2014 ICS Elite Eight: Competition Thread

[Zweiland]

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first annual Imagineering Championship Series Tournament (also known as the Elite Eight) on WDWmagic's Imagineering forum! I'm your host, Zweiland.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS.

@jdmdisney99
@tcool
@RMichael21
@Matt7187
@englanddg
@IDInstitute
@Voxel
@MonorailRed

Out of these eight, only four will remain in the competition after December 7th.
Only two will remain after December 15th.
And only one, the victor, will remain after December 28th.

Are you all ready?

 

[Zweiland]

Please keep general discussion to the "Who's in?" thread, which I will soon rename the Discussion Thread.

 

[Zweiland]

ROUND 1
@jdmdisney99 vs. @tcool
@RMichael21 vs. @Matt7187
@englanddg vs. @IDInstitute
@Voxel vs. @MonorailRed

First, a quick discussion of the format. If you want to read the challenge, skip down to the big headline that reads "The Challenge" below.
The challenges for this tournament will be very open-ended, to allow the creative juices to flow. Round 1 may seem simple at first glance, since there had to be room for rounds 2 and 3 to become more complex. But in reality, it isn't. You're up against the best of the best, so while I haven't given you a lot of room for content, your concept will have to be pretty darn good. That said, don't overdo it, or you'll run out of sentences to describe your plan.
Also, the only person you need to beat is your opponent. Try to think about their strengths, and then match them.

THE CHALLENGE

The Transportation and Ticket Center at Walt Disney World is the central hub for transportation to the Magic Kingdom and to other areas of the resort. At Disneyland, cars were parked right near the entrance to the park. However, in Florida, the area directly in front of the Magic Kingdom was swampland and was not suitable for use as a parking lot. The TTC was created as a means to transport guests from the parking lot to the park.

The structure today is effective, but it could be so much more. The Imagineers have attempted to add a degree of festiveness using gaudy decorations:

This obviously isn't enough for our high standards, which should not be kept only in the parks, but in the entire resort. Your task is to design an improvement the Transportation and Ticket Center, however you choose, to provide an updated look and feel and provoke feelings of wonder and imagination.

You must use 20 sentences or less, and 2 images or less. No websites or videos will be allowed in Round 1.

Due date is December 7th, 2014 at 5 PM E.T.

Your guest judge for this round is @LittleGiants16 ​

 

[Zweiland]

Edited above post to fix image link from blocked site and to add due date

EDIT: Also edited above post to announce guest judge

 

[MonorailRed]

Challenge One:
Improving the Transportation and Ticket Center

My proposition to make the Transportation and Ticket Center have a more stunning feel and provide upgraded 21st technology is to change this Center into an area where guests and locals alike would like to visit on property, starting with a name change: Disney’s Fine Arts Pavilion and Villas.

Unlike EPCOT Pavilions, Disney's Fine Arts Pavilion and Villas will have several vendor spaces, instead of an overall sponsor. Disney’s Fine Arts Pavilion and Villas feature a perfect transition to Cinderella Castle and the resorts surrounding Seven Seas Lagoon with a blue, white and silver color scheme and Mediterranean style architecture. It will also compliments the theming of Disney's Epcot, by going from one pavilion on property to transfer to various futuristic pavilions at Future World and cultural pavilions in the World Showcase.

This new area differentiates itself from Disney Springs by becoming an area for Fine Arts, such as: painting, wood carving, glass blowing, culinary, metal sculpting, animation, printmaking, and many more; not an area for resort with a major factor of trinkets and curios from vacation.

Several vendors from Disney Springs will find this new facility home, including new vendors, such as: Arribas Brothers, Art of Disney, Hoypoloi, Pop Gallery, Something Silver, Sosa Family Cigars, Tria Cafe, Boston Olive Oil Company, Lasseter Family Wines, Pearl Factory, WonderGround Gallery, and Jacques Torres Chocolate. To add to the star-studded list of arts, the Festival of Masters will also be moved here from Disney Springs, and will also feature other artistic events to run around the same time as special event Festivals at Disney’s Epcot.

Solving the ticketing issue while keeping with the “Arts” theme in mind will be a medium sized shop next to the Monorail Entrance called Figment’s Magicband Machine Shop. Figment’s Magicband Machine Shop will be a new, interactive way to obtain various ticketing options or create custom Magicbands or MyMagic Cards based on designs you’ve created or have chosen with Figment’s Magicband Machine. This store also caters to kids, while they wait for their parents decide and obtain the ticketing option of their choice, featuring a few of the original Imageworks like The Rainbow Corridor and an updated version of Figment’s Coloring Book using Goofy's Paint ‘n Play House technology from Tokyo Disneyland.

