1986: An Imagineering Competition - Hub Thread

spacemt354

spacemt354

Chili's
I'll give you all a review:

So addressing the elephant in the room, given the timeframe and dynamics I think everyone did a stellar job. With that out of the way, one of the main confusion aspects of the projects seemed to center around the backstory.

Yes, it's a bit detailed and lengthy, but skip the backstory entirely on the site and see if you can't understand the basic premise of the land? Odds are you definitely can. And that's why I have no problem with the backstory. In fact, the amount of detail and creativity puts it on the scale of Colonel Ezekiel Moreland and the Wilderness Lodge (research that if you haven't before critiquing the backstory's length) The Wildlife also seems like a passion project. Some might think it's overboard, but really I think we should encourage people to, if they have a passion for something, go for it. Naturally, it might be a component of the project some skim past if it doesn't interest them, but like the Oasis in Animal Kingdom, or the hundreds or so animals carved into the Tree of Life, people walk right passed those as well. But their existence is a testament to imagineering passion, so credit to Per leading the way on that

I was very much a fan of the layout decision. The island concept might have been a bit tough to pull off in the realism department. The backstage areas suits the region well. The map was fantastic, I enjoy how it looks like a pirate map or old fashioned world map, well done.

Mickeynerd's Minecraft is again the highlight. I've never played the game, but I really don't know how you have the time and patience to build all of that - so impressive the scale and effort you put into this park.

Escape from The Gem Dragon I like the intention of it, execution though I'm not even sure what type of attraction this is. You say load your vehicle, but what kind of vehicle? A coaster, dark ride, boat ride? That impacts how a reader analyzes the rest of the attraction, especially with no custom artwork, so for fantasyland now I think that'll be something to focus on - making sure you detail what type of attraction it is rather than just what's in it scene by scene.

Siren Escape was really well done - Atlantis was a good choice to me for Adventureland and I like the non-IP route.
Taonga River Journey - fantastic, might be my favorite attraction, and love the concept art!
Plaza of Fortune - good unique locale
Extraordinary Voyages - clearly the standout /s
Tales Around the World - Dang this stuntshow turned out amazing! The level of detail, the story, the acts, the whole thing was just incredibly well done.
The trails with animal concept art - fantastic! Running out of positive adjectives.

Retail and Dining I'll tie together - Adventurelands for me are hit/miss when it comes to these categories, but these were for sure a hit. Just the perfect amount of description, not a bad thing I could critique out of them. Maybe, the the table service felt a bit tacked on, but that's being picky.

I'd give this an A- overall, absolutely some high marks and really solid concepts - but even then I think everyone can agree there is room to improve and I can see Fantasyland being the best land yet!

Great job everyone, welcome back @Brer Panther ,and good luck in the remainder of the competition!
 
JokersWild

JokersWild

Well-Known Member
Hey guys. I'd just like to apologize for taking so long to get my review out. This has been a super crazy week and today ended up being my only day home this week, and I wasted it like the dumb boy I am. I have read the project, but I'd like to sit down and properly read it again before I post feedback, so I'll be doing that after work tomorrow.

All of you are doing a stellar job, and I am very excited to see this next project.
 
TheOriginalTiki

TheOriginalTiki

Well-Known Member
My feedback is going to be a bit broad and all over the place considering I just got done marathon-reading this thing and it's A LOT to take in. The first thing I really want to make a note of is the dynamics at play this round. This was the first major challenge for all of you as a group. Everything clicked with Harbortown, and the passion each person in the cast had for the direction they wanted the park to go in clearly clashed with each other.

I've said this to most people who brought it up in the diary rooms, but I'll bring it up here too. This means the game is working. While were not trying to foster a negative environment, this game is clearly more designed like a traditional reality show than ever SYWTBAI is. With that in mind, you are all trailblazers to a certain extent. Keep with it. Vent in the diary room if you need to. There WILL be disagreements. There WILL be moments where people rub each other the wrong way and ideas you fight for aren't taken seriously. While this is certainly an element of SA and SYWTBAI, it is DESIGNED to be heightened in this setting. Not only with the the fact that this is one of the rare games around here where the players are voting each other out as opposed to eliminations being decided by the judges, but also with the single park element where each project is a pivotal piece of the overall puzzle.

