.
The complex will be entered by a dramatic ceremonial gateway opening onto the entrance plaza.
The plaza gives access to the four parts of the Indian pavilion: The Indian Market, Mowgli's Jungle World, Kipling's Restaurant, and the main attraction of the complex- "Celebration! A Bollywood Dance Extravaganza".
"Celebration! A Bollywood Dance Extravaganza" ("Celebration!" for short) takes place in an indoor, one-thousand seat theatre whose exterior facade is a replica of the Taj Mahal.
This music and dance pageant, performed by dozens of Indian dancers and musicians, will showcase the amazing theatrical culture of India. Bollywood, India's famous motion picture community, has made Indian music and dance well-known throughout the world, and here it uses its talents to create a spectacle of dance, music, color and light that will leave audiences standing and cheering.
Music from the movie, especially "The Bare Necessities" and "I Wan'na Be Like You" is featured in the Jungle World. After leaving the ride building, the boats return along the same route but in a parallel channel to the exit point, where they disembark and can enter the Indian Market or proceed back to the Taj Mahal Theater and "Celebration!"
The Indian Market brings a traditional bazaar from India to Orlando. Dozens of small shops, venders' stalls, tents and traditional Indian buildings fill this area with the sights, smells and tastes of many of the regions of India. Here shoppers can discover an amazing variety of handcrafted goods, souvenirs, clothing and foods from all over the country.
Colorful banners wave in the breeze, shopkeepers hawk their wares to potential shoppers, and street musicians fill the air with the sounds of the bansuri, shanani, madal and sitar. Small carts and stands sell traditional Indian street foods
filling the area with the delicious smells of Indian cooking. The Indian Market at Epcot will be one of the largest and most exotic shopping experiences anywhere in Walt Disney World.
Kipling's Restaurant brings the traditional foods of India to Epcot, and has one of the most amazing and immersive settings of any World Showcase restaurant.The high-ceilinged dining area, with ceiling fans to gently move the air, has floor-to-ceiling windows and overlooks the boats of Mowgli's Jungle World cruising back and forth like vessels on an Indian river, pedestrians walking to the Taj Mahal, and the Indian Market's colorful tent roofs. Many of the regions of India are featured in the dozens of choices on the menu, and Kipling's is the only restaurant in World Showcase that features an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu. Many of the dishes are prepared in the Tandoor, a pit oven made from clay and using charcoal. Foods from all over India's diverse regions are featured, such as:
Vegetable Samosa- crisp turnovers, stuffed with spiced potatoes, peas and herbs
Chicken Pakora- deep fried chicken fritters
Vegetarian Platter- assorted vegetable appetizers
Paneer Pakora- pieces of homemade cheese, dipped in chickpea flour and fried
SOUPS
Mulligatawny Soup- a traditional chicken soup with lentils and spices
Coconut Soup- fresh milk and coconut, served hot with pistachios
BREADS (all baked fresh to order in the Tandoor)
Naan- leavened fine flour bread, soft and fluffy
Roti- whole wheat bread
Paneer Kulcha- Naan stuffed with homemade cheese, spices and herbs
Keema Naan- fine flour bread, stuffed with ground lamb, fresh ginger and cilantro
THE TANDOOR
Tandoori Chicken- chicken marinated in yogurt and freshly ground spices, then broiled
Boti Kabah- juice cubes of lamb, broiled
Tandoori Shrimp- jumbo shrimp seasoned with fresh spices and herbs, then baked
INDIAN SPECIALTIES
Seafood Fantasy- Tandoori fish and shrimp curry
Vegetable Seekham- fresh carrots, cauliflower, green peas, homemade cheese, pineapple chunks cooked with spices, sauce and nuts
Chicken Kashmiri- chicken cooked in ginger sauce and peach nuts
Lamb Danshik- lamb, chick peas and lentils cooked with pineapple chunks and herbs
CURRY AND RICE
Contrary to common belief, curries are NOT prepared from curry powder, but with a special blend of spices and herbs, blended fresh every day for each individual dish. Curries are not always hot, as is generally expected; they can be mild, medium or hot, depending on the diner's choice.