The Villas section of this project brings the TTC makeover something that has never been done at WDW – Guests living near these 3 unique types of transportation in the parks: Ferry Boat to the Magic Kingdom, Monorail to Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and Bus Transportation. This will make the villas ideal choice for families on the move or people staying special events such as the Flower and Garden Festival to choose. The Villas will be in a similar blueprint to the Kidani Village Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge, but with a Artistic Mediterranean Design and will have the classic Studio to 3 Bedroom options. Some Villas will be tall enough to receive a Magic Kingdom view. A parking garage will also be added for the Villas for easier access to the area. The parking garage exterior will resemble a mixture of the Pantheon and the Hanging Gardens of Babel, making it perfectly themed to the area.

Disney's Fine Art Pavilion and Villas, the next masterpiece to your Walt Disney World vacation.​

 

[tcool]

ROUND 1
@jdmdisney99 vs. @tcool
@RMichael21 vs. @Matt7187
@englanddg vs. @IDInstitute
@Voxel vs. @MonorailRed

First, a quick discussion of the format. If you want to read the challenge, skip down to the big headline that reads "The Challenge" below.
The challenges for this tournament will be very open-ended, to allow the creative juices to flow. Round 1 may seem simple at first glance, since there had to be room for rounds 2 and 3 to become more complex. But in reality, it isn't. You're up against the best of the best, so while I haven't given you a lot of room for content, your concept will have to be pretty darn good. That said, don't overdo it, or you'll run out of sentences to describe your plan.
Also, the only person you need to beat is your opponent. Try to think about their strengths, and then match them.​

THE CHALLENGE

The Transportation and Ticket Center at Walt Disney World is the central hub for transportation to the Magic Kingdom and to other areas of the resort. At Disneyland, cars were parked right near the entrance to the park. However, in Florida, the area directly in front of the Magic Kingdom was swampland and was not suitable for use as a parking lot. The TTC was created as a means to transport guests from the parking lot to the park.

The structure today is effective, but it could be so much more. The Imagineers have attempted to add a degree of festiveness using gaudy decorations:

This obviously isn't enough for our high standards, which should not be kept only in the parks, but in the entire resort. Your task is to design an improvement the Transportation and Ticket Center, however you choose, to provide an updated look and feel and provoke feelings of wonder and imagination.

You must use 20 sentences or less, and 2 images or less. No websites or videos will be allowed in Round 1.

Due date is December 7th, 2014 at 5 PM E.T.

Your guest judge for this round is @LittleGiants16 ​

Tcool Proudly Presents:​

The refurbished Ticket and Transportation Center that I plan will look completely different with every structure being re-themed to have a rustic yet charming appearance to all who come to this transportation place, and to get an idea of the style here is a picture of what I was talking about:

This new and improved Ticket & Transportation Center will have many additions some of which are completely new ticket booths, a station for car drop-offs and pick-ups, a new water feature, two new stores, one new quick service restaurant, and one new monorail station hosting two new monorail express lines to Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios, and a refurbished Guest Services.

On the Go Mercantile will be the new main merchandise store in The Ticket & Transportation Center being home to several things some people may need right before going to the parks(autograph books, towels, fans,etc.) , and the other store The Hidden Jewel will carry harder to find items(Captain EO Merchandise, Disney Afternoon Things, etc.).

The new quick service named Fuel Up Café will be have elements of travel incorporated into the restaurant, and this restaurant will also have a menu consisting of breakfast, lunch, and dinner not only this, but the items will have transportation themed names such as the Mono-Chicken Strips.

The Guest Services has been upgraded for a grander appearance, and the new building will have the typical Guest Services things, the main Lost & Found of Walt Disney World, Item Pick-Up, and restrooms.

The new ticket booths will be split into two lines so there will be 8 ticket booth windows in total, the entrance of the 4 ticket booths right when you get in line will have a gentle waterfall fountain, and behind the gentle waterfall will be a tile mosaic of either Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, or Donald. Once you exit the ticket booth you’ll enter the small circular gardens and depending on which month you visit will be a different topiary and flowers.

The three monorail buildings (added one new building for Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios) will have the same visual appearance as the rest of buildings here, but there will be differences to set each building apart, but that’s not all no these are the cooler newer monorails with a new gimmick to make it more of a magical memory the ceilings will be equipped with video screens that plays different videos themed to the place you are heading, and to help with lighting the windows will become darker during the day and lighter at night.

The Ferry Docks will also acquire a new re-theme to fit in with the rest of the surrounding Ticket and Transportation Center.

There will be a new tram station constructed. There will be 3 resort bus stations two of which will be for Disney Owned Hotels while the other will be for Hotels on WDW Property not owned by Disney. A new Richard Petty Driving Experience Shuttle Station will be constructed to be more visible and for the convenience of the guests. Finally a new Car Drop-Off Station will be constructed, and all these stations will be themed to this area as well as having many lush and beautiful plants.

