The Great Movie Ride II - Main Competition Thread

AceAstro

AceAstro

Well-Known Member
JokersWild said:
Umm actually I just looked over the plans and we’re actually about 27% done now. Hope you have time to catch up!
Click to expand...
Kermit The Frog Reaction GIF
 
D Hulk

D Hulk

Well-Known Member
HULK REVIEWS.jpg


Believe it or not, I’ve actually been to Ocean Park! That’ll of course inform my review this week.

Our teams had a truly promising site to work with, graced with some of the greatest panoramic views in possibly any theme park. I remember riding the now-defunct Mine Train ride and getting some wonderful vertigo looking down on whole Hong Kong neighborhoods below. I was hoping for both projects to take advantage of this in some way, and thankfully in the end both did manage that. I also hoped for both projects to provide an air-conditioned respite from Hong Kong’s relentless humidity; both teams managed that as well. I am satisfied.

Good job to our teams for tackling an unfamiliar theme park this week. Both brainstorms quickly established more familiar parks to refer to, mostly Epcot and SeaWorld. While Ocean Park has its own odd quirks unlike any stateside park, there’s some pretty similar stuff in there as well. Besides, Ocean Park is in so much creative flux all the time, it might be totally different from how I saw it in 2018.

Touchstone_Pictures_logo.svg

SEABIRD BAY

It’s always good to open with a strong first impression. The website does just that, even despite the title/logo getting cut off somehow. I gather that @MickeyWaffleCo. created this site on short notice, so that’s understandable. The presentation throughout is technically strong, from Ace’s Planet Coaster work, to @HenryMystic ‘s music.

The introduction, and some of the later descriptions, is brief and confused. We open with “Seabird Bay has a very thoughtful backstory,” though what it is isn’t really explored. There’s some talk about a peat bog, then dinosaurs, and reading through the ensuing project these things never appear again. Seabird Bay is at its core a plussed bird exhibit. Reading through the intro, I wouldn’t get that. Could be the result of some confused communication between players? The intro undersells your simple, sturdy, SeaWorld-esque animal edutainment tone.

Seabird Exhibit
Very, very Ocean Park. It fits the park overall, it fits the prompt, it fits the location, and it’s also very “PerGron.” Seaside cliff birds are a super sensible theme for a seaside cliff setting. Honestly, knowing firsthand what this place looks like, a lot of your thematic / placemaking work is already done for you. Very budget conscious!

Dive Birds
The queue writeup shares the intro’s faults. We just dive right into the attraction – HA! – without first establishing the simple fact that there IS a roller coaster. The ideas underlying the queue, though, are good, hitting a nice Busch/SeaWorld animal exhibit vibe.



The coaster itself is a standout. Stats are on-point, perfect to a B&M dive machine. The site just begs for a dive coaster. I’m very much reminded of the Glenwood Caverns’ upcoming Defiance; you could get some great parallax/vertigo moments from this elevation. I am envious of Ace’s Planet Coaster skills. The unique coaster moments elevating a potentially barebones steel coaster into a thematic experience by interacting with the waters, cliffs and exhibit. All very realistic for Ocean Park’s means. I am a fan of interpretive coasters where guests assume the role of another creature – in this case, diving seabirds – and I applaud embracing the coaster-ness of it. Henry Mystic’s music is a great plus as well! As a coaster guy, this is a highpoint of the week for me!

Bird’s Nest shop is a nice extra

Stork’s Sporks
OMG that name! How would it translate into Chinese? Restaurant idea seems slightly undercooked – HA HA! – as there are hints at a cuisine, but no fleshed-out menu, and little hint about what the space would look like. Granted that “birds” is a hard theme to work with, for this sort of space.

Good to see a conclusion.

