Theme Park Apprentice 4: Challenge 3

Sea World Nighttime Experience

From Tim W
Posted June 17, 2012 at 9:47 AM
Sea World has always been a destination for aquatic themed thrills and daytime shows. However, there is the notable absence of a nighttime show for any of their parks. Perhaps it is similar to the Animal Kingdom’s lack of a nighttime experience, a fear that animals would experience negative effects due to the use of fireworks. Therefore, your challenge this week is to create a nighttime experience for the SeaWorld Park of your choice. This nighttime experience may be a parade, show, or any other type of entertainment that you can think of. Feel free to use fireworks, lasers, pyrotechnics, water jets, performers, and floats.

In your proposal, be sure to include the name of the experience, length of the show, specs, details, location in the park, and anything else that will help to promote your proposal as the best one for this challenge.

This will be a single elimination round.

The Deadline for posting is June 23rd at midnight, website time. The posting thread should be up around June 17th.

From Dominick D
Posted June 17, 2012 at 10:10 AM
Coming soon to Seaworld Orlando; A show that mixes wildlife sea and BMX stunts:

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From Chad H
Posted June 17, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Elmo: Hello everyone, Elmo Here. Elmo is happy to say that Elmo will be helping Sea World tell all the boys and girls (and the big boys and girls too) some stories about the Sea... Co-operation, Yayyyy.

Cookie: C? C is for Cookie, thats good enough for me. Cookie Like.

Elmo: No Cookie Monster, not the letter C, the big blue Sea. We have stories about people who sailed the sea.

From Karly Tenney
Posted June 17, 2012 at 7:18 PM
Well hello, I didn't think anybody would come to here my story.Thank you for coming,Before we start off I would like to tell you my name, My name is Shamu,Oh you don't know who I am well you will. So let's start the show everyone. Seaworld my home, is welcoming a new show featuring me and some of my very close friends. Sherman the sea turtle, Jake the polar bear and Danny the crab. Well I guess I should mention that it lasts for one hour. As soon as the sun sets, Seaworld starts the show. The real us will not be here till later but are floats are here. Here my float comes with my favorite performers, fireworks and a surprising blast of water onto the audience. Well My float has passed now, but here comes Sherman's float.Well Sherman has "fishes" ( made with animatronics) swimming around him and his favorite thing in the world, Water! It shoots from everywhere on him and everyone in the crowd is bored because they just had a blast of water from me, Oh come on Sherman do something more than my float did! Well here comes Danny's float, Oh my God! Danny is shooting fireworks from his claws and confetti from his eyes! Awesome trick from the float. Well here comes Jake's float, Jake's float is spraying snow and foam onto the crowd! Oh wow! I think My blubber just came off! Two cool tricks in one day!, Wow Seaworld great job with are floats. Now here I am with my package bundle of tricks and things to dazzle the crowd! Sherman the sea turtle does all his sea tricks and everyone loves it. Then you see jake the polar bear on his block of ice doing backflips and belly flops into the water. Well that was my show you all I hope you enjoyed my show, Come back and see me and the guys again at the wonderful SeaWorld. Oh yes I almost forget the name of my show is Shamu and Friends. Also the location is by journey to Atlantis

From Bryce McGibeny
Posted June 17, 2012 at 7:16 PM
SeaWorld is known for showcasing its well-known marine-life, but what about those creatures that defy everything, those that are alien to us. What will we discover about these...

Wonders of the Deep!

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Wonders of the Deep will be SeaWorld Orlando's nighttime spectacular, featuring water effects, awe-inspiring music, special effects, lasers and more!

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Installed in the lake is hundreds of water jets. Projectors are located at different places around the lake to be able to project images of the deep sea creatures onto the water. Each projector is equipped with an LED light ring. A 420 ft. mist screen is located in the center of the show with the water jets surrounding. There are nine rings of water jets around the mist screen.

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At 8 PM every night, park guests will gather around the central lake and wait for the show to begin. The guests will be directed to the Waterfront area, along the bridge that stretches across the lake and wait for the show to begin. Brochures will be available to educate the guests on those creatures that we know little about. The brochure will serve as a guide for the show and at each different scene, the brochure will describe the animal being featured and give facts to the guests about that animal.

Scene One - Blue Ringed Octopus

The lights dim. The show has begun. The fountains grow taller and taller, and change from deep and dark shades of purple to lighter shades of purple. The fountains tilt towards each other and arch over one another and cross each other. The song "The Falls" from Ennio Morricone's soundtrack for "The Mission" starts playing and the mist screen begins. The blue ringed octopus shows off all that's it can do. It glides across the ocean floor and even through coral reefs. It's truly beautiful. The fountains all direct towards the mist screen and the video stops and the fountains die down and the song ends.

Scene Two - The Viperfish

Out of the silence, the fountains shoot up quickly and the song "Requiem for a Dream" begins. The fountains fade in out of black to green and frantically pop up and down with the sound of the music. The mist screen begins again and it shows quick and fierce images of the scary viperfish making its way through the dark abyss. After general shots of the viperfish, the final shot shows the viperfish charging the camera and everything stops once he is right at the camera. The fountains instantly stop, the mist screen goes off and the viewers are left in complete and utter blackness. A suspenseful end to a scary scene.

Scene Three - The Vampire Squid

The fountains start low and all rise in sequence with each other in an arch formation. The fountains pop with a dark red to bright red and then the mist screen begins once again. A quick shot of the vampire squid will be shown and then it will end with the fountains going wild and lighting up, the fountains will stop and the video will begin again. This will happen 5 times. It is quite suspenseful just like the viperfish scene. No music will be played, but surest classic noise of suspense will be playing during each video clip and then each time when the video ends and the fountains will begin. At the final end of the video the fountains will showcase their vibrant colors and then the scene will end.

Scene Four - The Glass Squid

This time, the mist screen will begin first and the beautiful and seemingly "brighter-side" of the deep will begin playing. The glass squid will be shown floating through the blackness and lighting up with beautiful colors. The song "Yeha-Noha" from the Sacred Spirit soundtrack will be playing over it. The closer and smaller rings of the fountains will have their sequence and will wave back and forth together in harmonization with a white and blue color change. The scene will end with the ring of fountains standing up together and the screen ending and the fountains falling back down into the water.

Scene Five - The Angler-Fish 

The mist screen will begin and a light becomes apparent in the blackness. It comes closer and closer. The "Jaws" theme will be playing and each "dun dun", the fountains will rise for a short amount of time, displaying a faint red. The light draws closer and closer and as so it gets to the last "dun" the angler fish's mouth reaches out of the darkness and "swallows" us. The mist screen stops playing and the fountains stop.

Scene Six - The Finale

As soon as the angler-fish scene ends, all of the fountains will blast up and the song "Adiemus" begins. The will boast an array of rainbow colors that are always changing. Some rows will stop while the others play or all will play at the same time. The mist screen will recap the highlights of the animals. The fountains will cross each other, leap over each other, sway in sequence, shoot into the sky. In the final motion, all fountains will shoot up in the air and will stop as the one before them stops, like dominoes. And the song will stop and the lights will turn on around the show area, signifying it has ended.

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The show will have lasted 34 minutes and have been a great experience, for no extra charge. Guests will be directed to the exit of the park after the show is over.

From Tim W
Posted June 19, 2012 at 7:18 AM
Unfortunately, we have to say goodbye to our first contestant this week, Brett Angwin.

From Chad H
Posted June 22, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Sea World Orlando continues the proud tradition of the sea world parks proud tradition of bringing the world's oceans home. The new show to be presented here today continues this tradition by bringing mankind's oceangoing stories to life, as well as using currently under-utilised assets such as the Bayside Stadium, and the Sesame Street License (which in comparison to other Sea World parks has little to no presence.

Presenting to you:
"Tell me a story" - Featuring Elmo, MidShipman Hornblower and Captain John Paul Jones.

The house lights around the stage area go down, opening an ovature of the Sesame Street theme - but not as you know it, its instead played in a nautical theme. The final part includes a vocalist sining….

Sunny Skies, Sweeping the clouds away, We sail away and smell the salty breeze….. Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Sea? How to get to Sesame Sea?…..

As the theme fades to the "Street Scene" barge enters centre stage. "Street Scene" is a bit of a misnomer because its actually Elmo's bedroom, where several Sesame Street characters including Ernie, Bert, Gordon and Big Bird are present. Elmo is getting ready for bed, but before he can go to sleep…I've

Elmo: Elmo wants to hear a story about the Sea
Cookie: Oh, Cookie knows lots about the Sea
Elmo: Really, Yayyyy
Cookie: (Sings C is for Cookie, to Elmo's protestations)
Elmo: No No No, Elmo wants to hear a story about the big blue sea, the ocean
Ernie: Well, I think I know one….
Elmo: Yayyyyyy
Ernie: (Clears throat) Call me Ernie.
Bert: Seriously, thats what you're starting with? Call me Ernie?
Ernie: Sure, is there something wrong with that?
Bert: No, No, No, Call me Ernie it is….

The "Street scene" barge leaves the area and the first story "Moby Duck" begins . Running for about 25 minutes, this is a parody of the classic "Moby Dick", but with no deaths, and done in a humorous style, and with the characters replaced with Sesame characters

Ernie: Bert, hey Bert
Bert: Thats *Captain* Ay-Bert!

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In the story "Captain Ay-Bert" hunts a giant Rubber Duckie on the high seas, his hubris leading him to lose his friends, boat and everything he holds dear, only learning at the end the value of friendship and co-operations , and has a similar style to the Simpsons' literary parodies - enough nods towards the novel and other pieces of pop culture to keep the "big kids" happy, Still very much G rated to ensure that the Sesame characters fit, and the odd Sesame street Joke that the kids find funny, and the "big kids" find nostalgic.

The Story idetails numerous failed (and humorous) attempts to capture (not kill) "Moby Duck", a big rubber duckie that haunts the dreams of Captain Ay-Bert, each failed attempt seems to cost the characters more and more, with the Pea-Corn soon falling to rags. This quest eventually costs AyBert his ship, and it seems for a while many friendships, but just when its too late, Ay-Bert is able to pull away from and rekindle his friendship with Ernie and the others.

On its completion, The "street barge" again steams into view.

Elmo: "Elmo wants to hear a happy story. Tell Elmo a story of someone who is brave"…
Gordon: Well, I think I know one….

The street scene again leaves, replaced by the sounds of music from ITV'/A&E Networks Hornblower series (it matters not if the series is well known, the music fits around the historical theme, not vice versa), opening the "Midshipman Hornblower" segment.

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The Production is based on the storers It is based on "Hornblower and the Cargo of Rice" (adapted in the first episode "the duel" of the TV series, but with an alternate ending) and "Hornblower and the price of failure" (which did not feature in the TV series, the alternative ending to the "Ship of Rice" segment vs the books skipped this entirely). Unlike the previous story, the actors are human, not sesame characters, and is played "straight" (i.e. not for comedy)

The Royal Navy Frigate "Indefatigable", lead by Captain Pellew after a short "Establishment" speech (explaining that they're blockading the Bay of Biscany in France against Nepolion) engages in combat with a French supply ship and captures it. The battle is extremely dramatic with boarders via swining ropes, canon fire, sword fights on board, etc.