The Ticket and Transportation will also get seasonal decorations depending if certain holidays are coming up soon.

To ease up the parking area new parking structures will be constructed.

This new plan will completely give the TTC a new name as for ever more it will be called The Crossing Village and Gardens.

 

[RMichael21]

ICS Elite Eight: Round One​

The Transportation and Ticket Center at Walt Disney World is the central hub for transportation to the Magic Kingdom and to other areas of the resort. At Disneyland, cars were parked right near the entrance to the park. However, in Florida, the area directly in front of the Magic Kingdom was swampland and was not suitable for use as a parking lot. The TTC was created as a means to transport guests from the parking lot to the park.

The structure today is effective, but it could be so much more. The Imagineers have attempted to add a degree of festiveness using gaudy decorations:

This obviously isn't enough for our high standards, which should not be kept only in the parks, but in the entire resort. Your task is to design an improvement the Transportation and Ticket Center, however you choose, to provide an updated look and feel and provoke feelings of wonder and imagination.

You must use 20 sentences or less, and 2 images or less. No websites or videos will be allowed in Round 1.​

Welcome to Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center!​

Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center serves as the gateway from the real world to a land of “yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.” The TTC holds the spot of the first impression on guests as they arrive and the last impression on them as they depart, and we all know that first and last impressions are key in a theme park environment.

While the current TTC is extremely outdated, it serves it’s purpose very well (which is to transport guests to and from the parks and resorts and give them a place where they can purchase their tickets). So, while an overhaul is needed, a complete, radical, expensive, expansion is not necessary. The current TTC (with the exception of the boat dock, monorail station and parking lot which will be re-themed or enhanced) will be demolished and re-designed, with the same “substance” told and relayed in a new and exciting way where the memories begin for the millions of guests that visit every year.

The Overhauled TTC will showcase the ideas of the Magic Kingdom itself, with the concepts of Adventure, the Wild West, Colonial America, Fantasy and Tomorrow showcased. Each section is told in a different way, whether in a ticket booth or a monorail station. In addition, the architecture of the buildings and costumes of the Cast Members will vary depending where in the TTC you are standing.

The Hub:
A ring of water is featured as the focal point of the complex of the TTC and features tall, colorful dancing fountains that dance to the music being piped into the area. In the center of the ring, a beautiful statue of Cinderella Castle stands, where it glows at night-time with hundreds of sparking lights.

Adventureland, Frontierland and Liberty Square:
In the south-west corner of the TTC, Adventureland, Frontierland and Liberty Square will be represented as ticket kiosks. As the current system of ticketing results in long lines, ticket purchasing will become speedier and more interactive through the use of touch screens. Guests purchasing their tickets will also be able to get up close and touch the authentic architecture and details of the represented land and are able to hear different music tracks such as Tiki Tiki Tiki Room, Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me), Grim Grinning Ghosts and Zip a Dee Do Dah are piped in through hidden speakers, adding to the ambiance of the TTC.

Fantasyland:
In the northern portion of the TTC, along the Seven Seas Lagoon, Fantasyland is showcased through small storefronts and the ferry dock that exists today which will be re-themed to match the style and theming of Fantasyland. The architecture here is a European style, similar to that of Disneyland’s Fantasyland and is very inviting to those guests leaving and entering the park “suggesting” that they spend more on merchandise after a long day at the park or right as the day is about to begin at the storefronts along the lagoon (these storefronts are also a great source of revenue for the parks).

Tomorrowland:
In the eastern section of the overhauled TTC is a tribute to Tomorrowland, where the re-imagined, monorail station (with a brand new interactive queue to combat the sometimes drastically long wait times) that transports guests to the Magic Kingdom, the Magic Kingdom Resort Area Hotels and Epcot is located. In addition to a re-imagined station are brand new monorail trains with an optimized seating arrangement for added capacity and magic porthole technology on the windows that allows guests interact with their favorite Disney characters on the journey to or from the Magic Kingdom, the Resort Hotels or Epcot.

Gardens of Magic:
Finally, to the east of the rest of the complex is an area that represents all of the Disney Universe: The Gardens of Magic, which is a garden garden filled to the brim with gorgeous landscaping and vegetation and features many different Disney character topiaries and hidden "easter eggs" that guests can enjoy finding. At night, the gardens transform as they glow with the recently patented bio-luminescent technology, making the landscaping, vegetation and pathways glow with a magical vibe.

