I'm an East Coast guy so I don't know much about how Avengers Campus is IRL, but from what I've seen while the situation might not be as dire as Toy Story Land it is still an area that very much could use a D-Zone! And while part of me questions reusing Ant-Man when so many Marvel charcters are not represented, the theme really does work so well here! Not only is this a perfect way to continue the story of the restaurant and pay homage to Bug's Land, but it also gives a built in excuse for why this area is separated off with the shrinking.
The biggest issue is that there's a fair bit of typos or odd bits of phrasing in the write up. There's a part in "We're Getting Closer" where both a first draft of the section and a rewritten final drafter seem to be here with some things repeated nearly verbatim one or two paragraphs later. Other little things like that. I'm not going to be super judgey on issues with polish and editing on a short round like this, but it is definitely something to keep an eye out for in the future. I make typos all the time, and there's been rounds that have been close enough that I've lost due to my typos and weird phrasing. I try not to let nitpicks like that be the deciding factor, but when both teams are doing so consistently well that can make a difference.
Presentation
I loved the trip report format! It's one that pops up usually about once or twice a game on the forum and it honestly is not usually my favorite. It's a great gag, but I usually feel like the bit gets in the way of actually explaining the project. BUT with this being so small scale and done in a goofier style to begin with it worked really well here! I believe @Architectural Guinea Pig set it up (really establishing themselves as a presentation power house), but the whole team did a fantastic job tying it together and keeping the gag going.
Working in @spacemt354's real trip and real trip photos was brilliant. I also really loved the beautiful and detailed map by @Outbound! some of your best map work ever which is funny considering this is the short bathroom round lol
Team Dynamic
@spacemt354 did a great job being team lead even on vacation. With AGT doing an excellent job helping fill in when needed. Space has such a talent for seeing other's strengths and knowing exactly how to help bring out the best in them, get everyone involved/excited, and keep things flowing. Doing that in general is great, but doing that all while on vacation is astounding!
This is a very fun intro! I love "story" segments like this in games where everyone is included as a part of a goofy narrative about exploring a park or whatever. A staple of Sorcerer's Apprentice and not crazy uncommon in games in general (I had planned to have them in Citrus Dreamin' to show the players joining in the Exploration going on adventures, but I am not great at writing these kinds of sequences so I cut them and decided to do a comic every River instead). This was very well done though (love the gag of AGP being an actual Guinea pig) and a fun way to set up the project
Very well done keeping the gag going throughout this. The broken images were also a neat idea to explain why some things aren't real pictures but instead just sketches or descriptions. I remember when I skimmed this initially half asleep after midnight when it was posted I didn't get it and actually messaged the team to let you know about the "mistake" of broken image links so you could fix it before realizing my mistake in the morning hahaha
#AntSplatterWall and the Anty photo op are both a lot of fun. Nice little simple plus to the area. The Bug's Land homage is done really well with it being great fan service without feeling forced or pandering. The "model" out front before going into the real thing is a great gag. I'm always a sucker for oversized objects (It isn't quite a Disney Adventure from SAVI or Futurama from SAVII situation, but it is funny to me that both teams did oversized objects as their theme lol).
I'm not sure the area you have is big enough for the smooth transition from big to small you're describing. But I'm willing to overlook it because its fun the same way I'm willing to overlook the fact that real miners don't build their railroad tracks for mine trains like a rollercoaster. There's an element of suspension of disbelief at play. Although perhaps this area needed to be slightly bigger to fully make it work as well as you say.
I lover the variety of benches at play here! Reminds me of World Celebration Gardens at ECOT where everywhere you look there's a new relaxing spot to enjoy and hang out in. From the more fun like the disks and Zarg Nuts to the more practical like the popsicle sticks and straws. A lot of creativity here to carry the immersive theming throughout and even in these smaller details! Plus, the heated seats in the cold or chilled seats in the heat is a very neat concept.
Love the art by @WaltWiz1901! Very well done and a good mix of stylish yet also clear and easy to read. Great perspective work on the bench too, not easy to do!
Love a good themed trash can! This feels very "Eisner" in a good way if that makes sense lol. It's fun and over the top in a way that would feel like corporate synergy product placement if it wasn't so fun
The miniversions of iconic disney snacks would sell like hot cakes. In fact, they'd sell a lot better than hot cakes because who buys hot cakes at a theme park? Point is, I could see this doing very well and being very fun. You can literally never go wrong with pretzel nuggets! plus, the ant-man helmet popcorn bucket is awesome.