Lamb Shabi Korma- lamb in a rich sauce with nuts and cream
Lamb Vindaloo- lamb and potatoes cooked in a sharply spiced tangy sauce
Chicken Curry- chicken cooked in onions, garlic, ginger, yogurt and spices
Chicken Saagwala- boneless chicken cooked with spinach and herbs
Chicken Tikka Muglai-Tandoori chicken and mushrooms cooked in tomato and garlic
Saag Paneer- chunks of homemade cheese in creamed spinach and fresh spices
Baigan Bhartha- roasted eggplant sautéed in onion, tomatoes and green peas
Chana Masala Punjabi- a Northern Indian specialty, chick peas cooked with ginger
Fish Curry- fillet of swordfish cooked in brown onions and tomatoes
Shrimp Saag- white shrimp cooked with ginger, garlic and spinach
Vegetable Biryani- a Mulgai-inspired dish of curried rice with vegetables, dried fruits and nuts
Peas Pullao- rice cooked with peas, raisins and nuts
DESSERTS
Kheer- rice pudding with milk, raisins and cardamom
Kulfee- homemade ice cream with almonds and pistachios
BEVERAGES
Lassi- a refreshing yogurt drink, sweet or salted
Mango Juice
Masala Tea
Chai
This is just a sampling of the amazing variety of dishes to be found in Kipling's Restaurant, soon to be a favorite of Epcot adventurous dinners, and a Mecca for vegetarian and vegan guests.
India at Epcot. Few other countries seem so familiar to us yet so exotic and mysterious compared to our own. The new Indian Pavilion at World Showcase will bring this amazing culture to Walt Disney World, and can give the millions of visitors to Epcot a chance to experience it first-hand.
Location: Future World at Epcot, on the site of the former Wonders of Life
Pavilion Description: Inner Earth, Inc., headquartered at Mount MarieMae, is a company dedicated to exploring the inside of the Earth. Mount MarieMae is an active volcano but hasn’t erupted in 55 years
Since Inner Earth is located at a volcano, it is much cheaper to travel deep into the earth to see things not typically seen by man. The main cavern is lit by a glowing river of lava and numerous state of the art lanterns. The layout of the pavilion is fairly simple. As you enter the massive steel doors of the pavilion, you instantly see the massive cavern. On your immediate right lies the entrance to the Volcanic Grill. Across the cavern is the entrance to Exploring the Inner Earth: 4D. Further into the cavern, after crossing the river of lava, lies the Magma Playground and the Inner Earth Museum and Store. Across the cavern is the Volcano Store and the MarieMae snack bar. At the end of the cavern lies "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
Journey to the Center of the Earth: The Entrance has a sign that has the look of fire and molten lava. It simply states the name with the Inner Earth Center logo underneath. The first part of the queue is just a long tunnel with many side tunnels (if lines get really long) lighted by lanterns.
It gradually tilts up. Various rocks found on the crust of the earth have small displays here and there. You then reach a cavern about the size of the preshow of the Great Movie Ride. This is like the Great Movie Ride’s preshow except you enter where the movie is and walk back and forth up. This plays an 8 minute clip describing you adventure. It would start displaying diagrams about your journey with a voice over describing it.
Your journey begins traveling through a dim tunnel until you come to the drop. An intercom on your vehicle tells you, “Brace yourself. You will now travel into the Earth 1 mile”.
with the intercom giving you facts about the various rocks lining the walls. Then, as you reach the end of the tunnel, a rumbling is heard and rocks crumble behind and in front of you and lava gradually seeps in.
and a Plesiosaurus
prehistoric creatures of the sea.
As you continue to explore this new land, in dark ride format, you encounter a forest of massive mushrooms towering above you. Then comes a swarm of oversized mosquitoes and other insects that attack you, forcing you to escape. You launch away into a cave to hide but find a long tunnel going both up and down. A cave-in happens behind you and a strange mistiness starts forming below.