In sum, Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center, receives a new look and a new complex that’s more magical then ever before.​

 

[Voxel]

Challenge One:
Improving the Transportation and Ticket Center​

It can be agreed that the Magic Kingdom is a magical place and experience however the atmosphere of the Transportation and Ticket Center is that of an Atlanta Greyhound Station.
To improve atmosphere and the guest experience, the Transportation and Ticket Center will be completely re-themed to reflect, preserve, and enhance the magical experience.​

New Parking Structure​

Families will continue to enter from the Magic Kingdom sign, but in the distance a six story, grass hill me tower in the distance, there excitement builds as the approach the structure. Guest follow the road as it banks right and begins following the hill to the third story where the cars enter into the park garage. The interior reflects caverns founds through the works, with stalagmites and stalactites forming the columns supporting the garage and the sounds of dripping water echo though the structure.

New Trams​

New electric trams cycle in and out of the new parking structure, gathering guest ready to go to the park; as families ride towards the entrance the sound of running water picks up. Sunlight enters the garage as the tram takes guest towards the ticketing center, as guest enter the sunlight the sight of a water can be seen on either side of the guest as it pours into the lake below.

New Ticketing Structure​

The Tickets Center will be redesigned to match the atmosphere of the new Transportation and ticketing Center. Rising from the ground, the remains of an ancient aqueduct stand proudly where guest and order and arrange their ticket purchase. Green Ivy and Vines run up and down the structure and the careful eye can spot a mythical phoenix hiding from the top of the structure if they are lucky. Guest will find theme selves in a shaded area with the arch of the aqueduct runs over them providing them shelter from all weather conditions.

New Monorail Station​

Like the hanging gardens of Babylon, the new monorail station stands towering next to ticketing center as green vines and flowers hang down the side. Monorails enter in and out of the station through green vine tunnels adding a touch a beauty and fantasy as guest find themselves entering a whole new world. The station itself is a green and stone structure, reflecting a land of fantasy with a hint of Atlantis added to the design.

Re-Themed Docks​

The docks will remain relatively the same, new gardens and greenery will be added and the pathway to the second dock will be expanded to allow for better traffic flow. Water from the waterfall will run underneath the guest and through the gardens before draining into the Seven Seas Lagoon.




The new ticketing center is designed to reflect the nature of the Magic Kingdom and to preserve the experience from the moment the Guest steps foot on the property till the last car leaves the parking garage.

 

[Matt7187]

CHALLENGE ONE

Welcome to Disney Terminal, the revamped version of the Transportation and Ticket Center! This area does its' job well enough, but it is lacking overall. The theme is bland at best, with tacky decorations being the only Disney charm around. So for my idea, I propose to enclose it, and make it a sleek, modern transportation hub, with LED signs directing you to the portal of your preferred mode of transportation. The ticketing system is fine the way it is for the most part, with the only exception being that the ticketing computer will now be able to dispense a Magic Band for anyone in your party for only $12.95!

Personally, I feel the ticketing side of the former TTC is fine, the transportation is what is lacking. The vehicles are all very outdated, from the monorails to the parking lot trams. Starting with the aforementioned monorails, they need cleaned, badly. The iconic look can not be changed, but a sprucing up of the monorails is in dire need. The ferry boats could also use some TLC, but a little but more than the monorails. Face it, the ferry boats are slow, clunky, and look like the boats that brought over the European Immigrants with all of the people crammed on them. The solution for this is to replace the boats with newer, faster, and more modern boats with more seating. Lastly, the transportation that needs the most help, is the buses. They are a disgrace, with how much fuel they burn. They will be immediately replaced with cleaner and more efficient buses to transport you to your hotel or park of choice. Wait time boards will also be posted before you enter the queue for any vehicle so you can prepare for the wait.

Along with the ticketing and transportation, everything else could benefit from a little bit of Disney magic, like expanding the gift shop and offering unique foods exclusively to Disney Terminal.

Disney Terminal will not be known as just a transportation hub like the TTC is today, but a pioneer for transportation hubs of the future.

With one of my leftover sentences, I would like to wish the best of luck to @RMichael21 and the rest of the elite 8!

 

[englanddg]

Round 1 - @englanddg v. @IDInstitute

Ticketing and Transportation Center 2.0​

Your task is to design an improvement the Transportation and Ticket Center, however you choose, to provide an updated look and feel and provoke feelings of wonder and imagination.

You must use 20 sentences or less, and 2 images or less.
_____________________________________________________________________​

@englanddg's Submission
The World Gateway​

The Ticketing and Transportation Center (renamed World Gateway) concept revolves around cosmetic, operations and general infrastructure enhancements to revolutionize the entry and exit experience, and add class and comfort while maintaining the once futuristic feel of the area.

The current cluster of buildings will be replaced with one unified complex covered with a large roof structure, in a familiar shape, and will consist of open air covered shelters (as indicated by the dotted lines on the map), enclosed structures (solid lines), as well as stunning glass ceilings to allow natural light to permeate the interior.