Midshipman Horatio Hornblower conducts himself with distinction in the battle, and for his efforts is rewarded with the assignment to take command the captured ship and a skeleton crew, and take to the nearest British Port and accept from there further instruction.

Along the way, the ship springs a leak - unfortunately the cargo of rice starts to expand in the moisture which has begun to put enormous strain on the hull - catastrophic failure is imminent and the crew abandon ship. The ship (being a subermersable) sinks not long after the crew abandon it.

The crew is rescued by a slaver ship, and the future does not look good for the crew. However the slave ship is soon spotted by the Indefadigable which gives chase. Hornblower escaptes custody during the battle and sabotages the ship (a departure from the books where he set it alight as to not encourage kids to play with fire), ensuring the indefadigable's victory and his rescuce...

The Street scene barge again sails into view

Elmo: Elmo wants to know if that story is true
Gordon: Well, in stories theres always a bit of truth, even if it is all made up
Elmo: But did it really happen
Gordon: Well, No...
Elmo: Elmo wants to hear a story that is true

Opening to Patriotic music, opens "Thirteen Stars and Stripes", an account of John Paul Jones taking the Seraphis, and the rising of the John Paul Jones/Seraphis flag (thirteen Stars and stripes).

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The show opens in France, where Captain John Paul Jones is assigned the command of the Bonhomme Richard, and given the mission to raid British shipping, along with the Alliance.

As the Ships sail the deteriorating relationship between the twho ships is highlighted when the Alliance sails out of view, to the amazement and confusion of Captain Jones.

Eventually, the Bonnhomme Richard catches sight of the Seriphis, and engages it in battle, at an inopportune moment the Alliance reappears . Both ships are heavily damaged, eventually leading the British Captain of the Seraphis to ask the Americans to Surrender. Captain Jones responds with his famous "I have not yet begun to fight" and rallies his men, leading to sword fighting.

The Americans win the battle, and then struggle to save the Bonhomme Richard, but fail. They then sail for the Netherlands, where they are met by the local Noble (The Netherlands port is represented by a stage)

Noble: Welcome to the Netherlands Captain Jones, You have become quite a scourge to the English, they quite literately want your head
Jones: I have not yet begun….
(entering from Stage left) English Ambassidor: Sir, I must protest. This man is nothing but a Pirate. He attacks and repossesses His most Britannic Majesty's rightful vessel fighting under no known flag
Jones: Sir, as you can see, my vessels flag is there: Points to a just revealed "John Paul Jones" flag
Ambassador: That flag belongs to no country. I insist this man be arrested at once
(final few bars of "Star Spangled Banner" start to play)
Jones: I think you will find Sir, it is the Flag of the United States of America, Thirteen Stripes for the States, and on a field of blue 13 stars in a square in the top right corner, representing a new constellation
Noble: Indeed, I have a letter from Benjamin Franklin, the American Ambassador in Paris describing such a flag. We are neutral in your war Mr Ambassador, but i see no pirate here.

As the Star Spangled Banner ends, The Street Scene barge sails back into view, with all the characters are asleep, except Elmo…

Elmo: Now who is going to tell Elmo a story?

As the light goes out the "PeaCorn", the "Indefatigable" and the "Serpahim" renter the Bayside area along with the street scene remaining for a curtain call. The cast encourages everyone to join a final singalong of the "Sesame Sea" theme.

The Sesame Monsters, and the key characters from the latter 2 stories are available for autographs after the show.

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The Production

The Writing in the show has to walk a very fine line. The presence of the Sesame characters could seem a "turn off" to "Big Kids" (Adults, teens, etc). However Elmo and Cookie Monster have appeared on late night comedy and variety programmes to great acclaim (whilst maintaining their "G-rating Friendly" personas), suggesting that if approached right the Sesame linking scenes (and first story) can be nostalgic and funny to these guests, rather than condescending. However when guests examine the show in the entirety it should seem as a "Sea world show which happened to contain the Sesame Characters, much like the Sea World parks are not sesame parks, but happen to feature them.

To help address this line, there are two versions of the show, the "Early" show is is the "Default" version - on days with early closing times this is the only version of the showed played (and is played just the onceonce); the show is scheduled to finish when the park closes whereas on Extended operating hour days the "early" show starts 3.5 hours before closing. The show runs for 90 minutes (25 mins per story, plus a total of 15 mins for the "Street scenes".

The "late" edition, played during extended opening hour seasons changes some of the script slightly to be more focused towards "big kids" - don't be fooled by thinking this means that there is content not suitable for children, at all times the show retains a G rating and is in line with Sesame Workshop guidelines and expectations; however it does include a few more "pop culture" jokes that younger viewers are unlikely to understand. This show is scheduled to finish as the park closes. Like its base show, it is also scheduled to run for 90 mins, with a similar time breakdown.

The Sea Battles do use a fair amount of pyrotechnics to simulate canon fire, as the park has played host to firework shows in the past the potential problems that the loud noises from this may cause appear to have been solved previously, however some care may be needed to ensure that the explosives used are low noise.

The Swordfighting in all the shows is carefully stage managed to appear more comedic than realistic in order to remain "Sesame Friendly".. specifically rather than die or be injured, "losing" fighters fall into the water, or are disarmed/disrobed or otherwise prevented from further battle in amusing ways.

Spotlights and other lighting will be used to help draw the audiences attention to the action.

Resources used:

The main audience area for the production is the Bayside Stadium, which since the end of the Waterski shows appears to be under-utilised, lacking a permanent "headline" show.

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For overspill, the bayside areas near the stadium can be used, or potentially used as a part of an "up charge" experience including a twilight picnic during the show.

"Stages" - Stages, such as the "Street Scene" stage and for land scenes are simple flat barges desssed as the scene requires. They are self propelled to allow them to enter and exit the bayside area as they become active or inactive. Operated on board by an out of sight operator

Full Ships - Full ships appear as miniature versions of real sailing ships. They are partially submersible to allow for "Simulated sinking", taking almost all of the ship below the waterline. They are also self propelled by motors below the waterline. Operated on board by an out of sight operator. The PeaCorn, the Bonhomme Richard, The Alliance, the Serpahim, and the captured French Vessel are "full ships"

Half Ships - on one side of the ship, these appear to be just like the half size, but turning the ship around reveals a second "internal" stage, with a flat stage sitting as balance beyond this. although these ships cannot "sink", the "stage side" can fold into the flat barge, allowing for the simulation of capsizing (as viewed from the "ship side". Like other vehicles used, they are self propelled below the waterline. Operated on board by an out of sight operator. The Indefatigable and the Slaver ship are Half-ships.

"Moby Duck" - A giant motorised rubber Duckie operated by remote control.

Jolly Boat - Used as required in all productions. Has a small hidden motor operated by a cast member on board such that the cast doesnt tire themselves out rowing.
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Other Considerations

Keeping the show fresh: The stories can be mixed up each season to ensure that interest remains high. Possible future stories could include other Hornblower tales, the "Master and Commander" series, Treasure Island, Sinbad, Columbus, Magellan, Captain Cook, etc.

Gift Shop: Books based around the stories in the show can be made available in the gift shop, as can the A&E/ITV Hornblower series DVDs. The Show acts as a good stepping stone for children to get interested in reading. A Programme can also be made available for sale in the stands pre show (much like at a regular stage production).

Sesame Characters: The Shows introduction can be used as a part of a greater marketing push to introduce more sesame characters into the park (similar to how the "Shamu Harbour" in other sea world parks have been re-themed to match the sesame franchise). The announcement of a new Sesame Movie makes this the perfect time to extend the Sesame presence in the park.

Loss of Sesame Franchise: Should Sea World and Sesame Workshop part ways, the "Midshipman Hornblower" and "13 Stars and Stripes" segments can without any changes be rolled into a "Tell Shamu a story" replacement show, with a new "comedy" opening show and linking segment to be written

From Dan Babbitt
Posted June 23, 2012 at 12:35 AM
Elmo and Friends Disco Summer Street Party
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Elmo and his friends from Sesame Street are lightening up the streets of SeaWorld in Orlando Florida with the sounds of a bygone, but beloved, past of DISCO! The Elmo and Friends Disco Summer Street Party will include Sesame Street characters, disco music, floats, live sea animals and millions of colorful dancing lights!

Premise:
Elmo wants to show his new friends, you, his favorite sea animals but instead of just showing you the sea creatures in traditional boring way he decided to invite his friends to a street party and bring the creatures to you! Each float has a prominent Sesame Street character and their favorite sea creature that they want to show. The characters used are the same characters that are seen in the park.

Parade/Party:
The Elmo and Friends Disco Summer Street Party is a hybrid parade and street party. The beginning and end of the Street Party is the traditional parade with music from Sesame Street while the middle is the Street Party where the parade stops and the characters get off the floats and dance with guests while the music is blaring “classic” and “familiar” disco music.

The dancing lights are constructed to dance along with the music. During the disco and street party the dancing part becomes more exaggerated and pronounced. There will be 2 types of floats: featured floats and secondary floats. And then obviously there will be dancers and other non-character performers to talk to guests and actually pull them out of the sides of the street and get them to dance and have fun!

Floats:
Each float will be specially designed for the safety of the creatures that ride inside. The glass of the tank that holds the sea creature will be sound proof and light proof, basically a two way mirror so that you can see in but it cannot be see out. The sound proofing and only seeing one direction ensures the safety of the animals and helps with the stress that the creatures might have. Also when the floats stop disco balls will appear on every float.

Featured Floats:
Float 1:
The first float will feature Elmo and his favorite sea creature sea lions. The sea lion is found all over the world and so the float will reflect that with one side looking like the southern hemisphere, tropical rainforest look and the other side the northern hemisphere and what it looks like. The ends will be the poles just like we have on Earth they are rocky and snowy.

Float 2:
This float will feature Abby Cadabby and her favorite creatures the manta ray. Because the manta ray seems to “fly” through the water, being a fairy, Abby can relate. So the float will look like a cloud in the skies and instead of the float driving on the street it will give you the allusion of gliding down the parade path. The manta rays can be seen throughout the float, from end to end, to give the allusion of flying through the clouds.

abby Cadabby ! Pictures, Images and Photos

Float 3:
The next featured Sesame Street character is the Cookie Monster and his favorite creature the slow moving manatee or sea cow! The float will look like any harbor next to the sea as you drive up and down the coast of Florida. Above the tank will be boats and ships with the manatee below and between the boats. This float not only will be artistically appealing but also serve as a warning to people with boats, especially in Florida, of being aware of your surroundings because you can hurt someone!