I didn't really need to be sold on why theme parks need more benches, shade, and bathrooms. But gosh dang it you did convince me it would be a good idea haha. Joking aside, this is a nice and succinct way to communicate why this area was chosen and how it benefits the park and the land!
I really really really like the idea of putting this inside a giant toilet paper roll! It is so much fun and would be such a goofy visual that somehow fits. I said this about the trash cans, but it fits here too: This feels like that Eisner era cheese and charm that the Iger era has been missing!
I also like the idea of the gender neutral restrooms! Not just for inclusive reasons (which is great and I don't want to undersell how much I appreciate that, I might be cis myself but many people close to me are not), but also it just makes sense. Keeps the lines shorter, gives everyone more privacy by having fully enclosed stalls, and keeps families together. I've only used this tyle of gender neutral bathrooms once and it was for sure an improved experience once I got over the initial "this feels weird" vibe. I don't know about including urinals here though. Apparently some gender neutral bathrooms do, but it seems that generally that is only in the ones that were gendered first and just converted them in the cheapest way possible.
I do wish the interior of the restrooms had more theming. the toilet roll outside is great and I like the idea behind the different sized doors gag (though if I wasn't in the brainstorming I'm not sure I would've understood what you meant by it), but the bathrooms themselves are pretty plain and standard. For such a fun exterior, its a shame to see nothing about theme inside.
Final thoughts
I loved this and the Ant-Man theme worked really well! It pays respect to the past and does a great job adding some more fun/variety to Avengers Campus. A great place to relax and unwind and a very fun presentation! Although sadly held back a bit by some confusing writing and typos. A well as the bathroom itself feeling underwhelming despite being the climax of your project you were building towards. Minor issues, but in a nother close round minor issues might be the deciding factors
As Expedition 8 comes to close today, let's take one last look back at Expedition 7 and officially declare the winner
It was very close as always! Team Birds definitely had the more unique idea with Toy Story Land, the Floamcano, and the tropical dino vibe, but did they have a bit too much going on and one or two too impractical of things? Team Boats on the other hand had a simpler concept executed really well, but some parts fell a little flat. Overall though, I think I gotta give it to...
Congrats! This does mean we are tied for the Rapid River heading into the third and final Expedition. Good luck teams!
(Pst… secret Disney Imagineer here. I managed to procure a snippet of the finale music video. A majority of the original was deleted upon accident in the files, but this little snippet was first sent as a first draft to an executive. This is not public information, do not tell anyone!)
Ya'll exceeded my wildest expectations! Both teams did, really. I feel like there won't be a ton to say, but that doesn't mean I don't LOVE this and that doesn't mean I don't absolutely admire and recognize the amount of work, passion, and effort that went into this. Just that I feel there will be a lot of me trying to find different ways to say "This is so cool!"
The presentation elevates this a lot with the mulitmedia style and the mulitiple forum posts all adding to one really cool cohesive whole. The focus on Stitch and Aulani was great and such a clever out of the box idea. Showcasing a lesser known part of "Disney" like that is both fun for fans who don't see much done with Aulani and fun for Disney's accountants who love the cross promotional synergy! Win Win!
Presentation
The presentation isn't a way to present a project here. The project IS the presentation here! so I'll go more into it later as we go through the different parts. But what I will shout out right off the bat is how despite the separate posts and how each part is kind of its own thing, it still manages to stay cohesive and feel like one whole! I was a bit worried the video, the wiki, and the box would all feel like 3 separate projects about the same topic, but you did a good job making it all feel like parts of a whole (aside from a few inconsistencies which I'll talk about later)!
Team Dynamic
@DisneyManOne was a bit of a hands off leader, but was there to keep things flowing early on when it was needed most and used their eye for detail to help keep everything in check! Well done!
THIS IS SO COOL! It really feels like a legit trailer! It communicates the vibe you were going for really well too with the blend of the old school Sing A Longs with a sort of Aulani/Hawaii tourism video. A unique twist on the old formula that I was a bit skeptical one but the video really sold me on how exciting it could be even with there being a bit less "Disney" in it.
Love the transitions between songs. Excellent choice of B-Roll (good job finding an extended video of Stitch there without kids or tourists in the way, I know from experience how tough that kind of B-Roll can be to find lol). You never hold on any scene or song too long for it to get stale, but you also aren't cutting so fast that it feels disorienting. Very well done trailer!
Good mix of modern, classic, Disney, non-Disney, etc. Love seeing Go with the Flow included! I was not sure about the Pearl Harbor scene (still probably would've cut it myself), but having a more somber moment works for a tourism video even if it clashes with the sing along vibe. Plus, adding a bit of pathos can be nice.