The total effect is one of space and freedom, while also providing protection from the elements and a environmental control.

_____________________________________________________________________

World Navigators (Ticketing and other Services)​

As guests enter the ticketing hub, aptly renamed the "Discovery Lounge", they are treated to a spacious and welcoming indoor environment where, where, instead of turnstyles and lines, they experience lush carpets and luxurious inlaid marble floors, diffused natural lighting, and delicate wood accents.

450 kiosk stations called "World Navigators" are spread through Discovery Lobby in the form of semi-private arrangements of comfortable chairs and sofas which seat groups of 4 to 10, each centered around cherry and oak coffee tables which sport 40 inch multi-touch displays and the Microsoft Surface Table Technology.

Through these kiosks, Guests can access all aspects of their Walt Disney World Vacation Experience, including:

• Ticket Purchases
• KTTW or Magicband selection and customization
• MDE account creation, administration, linking, and phone app instructions
• Dining, Restaurant Descriptions, Menus and Reservations
• Custom Printed Park Maps
• Hotel Reservations and Requests
• Gift cards and Disney Dollars
• FP+ Reservations
• PhotoPass+ Registration, Viewing and Purchase
• PhotoPass+ Picture upload / downloads to Smartphones and bluetooth capable cameras / devices
• DVC Signup and Purchases
• DAS Registration and Card Creation
• SOTMK Registration and complimentary card pack
• A Pirate's Adventures: Treasures of the Seven Seas Registration and complimentary maps
• Special Event and Tour Registration and Ticket Purchases

A 2 story centralized processing center is located in the north portion of the complex, behind Guest Services and above a large section of the World Gateway Gifts shop, and will house Cast Members to provide real time assistance and assemble the requested bundle of documents and accessories for delivery directly to the base of the World Navigator table through a series of underground vacuum tubes.

For Guests requiring assistance of any sort, the next-generation help function of the kiosk allows Cast Members to directly interact through a mounted webcam with a simple tap on the screen.

Cast Members can also remotely control the Kiosk session to assist Guests through the process in real time, and this carries the benefit of having lingual assistance options at the press of a button.

Also, Cast Members (and sometimes Characters) will wander the area to assist Guests, answer questions, make suggestions and provide Magical moments.

_____________________________________________________________________​

Transportation
​

The monorail stations and boat dock will be renovated with a unique theme depending on the destination (EPCOT or the Resort Line).

The Epcot Center station will have shimmering textured aluminum and a unique skylight ceiling made to resemble the texture of Spaceship Earth, as illustrated on the top of the picture above.

The MK / Resort Line station will have white walls with red and yellow accents and a black floor with a stunning arched stained glass ceiling that consists of a pattern of hidden Mickeys and other characters, as illustrated at the bottom of the picture above.

To further the "transportation" role of the TTC as a central hub for WDW Transportation, a covered PeopleMover line will be added that connects Wilderness Lodge to the TTC, and a special area will be added near the newly covered Parking Tram zone for taxi services, a Kiss and Ride Drop off lane, and the shuttle to the Walt Disney Speedway complex.

The boat dock will be renovated to include wandering paths and beautiful flora, and will be covered by it's own glass themed ceiling.

_____________________________________________________________________​

Edge of the World Cafe​

A restaurant named "Edge of the World Cafe" will serve a variety of snacks and light meals during the day, and will deliver drink and food services to Guests at the Discovery Lounge Navigator Kiosks, where they may be ordered through the Navigator Kiosk.

At night, the cafe will host fully themed character dining events on it's first and second floor outdoor verandas that offer stunning and unique views of the nightly Electrical Water Pageant and Wishes Fireworks.

_____________________________________________________________________​

World Gateway Gifts​

The "World Gateway Gifts" shop is a two level Disney shopping experience, and carries merchandise any Park goer will require, such as:

• Light Jackets and Ponchos
• Towels and Sun Gear
• Embroidery Services
• Electronics and Photography Services and Equipment
• Clothing and Apparel, including footwear
• Pin Trading Station
• Filtered Water Bottles
• Cooling Water Fans
• Autograph Books and Pins
• Toiletries (Baby Care Needs, Sunscreen, etc.)
• (And of course) Mickey Mouse Ears of all types

_____________________________________________________________________

Other Features
​

Restrooms are located in World Gateway Gifts, the Edge of the World Cafe and the Discovery Lounge, and wheelchair and scooter rentals are available at a special kiosk in the Discovery Lounge.

_____________________________________________________________________​

Summary​

These enhancements bring unique experience to World Gateway, along with added functionality for the area, which creates a highlight experience for Guests to start and end their day at the Magic Kingdom and other Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts.