Overall, the project feels a little brief, but what’s there is good. @AceAstro carries the project this week with a standout centerpiece roller coaster, which works very well for this prompt. Waffle’s presentation efforts and Mystic’s music are other project highlights. It overshadows the rest. In retrospect, the aviary is surprisingly minor. I think there must’ve been limited time this week, since I know what the other players are capable. Nothing to be worried about long term though!
​


Hollywood_Pictures.png

THE AUSTRAL POLE

A strong intro – in sharp contrast to Touchtone! – instantly grounds me in what Hollywood Pictures is aiming to do with their project. The polar / penguin focus feels redundant since – as you noted – penguins already exist at Ocean Park, and in a spot that’s physically very far removed from the old Mine Train cliffs…hundreds of vertical feet removed, at the top of the mountain. (Brief reference to gondolas in the land map partially answers for this.) There was no need to repeat an existing idea. During the brainstorming phase, honestly I was somewhat worried about what this project might become, but I am pleasantly surprised with the final results. You specifically mention air-conditioning, and your coaster addresses the cliffside setting, even while the mostly enclosed exhibit does little to take advantage of the world class views.

The “pavilion’s” abstract, ice-like architecture suits Ocean Park well. The direct reference to old school EPCOT Center designs, that rubs me a little weird, since there’s four decades of newer architecture (NON-Disney architecture!) to draw from. Ocean Park at its best is as modern and forward-facing as EPCOT was in its heyday. Contemporary Chinese architecture would’ve been a good alternate source of inspiration.

The Great Penguin Plummet
Ah, a roller coaster on a cliff! Love it! A flying coaster is pretty well neck-and-neck with a dive coaster for this site. I appreciate the use of Vekoma’s new F.L.Y. model, combined with an aerial setting which could rival Magic Mountain’s Tatsu. This is a very “Tiki” sort of coaster with its attempt to fuse immersive dark ride storytelling with white knuckle thrills. Mystery Mine clearly made a lasting impression on him!

Really appreciate the queue’s focus on mood over exposition. Parks nowadays over rely on wordy pre-shows and such. Love too the careful sequencing of reveals so that guests only see the coaster once they’re already on-ride, very deliberately done. The dark ride segment feels like what SeaWorld Orlando’s penguin ride should’ve been. When Tiki commits, the evocative details shine through. Bits like the “kaleidoscope of colors” stand out as highlights. The coaster segment is strong as well, thematically, with nice rockwork integration reminding me of Europe’s best-themed thrill coasters (thinkin’ F.L.Y., Taron, Nemesis, even Orlando’s Velocicoaster). Some of the animatronic work, like the “Free Willy” stuntronic, seems over-ambitious for Ocean Park.

A Journey of Marine Life
A certainly solid Epcot-style edutainment ride. Good job done from the start clearly stating the ride’s theme, content, tone, and ride system. Too often these crucial details are merely implied in some presentations. Good note about language selection, good attention to your Hong Kong setting. The ensuing ridethrough has the sort of in-depth, transporting content I wanted from Epcot and didn’t get (when I visited for my first time in 2021), studiously telling a scientific story with beautiful scenery and without irrelevant distractions (Nemo!). The sheer number of show scenes is impressive, touching upon every major step in our aquatic evolutionary journey. Speaking with experience, this would absolutely be an Ocean Park highlight.

It's also what Epcot ought to be, up to and including the hands-on exhibits afterwards, and that’s extremely high praise. Reading through this, @MagicKingdom4Ever and @EmFromPlanetEarth write as two authors sharing a single voice.

Overall, Hollywood Pictures has rebounded fantastically after a first week in the wilderness, bolstered by some new voices and by some reenergized teammates. The coaster and the dark ride are both contenders for the project highlight. There’s a good balance here of thrills, fun and edutainment. The final project is even more impressive since some teammates were distracted by life this week. It’s a good sign of team health. I expect that things could look even better in the weeks to come.​
 
MickeyWaffleCo.

MickeyWaffleCo.