I really liked the idea of using Iam Tongi for the video as it adds to the "corporate synergy but done well" vibe the project has. I'll talk more about release year confusion later, but I think that idea alone was fun enough to justify it coming out in present day and going to Disney+ or whatever.
I'm not sure I've ever seen a Wikipedia Page as a presentation style! It works really well and you did a good job thoroughly explaining what you needed without it feeling forced with the Wiki format. Perfect level of detail to communicate your ideas without hurting the bit.
Love the note about a reanimated Prof Owl opening. The detail about differences between the English and Japanese versions (as well as the inclusion of the Japanese version to begin with) was great!
Sadly, your section is where a lot of the inconsistencies come in. You mention a 2011 release date a few times (in your forum post and on the wiki section header at least), but Moana wasn't released until years later. You also mention 2016 in the Volume Notes and the info box on the wiki. 2016 is what the VHS box says and fits Moana. But half the times dates are mentioned in the project it is the wrong date (including the forum post which is arguably the most visible date). This is me nitpicking about typos, but like I've said before when both teams are doing such amazing work its not uncommon for nitpicks, typos, and inconsistencies to be a deciding factor.
Mix ups with dates aside though, I'm astounded by how well this looks and how fun both the sing along would be and how fun this presentation is! Great work on the wiki! You absolutely nailed the style
Very minor nitpick: The Wiki says it was a laserdisk only release, and Disney stopped making VHS around 2008. Some throw away line about it being a collectors release or something to explain a VHS tape in 2016 would've been nice. But that is a minor thing
The case looks great! Very authentic, but without compromising readability or your own ideas. The attention to detail is great. This genuinely looks like a real thing you'd find in a box in someone's garage somewhere. Its nice seeing you work on visuals a bit more considering how much you are known for your writing, I love to see it!
Final Thoughts
Some very minor nitpicks over inconsistencies, but overall this project is amazing! Familiar yet unexpected in equal measures! And that video is astounding! Whoever wins/loses, everyone this round should be proud. amazing work all around with nothing but tiny issues from both teams. It likely will be another 10/10 vs 10.5/10 kind of round. Well done!
Team Birds went a bit more out there with a modern revival blending in more of a Hawaiin Tourism video vibe. But while they went more unique, you took a different approach and made it as authentic as possible. Birds feels like something I could totally see Disney doing, Boats feels like something I could gaslight myself into believe Disney actually did lol
Also, I really like the "lost media" angle and the gag that it was covered up after the poor reception to DCA 1.0. Really fun stuff! The video is fantastic as is the original song! Those are both huge plusses!
Presentation
The leaked documents is fun framing device. I promise not to tell Eisner about it at the weekly Boggle game nights we have (he cheats btw). It's subtle, but just changing the font and the page color go a LONG way to helping it feel fresh and makes it feel like the presentation was custom built rather than tossed in Docs because it was easiest. Little touches but those little touches help a lot
I'll talk about the video and the song more later, but they are incredible!
I know from seeing behind the scenes that splitting the presentation into two posts was less intentional and more of a result of internet issues with aGP (won't hold it against you for being late because of that btw). But ya'll did a good job using it to your advantage and adding to the "discovering lost media" bit!
The VHS cover by @Brer Panther is great! Really fun and authentic to the era! Reminds me almost of a Disney Adventure Magazine cover with the seemingly random character crossover. Loved it!
Also, I appreciate seeing a couple scenes getting full description, but it was a nice touch to only do a couple scenes that way. Would've been a bit much and overwhelming to read if every single song was fully described. Good level of detail here
Team Dynamic
There was some back and forths about songs on the list that probably should've happened earlier in the round than it did, but other than that ya'll worked really well and came together pretty quickly! @ThemeParkPriest did a good job keeping things running smoothly (with some help from @spacemt354 along the way). This team really has found their comedic voice and gotten good at communication!
This was great! The slideshow of still images and short snippets of songs might not be the most realistic/immersive video, but it doesn't have to be. The images you chose and the way it all flows does a perfect job of getting the vibe/tone across in a way that made me almost forget it was still images as I was watching it (the quicker cuts between images adding extra energy was a good touch to make it feel alive)! I felt like I was just watching a shortened version of the real thing! It made me nostalgic for something that doesn't even exist lol. Loved it!
Love the idea of starting this in Toontown showing the gang getting ready for their California trip! Such a fun detail (they did something similar with the Beach Party video starting on the Streets of America sets at Studios and kids packing for their vacation iirc) that adds a bit more of a narrative to it without having to rely on overbearing dialogue or narration. A good "show don't tell" story
Donald and Lizzy McGuire getting up to mischief on Superstar Limo and the backlot is great! Love the Lizzy McGuire synergy throughout the tape. It feels so random and cheesy, but in that perfectly Eisner way!