 

[DinoInstitute]

Magic Gates
The Hub of the Spirits of the World- A TTC Refurb​

Concept Rendering​

The newly-refurbished Magic Gates WDW Complex is now the “hub” of Walt Disney World. Here, you will find Transportation to your Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, to your theme park/water park destination, or to Disney Springs. There are several Stations depending on your destination.

If you are in the mood for a wild adventure, go to the Animal Kingdom Station, where you can prepare by walking through an exotic forest much like The Oasis in the park. For a magical day, take a trip to the Magic Kingdom via ferry or Monorail in this Castle Courtyard-esque station. You won’t believe you eyes when you see magic living as (LED and OLED) Pixie dust lights up the walls! To travel to Epcot, visit its station similar to the Innoventions area, where magically light grounds sparkle (with similar tech from the parks), and futuristic benches and waterfalls add the start of your trip to a new world. Lastly, Hollywood Station has the theming of a mix of Sunset Boulevard and Disney Springs, with bus transportation to each. Transportation to one of the Water parks or your resort hotel is available at the general bus station towards the Magic Gates main entrance.

Each of the four Magic Gates stations also have immersive dining and merchandise options, as well as park tickets available for purchase. Perhaps families could grab some nice breakfast before they go to the parks, or pick up a few items they will need for the day. A central hub of Magic Gates connects them all (see map below), which also includes retail and dining locations (See below for a list of retail and dining locations). The remaining sets of buildings are the Guest Relations, the Richard Petty Driving Experience shuttle and other Services building, and a new Business Building Hub for Executives.

Dining and Merchandise:

-Magic Kingdom Station's Castle Café breakfast location

-Epcot Station's The Tomorrow Table buffet

-Animal Kingdom Station's The Rainforest Café (relocated here)

-Hollywood Station's StarDeck Table Service restaurant

- Central Hub's Premium Magic Character Breakfast

-Various kiosks/quick service options scattered about

-Central Hub's Sorcerer's Creations "World of Disney"-esque gift shop

-Four highly-themed shops specific to each station

-Various kiosks scattered about

This is all around the central Magic Gates hub and iconic Sorcerer’s Hat, now the landmark of this area, once found at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Magic Gates is now more than just a “Transportation and Ticket Center”, but the big first (and last) impressions of you exploring the immersive lands. Starting the day with a breakfast meal and setting up the immersion, and coming back to the station where the wonder lives on. Magic Gates is the hub of the Walt Disney World resort, encompassing the spirits of all of the dreams the resort holds while still maintaining WDW’s distinctive futuristic and imaginative architecture. So, be sure to make Magic Gates a part of your WDW experience!

 

[jdmdisney99]

The ICS Tournament: Round 1

THE CHALLENGE

The Transportation and Ticket Center at Walt Disney World is the central hub for transportation to the Magic Kingdom and to other areas of the resort. At Disneyland, cars were parked right near the entrance to the park. However, in Florida, the area directly in front of the Magic Kingdom was swampland and was not suitable for use as a parking lot. The TTC was created as a means to transport guests from the parking lot to the park.

The structure today is effective, but it could be so much more. The Imagineers have attempted to add a degree of festiveness using gaudy decorations

This obviously isn't enough for our high standards, which should not be kept only in the parks, but in the entire resort. Your task is to design an improvement the Transportation and Ticket Center, however you choose, to provide an updated look and feel and provoke feelings of wonder and imagination.

Welcome!

The new Transportation & Ticket Center comes with a completely new identity. With the new, pristine circular logo and the sleek, futuristic new terminal and dome, the newly christened TTC North will become an extremely enticing and innovative place to be at the Walt Disney World Resort. As an integral part of visiting the resort, along with it's southern counterpart near Disney's Hollywood Studios, it is necessary for the TTC North to be held at the high standards we set at Disney.

Ticketing

Located just past the tram drop off areas are ticket booths where one could purchase theme park tickets, water park tickets, the basic-colored MagicBands, MagicLanyards and MagicRings, other ticket packages, and a new feature of the resort...transportation passes. Every guest will be guaranteed an RFID enabled park ticket format (card, MagicBand, MagicRing, etc.), which is where these transportation passes will be placed. Guests will scan their ticket format at the start of the queue for each transportation service. This will help offset the cost of the overall resort transportation expansion.


Parking

The parking lots at the TTC North will be expanded into the areas where the Walt Disney World Speedway is now located. The Speedway will be moved to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, where it will host annual NASCAR and IndyCar races. Meanwhile, the expanded parking areas will be covered with sparkling solar panel awnings that will harvest renewable energy to power the resort: specifically the resort's transportation services. These solar cells, along with the new electric charging parking spots, support the venue's new image displaying the futuristic opportunities of transportation.