Journey to the Center of the Earth would be an incredible mix of a thrilling dive coaster, state of the art AAs, and exciting dark ride sections. This ride would be about 7 minutes long.
A large bubble in the rock, left by an ancient lava flow, now holds a fifty-seat "lecture hall" where Professor Ludwig von Drake offers visitors a free lecture from the college class he teaches on earthquakes and their causes. "Earthquakes 101" is a funny yet educational experience where "students" will learn about what plate tectonics is, how it created the planet's surface, and how earthquakes result from it. The theatre is entered through what appears to be a work hut built against the rock wall of the cavern, with a sign posted about the entrance door with show times posted.
He is seen on a large television monitor at the front of the theatre, and explains the concept of plate tectonics in simple terms, using animated scenes to show how huge land masses floating on the Earth's mantle run into each other and cause earthquakes, mountains and deep sea trenches. The information he presents to the audience is technically correct, but is punctuated with his usual silly comments and occasional bad jokes.
Unknown to him and to his audience, an actual earthquake is about to occur in the classroom. The entire chamber is actually a motion simulator, and while Professor von Drake is describing the effects that plate tectonics has on the Earth's surface, the actual physical effects are happening to the students! When he describes mountains forming from two plates running into each other, the middle of the room will actually start to slowly rise, so that each side is slopping away from each other just enough for the audience to realize it is happening. It will return flat, then the entire room will begin to tip to one side while he describes how one plate will tip and slide under another plate. Soon an earthquake will start the entire room shaking and rolling. Appropriate sounds will be heard (along with the startled sounds and possible screams from the audience!). Poor Professor von Drake will have no idea that his students are experiencing these seismic events. Finally, as the shaking and quaking of the classroom stops and everything settles down, the Professor thanks his "students" for being such an attentive class, and tells them not to worry, because the chance that they should experience any seismic activity such as an earthquake in Florida is astronomically small. As they exit the classroom, he bids them all "good-bye."
Inner Earth Museum and Store: This museum has hands on activities and displays all about the inside of the Earth. The store includes various merchandise like rocks, earth models, and more.
Volcano Store: This store is also the exit of Journey to the Center of the Earth. It has many things from volcano play sets, JTTCOTE souvenirs, and even a volcano Mickey.
The Volcanic Grill: This is a unique restaurant with various food items. It specializes in everything spicy. The theme of this restaurant is similar with the rest of the pavilion but the highlight is the wall of lava.
The menu would include (but realize this is only a sampling):
-Grilled spicy shrimp
-fire charred chicken salad
-A series of make you own hamburgers with countless spicy sauces
-Black Bean Fire (spicy black beans and rice)
-Spicy Chicken Quesadilla
-a selection of Fire Stews( various soups that are spicy
-molten chocolate lava cake
-and much more
MarieMae Snack Bar: Various snacks with a volcanic theme.
I'm just going to breathe in, and hope we can get past this challenge.
Our new country for EPCOT is Egypt. Being the largest country featured on the World Showcase, Egypt will also feature some of the tallest points in Walt Disney World itself!
Inside the smallest pyramid of the Egyptian Pavilion, standing 80 feet tall will be a fun family oriented restaurant. It will be called The Excavation Site and will be themed as if it is in the process of being dug through for jewels and treasures. The tables will be large crates with things written on them like “digging supplies.” All the walls will look like they were recently carved out in search for the treasures in this pyramid. There will be stalagmites and stalactites all around and even authentic water dripping off them from time to time. The waiters and Waitresses will be workers at this excavation site and will be sure to inform that you and everyone else at your table are only on a break and will have to get back to work digging as soon as your finished. The menu will include authentic Egyptian Cuisine but don’t worry you can also order a hamburger.
Sample Menu
Mulukiyah: Green soup prepared in various styles, wherein the mallow leaves are very finely chopped, with ingredients such as garlic and coriander added to give it a characteristic aromatic taste.
Du'aah: A dry mixture of chopped nuts, seeds, Middle Eastern spices, and flavors.