Remember that that diary rooms are there for you to vent and for us to find solutions. We want this game to be INTENSE, but we don't want it to be uncomfortable or malicious in any way, shape, or form. My goal from the jump has been to craft a better season of Big Brother than the trainwreck of the recent seasons and I think we've truly already achieved that. @mickeyfan5534 and I are dedicated to making this the most enjoyable experience possible for each and every person involved.

Now on to the feedback. I really liked everything I saw here, but unfortunately it definitely fails to meet the high watermark set by Harbortown. Not a thing to be put down by, as each individual element works great. The problem is that it doesn't flow as well as Harbortown due to all the individual elements to it. At some points it feels like World Showcase, at some points it feels like Beastly Kingdom, at some points it feels like DisneySea. While each of those things in their own right are awesome, it was somewhat difficult for me to get an overall vibe for the place.

The backstory was well thought out, but I had a hard time following it. The creature encyclopedia on the other hand was phenomenal and really drew me in. I definitely think the backstory could have been more streamlined, because you really did have the right idea with the island of lost animals. The creature gave me a real Avatar: The Last Airbender vibe with realistic yet fantastical takes on familiar animals. This reference guide really helped elevate the project. It's the character stuff...the World Showcase marketplaces, the really well written but kind of head scratching stunt show, that I wish was scaled back. I think this would have been a masterpiece if the island were a bit more uncivilized.

The individual shopping stuff is wonderful. I loved the store built into two sides of a ship. Overall this was probably where the backstory stuff shined through the most. I do wish the dining would have been a bit more thought through. It easily feels like the biggest afterthought.

Opposite of an afterthought though are the attractions. This is CLEARLY where most of the focus was put and for good reason. The jungle cruise spiritual successor was definitely a favorite of mine. The siren song ride is one of those rare Armchair Imagineering ideas that truly feels like a Pirates/Mansion spiritual successor, which if you know anything about my personal Imagineering tastes is basically the gold standard. Far more of a high benchmark than any sort of IP-based attraction could ever hope to reach in my mind, Rise included. The gem dragon attraction is absolutely tantalizing with its rock forest setting. If this park were real, I'd probably spend WAY too much time on the walking trails. I'm such a sucker for Animal Kingdom's more obtuse way of designing its paths especially in The Oasis and this seems like a hugely refined version of that.

The stunt show and flat ride were both really well written and executed in their own right, but they didn't really vibe with the rest of the attractions and their focus on atmosphere and creatures. The heavy emphasis on characters really did throw me off, even if the characters in the stunt show were honestly FANTASTIC for what they were. I guess that wraps my review around full circle. All great elements, but what would have sent this project over the edge were either less of an emphasis on the colonized side of the island or a better bridge between that element and the more naturalistic ones.
 
mickeyfan5534

mickeyfan5534

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
TheOriginalTiki said:
I've said this to most people who brought it up in the diary rooms, but I'll bring it up here too. This means the game is working. While were not trying to foster a negative environment, this game is clearly more designed like a traditional reality show than ever SYWTBAI is. With that in mind, you are all trailblazers to a certain extent. Keep with it. Vent in the diary room if you need to. There WILL be disagreements. There WILL be moments where people rub each other the wrong way and ideas you fight for aren't taken seriously. While this is certainly an element of SA and SYWTBAI, it is DESIGNED to be heightened in this setting. Not only with the the fact that this is one of the rare games around here where the players are voting each other out as opposed to eliminations being decided by the judges, but also with the single park element where each project is a pivotal piece of the overall puzzle.

Remember that that diary rooms are there for you to vent and for us to find solutions. We want this game to be INTENSE, but we don't want it to be uncomfortable or malicious in any way, shape, or form. My goal from the jump has been to craft a better season of Big Brother than the trainwreck of the recent seasons and I think we've truly already achieved that. @mickeyfan5534 and I are dedicated to making this the most enjoyable experience possible for each and every person involved.
Click to expand...
I want to second this and Tiki said it better than I ever could. We want Drama™ but we don't want anyone to feel like they're being singled out, looked over, be uncomfortable, or anything of the sort. That said: onto first Impressions and bullet points!