Transportation

With the new TTC North and TTC South comes a full fledged expansion of our transportation services at the Walt Disney World Resort. The highlights of the expansion are...
-a new fleet of streamlined monorails
-three new monorail lines to the south
-a SunRail station to the south
-new boat transportation throughout
-a new Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system across the entire resort
This mega expansion of the resort's transportation offerings will allow guests in more efficient ways than ever before. PRT in particular allows guests to board their own personal vehicle on command and simply type in their destination. Depots for PRT would be located at every major destination around the World, and their tracks would run above or alongside major roadways. Meanwhile, guests first arrive from MCO by SunRail at TTC South, where they could access the numerous new options to begin their vacation, including a trip to the wonderfully updated TTC North.


Other

Also located at the TTC North is a gift shop where you can buy your favorite memorabilia from the parks, or even purchase custom designer MyMagic+ products. On the second floor of the terminal is the Prospect Cafe, a forward thinking table service restaurant honoring man's greatest thinkers. Located within the glass dome, the views from this establishment will be a sight to see!


​

 

[LittleGiants16]

Now it's time for our wrap up. Let's give it everything we've got. Ready? Begin.

#1 @jdmdisney99 vs. #8 @tcool

@tcool - I thought your idea was fair. I really liked the expansion of a small shop to sell goods that guests may need in the parks. This was a good move on your part, and is something the current TTC desperately needs. However, the majority of your post leaves me scratching my head, especially the monorail lines. Why build two new monorail lines when the current system is more novelty than mode of transportation? The current system only affects guests at three hotels so, unless you want to bus every guest to the TTC and then transport out from there, you'd be spending millions on an unnecessary system. Also, the prompt said to induce feelings of wonder, and I don't know if an old world theming does that. I could be wrong, but it doesn't for me. Finally, your prose was, well, uninspiring to say the least. Allow me to quote:

"The three monorail buildings (added one new building for Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios) will have the same visual appearance as the rest of buildings here, but there will be differences to set each building apart but that’s not all no these are the cooler newer monorails with a new gimmick to make it more of a magical memory the ceilings will be equipped with video screens that plays different videos themed to the place you are heading, and to help with lighting the windows will become darker during the day and lighter at night."

Now, my friend, why this is one sentence is beyond me. This could easily be three or four sentences, and when presentation truly is everything, you can't make grammatical errors such as this. I understand the desire to include as much information as possible, but more often than not less truly is more. Overall, I thought your ideas had some merit, but I think your proposal would have needed more work before it was truly ready for this level of competition.

@jdmdisney99 - On one level, I really like your concept. On another, I really, really don't. So, let me start with what I like. As the prompt said " provide an updated look and feel and provoke feelings of wonder and imagination," and I genuinely feel you do that. Your design kind of looks like a spaceship, and I think (emphasis on think) that's a good thing. I'm trying to imagine myself as a little kid walking up to this spaceship looking building that is going to get me where I need to go. I also really liked that you included this concept of transportation passes. Mass transit is an expensive endeavor, especially when the only benefits you accrue from it are secondhand. By adding this pass, you can create a revenue stream for the transportation system at WDW.

Now for what I don't like. This is a pretty green concept (good), but that means it's very, very, very expensive. Like I said to your competitor, a monorail expansion isn't probably what WDW needs right now. It's just too tailored to a few small groups of guests to actually be worth the money long term. And then there is your idea for PRT. I know that these sort of systems exist, but not anywhere near the scope and scale that would be necessary at WDW. Again, I just don't see this realistically happening. Ultimately, however, I feel your idea is okay. Now one of your best, but it's good enough.

Winner - @jdmdisney99

#2 @RMichael21 vs. #7 @Matt7187

@Matt7187 - If I remember correctly, I think in my previewing of this matchup, I talked about you being an ideas guy. I remember lauding you for your ability to come up with concepts, but critiquing your ability to execute. Well, I hate to say it brother, but I think you played to your form in this challenge. You had ideas, especially regarding your desire to overhaul the transportation systems of WDW, but the prose just wasn't there.

There were plenty of things that I liked about your post, especially the design of your hub. I'm a big fan of architecture with a lot of steel and glass, so your design earned a lot of points from me. I also got the feel that you wanted the building to function somewhat like an airport terminal, and I thought that was a smart move. Most modern terminals are designed in ways that maximize ease of navigation, something that the current TTC lacks. So, kudos there.

But, I thought too much of your post dealt with the transportation side. I love talking about logistics (heck, I've worked an entire summer doing logistics before), but this challenge wasn't about transportation. You had better grammar than most (thanks for limiting your usage of run-ons), but I think you were too brief in your writing. I enjoy brevity, but you weren't explanatory enough. If you would have leaned more toward your design and less on your systems, I think this would have been the best post of the first round. But, you didn't, so this is what I have to go on.