Getting the bad out of the way first: Too much dialogue. It's all good, but this is a sing along and the rest of your tape is light on dialogue. Plus, there's a lot of repetition here. You've got 3 different Statler and Waldorf jokes. They're all good, but if you just pick one favorite joke it would keep things moving better. Again, what you wrote is great! I'm not recommending cutting anything because it is bad. But sometimes less is more and can flow better.
Got the bad out of the way, luckily everything else here is good! You're really good at Muppets dialogue. You're jokes are funny. You do a good job integrating Lizzy McGuire while keeping the focus on the Muppets. It transitions very smoothly from the last song to this one. This adds a nice bit of fun to the soundtrack which is otherwise light on Disney/kids songs. Great sequence! Streamline the dialogue a bit to fit the setting of a sing along and it would've been perfect
It is very nice to have this as a bit of slower moment and a bit more reverent. Adds some depths to video and plays into the themes of the park well. I like how you mix the show's video footage with clips from the park. It is all very well done giving the video a more meaningful interlude without overstaying its welcome on high energy kids tape.
I wish a bit more thought was given to transitioning in and out of this scene though. the change from Muppets to this is pretty abrupt both tonally and plot-wise. Little nitpick there, but where the video has such a good flow overall, this disruption to that groove feels more noticeable.
Pluto and Lizzie Mcquire going around the bakery and bountiful valley farms to make some goodies is the exact kind of oddball idea I'd expect from Tegan and it works very well. it's such a small idea, but one that really does just work as both unexpected and right at home here!
Adding in some Country Bear fun to Grizzly Peak was great and a fun way to work in some more Disney character. The gag at the beginning with Donald (and the "And Duck" running joke) is great. The song choice being one of the more modern/upbeat country bears songs was a nice choice to not feel out of place on the soundtrack. I love it!
Love the idea of Lizzie and Minnie leading an almost girls trip kind of thing around California. Cutting between ride footage of Soarin' and actual footage of the characters exploring the state is a lot of fun! This is good way to take us from the bulk of the video into climax mode. Just a really fun scene
Minor note here: this is meant to be the end of the video so a montage around DCA works well. But the video had the dangling plot thread of Donald getting separated from the group early on with the Hollywood song (and then brought it back with the Bears song) making me think it was going to pay off. But it doesn't wind up going anywhere. I'm not that worried about the storytelling in a sing along video (as there is barely a story to begin with), but where you set up a small plot I was hoping for a small resolution. Not a huge deal or a big oversight or an issue with this scene specifically, just a rather minor note for the video as a whole
That being said, I don't mind the finale being just over a montage of the park. It works really well as a way to cap it off and as a way to market the new theme park!
The original song is great! Love the instrumentation you did for it. I don't know enough about music to really comment on it musically, but I can say it sounds really nice and has been stuck in my head since last night. Love seeing players use their unique talents and other hobbies to improve their imagineering. A really great plus!
The lyrics/story are fun too! A solid mix between a "real" song and a "jingle" for the park that is exactly what the video needed and I could see it being a favorite for Disney fans!
Final Thoughts
Some very minor nitpicks about the storytelling (sometimes too much, sometimes not enough, etc), but overall this project is amazing! And that video and that song is astounding! Whoever wins/loses, everyone this round should be proud. amazing work all around with nothing but tiny issues from both teams. It likely will be another 10/10 vs 10.5/10 kind of round. Well done!
I'll be revealing the winner of this Expedition and this River tonight live on the podcast! As well as who is eliminated, who wins the Golden Dole Whip, and the next Expedition PLUS, of course, Tiki, OB, and I will be discussing the last two Expeditions (The bathroom project and the Sing Along) Everything will be posted here right after so if you can't join us that is ok, but it's sure to be a fun filled time!
Team Birds won Expedition Six Team Boats won Expedition Seven
Which means we have a tie heading to the end of the Rapid River and it all comes down to this!
The Winner of the Eighth Expedition is...
Both teams created some of my all time favorite projects this round. In any other round, the 1-2 punch of Ace's trailer and Red's Wiki would win without question. Birds did a mind blowingly great job! But Boats somehow did the impossible and topped it! Amazing video, original song, lost media presentation, amazing!
This was once again another 10/10 project going up against a 10.5/10 project and once again some all time favorites. Ya'll should be incredibly proud.