Kofta: Usually of lamb meat, chops and minced meat on skewers grilled on charcoal.
Torly: A tray of baked squash, potatoes, carrots, onions, and tomato sauce
The next largest pyramid standing 120 feet tall will be Indiana Jones: Tomb of No Return. You and your group are now Indiana Jones' right hand men as you join him for a thrilling adventure through Egypt. You first enter through an unusual gaping hole in the pyramid. The queue takes you what seems like deeper and deeper through dark tunnels featuring realistic artifacts scattered throughout.
You then arrive to the pre-show, a large chamber within the pyramid. Indy himself appears above everyone, standing on a ledge. He tells everyone how this may be the most dangerous expedition he has ever dared. He instructs everyone that the tomb of Amenhotep is deep within the pyramid, and the the excavation of the artifact will bring new discoveries in the archaeologist world.
After the pre-show, riders board the Jeeps as the go on a ride the will never forget. Resembling the Indy rides in Disneyland California and DisneySea, the adventure will feature animatronics, mist, fire, and many more effects to bring you to a fate you may never see coming once you reach Amenhotep's grave. And what more, there are three possible different ride experiences, meaning you will never embark on the same adventure twice in a row! Will you be able to escape the Pyramid of No Return?
The City of Heroes will be our new pavilion for Future World at EPCOT. Here you will find the heroes of the future, including TRON, The Avengers, Wall-E, and The Incredibles.
TRON: LEGACY will be replacing Captain EO as the 3D show experience at EPCOT, but will do so at a much grander scale. The show will follow the story of TRON Legacy as he tries to find his father to escape the game. While this is a 3D show, like Terminator 2: 3D, this show will also feature live actor and audioanimatronic effects to bring the world of TRON to life.
The Avengers will be the worlds first 5D Coaster Experience. The queue runs through the headquarters for The Avengers. The pre-show tells riders how Ultron, the greatest arch nemesis of The Avengers is planning to take over Planet Earth and take humankind under his command as slaves. But Captain America, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Thor plan on foiling Ultrons plan once and for all. Riders then board the coaster after the pre-show. Leaving the station, the ride begins slowly, with introductions to each avenger before the coaster launches off into darkness followed by lasers, mist, animatronics, and other effects as The Avengers battle Ultron to the death.
The Incredibles ride will be one of the best motion simulators in the world when it comes out. It will take an Amazing Spiderman approach but to a new level. This will finally give Pixar fans a chance to live out a sequel to The Incredibles. The ride will start where the movie left off with the Incredibles facing The Underminer. The story of the attraction is that riders are super heroes in training visiting the city to meet the legendary Mr. Incredible. Riders will climb into their vehicles and put on their super hero masks (3D glasses) and they’ll be off. But their meeting with Mr. Incredible doesn’t go as planned because The Underminer arrives. The Incredibles begin their fight but they quickly realize they need your help. They begin by launching your vehicle straight at the miners drill. This will be achieved through advanced wind effects and 3D screens. The Underminer will then drill into the ground and you’ll have to go after him. As he drills into the ground an earthquake effect will be felt. Effects throughout the rest of the ride will include Frozone literally freezing you, falling and flying effects, and the classic water and scent effects. The attraction will end when The Underminers tunnel begins getting flooded in water. He doesn’t escape but luckily you and The Incredibles get out of the tunnel in time. It will be a family oriented attraction that’s still sure to thrill older riders.