  • That logo is delightful. I hope these continue through the entire park and resort.
  • Similarly, the map! Another thing I hope continues and eventually gets pieced together into an entire park map.
  • That backstory is... dense. There needed to be a lot of streamlining in some places and some added detail in others. For instance: the Ottoman Empire lasted for nearly a millennium. What time period exactly does this take place during that? You mention Suleiman the Magnificent but then later mention things that were impossible to do with the technology at the time like a submarine or a powered drill. Make it make sense!
  • So. Many. Animals. I think that these could just add a really unique atmosphere to the land with some simple animatronics scattered throughout the land. That said, I wish there were stuff about the other animals and creatures presented in Escape of the Gem Dragon and Siren Escape
  • On that note, Gem Dragon is amazing but I have no clue what type of ride it is. EMV? Slot-car? New ride system? Specifics, please!
  • I hate Siren Escape's name. It feels generic which is a shame because the ride itself is wonderful and you had a great Pirates of the Carribean-style name right there in the presentation with "Sirens of Atlantis"
  • Siren Escape was clearly meant to be a Pirates successor but frankly, it feels more like a spiritual successor Submarine Voyage/20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Do with that what you will.
  • For being what feels like the main set piece of the land, I think Taonga River Journey is outclassed by its bedfellows. I don't understand the point of there being two ports other than to tie it back into the land's overblown backstory. I'd have very much appreciated a more streamlined ride through rather than the half-ride-half-transportation thing going on here.
  • Plaza of Fortune is a fun, different take on the teacups
  • Extraordinary Voyage sounds like a blast. These little side things can add so much energy to a land because of how they incorporate theming.
  • Tales Around the World is good but it feels... extraneous I guess is the best way to put it. I appreciate the effort to put a show that reflects and reinforces the backstory but the backstory, as I said before, is super dense and needed more streamlining. On top of that, the 4th wall breaking nature is at odds with the rest of the land. The sad part is, I think the cast is outstanding and would be Citizens of Hollywood-level iconic if they were just atmosphere characters. Great concept, flawed execution.
  • The trails are the final piece in this mixed bag of attractions and one of my favorite things here! It's one of the few things that focus on strictly the natural part of the backstory and not the "colonizers come in and everything becomes a disaster" part
  • Retail and dining are all great and fit the aesthetic and idea of the land
  • Final thoughts: a mixed bag of a project that needed streamlining and maybe as an idea in general should have been thought through further.
 
mickeyfan5534

mickeyfan5534

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
mickeyfan5534 said:
I want to second this and Tiki said it better than I ever could. We want Drama™ but we don't want anyone to feel like they're being singled out, looked over, be uncomfortable, or anything of the sort. That said: onto first Impressions and bullet points!

  • That logo is delightful. I hope these continue through the entire park and resort.
  • Similarly, the map! Another thing I hope continues and eventually gets pieced together into an entire park map.
  • That backstory is... dense. There needed to be a lot of streamlining in some places and some added detail in others. For instance: the Ottoman Empire lasted for nearly a millennium. What time period exactly does this take place during that? You mention Suleiman the Magnificent but then later mention things that were impossible to do with the technology at the time like a submarine or a powered drill. Make it make sense!
  • So. Many. Animals. I think that these could just add a really unique atmosphere to the land with some simple animatronics scattered throughout the land. That said, I wish there were stuff about the other animals and creatures presented in Escape of the Gem Dragon and Siren Escape
  • On that note, Gem Dragon is amazing but I have no clue what type of ride it is. EMV? Slot-car? New ride system? Specifics, please!
  • I hate Siren Escape's name. It feels generic which is a shame because the ride itself is wonderful and you had a great Pirates of the Carribean-style name right there in the presentation with "Sirens of Atlantis"
  • Siren Escape was clearly meant to be a Pirates successor but frankly, it feels more like a spiritual successor Submarine Voyage/20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Do with that what you will.
  • For being what feels like the main set piece of the land, I think Taonga River Journey is outclassed by its bedfellows. I don't understand the point of there being two ports other than to tie it back into the land's overblown backstory. I'd have very much appreciated a more streamlined ride through rather than the half-ride-half-transportation thing going on here.
  • Plaza of Fortune is a fun, different take on the teacups
  • Extraordinary Voyage sounds like a blast. These little side things can add so much energy to a land because of how they incorporate theming.
  • Tales Around the World is good but it feels... extraneous I guess is the best way to put it. I appreciate the effort to put a show that reflects and reinforces the backstory but the backstory, as I said before, is super dense and needed more streamlining. On top of that, the 4th wall breaking nature is at odds with the rest of the land. The sad part is, I think the cast is outstanding and would be Citizens of Hollywood-level iconic if they were just atmosphere characters. Great concept, flawed execution.
  • The trails are the final piece in this mixed bag of attractions and one of my favorite things here! It's one of the few things that focus on strictly the natural part of the backstory and not the "colonizers come in and everything becomes a disaster" part
  • Retail and dining are all great and fit the aesthetic and idea of the land
  • Final thoughts: a mixed bag of a project that needed streamlining and maybe as an idea in general should have been thought through further.
Click to expand...
If any of this feels overly negative or harsh, that wasn't my intent and I hope I provided reasonable suggestions to improve the land in all of my critiques
 