With winning this Expedition, that breaks the tie and means that Team Boats has officially won the Rapid River
For being the Skipper of the winning team, @ThemeParkPriest has won immunity for the Eliminations at the end of the Rapid River
Speaking of eliminations at the end of the Rapid River, sadly it is time for to say goodbye to at least one player
As mentioned before, member of the losing team for the river will be eliminated
While you're a strong player, you've been contributing less lately and spent a fair amount of the Rapid River offline. It's a shame, but we all understand. We all have lives outside the forum and sometimes whether we want them to or not, those lives mean we can't be here as much we wish.
BUT while you have been eliminated, maybe this isn't quite the end yet. I'll be messaging you soon
But if you remember, there was always the chance of a second elimination at the end of the Rapid Rive. While one was guaranteed to be from the losing team, this second elimination can come from either team.
No One yet!
No Double Elimination this time!
One last note, both to balance the teams and to try to bring out the best in all the players, @WaltWiz1901 will be moved to Team Birds
There is one more matter of business to take care of...
Time for the GOLDEN DOLE WHIP! Which will be awarded to a member of the Team which won the River
Pictured: It isn't made of gold. It's a regular Dole Whip that is flavored to taste like gold. It is not yummy at all The Winner of the Golden Dole Whip will receive immunity for the entire 4th River giving them a guaranteed spot in the Final 8! And that winner is...
Citrus Dreamin' will be divided into 5 Wondrous Rivers with each new river adding a new twist or element to the gameplay.
The fourth river we encounter is Time's River! There will be two Imagineering Expeditions along this river, each set in a specific year in the past. So, let's just take a jump to left and get this boat (which is bigger on the inside) up to 88 mile per hour!
This River's end will mark the end of the main game! What happens along Time's River will determine who will be one of the 8 Finalists. So, these next two Expeditions are your last chance to earn your spot in the finals.
This round will be Fast, Furious, and all about Family!
--What you need to know--
Thierry Coup, who contrary to what his name suggests is a former head of Universal Creative and was NOT a baby sneezing, once said that not stopping Universal Orlando from building Fast & Furious Supercharged was his greatest mistake. But now that we have a time travelling boat* we can go back and fix the past!
*technically the River itself is how we time travel not the boat. That's the lore. It's in the show bible. Add it to the Citrus Dreamin's wiki
The ride itself is not exactly looks at fondly. Fast & Furious Supercharged is not great. But what makes it even worse is how massive it is! Nearly double the size of Kong despite featuring less and being the same ride system. It replaced two classic attractions AND the ride by itself is roughly the size of the entirety of Diagon Alley (minus King's Cross Station).
If you included the San Francisco restaurants as a part of the expansion pad, you easily have room for a whole new land! Seems like a much better use of space than a mediocre ride where you sit and gently bounce while a poorly animated Vin Diesel hangs from a helicopter, dangling in front of us like keys jingling in front of a baby's eyes
--The Prompt--
Design a New Land replacing San Francisco/Fast & Furious Supercharged opening in 2018 in Universal Orlando
Instead of Fast & Furious: Supercharged, now is your chance to stop it from ever existing by building a new land for Universal in that same spot! Feel free to use the rest of San Francisco too (or keep the San Francisco theme and just expand it if you'd like)
No Wilderness Explorer's Guide since you're free to make whatever you'd like, but here is a great the interactive Universal Studios Orlando Map to help see what else is in the park and what else is in San Francisco. Universal has a broad scope of IPs and tends to be more than willing to make deals with other companies to use their IPs. So, pretty much anything Disney doesn't own is fair game!
There may be One Elimination at the end of the Expedition
With how close we are to the finals, there won't be immunity as a prize for being the winning Skipper anymore. BUT being a strong Skipper is a great way to try to earn a spot in the Final 8
--Helpful Advice--
Don't go too Fast and/or Furious! It is important to not spend too long brainstorming to make sure everyone has time to finish their parts of the project, but it is equally important to not rush through brainstorming. You want to be sure to take enough time to get everyone on the same page
--When is it due?--
This project is due in 7 Days(well, I guess 6.5 days) on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024 at 11:59 pm WDW Time (9 pm Disneyland Time, 11 pm Six Flags over Texas Time, 2 pm the next day Tokyo Disneyland Time)
Anyways, it was in the game, I would have done a sequel to JAWS. Just imagine going to Amity Harbor and then getting attacked by Bruce! (Yes, that’s the sharks name. Not the finding Nemo one.)
To be frank, I am honored to receive the Golden Dole Whip. It was delicious (big fan of that metal taste, reminds me of chewing a rock band's bones) and I ATE it up (while destroying the Fantasy Draft at the same time <3). THank you so much everyone!