Float 4:
The featured character here is Count von Count or The Count and his favorite sea creatures the schools of fish. The Count as you know loves to count so he has brought dozens of fish that are colorful and are different species. This is so that The Count can count individual or groups of fish. The species will include the clown fish, sturgeon, blue stripe snapper and many other types. The float will look like a reef from the bottom of the Caribbean ocean with lots of color and stuff going on. On top of the float will be a ship with a long board sticking out where The Count can hang over and count the fish!

Float 5:
Oscar the Grouch is the next featured Sesame Street character along with his favorite sea creature’s sharks! The float will look like a large sunken pirate ship with cannon ball holes in the sides, the port holes where the cannons should be are wide open but are empty of cannons, the sails are shot up and the characters on the ship are dressed up as pirates. The holes in the ship are where guests can see the sharks. The sharks will be small so that it we can fit a lot in the tank so that everyone will see.

Float 6:
The next Sesame Street character is Rosita and her favorite sea creatures the sea turtles. The float will look like an ocean resort town with colorful buildings, sandy beaches, Ferris wheel, volley ball net, hammocks and beach chairs and picnic setup. This float will get people thinking about cool summer nights at the beach with just relaxing on the sand with family.

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Float 7:
The last “feature float” will feature Grover and his favorite sea creature Shamu! Well not exactly Shamu but his likeness. This float will look like a huge whale and in the likeness of Shamu. Grover will look like one of Shamu’s trainers and what they wear when doing his show. Grover will also look like he is riding Shamu again just like the trainers.

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Secondary floats:
These smaller floats will be interspersed between the “feature floats” to elongate the parade and bring in other sea creatures that are not in the parade. Here the floats are smaller and will look like octopi, dolphins, crabs, lobsters, rays, and other fish.

Details:
The Elmo and Friends Disco Summer Street Party length will roughly be 26 minutes long with the Disco party lasting 12 minutes and the parade lasting 14 minutes. Depending where you are you will have different experiences for example if you are at the beginning you will have a full 14 minute parade and then the full 12 minute party. After the party ends the whole Elmo and Friends Disco Summer Street Party ends and vice versa if you are at the end of the parade route, first the party and then the parade.

Songs:
Sesame Street-
“Sunny Day”
“One of These Things [Is Not Like the Others]"
“I love Trash”
“Sing a Song”
And others…

Disco Songs:
“Rock the Boat”
“YMCA”
Jackson 5 “ABC”
“Kung Fu Fighting”
“(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty”
And others…

Parade Route:
The parade route will start by the refurbished Antarctica pavilion and extend past the Sea Lions and Otters Stadium, Nautilus Theater, Terrace Garden Buffett, past Shamu Stadium (the Water Front side) and ends between Wild Artic and Mango Joe’s.

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The parade route is spread out throughout the park so that the crowds will thing out and intersperse throughout the park and not in the most crowded area.

The Elmo and Friends Disco Summer Street Party will be a fun, family friendly and interactive parade with all your favorite Sesame Street characters and sea creatures.

From Dominick D
Posted June 23, 2012 at 11:54 AM
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Born to Be Wild is a 30 minute nighttime stunt show coming soon to Seaworld Orlando, mixing BMX stunt bikes with live aquatic animals and a new score by John Williams. It takes place nightly ( subject to change based on weather ) in the main lagoon. An expanded stadium will allow more guests to view the show. Preparation for the show begins 2-3 hours prior to show time, with guests being able to enter the stadium 1 hour prior to show time. Each stunt has appropriately colored bikes. Depending on where you sit, you may get wet! The show does not play from mid-January to Groundhogs Day.


SETS:

The sets change each stunt ( the stage is always there ).  Some props ( IE the shark tank ) are underwater the whole time, with the animal being lifted up when it's time.

INTRO:

The show begins with our host  introducing him/herself on the stage. Our host tells us that you're in for a great show, leaves stage, then the first stunt begins.

STUNT 1:

The stunt begins with "Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf playing. On the stage, there is a 4-way ramp about 10 feet tall.  In addition to the ramps, there's a stage in front of the stadium for the bikers to jump. 2 BMX performers ( Red and Black ) come out on the stage when the lyrics begin. The jumps will vary based on their bike. Colored Fountains accompany the lyrics. Look up the song on You Tube to get an idea on how high they will go.. During the choruses and solos, 2 orcas will do jumps and flips, taking the spotlight from the bikers. When the song ends, fireworks shoot up in the air. While Stunt II is underway ( this goes for all stunts ), our host will tell us a little about the next stunt and interact with us.

STUNT II:

This stunt will use the stage, 2 large ramps on the sides of the lagoon, 2 pathways to and from the stage and ramps, a ring of fire, and the shark tank with 2 live sharks. Stunt II is based on Evel Knievel's classic shark tank jump.

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Please note the score sounds nothing like Jaws's score. The stunt begins with the biker ( White )  getting endurance on stage for the big jump through the ring of fire. When the biker is ready, he approaches one of the ramps and makes a jump. While he has airtime, he may do a spin or two. Once the biker lands, he'll go back to the stage and back to the other ramp. This is done 4 or 5 times, then the stunt is over.
 
STUNT III:

Stunt III is an act that will change depending on the season.

Winter- If its winter time, it's themed to the North Pole. Two bikes and riders are themed like elves, while the other is themed like Santa's sleigh. The water is transformed into Santa's workshop. The 2 elves ride along the workshop, causing mayhem to ensue. Santa comes on his BMX sleigh to stop it all and fix it. Expect this act to have a lot of Christmas spirit and candy canes. This stunt runs from November to mid-January.  Unlike all the other stunts, this one has no live animals, but the front of the BMX sleigh has a red light to represent Rudolph.

Spring- If it's spring time, it's themed to Dolphins.
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Dolphins can jump high, and so can BMX bikers. The stunt is a mix of those two things. A stage with a ramp is near the stadium, with 4 ramps on stage. The bikes are themed like dolphins ( Blue and Grey ). At the start of the stunt, the biker dolphins will jump around the stages, then the two dolphins in the water repeat their moves. The bikers do a different round of stunts, followed by the dolphins. After one more set, the stunt is over. The stunt runs from Groundhogs Day until the first day of summer.

Summer- If it's summer, Shamu gets his own stunt.
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Instead of a live trainer, the BMX biker is the trainer. Shamu will do some jumps and flips on his own, then the biker on stage shows Shamu what to do. He does the bikers tricks, then he goes back to freestyle. After freestyle, the stunt is over. The stunt runs from the first day of summer until Labor Day.

Fall- If it's fall, Elmo and his pals from Sesame Street perform a Halloween themed stunt. The bikers are themed to Sesame Street characters ( Elmo, Big Bird, Abby, Grover, Cookie Monster, and the Count ), and the characters are AAs on stage ( same characters as the bikers ). Elmo says your in for a treat, a Halloween treat! The AA characters on stage tell us about the first part of the stunt, which is a big trick or treat hunt for the bikers. The bikers will fly through giant candy pieces for 4 minutes, followed by some aquatic animals in their Halloween costumes. The animals featured are an Orca, a Seal, and a Penguin. The costume contest lasts about 3 minutes, then the gang tells their scores. After the winner is declared, Elmo thanks us for joining in. The stunt runs from Labor Day until November.


STUNT IV:

For the grand finale, everything that the audience loved will get mixed together in one stunt ( minus the shark jump ). To top it off, an orchestrated version of Born to be Wild will be playing alongside it. The host thanks us for coming to the show and enjoy your night!

From Tim W
Posted June 23, 2012 at 9:42 AM
Heres an update of what is going on contestants:

We have been notified earlier in the week that a contestant will need until Sunday night to post. Also, I am aware the posting blackout this past Thursday into Friday left some people unable to post during those days. As a result, we have granted the 24 hour extension, and will offer the extension for everyone in the competition.

Due to the unexpected delays, are poll will be up as soon as the last contestant posts (hopefully Sunday afternoon at the latest). This will hopefully not affect the poll much, but may push it back to end on Tuesday. You will than have 5 days to post at the conclusion of the poll, instead of the usual 6 days. Plan accordingly for this change. You will still all be receiving challenge 5 on Sunday, as normal. Keep in mind, this weekend schedule is still all tentative, and can change. Thanks everyone.

Tim

From Chad H
Posted June 23, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Just a clarification in mine: The latter two of the three stories during their dramatic elements are played straight (i.e. when the characters are talking, etc). The only exception to this is the Sword fighting, which is performed in a comedic way at avoid having to have "blood and gore".

From AJ Hummel
Posted June 23, 2012 at 3:06 PM
Note: I originally wrote this show to go into the Cirque de la Mer stadium at SeaWorld San Diego, which is open to the sea. By moving it to the Orlando park, it is at a location where this is no longer the case. As a result, a couple portions may seem a bit odd, but would definitely make sense in the original location.

Fiends of the Sea

Most of SeaWorld's shows are dual focused: they have an entertainment aspect and an educational component. This show, however, is purely for entertainment. There are no visible trainers on stage at any point, and no narration. Instead, this is a nighttime spectacular incorporating live animals, performers, stages, boats, water fountains, mist screens, lights, and a few pyrotechnic elements.

Location: For the show, SeaWorld Orlando's bayside stadium would be refurbished and upgraded. A viewing area would also be added along the walkway, although this would provide obscured views of some elements.

Show Area: The show would utilize the entire lower portion of the lake. If necessary, the bridge could be rebuilt to allow for more space. The actual stage set-up for the show would be rather complex. Directly in front of the audience, a retractable stage would be constructed. The walls of this stage would sink completely out of view when not in use, but the platform would remain stationary. Behind this, fountains would be set up in the water, then a large show tank with a channel for lake water through the center would be present. The tank would be one body, allowing animals to swim under the water channel. Low walls make the tank appear to be a portion of the lake during the show. Two platforms would be located next to this tank, one on each side, for trainers to stand on. During the show, they would always be kept in shadow. Beyond this, the lake would be utilized.

Additional Infrastructure: To allow for the performing animals in the show, tanks would be added behind Mango Joe's Cafe. A boat dock would be located on the other side of the lake, behind Seafire Inn.

Show: The show would have a runtime of approximately 25 minutes, and be performed one to three times nightly. In general, most weeknights and all off-season nights would see a single performance, while peak season weekends would get two. Three performances generally only occur on holidays or during special events.

Opening: The musical score that accompanies the entire show begins to play. At just the right moment, all the lights around the stadium and on the walkways go out. A choreographed fountain show with lights coloring the water begins the performance. After this short sequence, a mist screen appears in the center of fountain area, and images of sea creatures are projected onto it, including some rarely seen ones. The introduction lasts approximately four minutes. At the end of the introduction, the following text is shown:

"The world under the sea is more varied than that of the land above. Parts of it are still unknown to mankind. However, others are familiar to most."

Sequence 1: Images of dolphins are projected onto the screen while fountains spring up out of the water nearby, creating splash effects as the image dolphins appear to leap in and out of the water. Suddenly, as a pair of dolphins are at mid-jump, the screen vanishes and the lights around the show pool turn on, illuminating a real pair of dolphins just where the virtual pair appeared to be. They perform a series of tricks synchronized to the music, and colored lights illuminate the water. Fountains accent the performance where appropriate. The dolphins are joined by the pilot whales who often accompany them in performances. This sequence lasts approximately three minutes, then all the lights go out and the mist screen returns.