spacemt354

spacemt354

Chili's
Seasons of Fantasy

I'd like to applaud the team for their swift yet cogent efforts in this land. The extra few days were the definitive right move in order to give everyone in the game more time to iron out concepts and get situated without the rushed feeling that Adventure Atoll had (despite the very strong performance there)

This was a new spin on Fantasyland, a land that I think can revert to traditional interpretations that don't center around a cohesive narrative. Not that all lands need that but I think given the more mature and sophisticated take on a Magic Kingdom park this project has taken on, the goal of imposing a universal theme I think does wonders to the evolution of a 'Fantasyland'

I'll be frank that after page 10 or so, I didn't follow the brainstorming. In fact I'm sure most of the actual work was done in PMs behind the scenes that I wasn't privy to. With that said I can probably take some guesses at who did what, but if I really like something and I didn't give credit, feel free to reply to say it was you!

Also I'm not sure what the obsession is with recycle cans 😅 now crumpled napkins? What's next, paper straws?

I'll go area by area starting with the Castle Courtyard.

- Snow White Cellar menu is fantastic! A German Biergarten vibe is something very unique to Magic Kingdom parks especially in the castle, it fits so well though with the surrounding park.
- Princess Plaza was in a way expected given the setting, but nonetheless a special addition
- Merlin's Magic Academy is great feature, also admire the alliteration all-together, absolutely.

Formatting note here, but I wish these smaller sections were not their own tabs, kinda frustrating to have to keep clicking on each. All of these could have been on one page of Castle Courtyard amenities and had the same effect, in my opinion.

- Villain's Vault, The Forgery, Albani's Pizza, were all strong in their own right. But in regards to Albani's I'm not sure the Pizza locale would be the best fit thematically. Why would Albani visit Snow White? Compared to Snow White Cellar, Villain's Vault, and The Forgery, it seems out of place and could have been used in another location, near a Pinocchio attraction maybe, if that?

Moving on to Garden of Seasons right from the artwork I could tell exactly who did this land and my mind went back to SA4
9.JPG


Visually this location brings that Fantasia vibe and identifies the core message of the land, that being the seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter - brilliant design!

London Spring - nice location choice, I'm not sure who did this section. If it was a new player, I think this was a great rendition of Jolly Holiday and Mary Poppins definitely deserves an attraction of her own. If this was a veteran player, this concept has been done so many times in the past that I would have hoped for a more nuanced spin. 101 Dalmatians perhaps would have been my go-to but nonetheless, I can't complain much about Mary Poppins one of my all-time favorite Disney films.

As for the rest of the London area - like Mary Poppins, I can't really pass up a take on Winnie the Pooh, such a cherished childhood figure, great additions there. And The Mad Tea Party as well. I was also enthralled to see Bambi on display! However.... I thought Bambi, a Life in the Woods, was originally written as an Austrian/German novel? So could that be a transition from the German influence of Snow White's Castle?

Moving on to Summer, excuse me while I am triggered from something named Corona 🤪 Corona has truly put us in a Tangeled mess hasn't it? Okay I'll stop now.