The Wall-e attraction has the potential to be a huge leap forward for Disney. It will mix a dark ride and a coaster into an amazingly fun attraction. The ride will begin as your waiting in line. You’ve entered The Atrium and you’re here to take a tour of it. After seeing parts of the station in the queue you’ll get into your touring vehicle. You will have an animatronic tour guide throughout your adventure. His name is Hatchet and he is driving your vehicle. As you go through different areas of The Atrium it will feel as if all the animatronics are really alive. You will pass through a beauty parlor where all the robots are having real conversations with each other and visit the captain and the devious Autopilot. In this beginning portion the ride will be dark style format. Your next stop is the engine room where you’ll meet everyone’s favorite robot Wall-e. Hatchet will begin questioning Wall-e why he’s in the engine room. Wall-e shows Hatchet the all important plant from the film. Wall-e gives it to Hatchet and then the ride starts to get exciting. As soon as Hatchet gets the plant the coaster and everything in the engine room begins glowing green. The captain comes up on a projection screen and informs all of you that you have to get the plant to him before Autopilot stops you. So the coaster launches into action but the amazing part is that as the coaster goes through the space station the robots and people you drive past actually react to you. It’s a real living a breathing coaster in a sense. You finally get the plant to the captain before autopilot can stop you and now the space station can head back to earth.
Over at Pleasure Island in Downtown Disney, Orlando, there is still quite a bit of vacancies. Ever since the clubs closed a few years ago, they have promised us replacement entertainment. However, the shops and restaurants that have opened have been met with a lukewarm response and mediocre reviews. Therefore, in this challenge, you will be creating some form of entertainment to be in Pleasure Island. Maybe you feel that at least one club needs to belong here or maybe some other type of entertainment can be thought up. However, you may not make the Adventurer’s Club Part 2 and claim it as your own idea. Nevertheless, something needs to be here, and it is your job this week to think up that idea.
Adam is supposed to post because he is good with pics!
Greece, a country of history, culture, and fun. The pavillion would be seperated into two parts. One half, resembling the city of Dimitsana, would represent the land culture of Greece. Greece is a very hilly country and the whole pavillion would be sloping to represent this. In the land area, shady groves of olive and cypress trees provide a welcome respite from the Florida heat. Stone buildings can be found amid the trees. The Winged Horse would be located in this area of the pavillion. Shops selling common Greek collectibles such as candles, mugs, and statuettes. Also, in some of the variously styled buildings, guests can view real Greek chefs preparing traditional foods, which you can tatse before ordering them at the Winged Horse.
The picteresque city of Dimitsana: 
The sea culture of Greece would be respresented by the idyllic island of Santorini. There are much less trees in this area. The characteristic white-walled, blue-rooved buildings look out over the World Showcase Lagoon. Shops in this area sell delicious treats such as baklava, sponge cakes, honey pies, etc. A cart selling gyros with french fries roams the streets of Santorini provding a delicious snack for any takers.
The gorgeous island of Santorini:
Below is a general layout of the Greek pavillion. For those not wishing to walk through the pavillion, a path goes along the edge of the lagoon through both parts of the country. The ride entrance would be near the bridge to China. Greece provides some of the best viewing for Illuminations because of its elevated location.
According to legend, there once was a city unmatched anywhere in the world. It possessed riches, the likes of which human beings may never see again. Scholars resided in this city that possessed knowledge eons ahead of their contemporaries. Visitors to this city were mesmerized by the grandeur and mystique it emitted from its glorious walls. Then, 3000 years ago, a mighty volcano, a horrendous, and a monstrous earthquake made this sublime city disappear into the sea. The City was Lost forever…..or was it…..
Many people say that the gorgeous island of Santorini was once home to the legendary Lost City. Santorini was once home to en extremely active volcano. Travel via jeep the ancient caldera to see the ancient lava paths and remarkable natural rock formations.
The ride occurs inside. After queuing through galleries displaying ancient Greek works of art and sculptures. Cool interactive stations allow you to see how the works may have been created in computer generated 3-D time lapse models. Also, the second gallery shows how volcanoes work and lets you create an eruption just by moving your body! (using motion-sensing technology).