Interlude: Images are projected onto the screen again. This time, they depict animals that are often thought of as villainous, such as sharks. At the end of this sequence, the following text appears: "But these creatures are not the true villains of the sea..." The screen then deactivates and the channel in the middle of the arena is illuminated.

Sequence 2: A small dingy sits in the channel with a couple sailors on board. A barrier rope is visible in the background, but it appears that the sailors somehow didn't notice it. They begin a conversation, but stop as ominous music is heard. The two sailors attempt to start the engine, but it won't start. Almost simultaneously, a fin becomes visible in the water. One of the sailors notices and calls out "Shark!" The two sailors pull out paddles and begin to paddle as the fin approaches. As it reaches the dingy, however, the fin disappears. The boat rocks and one of the sailors falls overboard into the tank. He tries to climb onboard, but before he can do so he appears to be dragged under. A moment later, the sailor reappears, being launched out of the water by a killer whale. He flails through the air and crashes into the pool as the lights turn off. This sequence is approximately three minutes.

Interlude: The fountains briefly reactivate in a colored water show. This sequence, however, is very short, and ends with the lake being illuminated.

Sequence 3: Three patrol boats drive around the lake. They appear to be searching for something or someone. The patrollers at work talk about an incident involving Shamu and a couple intruders in an aquatic vessel. They mention that fortunately neither party was hurt. It appears that they are searching for the two sailors. This section is a little shorter, only about two minutes, and leads directly into the next sequence.

Sequence 4: The walls on the stage rise. The set appears to be the interior of an office. A small group of people in business attire sit at a table. The two sailors stand in front of them. They describe the whale incident that was seen in sequence two. The businessmen appear very interested, and immediately come to the conclusion that this must be an escaped killer whale from SeaWorld since it didn't attack. They decide to capture it and use it in a brand new show at their rival park, Oceanland. All the businessmen rise and accompany the sailors off the stage. This scene is approximately three minutes.

Interlude: The stage collapses as the mist screen reappears. A fake commercial for Oceanland, promoting the new killer whale show, is shown. The commercial lasts approximately a minute, then the screen deactivates and the entire stadium goes dark.

Sequence 5: Action-style music begins playing as a large ship, larger than the patrol boats, floats on stage. They sweep the dark lake using a searchlight. After a brief period, they find the fin again. A command is given to fire a flare, and with the firing of a blank the entire arena lights up with orange light. The ship, now fully visible, is covered in nets and other equipment that appear to be designed to capture marine life; these are not the lethal weapons of a whaling ship. As they close in on the whale, a shot is heard and another boat comes onto the scene, one of the patrol boats. A four minute ship battle follows using pyrotechnics to simulate gunshots. During the battle, the larger ship falls apart, eventually being revealed as nothing but a stolen patrol boat being driven by the head of Oceanland. A few lines are exchanged, eventually revealing that this whole confrontation is occurring at SeaWorld. The killer whale then leaps out of the water and lands with a large splash right next to the head of Oceanland's boat, soaking him. One of the patrollers climbs over to this boat and takes control of the wheel.

Finale: Once the boats are clear of the area, the finale of the show starts. All the animals used in the show are released into the show tank, and they perform a unique routine once again choreographed to the music while colored lights illuminate the tank and fountains spray into the air. The final portion lasts approximately four minutes, then the show ends with an impressive splash as all the animals simultaneously leap out of the water and land together.

From Andy Milito
Posted June 24, 2012 at 6:27 AM
Wow, Dom and I had similar ideas when it comes to music! I considered making Williams the composer for my show, but I don't know if SeaWorld could get a master like him, so I went with my third favorite composer (behind Williams and Hans Zimmer)!
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seaworld
SeaWorld Orlando: 40 Years of FUN!

2013 will be SeaWorld Orlando's 40 anniversary, and to celebrate, SeaWorld Orlando will have a brand new, one of a kind experience in the form of a night show!

"40 Years of FUN!" would mix projections, water jets, lasers, and fireworks with live animals and a fantastic original score to create a dazzling show full of aquatic creatures from all over the world!

Located at a modified Atlantis Bayside Stadium on the east side of the park, the show would use the same seating arrangement, but the stadium would be closed off in the bay for a full "stadium" experience.

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After all guests have been seated and the show is ready to begin, the lights dim, and the show starts!

Water would shoot out of the jets surrounding the water as a brand new theme for SeaWorld, composed by Academy Award winning composer Michael Giacchino, known for movie scores such as "The Incredibles", "Up", "Super 8", and "Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol", as well as the acclaimed TV show "Lost".

Projectors hooked to the top of the stage would project a Mollweide projection map of the Earth would appear on the water. As guests view this map, a large red dot would center across North America, beginning the first scene of the show. An announcer would then come on to announce the animals being shown throughout the show.

SCENE 1: North America
Featured animal: Bottlenose Dolphin

As a patriotic march blares in the background, some of the most recognizable saltwater mammals in the country, bottlenose dolphins, would be introduced. As the majestic creatures jump and do tricks for guests, lasers and the water jets would make beautiful patterns to go along with the beautiful creature. Trainers would return to the water to do tricks with the dolphins as well!

SCENE 2: Antarctica
Featured animal: Gentoo Penguin

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As the music dies down, the map is projected back onto the water. As the red dot on North America slowly vanishes, a new one appears over Antarctica, introducing us to the Gentoo penguins! A jazzy track would play as the goofy Gentoos would waddle, slide, and swim on the platforms above the water, as well as below it. The water jets would be prominent in this scene. This scene would be highly comedic, encouraging guests to laugh.

SCENE 3: Australia
Featured animal: Dugong

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The map appears again to direct guests to the next scene, Australia. A traditional track of Australian music, complete with didgeridoo, plays to match the slow yet amazing movements to the dugong. As these creatures don't jump or do tricks, this scene would be much more relaxed than the rest. However, the lasers would provide a more active entertainment.

SCENE 4: Africa
Featured animal: Great White Shark

Africa would light up on the projection next. As the map vanishes, smoke machines simulate a dense fog as a track, reminiscent of John Williams's terrifying "Jaws" theme, blares behind the guests. Found commonly in South Africa, these terrifying creatures haunt boaters and divers the same way guests are haunted during the show.

SCENE 5: Europe
Featured animal: Harbor Seal

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The next scene, focusing on Europe, would feature the harbor seal. Much like the penguin scene, this is another comedic scene, mixing water jets and lasers with the animal comedy. The song would be a much more classical approach, although the comedic aspect of seals would still be in play, thanks to trainers in the water.

SCENE 6: Asia
Featured animal: Walrus

Changing the scene to Asia, this scene would feature the goofy walrus. Mixing Japanese pop music (where walruses can be found) with traditional sounds, the one of a king song would match these lumbering creatures perfectly, adding to another comedic showing! The trainers would be present in this scene as well.

SCENE 7: South America
Featured animal: Leatherback Turtle

The last of the country related scenes would be met with the Leatherback turtle. With a track full of traditional Latin music, with a Giacchino touch, guests would watch as the turtles swim and act adorable as ever. Water jets would spew with every beat of the constant percussion in Latin music.

SCENE 8: Finale

After the South America scene, all lights would go out. Giacchino's most intense track of the night would slowly start with percussion, and slowly blow into an amazing melody to go with the final scene of the night, featuring what many would call the most recognizable animal at the park. Shamu!

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Featuring lasers, water jets, smoke, and a grand fireworks display, this final scene would be the show-stopper, with Giacchino's track being icing on the cake.

The show would last between 35-40 minutes, and would be shown at the end of the day, leading up to the park's closing.

From Joseph Catlett
Posted June 23, 2012 at 6:16 PM
SEA WORLD Orlando presents a magical, musical voyage…

NIGHT TIME IN THE KEY OF SEA
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This nightly spectacular will take place on the park’s lagoon and will feature sparkling high powered fountains, laser lights, cirque style acrobats and a great rock and roll soundtrack. This show’s musical soundtrack will feature fantastic, well known music performed by the original artists. All songs will have to do with aspects of the sea and ocean life with laser lights and fountains “dancing” to the music as cirque style performers will engage in dance routines inspired by the music.
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As crowds gather and the lights around the lagoon begin to dim, the song “THE OCEAN” by Led Zepplin will begin playing as the fountains on the lagoon start swaying in the style of the oceans waves. The area then goes into blackout and returns with a stage in the center of the lagoon now filled with performers dressed like 18th century sailors dancing a sailor to the tune of “THE SAILOR’S HORNPIPE” a traditional sailors tune (it can be heard in the opening bars of the Popeye the Sailor theme song) as the fountains leap about. As the song finishes, the ship’s officer steps forward and begins to sing “I AM THE VERY MODEL OF A MODERN MAJOR GENERAL” from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. This very tricky and fast paced song will be accompanied by fountains bursting upwards to the frenetic pace of the song. At the end of the song, the modern major general completely out of breath falls off stage and into the lagoon.
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The show then shifts focus to beneath the waves as the performers on stage now take up giant tentacle arms as the song “OCTOPUS’ GARDEN” by the Beatles begins to play. The fountains bop lazily along and the laser lights draw psychedelic designs on the mist. Now it’s time to rock, it’s not a rock…it’s a “ROCK LOBSTER” by the B-52s as a giant lobster puppets take to the stage and play oversized drums and guitars as the fountains go wild. Our sea life medley ends with “BARRACUDA” by Heart which scares off the performers on stage and we head into the next blackout.
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The lights return and the fountains arc towards the sky from one direction to the next faster and faster as the opening strains of “SURFING BIRD” by the Trashmen starts playing which leads us into “ROCKAWAY BEACH” by The Ramones and then “SURFING SAFARI” by the Beach Boys with the medley ending with “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” by Brian Hyland. This medley of music will feature the performers on stage dancing to the music in a 60s Frankie and Annette Beach party vibe.

Things slow down a bit and the lasers draw pictures on the mist of hearts and valentines as “Sea of Love” by The Honeydrippers and “Beyond the Sea” by Bobby Darrin play, the fountains moving in tandem with the music as the performers on stage interpret the music in a modern dance fashion.
The show then ends with a curtain call of the performers, fountains and lasers with fireworks as “COME SAIL AWAY” by Styx plays during the grand finale.
As the area lights start to rise and the audience begins to disperse from the show area, the exit music will be “FROM THE EDGE OF THE DEEP GREEN SEA” by The Cure as the park crowd control leads people from the show area and towards the park exits. What a great way to end your day at SEA WORLD!

From Michelle Kowalski
Posted June 24, 2012 at 9:38 AM
Into the Ice
Introduction: Into the Ice is a night time show that incorporates interpretive dance, water effects, and fireworks. The purpose of the show is to bring awareness to the struggles of wildlife in Antarctica and enthrall the guest with a riveting performance.