The R&R approach to Summer was a neat take, Rapunzel and Robin Hood mesh better than I expected. I really enjoy the Robin hood dark ride that was a stand out to me! The 4-D show in the Snuggly Duckling was, well, an interesting decision. I was expecting the Snuggly Ducking to be a Gaston's Tavern type place since it's a pub, so my expectations were subverted lol

Fall Forest - so Nightmare Before Christmas finally gets its attraction! Nice work. Harvest Day was also a very neat location. Halloweentown Treasures and Sally's Potions round this section out quite well. Not much more to say other than it continues the 'spooky' traditions of Harbortown, this park will be incredible at Halloween!

Winter Mountain - Ah, Frozen. I've learned to like it. And it really does lend itself well to attractions, especially Anna's Frozen Sleighs. I think I had this feedback last round, but again with the ride vehicles it helps when you go into a bit of detail with that. It doesn't need to be long-winded, but when you say Sleighs is it a coaster, dark-ride, hybrid of the two? It really helps the reader paint the picture while reading the ride description.

I will admit this Holiday section on one full pass reading does tack on the stamina needed to get through this project. As a reader it's exciting at first because I'm like ah what's behind door #1, #2, but by door #17 (exaggerating) it becomes tiring. Which in turn, takes a wonderfully thought out Scrooge attraction, and now I'm reviewing it with a different level of focus I had when I was reading the Castle Courtyard.

So that's just something to keep in mind, the outline we have here works but in a way unlike the first two lands, major attractions are being read at the end rather than smaller shops/eateries.

Nevertheless, I do think the Scrooge attraction was unexpected, yet a very pleasant surprise! The Holiday Village will be an interesting contrast and more family oriented for people who may skip some of the more mature regions of the park, so nice creativity on this, as well as the restaurants and shops of the area.

And finally Once Upon A Dream. Again I'll just reiterate my preference for keeping big attractions like this at the forefront. A possible fix next time is just have an interactive map where the reader can hit the big parts of the project first rather than going in the order listed. That said I think this is an incredibly innovative attraction that would be a huge hit for especially little girls and families alike. It provides the anchor and defining E-ticket for the land with nuanced technology!

Overall, in terms of teamwork, content, and precision - this project was the best yet, an A/A+ in my book. I'm tempted to go A+ flat but I know there are future lands and I'm sure you all don't want to have your best round be now, rather to continue improving. So where I think it can improve for the future? More artwork and innovation; less text! Pictures say 1,000 words we all know everyone here is talented creatively, and we know Mickeynerd does Minecraft, D Hindley does artwork, etc, but I'd love to see some new folks try logos, try sketches, try a map, try music, try a video, try taking the lead even! Anything to build your accolades. That would be my goal going forward.

Great job, hope this was helpful!
 
Outbound

Outbound

Well-Known Member
spacemt354 said:
Seasons of Fantasy

I'd like to applaud the team for their swift yet cogent efforts in this land. The extra few days were the definitive right move in order to give everyone in the game more time to iron out concepts and get situated without the rushed feeling that Adventure Atoll had (despite the very strong performance there)

This was a new spin on Fantasyland, a land that I think can revert to traditional interpretations that don't center around a cohesive narrative. Not that all lands need that but I think given the more mature and sophisticated take on a Magic Kingdom park this project has taken on, the goal of imposing a universal theme I think does wonders to the evolution of a 'Fantasyland'

I'll be frank that after page 10 or so, I didn't follow the brainstorming. In fact I'm sure most of the actual work was done in PMs behind the scenes that I wasn't privy to. With that said I can probably take some guesses at who did what, but if I really like something and I didn't give credit, feel free to reply to say it was you!

Also I'm not sure what the obsession is with recycle cans 😅 now crumpled napkins? What's next, paper straws?

I'll go area by area starting with the Castle Courtyard.

- Snow White Cellar menu is fantastic! A German Biergarten vibe is something very unique to Magic Kingdom parks especially in the castle, it fits so well though with the surrounding park.
- Princess Plaza was in a way expected given the setting, but nonetheless a special addition
- Merlin's Magic Academy is great feature, also admire the alliteration all-together, absolutely.

Formatting note here, but I wish these smaller sections were not their own tabs, kinda frustrating to have to keep clicking on each. All of these could have been on one page of Castle Courtyard amenities and had the same effect, in my opinion.

