10:19 Edit-- Just got two sketches (Piggy's trailer and Gonzo/Bean) done during my first period today. I doubt I'll have an opportunity to get to a computer anymore today, so when I get home I'll try to finish up the pictures...
The Imagineer -- Project 2
The Muppet Studio Tour
Located on the old "Hunchback Theatre" plot.
When I learned that the next project was a dark ride for the Studios, I knew I wanted to use the Muppets. Knowing that the
Muppet Movie Ride was going to be off limits, I went through a couple of concepts of mine that I'd been working on and one of them,
The Muppets Tour L.A., eventually turned into
The Muppet Studio Tour. With this attraction would come a major refurb of the MV3D area, turning it into the
Muppet Studios, with the Great Gonzo's Pizza restraunt and a new Muppet Themed shop, but the expansion is a story for another day...
Backstory
It's the grand opening of the all new Muppet Studio Tours.
Exterior, Signage, and Queue
The Exterior of the building will be a soundstage Muppet style, kind of like the gift shop and the MV3D building. It'll basically be a continuation of the design of the current buildings in that area.
The sign will be very similar to that of the
Jim Henson Productions logo at the begining of The Muppet Movie, only instead of
Jim Henson Productions the sign would read
The Muppet Studio Tour.
The Queue would be very similar to that of MV3D, only it would be a museum of sorts dedicated to Muppet Studio History. It would feature posters, props, etc. There'd be monitors lining the ceiling showing you past and upcoming Muppet Productions. In between the production previews, Dr. Honeydew and Beaker would explain that your "tram" is really a new prototype they've invented especially for the Studio Tour. They then go through a safety speil of things you shouldn't do while on the attraction (using Beaker as the example of course).
Vehicles
The vehicles would be very similar to the current JII vehicles, coming in groups of three. They'd be trackless, making them "real" trams. They would also include a video screen similar to the old DCA "classic"
Superstar Limo.
List of Ride Scenes
1. Introduction/Studio Gate
2. Muppet Lounge
3. Sweedish Chef's Kitchen
4. The Great Gonzo and Bean Bunny
5. The Muppet Sound Studio
6. The Muppet FX Labs
7. Miss Piggy's Trailer
8. Finale/Rainbow Connection
Scene Descriptions
1.
Introduction/Studio Gate- Once you've boarded the tram, you start moving towards the studio gate and hear the familiar, "Heigh, Ho! Kermit The Frog here..." as Kermit (on your video screen) explains that he will be your tourguide. He also goes on to tell you about a grand finale the Muppets have been planning for the grand opening of the Tours. Outside the gate, you'd notice muppet rats selling various merchandise as Kermit procedes to talk about the sites you'll be seeing. As you near the gate, the Studio security guard, Bobo the Bear, stops you, telling you that no autograph hounds are allowed and you can't come through. There'd then be a humorous spat between Kermit and Bobo and Kermit would eventually convince Bobo to allow in...
2.
Muppet Lounge- Kermit would then appologize for the inconvience and you'd enter your first stop on the tour, the Cast Lounge/Commisary. Here, you'd find Fozzy rehearsing some material to his mother with Statler and Warldorf heckling him as usual. Fozzy would then convince Kermit to allow him to share some of his new jokes with the guests. Rowlf the Dog would be playing piano in the background (I've got to get him in there somehow) and you'd also see the Sweedish Chef in the kitchen preparing chicken for lunch, which leads us to the next scene...
3.
Sweedish Chef's Kitchen- Entering the kitchen, the Chef seems to be his normal happy self. He'd go about singing his song and begin making fried chicken, only, there's one small problem... The chicken is still alive and doesn't want to be cooked. Eventually, the chef would get extremely frustrated, pulling out a shotgun and firing away at the runaway bird...
4.
The Great Gonzo and Bean Bunny-
Quickly leaving the Kitchen and entering a street near a soundstage labled "Stunt Arena", you see Bean Bunny carrying some paint and brushes headed for a soundstage, as Kermit once again appologizes for the inconvience and begins to explain the next destination. Suddenly, KABOOM! The Great Gonzo (on a weird Gonzo-bike) would crash through the Stunt Arena, flying through the air and landing right on top of Bean Bunny. (As soon as Gonzo lands on Bean, smoke would fill the air, and the clean Bean would switch to one covered in paint). They'd then get up and Kermit would ask what on earth Gonzo was doing. Rizzo and Pepe would then come running out of the Stunt Arena talking about how awesome that stunt was and asking Gonzo if he was alright. There'd be a comedic dialouge between the characters, and the tour would continue.
5.
The Muppet Sound Studio- The next stop on the tour is the Muppet Sound Studio, where you'd find Dr. Teeth and the Electric Band recording what's going to be there next big hit. Scooter would be in the control room. You'd stop (in the control room) to listen to a little of the song, and then move on. I'd like to have Animal chase the car out of the scene, but I can't really come up with a reason for him to do so...
6.
The Muppet FX Labs- This is where Dr. Bunson Honeydew and Beaker spend most of there time, and you're just in time to see their latest breakthrough invention, the FX Genor8or. This invention will create any kind of effect you need for you movie or film. Dr. Honeydew would insist on giving the audience an example, and Beaker would turn the leaver to "Rainbow". Suddenly a Rainbow would appear over the guests head. Dr. Honeydew would then say something like, "The FX Genor8or can also be used for other fx, such as a storm or an explosion...". Crazy Harry would then jump out of no where, "Did you say an explosion?!". He'd then cause his TNT to explode, making Beaker fly across the room and landing on the leaver, turning it to "Tornado". Machines and different scientific-looking things would start to toss and turn and blow around, with one tool eventually crashing into the tram, causing it to go haywire. The vehicles would start to act as if they had a mind of their own, all of this happening while Dr. Honeydew and Kermit assures us that everything is under control and we should just hang on tight.
7.
Miss Piggy's Trailer-
Crashing through a wall in the FX Labs (with your vehicles jerking around a little bit and moving a tad faster), you make your way down a studio street with several Muppets jumping out of your way. You finally crash into pink trailer with a star on the door. It turns out to be Miss Piggy's trailer, and she's in a robe with curlers in her hair and a mud mask on getting ready for the big finale. Just as soon as you crash into Piggy's trailer, Kermit and Dr. Honeydew are able to regain control of the trams. Piggy then threatens that if Kermit doesn't get the guests out of her trailer soon she's going to have frog legs for dinner...
8.
Finale/Rainbow Connection- Backing out of Miss Piggy's trailer, Kermit then tells everyone it's almost time for the grand finale, and that the Muppets are just adding a few finishing touches. You then enter a soundstage with all the lights turned off. Suddenly, one single spotlight shines on an AA Kermit, strumming at a banjo, sitting on log with a swamp facade behind him. He starts, "Why are there so many songs about rainbows...". The lights in the room suddenly begin to brighten, and slowly reaveal the entire Muppet cast (in front of the
"Magic Store" facade that's seen in the Muppet Movie) who join him the way they did in the finale of the Muppet Movie. Finally, Kermit thanks you for taking the tour and hopes you've enjoyed yourself.
New Technology
The new technology in
The Muppet Studio Tour would be the trackless vehicles. The attraction would also feature the latest state-of-the-art audio animatronics.
*Magic Store pic from www.whysanity.net*