The Stage: Located at Bayside Stadium; the fifty by thirty foot stage floats on top of the lake. The stage has both overhead and downstage lighting, along with an LED lit dance floor. Behind the stage is a fabricated glacier that houses a fly system. Projections of Arctic wildlife and scenery are shown on the fly system during the performance. On both sides of the stage, there are five fountain nozzles that shoot up water various times throughout the show. Hidden a ways behind the stage is a platform containing fireworks for the shows finale.
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The Dancers: The dance team is comprised of fifteen different dancers, most of which are classically trained in ballet and/or interpretive dance. Six of the dancers are “Ice Dancers”, four are “Polar Bear Dancers”, three are “Penguin Dancers”, and two are soloist. The “Ice Dancers” are all women dressed in ice blue and white skirted leotards. They are considered as the background dancers of the performance. Clad in all white with furry arm and leg warmers are the “Polar Bear Dancers”. The “Penguin Dancers”, who are mostly males, are dressed in tuxedo like unitards. Lastly, the two soloists have very unique costumes. The First soloist, “Mother of the Ice” embodies all that is Antarctica. She is dressed in an ornate leotard and tutu. Her makeup and hair are very strong and detailed. “Destruction” is the second soloist and represents all evil forces aiding in struggles of the Arctic. Played by a male character, he is dressed in an all black unitard adorned with bold red fabric flowing from the arms and legs.
The music: A unique musical piece was composed specifically for the show. It was made to suit the dramatics in each scene.
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"Ice Dancer"

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"Mother of the Ice"

The Show: The initial performance starts at 9:00 PM (or an hour before park closing, depending on those days’ hours) and will be approximately twenty five minutes long. The guests can begin to take their seats thirty minutes before the show.
At the start of the show, all lights are off except for the LED dance floor and the fly system. The Ice dancers enter the stage and take their starting positions at the front of the stage. The music queues and the dancers start dancing while forming a tight circle in the middle of the stage. The circle begins to break as the Polar Bear dancers enter the stage. They enter in two groups from both sides of the stage in a very playful fashion. At this time the stage hands, whom are dressed in all black, pick up sequined flags. The flags are waved in front of the stage to signify fish. The Polar Bear dancers move to the front of the stage and act as if they are fishing. On both sides of the stage, the water effects start to shoot up gentle spurts of water. Soon, the flags start to slowly dissipate and the Polar Bears begin to exit the stage.

Still on stage, the Ice dancers continue to dance as the Penguins enter. They waddle their way on stage in one group on the right side of the stage. The Penguins take place at the front of the stage. All together the Penguins turn about a quarter ways to the left. One by one, the Penguins starts to make sliding motions down the front of the stage. They arise and make their way to center stage. At this point the lighting starts to turn from a cheery blue to a frightening red. Looking frightened, the Penguins and ice dancers run off the stage.

After the Penguins and Ice dancers have completely exited, “Destruction” storms onto center stage. A spotlight is dropped on him and he starts his dance. Starting in the center he disturbingly prances around the stage while the water features shoot the water up violently. After a couple moves the “Mother of the Ice” enters with a spotlight on her. The water effects calm. She is in complete shock of Destructions presents. Mother of the Ice makes her way over to Destruction and they begin a dueling dance. The water features are now shooting up sporadically. Towards the end of the dueling dance, Mother of the Ice begins to weaken and collapse. Destruction steps back from her as all other dancers enter the stage. Crowded around Mother of the Ice, the dancers begin to morn. They then turn towards Destruction and ward him off of the stage. The lights, water and music brighten and become more joyous as Mother of the Ice arises. All the dancers except Destruction join in for the final number.

The final number is a very happy and heartfelt piece. At the very end of the group dance, when the music makes its final punch, the fireworks shoot into the sky. The fireworks are very short, consisting of only four mortar rounds. They are white and blue in color and shoot about two hundred and fifty feet into the sky. After the fireworks have been shot off, the dancers take their final bow and exit the stage. Guests are then free to exit the stadium and further enjoy the park.

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From Alan Hiscutt
Posted June 24, 2012 at 2:21 AM

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SeaWorld Orlando brings to you the one of a kind, 'Above the Waves Party' Every Saturday Night, SeaWorld Hosts the Biggest Party this side of New Year’s! With Live music and a Laser and Firework display over at the Bayside Arena.

The Party in the park opens at 7pm until approximately 11 pm, all the rides are open but the animal enclosures will be closed. Live Party Music will be played, street performers will be doing their thing around the Park, Magicians, Dancers, Jugglers and Gymnasts will be moving around to entertain the guests.

The Party music will consist mainly of cheesy pop music, the generic party tunes and all time classics. Songs that people tend to associate with school Discos and wedding receptions. This music choice was made with the emphasis on 'Party' it is not a 'Club' substitute or a music festival, nor is it designed to promote things like Mardi Gras or Independence Day. It’s a party that SeaWorld host once a week for people to come and have fun, see the rides lit up at night, have a drink or two and generally have a good time.

All the parks rides will be open as will the restaurants (last orders for food and drink to be called at 10pm) with additional vendors out selling drinks from mobile stations, but for obvious reasons, all areas that involve the animals will be closed off and none of the animal exhibits (IE Stingray Lagoon) will be open to guests.

The music will be played all over the park but will be played from a DJ Booth situated by the Bayside Stadium. Guests will be invited to join in and dance or just enjoy the music as the night wears on.


At 10.30 the music will stop, all the rides will stop and all attention will be diverted to the Bayside stadium. A specially designed water and light show will take place. Set to more party music. The water show will include the usual water dancing, fountains, cascades, Water skiing and Dolphins.


The show starts with a series of water fountains dancing to the music in the lagoon by the Bayside stadium. (1 minute 22)


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The second part will consist of the water chase. A series of Jets that shoot up in an arc, land and then another jet shoots up and it moves around the lagoon, the chase comes from a Dolphin who is trying to catch the water. (Think the water outside Journey into imagination at EPCOT if you are struggling with the concept, but obviously on a much larger scale)

Each spurt will be illuminated by colours and will be in time to the music. As the Dolphin makes the final jump, in keeping with shows the world over, the last one is the biggest, a full 360 somersault. (2.47)

A change of music and our first look at the jet skis. They will use ramps hidden just below the water to perform a series of stunts (I imagine to be set to Steppenwolf’s Born to be Wild) the climax of their stunts being when a water screen is formed. An image of a ring of fire is projected onto the water screen (think how Fantasmic uses water to create a screen and project images) and as they make the jump a large flame pyrotechnic explodes, plunging the arena into darkness and silence. (2.51)

Suddenly The lagoon is lit up and The Water skiers appear, followed by colored spot lights as the traditional pyramid formation passes with a wave, the skiers are accompanied by the jet skis who do a couple of jumps as they circle the lagoon. As they finish their sequence, the music fades away and the lights dim (2.27) aside from one large spotlight.

It scans the lagoon until it comes to rest on a small series of bubbles that are growing. Lady GaGa's just dance starts playing and the Dolphins are back dancing to the music and doing their usual tricks .As they finish their routine (3.11) a huge water fountain starts to form. Slowly growing in size until there is a huge wall of water illuminated in a menagerie of colours as music plays.

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Suddenly an explosion of light and colours and the Fountain changes to the water screen again and the Iconic image of Shamu's tail starts to wave, the lights dim until all is left is the image of Shamu's tail then through the screen Shamu himself appears to bid everyone good night in a huge jump that causes a splash, but as he lands, water cannons fire a burst of water at the unsuspecting audience. After all, if you can party, why can’t Shamu have some fun? (3.33. Total run time 16 minutes 31 seconds)

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The need for a large video screen will have to be considered to allow everyone a better view, after all it is night time and despite the lights that will be used, not everyone will have the ideal vantage point

The whole night is a package with the water show being the finale. The Party in the Park is aimed to keep people in the park longer and also to attract the key 18-30 demographics for the party. The Street performers give it a more fun and intimate feel with music being heard all over the park.

Making this a once a week event means that people can plan ahead, use it for Birthdays, Anniversaries and not put too much extra work on the staff. It also means that it won’t disrupt the attractions such as Reflections that are already in place. In the future should this prove successful there is no reason why the format could not be carried over to the other SeaWorld parks (and perhaps the other Blackstone properties as well)

From David L.
Posted June 24, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Journeys: The Bottlenose Dolphin

“Gentle, strong, friendly, fierce, the dolphin is an enchanting creature of the deep, one we think we know so well, but their journey through life can be an extraordinary adventure unlike any other.” These beginning words are the only spoken words during Seaworld Orlando’s new nighttime spectacular.

Location: Park guests get to enter the Bayside Stadium up to 1 and ½ hours before the show starts at sunset.

Tech: Live dolphin footage is projected on to water screens and large curtains trailing from motor boats.

Sound: A musical score by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (No, I’m not biased toward my home town at all…) plays in a surround sound system in the stadium. The music ranges from graceful, to playful, and even ominous when appropriate.

Opening: After the aforementioned quote, the entire stadium goes dark and the fountains (only colored with blues, greens, and grays) rise up to sway back and forth at about 75 feet above the lake. Dolphins are seen swimming about on the screens while a single curtain (motorboat with a trailing curtain) crosses in front displaying a mother dolphin and a newborn calf following. As the curtain crosses behind the fountains, the dolphins on the fountains disperse and the mother and calf are highlighted on the fountains (now in steady streams). The calf begins to swim away, but the mother pulls him back. He tries again, but she holds him back. He then tries to trick her by swimming behind her, but she catches him. The lights fade, and the fountains fall.

Childhood: The lights come up revealing the fountains moving in constant waves. The mother and calf are projected on two different curtains gliding up and down as they cross the lake. The mother exits and two more small dolphins enter (also projected on their own curtains). All three weave back and forth dodging between each other and diving over one another. The original calf swims away from the others and transitions on to the fountains. He swims across from the far right fountains all the way to the left for the transition to the next scene.

Tuna: The dolphin, now slightly larger than before, turns around and joins a group of tuna swimming. They cross to the right side, but a series of fountains (these ones are colored brown) closer to the stadium shoot up 100 feet as a large net traping both the tuna and the dolphin. The fountains are spaced apart every 15 feet so guests can still see beyond. In the back, the dolphin swims back and forth on a curtain, while the tuna are seen on 3 shredded ones. All the curtains jerk back and forth trying to escape the net. Human yells are heard, but no distinct words can be made out. Half of the net releases, the close fountains come down. The dolphin swims free, and all goes black.

Attack: A spotlight appears following another shredded curtain, but instead, a great white shark swims across the lagoon (insert JAWS-like music while the spotlight shines). The spotlight goes out and the fountains rise showing the dolphin, now full grown, swimming with a pod of others. They glide across the fountains while seemingly jumping up *out* of the water (above the water screen, unseen) before diving back in. Suddenly, the great white appears on a curtain lunging toward the dolphins. The dolphins disperse from the fountain and come out on curtains. They circle the shark, yet the shark still lunges. The dolphins lunge in return forcing the shark to leave or die. He leaves and the lights come down.