- Villain's Vault, The Forgery, Albani's Pizza, were all strong in their own right. But in regards to Albani's I'm not sure the Pizza locale would be the best fit thematically. Why would Albani visit Snow White? Compared to Snow White Cellar, Villain's Vault, and The Forgery, it seems out of place and could have been used in another location, near a Pinocchio attraction maybe, if that?

Moving on to Garden of Seasons right from the artwork I could tell exactly who did this land and my mind went back to SA4
9.JPG


Visually this location brings that Fantasia vibe and identifies the core message of the land, that being the seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter - brilliant design!

London Spring - nice location choice, I'm not sure who did this section. If it was a new player, I think this was a great rendition of Jolly Holiday and Mary Poppins definitely deserves an attraction of her own. If this was a veteran player, this concept has been done so many times in the past that I would have hoped for a more nuanced spin. 101 Dalmatians perhaps would have been my go-to but nonetheless, I can't complain much about Mary Poppins one of my all-time favorite Disney films.

As for the rest of the London area - like Mary Poppins, I can't really pass up a take on Winnie the Pooh, such a cherished childhood figure, great additions there. And The Mad Tea Party as well. I was also enthralled to see Bambi on display! However.... I thought Bambi, a Life in the Woods, was originally written as an Austrian/German novel? So could that be a transition from the German influence of Snow White's Castle?

Moving on to Summer, excuse me while I am triggered from something named Corona 🤪 Corona has truly put us in a Tangeled mess hasn't it? Okay I'll stop now.

The R&R approach to Summer was a neat take, Rapunzel and Robin Hood mesh better than I expected. I really enjoy the Robin hood dark ride that was a stand out to me! The 4-D show in the Snuggly Duckling was, well, an interesting decision. I was expecting the Snuggly Ducking to be a Gaston's Tavern type place since it's a pub, so my expectations were subverted lol

Fall Forest - so Nightmare Before Christmas finally gets its attraction! Nice work. Harvest Day was also a very neat location. Halloweentown Treasures and Sally's Potions round this section out quite well. Not much more to say other than it continues the 'spooky' traditions of Harbortown, this park will be incredible at Halloween!

Winter Mountain - Ah, Frozen. I've learned to like it. And it really does lend itself well to attractions, especially Anna's Frozen Sleighs. I think I had this feedback last round, but again with the ride vehicles it helps when you go into a bit of detail with that. It doesn't need to be long-winded, but when you say Sleighs is it a coaster, dark-ride, hybrid of the two? It really helps the reader paint the picture while reading the ride description.

I will admit this Holiday section on one full pass reading does tack on the stamina needed to get through this project. As a reader it's exciting at first because I'm like ah what's behind door #1, #2, but by door #17 (exaggerating) it becomes tiring. Which in turn, takes a wonderfully thought out Scrooge attraction, and now I'm reviewing it with a different level of focus I had when I was reading the Castle Courtyard.

So that's just something to keep in mind, the outline we have here works but in a way unlike the first two lands, major attractions are being read at the end rather than smaller shops/eateries.

Nevertheless, I do think the Scrooge attraction was unexpected, yet a very pleasant surprise! The Holiday Village will be an interesting contrast and more family oriented for people who may skip some of the more mature regions of the park, so nice creativity on this, as well as the restaurants and shops of the area.

And finally Once Upon A Dream. Again I'll just reiterate my preference for keeping big attractions like this at the forefront. A possible fix next time is just have an interactive map where the reader can hit the big parts of the project first rather than going in the order listed. That said I think this is an incredibly innovative attraction that would be a huge hit for especially little girls and families alike. It provides the anchor and defining E-ticket for the land with nuanced technology!

Overall, in terms of teamwork, content, and precision - this project was the best yet, an A/A+ in my book. I'm tempted to go A+ flat but I know there are future lands and I'm sure you all don't want to have your best round be now, rather to continue improving. So where I think it can improve for the future? More artwork and innovation; less text! Pictures say 1,000 words we all know everyone here is talented creatively, and we know Mickeynerd does Minecraft, D Hindley does artwork, etc, but I'd love to see some new folks try logos, try sketches, try a map, try music, try a video, try taking the lead even! Anything to build your accolades. That would be my goal going forward.

Great job, hope this was helpful!
Click to expand...
Fastest review in the west.
 

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