Meze- It will actually be included with the meal. It is a traditional Greek Appetizer usually made with feta cheese and olives
Alcmene’s Avgolemono- Famous Egg Lemon Soup using Herc’s foster mom’s recipe. Fit for any hero in training
Phil’s Greek Salad- With fresh greens, feta cheese, and olives
Saganaki- A fried cheese that is set on fire by the server at your table and doused with lemon. Can be ordered “Hades Style” which adds some spice to it
Hermes Spankoptia – A Quick dish of a pocket made with spinach and feta cheese
Hero Gyros- Pretty Self Explanatory, served with pita
Pastitsio- A baked pasta dish with ground meat and Béchamel Sauce
Greek Lemon Chicken- Roasted Greek Chicken served with a lemon glaze
Hera’s Baklava- Puff pastry filled with nuts and topped with syrup
And of course, you can’t forget about the drinks! Near the front of the restaurant will be a bar area set up like a Greek tavern, it will also have an opening outside so that guests can come and get some drinks by walking up to it. Like Mexico’s Tequila bar, Greece will have very extensive collections of Orzo, the national drink of Greece. This is a very alcoholic drink, but has many different styles and flavors. There will also be Tentura, which is cinnamon flavored liquor and Metaxa, which is a brand of sweet brandy.
In the “main area” there will be many exhibits showing the different aspects of weather, especially severe. In the middle of it all will be a 40 foot tornado vortex created with fog and fans. Guests can control the shape and height of this vortex!
Off to one side will the avalanche disk which holds grains of sand and, depending on the speed of the disk controlled by the guests, the sand will change from behaving more like a liquid than a solid and will explore the different ways avalanches happen!
Tsunami Tank will allow the guests to make their own waves and select to have waves of high or low crests and wavelengths between each wave. Also, with a small mock up beach, you can see how certain waves react when the hit land!
The ride is one I used in a former challenge, Storm Surge, with a few minor changes, mostly to the storyline.
STORM SURGE
Queue:
The queue for Storm Surge winds through the IWS (International Weather Service) EPCOT Education Station. The IWS is trying to educate the public about its mission and about how fun weather can be!
The first part of the queue goes past high-tech weather equipment, showing radar, forecasts, etc. Every couple of minutes the video screens scattered throughout the room display a “live” feed from the air control tower telling you your mission:
From this room you enter a room which is themed to look like a forecasting area. Big maps can be found on the ground and walls. These maps are actually games for guests to play, including fending off thunderstorms and other bad weather from your city of Pleasantville, or building your own “perfect storm” to unleash on a city of your choice. Every once in a while, all the games shut off to display another “live feed” from the tower:
Guests now enter the hangar where there “plane” (18 rows long, 2 seats per row, resembles a plane with a nose on the front and tail on the back, white with IWS logos and “E.P.C.O.T. Education Station” on the sides) is waiting for them.
Your plane moves forward into an area marked *LAUNCH AREA-CAUTION-AUHTORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY*. Yellow lights flash, and a voice into background can be heard “T-minus 30 seconds to launch.” Speakers in your car allow you to hear what’s going on in the tower: “Final systems check; wings, check; boosters, check” the voice in the background is heard again: “T-minus 20 seconds to launch.” As more system checks can be heard. “T-minus 15 seconds to launch.” Then, back in the tower: “Coordinates, check, no wait, these coordinates are wrong, we wanted them on the edge of the hurricane not the edge of the eye wall, that’s the most severe part of the storm!” “T-minus 10-9-8-7” “We have to stop that plane!” another voice comes in: “I’m sorry sir, it’s too late, once they’ve entered the final 10 seconds, we can’t stop them.” “6-5-4” “Well folks, I guess you’ll just have to hold on tight, once the pilots find a calm spot, we can launch you back here, well…good luck.” “3-2-1”
The coaster launches right after “1” at 0-80mph in 2.5 seconds. The train goes up a slight, but lengthy incline through pitch black darkness. Just then a flash of light and a bone-shaking rumble of thunder meet you as you fly into a zero-g roll. From here, the coaster follows a traditional “spaghetti-bowl” design. Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning effects make it feel like you’re in the middle of a violent storm. After the many twists and turns of the main part of the ride, the coaster soars into an airtime hill. Just after cresting the hill, the train launches once more, not as fast but amid strobe lights. The train comes to a relatively abrupt stop and you find yourself back in a hangar resembling the one you left from.