Finale: Dolphins are seen swimming on the fountains together in a pod. The dolphin we have come to know and love enters from the right. He follows a certain dolphin around finally cornering her at the bottom of the fountains. The others swim off, and the two transition to curtains. They swim around the lagoon circling each other and getting close. All the while, fountains gently rise and fall around them. Finally, the main fountains in the back rise and leave a small opening in the middle. Together, the two make for that point. As they pass through, the fountains, music, and lights all fade into nothing.

The show is over, and guests exit the stadium heading toward the park exit.

Journeys: The Bottlenose Dolphin will let guests see a different perspective on the lives of the dolphin.

*Tim or James or Jeff, for some reason my entire post is centered and I can't seem to correct that. It just seems to make it look awkward. If anyone knows how to fix that let me know.*

From Jeff Elliott
Posted June 24, 2012 at 4:19 PM
Don't know what causes that.....it happened last week as well.....don't worry about it.....I don't think there is anything we can do about it.....

From Tim W
Posted June 24, 2012 at 8:03 PM
Karly- While reading through your show, I thought that this is the third chance given to improve the writing style, organization, and grammar. The organization still needs major improvements, as it seems to be getting worse as the weeks go on. Mentioning the title and location at the end of the show, as an afterthought, made your organization extremely clumsy. The grammar and spelling needs a slight bit of improvement. As for the show, it was a bit hard to understand since it was composed in first person; I would advise you to use third person in the future. The use of phrases such as “I guess” and “I almost forgot” should not have any place in your proposal, as those phrases make the tone sound unprofessional. As for the storyline, it sounds like an entertaining show for children, but I am not sure how the show is considered a nighttime spectacular. It focuses a lot on animal tricks, which are common for the daytime shows. The narration that has been used, is done well, but again, I would not utilize first person for the entirety of future proposals.

Bryce- I enjoyed the angle that has been taken in your proposal, by not focusing on the obvious. It made the show sound original, giving guests a glimpse into other marine life. You kept your organization clear, while mentioning specific details such as time and location. I thought the scenes were well thought out, and appreciated the fact that they were set to a handpicked music playlist. I wish we did get a bit more of an explanation as to why each musical selection was picked for every scene. While the show seems to mimic World of Color, somewhat, I think you still did a wonderful job with your descriptions and show sequence. You seemed to pay close attention to specific details, such as the color of the fountains during each scene. Going in to the finale, it sounded like a lot of fun to be able to experience with the jumping fountains and abundance of colors.

Chad- I think starting off with focusing on Sesame Street was a very bold choice. I thought the story was done well, relating the Sesame Street characters to a story about the sea. I thought you included a lot of humor within the proposal, such as the Moby Duck scene. While I did not think at first this show would have a universal audience, ranging from teens to adults, I think the kids would be extremely amused. The sword fighting does make up for this issue in my opinion, attracting some teenage boys to the show. Finally, I thought the inclusion of the America tribute made it really special, furthering your attraction to all audience. I think you did a great job with combining storytelling and the organization this week, something that had to be worked on within the last two weeks. You clearly defined all aspects of the show, including mechanics and show stunts.

Dan- Reading a second Sesame Street themed proposal right after might have been a bit redundant. However, you took a completely different angle with the Sesame Street characters and I applaud you for that. I think your show is extremely kid orientated, combining dance with song and sea themed aspects. I liked the float aspect of your show where you broke down all the characters into showing their favorite sea animals. It was a cool idea, and I enjoyed reading the reasoning that was used in the choice of animals. The parade for me is reminiscent of Disney’s Pixar Play Parade, something that my little cousins adore. I think the song list chosen was perfect for creating this fun parade. While I did think this would not attract the largest audience, I think you targeted the right demographic for parade viewers.

Dominick- I thought the stunt show was a clever way to go this week. Having aquatic themed stunts with sharks and whales was a good idea for a nighttime spectacular and will be an attraction for a wide audience. The show’s premise is to have endless high thrills, which made for an entertaining show. I think Stunt 2 was the best stunt of the show, to reenact Evel Knievel’s famous jump. Stunt 3 seemed a bit cluttered to me, rotating with the scenes. The Spring and Summer stunts featuring Shamu and dolphins were a good choice. However, the Fall and Winter themed stunts seemed very gimmicky to me. As for the finale, more explanation would have been much desired. Just noting that it combines every stunt, does not give the reader much sense of what will be going on. I think it was kind of a sour note to end on, because some of the other stunts featured were good. An amazing stunt at the end would have put this show over the top.

AJ-Your organization and attention to detail is still flawless within this week’s proposal. I applaud you for the writer’s notes you decided to include, as well as for the show area description. The opening sounds like pure magic, reminding me of the Bellagio water fountains in Las Vegas. Without much of a “storyline”, you still managed to go into such great detail with all of the sequences, making each sound absolutely stunning. The dolphin sequence that you included was my absolute favorite scene of the show, making me envision this as being a dance in the air and water. As you dive into the storyline of the show during scene 3, I think the show takes a turn for the better. The story of a rival park capturing an animal made for a great story, showing an educational aspect to the show that is entertaining. Everyone loves a good scandal that happens, forcing the audience to root against Oceanland. After the troubling scenes have been delivered, the finale returns to the beauty introuduced in the first scene and ends on a positive.

Andy- Focusing on SeaWorld’s 40th anniversary was a marvelous thing to capitalize on while making this new nighttime spectacular. While you start with the scenes, one thing I wish you would have expanded upon was the stunts that would be included. I did think you featured an eclectic mix of animals ranging from walruses to turtles, and relating an animal to each continent. I thought this was a clever idea. I did think the flow of continents could have been organized a bit better as I did not understand why the scene jumped from North America to Antarctica, and so on. As for the finale, I think much improvement was needed here. Just ending with the mention of Shamu, along with special effects did not make for the most thrilling finale for the show. I did not think it encompassed what the whole show was about, but merely made a move to show Shamu in the final scene. I would expand upon your closing statements next week to make sure the audience understands how the closing relates back to the entire show.

Joseph- The musical themed, cirque show was one that I had hoped you would do. I enjoyed you cirque show so much within TOC, and I was happy to hear the direction of this proposal. I think you did a great job with explaining how the fountains and the scene would relate to each of your hand picked aquatic songs in the beginning. I thought it was an excellent idea to have the music of the Beatles, Heart, and Led Zeppelin combined together in a heart pumping concert event. There is a lot of focus going on with the music though, and not so much with what the audience would be seeing. I wish more focus would have been put on thrilling acrobatics, where people would be flying and attempting stunts. The show sounds like a blast, with the focus on many superstars. However, the lack of a visual attraction, leads the audience focusing on hearing the show than seeing the show. The laser lights, fountains, and dance numbers can only last so long, before an audience tends to lose interest.

Michelle- I think you redeemed yourself this week with what I thought was the most original and different direction to go with a show. Focusing on the Antarctic, and the struggles animals face is a great way to combine education with visually appealing elements. You composed a nice description of the stage and dance floor, including a great picture to be a visual aid. The focus on the costumes of the dancers was another very interesting part of your proposal, transporting me further into seeing the show unfolds before my eyes. I think your descriptions of penguin and polar bear dancers were both amusing and entertaining. The destruction scene sounded absolutely heart wrenching, but still sounded wonderful to watch. The focus on this solo scene made it sound extremely dramatic, leading into the duel between the Mother of Ice and the Destruction. In conclusion, the show sounded absolutely spectacular, and I was glad to be able to read this stunning proposal of dance and wonder.

Alan- When beginning reading the proposal, I thought it was an interesting take to design an entire party event for SeaWorld. It seemed that there would be a lot of entertainment and performers during the entirety of the night. As for the show that is included in this party, I think you did a better job with the organization while putting this show together. I liked that you clearly outlined the times of each scene within the parentheses. You seemed to focus on stunning elements such as lasers and fireworks, but also included jet skis to give it a bit of a twist. I think you described the stunts that would be present well within the show proposal. While winding down to the conclusion of the show, I thought it did feel a bit rushed and choppy, focusing on Lady Gaga and then going to the Shamu finale. It just did not seem to fit well, and could cause some confusion. The ending scene of Shamu splashing, with water going everywhere redeemed the show making for a good finale.

David- I am a huge sucker for dolphins, believing that they are such an amazing and beautiful creature on this earth. I think you’ve showed great improvement with your organization in this proposal. The choices you made in sound felt like a very personal choice, which I thought was a great idea. This visuals in this proposal are absolutely stunning, and I especially love the opening and childhood scenes. Seeing a dolphin grow up from the beginning, depicting the bond between the calf and his mom was absolutely genius. The story that is being told of life through a dolphin’s perspective reminds me of the Disney Nature films, currently being produced. The following scenes, The Tuna and Attack, sounded marvelous as well, depicting the later life of a dolphin. I think the tuna scene depicted a theme of rejection and acceptance. Furthermore, the attack scene is a classic climax to the story, where a villain is going to be at his downfall. I think you ended the show positively, showing a very touching scene that would be sure to garner an audience’s applause.

From Karly Tenney
Posted June 25, 2012 at 6:48 AM
I think I may quit I don't do well enough but atleaat I know I am better than Manny poo poo karly don't say that I don't know why I said this I think because I was very tired last night and was about to go to bed

From Dominick D
Posted June 25, 2012 at 1:44 AM
Karly, you say that EVERY single time. Before you post your proposal, go through it several times and make sure it's the best it can be. Check for spelling errors, grammar, and make sure readers will understand.

Tim, thanks for the compliments, but since Jay didn't post, will there be an elimination vote?

UPDATE: Saw the new TPA chatter.

From James Koehl
Posted June 25, 2012 at 2:13 AM
Karly Tenney: I read your proposal several times, thinking that it was just a "teaser" for the real proposal, before I realized that it was the whole thing. Your basic concept, deep down, was fairly strong, with a different float for each creature, but it was buried under a terribly confusing presentation. You started out by calling it a "show" which made me think it was in a theatre or amphitheater , but then floats started to appear, so is it a parade? The descriptions of the floats and their specialties was odd at best. Saying that the audience was "bored" is not the best way to excite the reader, and sentences like, "I think My blubber just came off!" which make no sense just add to the confusion.
Karly, it read like a very rough first draft. I could see lots of very promising potential in it, but for some reason you appeared to be rushed to get it posted without taking into account all the good advice that Jeff, Tim and hopefully I have been giving you. You got a second (third?) chance with this, and should have taken all the time available to work on it until it was in shape. I know that you have a great amount of potential in you, but that potential must be worked on, encouraged and developed, and that takes time, study, practice and work. Don't give up, don't get down on yourself, and don't stop trying to improve yourself and your writing. You have it in you. Thomas Edison said, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration". You have the inspiration, now start working on the rest.