@RMichael21 - Of these first four posts, your writing was the best (and we all know how much I like prose). So, for starters, well done. Beyond that, I'm conflicted on your post. I can't decide whether I think tying the themes of the Magic Kingdom to the TTC is a good idea or not. I like it because it creates a semi-seamless transition from the parking lot through to the park. On the other hand, the TTC is supposed to function, whether it does or not, as the transportation hub for the entire resort. So tailoring the theming so strongly to one park is a bit of a bold move, cotton.

My favorite thing about your post, however, are the shops that you strategically placed close to the ferry docks. The ferry is the most used mode of transportation to get from the TTC to the MK, so making sure people see merchandise while waiting in line is a good, good move. Way to use your money-making noodle. The garden concept is smart, but not for the reason you gave. In my estimation, it's a great idea for the guests at the Poly because it serves as a noise barrier. With the increase in activity that a redesigned TTC would cause, there will be more noise. As such, the garden would create a break for the noise, probably saving the sanity of the guests at the Poly. I apologize for the brevity of your review, but I really can't think of much that I didn't like. Really, well done comrade. You continue to do nothing but impress.

Winner - @RMichael21

I'll post my second set of reviews later tonight.

 

[englanddg]

Fantastic! Can't wait! (I'm eyeing you IDI!)

 

[jdmdisney99]

Thanks for the review @LittleGiants16! I completely understand the faults found within...

And good job to @tcool! Loved your rustic proposal!

 

[LittleGiants16]

Artificial amateurs, aren't at all amazing, Analytically, I assault, animate things.....

Let's keep things rolling with our last two matchups.

#3 @englanddg vs. #6 @IDInstitute

@IDInstitute - Unfortunately, I'm going to open by saying that I'm not crazy about this conceptually. As I said with RMichael's post, I'm not sure how I feel about bringing a park's theming into the TTC. But, where RMichael's was subtle, your theming was somewhat too in-your-face for my tastes. Especially when you added the hat. Ideally, you don't want people spending time in a transportation hub. People tend not to spend money in transportation hubs, so you want them in and out as quickly as possible. I think your idea for the shopping is solid, as there needs to be the opportunity for people to spend money, but your offerings were a bit too expansive in my opinion. You have to think of things like overhead as well as guest experience. When you have a buffet in a weird place (such as the TTC), I'm not sure people will want to go there and eat. At least I wouldn't want to.

To be fair, I really liked your subdivision of transportation into different areas for the different parks. I think, logistically, this would be easy to navigate and would expedite the guest experience. I also thought your prose was above average. We all know that I am very, very picky when it comes to writing, so take above average as a compliment. All in all, I think this was an okay proposal and, under a different judge, they may have liked it better. But, as for me, there's just too much going on for me to get on board.

@englanddg - *claps and walks away*

But really, THIS IS WHAT THE TTC SHOULD LOOK LIKE. I literally have but one comment. The surface tables may be a bit expensive, but overall I love this concept. It's basically an airport terminal, but Disneyfied. I'm sorry for the brevity, but you won this round running away from everyone. Wow.

Winner - @englanddg

I'll post the next round later tonight.

 

[englanddg]

We all can't wait! Thanks!

 

[LittleGiants16]

My apologies for not getting the final review up tonight, but @MonorailRed won the final matchup. I will post my critique tomorrow.

 

[Zweiland]

Updated Bracket- Round 2

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[Zweiland]

ROUND 2
@jdmdisney99 vs @MonorailRed
@RMichael21 vs @englanddg

Congratulations on surviving the first round! All your submissions were amazing and deserved to go on. Writing this before the results of Round 1 come in, I truly cannot tell who is going to be eliminated. You all did very well.

That said, there can only be one winner. Our numbers have been halved-- there are only four left. Round 2 will be a bit more complex, and a bit more specific. But I'll still leave room for your imaginations.

THE CHALLENGE

As we all know, big changes are almost certainly coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios (as the park is now named, but will it be for long?) The Sorcerer's Hat icon will be removed in early 2015. Star Wars, Cars, and Monsters Inc. have all been rumored to be coming to the park. The Great Movie Ride may be getting a refurbishment, or possibly gutted entirely to pave the way for a new ride.

Sorcery in the Sky, the fireworks show pictured above, used to run each night at Disney-MGM Studios. Later, Fantasmic! took its place, and while still going strong, it's looking a bit dated. Your mission is to create an all-new nighttime show for DHS, that will complement and reflect on the changes that are soon to be upon the park. You can keep Fantasmic! as well, or get rid of it-- your choice.

You must include a video, which has no limit on content or length. Besides the video, you are allowed 5 sentences and 1 image. No websites will be allowed in Round 2.

Due date is December 14th, 2014 at midnight E.T. (at the end of the day)

Your guest judge for this round is @Tip Top Club
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