Exit:
Guests exit though a store called IWS Outpost. The shop sells various t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. that have the IWS logo on it, or shirts with stuff like “I weathered the storm”, “I survived The Surge”, or “Wanna know what a hurricane looks like on the inside, ask this guy”
The Lost City (cont.)
You suddenly fall deep undeground, and once the dust settles, the Losty City sparkled like a million gems ahead of you.
Your jeep pulls forward and onto the main street, which is built with golden cobblestones. The street lights glitter like diamonds. The buildings shimmer in the torchlight. It’s a perfect utopia, except for one thing. There are no people. You continue forward to the obvious center of the city. An enormous tower, the top of which nearly grazes the top of the cavernous space. Hundreds of feet tall, this tower casts a shadow over all.
You enter the main hall, which is just as magnificent as every other part of the city. Again, though there are no people. Where have they all vanished to? The ground then begins to rumble as though some enormous creature is making its way, step by step, towards the tower. Your jeep turns around to face the rumbling. The doors creak open and a serpentine head flicks its tongue. This snake is huge, with a head the size of a car. It’s red eyes lock onto you.
Then something strange happens, the head disappears and the door shuts, causing all the torches to extinguish. You can feel your heart beating in anticipation. The ground shakes more violently this time and a crack suddenly appears above the door, it spreads and spreads before a piece falls out and that red eye is staring at you once more. The whole wall then collapses and you can see the whole creature. It is a hydra! The body of a dragon, with close to 50 hissing, snake heads. All at once, they bare their fangs. The hydra moves closer and closer to you, but your surrounded on all sides by debris. Then, a great groaning can be heard; The tower has lost support and is falling! The hydra doesn’t seem to take notice as its heads get closer and closer to you. Debris begins to fall everywhere, crushing a few of the hydra’s heads. One finally gets close to you and just as it is about to bite down………
As if by some magical force your jeep is suddenly sucked backwards, basically flying backwards through the debris and through the city streets before stopping in a small cave along the perimeter of the city. Someone who looks like the leader seals the door with a wave of the hand once you are inside. He praises you and your jeep turns around to see a much smaller cavern, but a large one nonetheless. They are cheering; they thank you for defeating the hydra, which has terrorized them for months. He warns though to never speak of this lost City to anyone for it could ruin their beautiful society, just as the hydra did.
With another wave of the hand he bids you farewell as you feel as though you are rocketing back towards the surface.
You appear back in the same place you started, right back at the station. You disembark to go enjoy the rest of your time in the lovely country of Greece.
I will not be announcing a favorite pair of the week this week, just to inform you guys.
Andy and Dan: From what I've heard you guys worked well together and it shows. I think the Brazil concept was done beuatifully and the ride is original and sounds fun! The food looks interesting. As for the FW pavilion, I think it was done well and was well conceived. However, I thought it was done more as an attempt to integrate marvel. It still sounded good though and I liked the physics theme.
James and David: I'm aware of your rough patch that you guys encountered, but the idea you made is still greatl. I think you have created the strongest and most realistic WS pavilion. The inclusion of the jungle book ride and references are well received by me. The use of bollywood dance show sounds excellent as well! As for the inner earth center, I thought the idea was creative. My biggest concern is your inclusion of a volcano that would easily be out of place in future world. The earthquake show sounded cute.
Nick and Jeff: I thought the indiana jones ride was a good idea to have in the Egypt pavilion. The Who's your mummy attraction was very original and innovative. As for the city of Heroes, it seemed a bit of a compiling mess to me. It seemed like it was just way too much to accomplish in one single pavilion. While each of the ideas were good, I think something like this would work better as a separate land than just a pavilion as it would surely be hectic inside.
Adam and Anthony: The attractions you included for Greece were again very original and the restaurant had my mouth watering!!! The weather pavilion was my favorite FW pavilion idea. I could definately see this idea coming into frutition. I liked the reuse of the wonders of life pavilion and the logo looks great btw.
In conclusion, you really all did magnificent work. I thought the WS pavilions were a bit stronger than the FW pavilions. Great work everyone!