Bryce McGibeny: "Wonders of the Deep" is going to bear a direct comparison to the other new water shows at other parks, but I think that this is a totally appropriate choice for this park and setting. This location for the show would be capable of handling the large crowds that would stay for it, and would be reminiscent of the setting for "Illuminations" at Epcot or "World of Color" at DCA.
I was unclear about the mist screen. If it is a flat screen of water, like the screens at USF, and if the only place to watch it and see it well is from the bridge, it will limit the number and location of the "good seats". Lots of people watching from the sides of the lake will have trouble seeing anything- it will be like watching a flat screen TV from the side- lots of colors but hard to see the picture. A circular screen would be more technically complicated but would provide a much larger viewing area from all sides of the lake. I think the brochures will be more of a mess and extra cost than they would be a benefit. There would be thousands littering the park after the show, and I doubt that many visitors would be reading them during the show. Perhaps permanent signage along the viewing area would provide the info that some guests might want, but wouldn't cause the litter or cost.
Enough bad stuff. I was not familiar with the music you chose, so when I found it and listened to it as background while I read your proposal I was very impressed. Excellent choices, magnificent and elegant music and a perfect background for the scenes the guests will be enjoying. Not big, bombastic music, but just right for an animal theme park. Your descriptions of the water movements was well-done, and I had no problems visualizing the various scenes of the show. Your choice of sea creatures was interesting, with good variety of beauty, strangeness and a bit of scariness. The combination of music, light, and dancing water would make this a memorable show that would keep many more visitors in the park later in the evening.
Once concern about your final line. Don't end your proposal on a "downer." It sounded like "Thanks for coming- now get out." End your proposals with an "upper", mentioning how this show would leave visitors to Sea World with happy memories of a wonderful day.
I was very impressed with your concept and esp. the choice of music. I would love to see this show someday!

Chad H. :Very ambitious proposal! You brought out a concept with all guns blazing (yes, that was inspired by the sea battles in the show). You took an underutilized space and made it the center of the evening's activities at Sea World Orlando, which is a good example of recycling (Ok, I'm stretching it, but really, reuse of an existing structure is a good way to cut down on the carbon footprint of an attraction). This would be a visually exciting production for the audience. Your idea of using the surrounding lawn area for overflow or a twilight picnic was well-conceived.
My biggest concern? It is not always the case that "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts." Each of these three stories could have stood alone just fine, or all three of them together if there was a unified production design, but I don't think the framework of the Elmo bedtime story was strong enough unless they were all done in the Sesame Street/Muppet style , all in realistic style, or all in a combination of live actors and Muppets (like the popular motion pictures use). The inconsistency was too jarring to overlook. It looked like three different shows with three different designers patched together.
Another problem that could be dealt with if properly presented to the audience is a cultural one. Much more culturally goes from America to Britain than visa versa (I've been to Britain several times and noticed that) and I would be surprised if many in the audience would have any idea who Horatio Hornblower is. They would probably not have any more than a vague idea of who John Paul Jones was, and possibly not be sure of the difference between Moby Dick (Duck) the white whale and Moby the musician and recording artist. It's a sad commentary about the "dumbing down" of America. Your idea of using the gift shop to encourage discovering books about them is a great idea, but I wonder how many would take advantage of it.
There were a few typos and a few writing issues that jumped out from a really well-organized proposal. No, I didn't count the British spelling of "harbour" and "centre" as an error ;+) All-in-all, I enjoyed reading this ambitious proposal. I think it met all the requirements of the challenge well. Creating a show is- in my opinion- one of the most difficult challenges in these competitions, and I'm a theatre person from way back (I'll be directing "Man of La Mancha" this winter). I think you took a risk with a major production that, with a more unified design concept, could be a real crowd- pleaser. Good work!

Dan Babbitt: Now THIS is the Dan Babbitt that I know (and was such a challenging nemesis to me in so many previous competitions!)!! I first thought, "Oh, no...NOT disco!" but you made this disco party/parade a really exciting and original production. I never would have thought of actually putting live sea creatures in the floats. The logistical challenges of this would be considerable but certainly doable, and they would be unlike any floats seen before. You took the safety and well-being of the live creatures into account- extra points!!
I was especially impressed with your thoughtful integration of the right character with the right sea creatures and the right float. I was going to single out one float as being especially outstanding, but I really think that they all are equally well-done, well designed and entertaining. The use of secondary floats to fill out the parade was also well conceived, and could be used to include Sesame Street characters not already featured with their own floats. I can imagine Beaker wrapped up by an angry octopus and Animal playing a drum set made up of clams! Good choices in music, with an appropriate mix of classic disco and classic Sesame Street music.
This proposal met and far exceeded the challenge requirements. An excellent proposal, well conceived and well written. This would be a major asset to Sea World Orlando, and I would love to see it someday. An excellent proposal!


Dominick D.: "Born to Be Wild" is an interesting proposal for this challenge. It met all the basic requirements for the challenge. You continue to improve in the organization of your ideas into a coherent presentation, and especially in your awareness of the importance of good spelling and grammar. I found your proposal easy to read and follow.
The idea for an extreme sports stunt show is a great idea, but I think that limiting it to BMX bikes would lead to a show that would rapidly become repetitive. It seemed that the animals that Sea World tries to feature in their shows were used more as props than as featured characters. I felt that Stunt II was especially a bad choice. Jumping the shark has become a commonly used phrase for the time when a show (usually a television series) has begun a decline in quality that is beyond recovery (based on a "Happy Days" episode where Fonzie did just that- and the series never recovered). Using that stunt would be inviting disastrous comments and jokes.
I liked how you planned for different shows for each season. That showed a good understanding of the year-round nature of the park. However, you aren't really proposing to dress an Orcas, a seal and a penguin in Halloween costumes, as you proposed in Stunt III Fall scene, are you?
The thing that I found the most poorly chosen was your music selection. I love "Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf as the opening and closing music, but what does John Williams have to do with it? I don't think that his style of music really fits into BMX biking as well as the classic rock sound of Steppenwolf does.
"Born to Be Wild" would be an entertaining show for a relatively small percentage of Sea World guests. It would benefit from the addition of more extreme sports to the show, and to featuring the Sea World animals more.

AJ Hummel: Choosing to tell a story for a night time show is a gutsy move. You were wise in staying with a simple story that focused on the entertainment part of Sea World. By the end of the day, most visitors are probably educated all that they are going to be. I felt that you did a good job in altering your original concept to fit into the Orlando site, and that your description of the performing space and logistical requirements was easy to follow and visualize without having to go too deep into detail.
The story, while simple, was a bit contrived, but most audiences are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and will suspend their disbelief if you provide them with something to entertain them and distract them from the plot. You provided plenty of visual entertainment with the fountains, moving scenery, boats and animals performing. This would be a fun show to "leave your brain in one of the convenient lockers" and just enjoy regardless of the story.
This show would be a major financial investment for Sea World. It would require complete new facilities, holding tanks, etc. for all the performing marine life along with the extremely complicated infrastructure for the stage and special effects. You seem to have thought through these requirements well. It would have to be heavily advertised, emphasizing the entertainment aspects and remarkable visual and special effects that you have helped us visualize.
Your proposal would have benefited from one deletion and one addition. You should have deleted the first paragraph, where you told us that it was altered for Orlando. That made us look for things that wouldn't fit. Secondly, a summary paragraph wrapping everything up and leaving us with the desire to fly down to Sea World Orlando to see this great show. Good work, not your best, but still a good, solid proposal.

Andy Milito: Andy, I felt that you struggled with this challenge. You started out with a great theme that nobody else used or even mentioned, Sea World's 40th anniversary, then completely forgot about it and started a marine travelogue. Both ideas were really great ideas, but they had nothing to do with each other. If you're celebrating the history of the park, do so with flashbacks of past attractions and show how they evolved into the park of today. I liked the travelogue idea, and think the map projected on the water was an inspired idea, but unfortunately not every animal is going to be really exciting to watch from a stadium seat, as you said so yourself (the dugong and leatherback turtle esp.). Laid-back doesn't work well for a tired park guest thinking about the drive home. They are probably thinking, "Excite me, entertain me, wake me up or release me." Many of your choices were good choices, but they were also repeats of the same acts that the crowd saw earlier in the day.
Your choice of North America first, with its patriotic music, was out of place. Usually, and almost traditionally, the home country goes last, to get the crowd fired up with home-town pride. I'm afraid that everything afterwards would be a let-down.
Andy, don't be discouraged with this. It is just one opinion, and there is a lot in your proposal that is solid and has potential. I think that, visually, it could be a really fun show to watch with lots of exciting parts. A show, like a story, needs a plot- I don't mean a story line necessarily, but a progression of action to carry the audience's interest throughout the show. Your show had the visual excitement there (with a few exceptions that would do better in an aquarium than a huge stadium) but the acts need to be rearranged, a few cut (unless you can get a leatherback turtle to jump out of the water!), some others added and you would have a very enjoyable show.
Be sure your theme and title actually go with the show you present.

Joseph Catlett: First off, I LOVE the title of your show! You chose a really varied and well researched collection of "nautical" songs that provide a great mix of music from all eras and would appeal to a wide audience. At first I was concerned that using such a mixture of performance styles (circue performers, hornpipe dancers, giant puppets, etc.) would be a mess of clashing performances, but each seemed to fit perfectly with the music chosen, and you blended the music together so well that I think the audience would be not only fine with it but would appreciate the variety. It would be an eye-catching spectacle of light, water, music and excitement.
My main concern was location. You said that the lagoon, but where in the lagoon? Where is the stage, and where is the audience? You have a show with huge fountains spraying water, and if the stage is too close to the water you are going to have a soaking wet stage and dancers on their butts, and Frankie and Annette looking like they got caught in a downpour. Be sure to be more precise in location of your proposals. The devil is in the details, and the difference between a great proposal and a winning one might be something as small as that.
All in all, this was really a fun concept, with great music that everyone would enjoy and a great way to end the day at Sea World. Well done!

Michelle Kowalski: This is probably the classiest, most elegant proposal I have ever read in any Theme Park Apprentice proposal. While I am not sure it would be the most exciting, rousing show to finish off a day at Sea World for most people, I would consider it as an excellent alternative to another, more flashy but less intelligent presentation. Who says that there can only be one closing show?
I was impressed especially in the careful details you provided about the technical features of the performance space and the costuming. You also took a serious environmental concern as your theme, something that I am looking for more and more in this competition, and made it entertaining without trivializing it. The storyline you created would be easily understood by all, and personally I think that this show would be a good one for children to see as part of Sea World's mission to promote conservation and environmental awareness. "Mother of the Ice" could be Sea World's answer to the Disney Princesses.
If I were staging this show, I would not take the fireworks route as a finale- too bombastic for this classy, elegant show. Use the projection system you mentioned and project the Aurora Australis (the Southern Lights) as a unique and appropriate ending for this production. By removing the fireworks, this production could be used throughout the day in an alternate indoor venue, one perhaps more appropriate to the more intimate nature of this show. I know that you were to design a night time show, and you certainly could schedule an evening performance, but I think that this show is too good to be limited to once a day.
Michelle, this is a unique concept, a brave and dramatic departure from your fellow competitors and their visions. You thought WAY-Y-Y outside the box and found a real diamond (or ice crystal). Great work!!

Alan Hiscutt: "Above the Waves" is probably the biggest proposal in scope we have seen in this challenge, involving the entire park. This would be a very ambitious production, one that I question only presenting once a week. Perhaps in the off season only on weekends and holidays, but during the peak seasons (Spring Break, Summer and Christmas) guests might be disappointed they couldn't take part. This could lead to people waiting to attend on days it is presented, making those days a crowded mess and non-production days underattended. I would recommend that the light and water show be presented nightly and the party part of the proposal perhaps be saved for the heavier-attended times of the year.
I think your careful attention to details was outstanding, down to the timing of the scenes in the water show. You had obviously put lots of thought into this entire concept, but don't forget to encourage guests to make their way to the stadium for the show before it starts. Perhaps "rolling blackouts" of parts of the park away from the stadium would usher the partiers that way, so that there is not a stampede for the stadium when the show starts. The show you have created is really a good one, and the partying guests should not miss it because they were too far away to get there in time.
Your description of the show was spot-on. I could visualize the entire production, and think that the mixture of water, light, jet skies and marine life was well-conceived and well-explained. The dramatic build to Shamu's appearance was a good example of theatrical showmanship. BUT- do not shoot water cannons at the unsuspecting audience. The last thing that most people want to do is drive home soaking wet. If they want to sit in the Splash Zone that is their choice, but don't drench them if they don't want to get drenched. Shamu will get over it.
This was a very strong proposal, very aggressive in it's goals and well presented.

David L.: This was a very unusual and interesting production, quite unlike anything else proposed for this venue. I was impressed how you involved an important ecological concern, the trapping of dolphins with tuna, without it being an overly hard-hitting and overly-dramatic protest of tuna fishing techniques. You educated without getting too political.
Following the life of the dolphin was a really inspired concept, and your use of multiple water curtains and their capabilities, along with the moving screens being pulled by boats was extremely inventive. It would require a tremendous amount of organization and coordination, but this would be a memorable show that would attract a large audience. The story was simple enough to not require narration, and was probably stronger for that. There is no narration in the real life of the dolphin- this allows the audience to feel that they are experiencing the "Journey" of the dolphin on a personal level.
There is nothing wrong with using the Atlanta Symphony to perform an original score. I would be interested as to who would compose the original music.
This is a really original concept, well presented and well conceived. I think that this is the best proposal you have ever presented in these competitions. Well done!

From Jeff Elliott
Posted June 25, 2012 at 6:43 AM
Karly Tenney – Shamu and Friends – There are some problems with grammar right off the bat that make the submission a little difficult to get through. Typically the first person perspective doesn’t work in a situation like this, as someone who is interested in your proposal, I want much more information about your proposal than what a character in the show can give. As an intro it can sometimes work to great effect, but through the entire proposal, it doesn’t allow you to delve into other important aspects of the attraction. I have no idea if this is a great idea or a terrible idea since your explanation of the floats is “here they are and there they go”, which tells me nearly nothing about what the float is themed to, what it looks like, what it is made of, what music is playing, what the characters are doing, or anything else.

Bryce McGibeny – Wonders of the Deep! – I don’t know if a brochure is a good idea, it will be dark when the show starts making it extremely difficult to read a brochure. What might be better is signs scattered around the park that make mention of the different facts about the featured animals while at the same time advertising when and where the show will be. Thank you for painting pictures with words, your descriptions are vivid enough that I can feel like I am there watching the show. My only concern here is that you are featuring relatively scary fish in your nighttime show, and while there is nothing wrong with that, I just wonder if maybe it would be a better idea to also toss in a couple of “friendly” sea creatures in to soften the mood of the show a bit. Otherwise I think it was fantastic.

Chad H – Tell Me A Story – Wow…..I was with you right up to the point that you are spending 25 minutes straight on Moby Duck…..I have to say that even if it were spectacularly done, I would have lost interest around 10 minutes. In the second segment, I think that the cross pollinating between Elmo introducing the piece and then it being really serious would be jarring to both kids and to adults. I am going to assume that the battle will be done with live actors on floating stages and I would also assume that the action may have some attempt to keep the guests interested in it, although you have a bunch of storyline you are attempting to get across after 25 minutes of parody Sesame Street. You then move into a third story segment with an even more complex story line that cannot be done with floating stages. It is then completely jarring to have everyone sing the Sesame Street theme at the end after the final two very serious segments. I am thinking that 90 minutes is way too long for a show at the end of the day at a theme park. I have to say that even if I don’t agree with your vision of the show, you do a very good job presenting it and I feel that we are debating the finer portions of the show instead of the entire thing.

Dan Babbitt – Elmo and Friends Disco Summer Street Party – I think this is a very inspired idea, although it certainly has a lean toward the kiddos. I think your choices of Muppet and their favorite animal were very clever. My only concern here is that Sesame Street has a very specific demographic that they shoot for, and it is the preschoolers and younger, after that, kids age out of the Sesame Street characters. Having the parade only tuned in toward that age group seems to limit the effectiveness of the parade.

Dominick D – Born to Be Wild – I have a feeling that you are too young to know what the term “jump the shark” means. It means that you have tried everything else and will literally jump a shark to get someone’s attention. This seems to be one of those types of things where you have a bunch of high energy things going on all at the same time with each one screaming to be noticed. The jumping bikes that you are wanting to use here are fairly noisy and somewhat polluting since they have been stripped down. That kind of goes against the natural world aura that Sea World likes to present. I actually like your write-up and think that something similar to this would be a great idea, just not quite at this park……and don’t jump the shark…..

AJ Hummel – Fiends of the Sea – As a judge, I am require to balance what would be cool with what would work in a real environment. I often catch myself asking myself what the perfect attraction would be and I often don’t have the answer, preferring to stick to the adage of “I will know it when I see it”. I think AJ has got the perfect show here. It tells an engaging story while using several different species of marine animal with a big healthy helping of action and some beautiful fountains. My only complaint here is the fourth scene in the office…..there is definitely a way to get rid of the office scene and have the people talking while out on one of their patrol boats. If I could come up with another complaint, it would be to have an element of humor in there, possibly with Sea Lions or Walruses……but that definitely doesn’t take away from a very good proposal.

Andy Milito – SeaWorld Orlando: 40 Years of FUN! – Ok, I understand what you are doing here, you are giving highlights of the SeaWorld parks. That is great, but in the context of people who have just spent the day at the park, I don’t get it. Guests to the park have already seen the penguins, Shamu, turtles, etc., and are looking for a way to bring a conclusion to their day and what you are giving them is the same thing they just spent their entire day doing. As a recap of the day, it is a great idea. As a special effects extravaganza, it kind of falls on its face. This is a great show, but this should be the show that guest see right as soon as they get to the park instead of right as they are leaving. This show just doesn’t have the drawing power that would keep guest from leaving the park early and catching the nighttime show at Epcot or the Magic Kingdom.

Joseph Catlett – Night Time in the Key of Sea – I really like what we have here. Something loud and bombastic that wakes everyone up and gives them a wrap-up to day. Starting with some high octane Led Zeppelin is a good start and the Modern Major General where he falls into the lagoon. I don’t know why I like it since it has been done and done again and overdone, but the large puppets of the sea creatures seem to work here really well. Your song selections are really good, although somewhat dated, it would be nice to have some more modern songs thrown in to make a connection with the younger generations. The only problem with this is that most of your audience would be gawkers that are leaving the park and getting a neck strain because they are not stopping yet still interested in what you are doing.

Michelle Kowalski – Into the Ice – You are making this really tough on the judges. This is one of those shows that is going to win all of the awards but can’t keep the stadium filled for the performances. As an end of the day show, you need something that is high energy and entertaining, and not something that is extremely artistic and beautiful……this is the type of show that you have running throughout the day in a smaller air conditioned theater that has plenty of stroller access so parents can decompress their kids for a little bit while being treated to a beautiful performance. As a nighttime show, I don’t think this would last much past preview night.

Alan Hiscutt – Above the Waves Party - I think you have an interesting idea here, by making a cool once a week attraction, you are actually guiding people to the park on a Saturday night to see what the hubbub is….but this seems like an awful lot of expense for a once a week party. Maybe instead, this could be a Friday, Saturday, Sunday party. I am surprised that no one else used jet skis or regular skiers. I like the incorporation of the dolphins in with the other high energy bits. So far as tone goes, I think you nailed it, but I would have preferred to have the different sections linked together somehow instead of just acts in a circus.

David L – Journeys: The Bottlenose Dolphin – You have an interesting piece of tech working in your show. Your projectors are going to have to somehow figure out exactly where the speedboat is in order to nail down a perfect projection every time. The boat driver is not going to be consistent enough to program it and forget it, it will have to be some sort of motion capture system in order to get it perfectly synced. I really like the story you are telling here and think that it works well with the more upbeat themes that are required out of a nighttime show. My only complaints here would be want to use some fireworks and maybe the real dolphins at some point. You may need to dump the symphonic music and go with something a little more contemporary.

From Karly Tenney
Posted June 25, 2012 at 6:47 AM
Yeah I'm not gonna quit

From Jeff Elliott
Posted June 25, 2012 at 6:49 AM
Round 3 Results


1. David L – Journeys: The Bottlenose Dolphin
2. AJ Hummel – Fiends of the Sea
3. Michelle Kowalski – Into the Ice
4. Bryce McGibeny – Wonders of the Deep!
5. Chad H – Tell Me A Story
6. Dan Babbitt – Elmo and Friends Disco Summer Street Party
7. Joseph Catlett – Night Time in the Key of Sea
8. Alan Hiscutt – Above the Waves Party


The following people will be in the elimination vote (in alphabetical order)
Andy Milito – SeaWorld Orlando: 40 Years of FUN!
Dominick D – Born to Be Wild
Karly Tenney – Shamu and Friends

From Dominick D
Posted June 25, 2012 at 7:06 AM
I guess it's a good time to say I'm there and back again. I won't start the next proposal until I know for sure I'll make it. Still a little shocked I got back to the vote.

From Karly Tenney
Posted June 25, 2012 at 7:15 AM
Yeah Dom I am too. Haha yeah right I'm not surprised I got in it. But you Dom really.

From Dominick D
Posted June 25, 2012 at 7:31 AM
I at least thought I would get the top 5 :P

From Alan Hiscutt
Posted June 25, 2012 at 8:19 AM
Phew. Talk about scarping it!

From Andy Milito
Posted June 25, 2012 at 10:21 AM
No surprise here! I really struggled with this one, but the next challenge is looking better.

Hey, at least I didn't place 6th again. That would have been three consecutive 6's. 6-6-6?

From Dominick D
Posted June 25, 2012 at 10:29 AM
I struggled with these past 2, but considering I'm good at Disney and Universal challenges they should be easy.

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