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
D Hulk said:
Stork’s Sporks
OMG that name! How would it translate into Chinese? Restaurant idea seems slightly undercooked – HA HA! – as there are hints at a cuisine, but no fleshed-out menu, and little hint about what the space would look like. Granted that “birds” is a hard theme to work with, for this sort of space.
Click to expand...
That would be me, attempting to quickly type out a five minute dining experience to take advantage of the view right before the deadline. (That name, though. I just slapped some words together and didn’t even think about the translation 😂)
 
ThemeParkPriest

ThemeParkPriest

Well-Known Member
ThemeParkPriest's Quick Takes​
Touchstone Pictures
Brainstorming: a little slow at times (e.g. Tuesday to Wednesday) but with flurries of activities
Land Design:
Theme: Seabirds–unique!
Seabird Exhibit: A good way for guests to experience a variety of seabirds. This is in-keeping with the educational side of the park (and prompt).
Ride Queue: I like the details that set the atmosphere for what is to come on the roller coasters!
Ride Type: Flying Coaster is fitting for anything that flies (like seabirds); the dive is fitting for seabirds, too. I appreciate the video and concept art for the coaster. The stats seem fine for the space that was given (although it seems to come to an abrupt end). Are you creating a whole new pond for the roller coaster to go under? It seems a bit different than its predecessor–a relatively slow family coaster that gives great views of the Bay.
Story: I would have appreciated more details about the set-up: why are there talking birds, how is it that the guests can experience the flight of the seabirds, etc.
Ride music: The music seems to be good for setting the mood of what is going on in the coaster.
Presentation: GoogleSite–fine for this
Shop: about what I would expect
Restaurant: sounds good to me! I had a lot of good seafood in Asia (South Korea)

Hollywood Pictures
Brainstorming: a lot of ideas, especially from newbie @MagicKingdom4Ever and veteran @spacemt354
Music: even though it was just a sample, I found it enjoyable!
Mascot: standard cute animal figure given to us by Honey Bee
Land Design: the glass structure looks open and inspiring, but I wonder how well show elements can be controlled for an Omnimover ride (i.e. it seems more fitting for a ride like Living with the Land). Ocean Park is a hilly park, so I like the thought of connecting the Arctic with the Austral Pole with a gondola as it is difficult to get between the two areas without it. As nice as it is to have the two colder lands united, the project would still stand on fine ground without it, though.
Theme: Penguins–fine; tried before not only in Ocean Park but in other places like SeaWorld Orlando
Great Penguin Plummet Queue: rather extensive; fitting to have a research station since it is located in Antarctica. A late “reveal” of the coaster does give a special moment to the riders
Ride Type: Vekoma Flying Coaster (like Phantasialand’s “Fly”): very interesting concept; might be a little ambitious/expensive for use in an attraction with live animals. With two different ride “styles,” I’m guessing the “pinch point” for capacity would be on the roller coaster side. I’m not sure how all that would be handled. I’m guessing the ride vehicles take a while to load.
Story: seems like it would be a very memorable ride! Between the space and the financial difficulties of Ocean Park, it seems like it would face an uphill battle to be “green-lighted.”
Marine Life Queue: It seems like a bit of a transition to go to under-the-sea. This attraction seems like it would work better in the Marine World section of the park
Ride Type: Omnimover–good for a high capacity, educational ride
Story: Does a good job of exploring the history of marine life
Presentation: Google Doc–seems good for the project!
Shop/Restaurant: I don’t believe there were any mentioned

It was great to see what both teams came up with! I plan to do some more guest judging in July!
 
Disney Dad 3000

Disney Dad 3000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
DD Reviews.jpg

Scene 2 is in the books, and it was great to see all the activity this round. It looks like our minor adjusting of Studio teams worked out and there were contributions from numerous cast and crew on each team, along with a few newbies and folks that are on their way back.

Ocean Park was a new beast for about every one of you, but you tackled it with great determination. While we love Disney and Universal parks around these parts, there are some unique and interesting parks around the world, and we got just a small taste of that this week. While it was a new one to most, we felt the challenge and the park had enough familiar vibes that anyone knowing Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Sea World, or coaster parks would have an easier entry into this park that I believe has been untouched on the forums.

Your challenge this week was to design both an attraction and an exhibit for Ocean Park. The location that was provided is one that housed an attraction that while not groundbreaking, provided some of the most spectacular views you will find in a theme park attraction. With the exhibit, teams were not required to bring additional animals into the park, partly to offer up alternatives more in the science angle if needed and to avoid concerns about animal care except for those most attuned to this realm. No matter what you did, we were looking to see how you addressed the parks’ stated goal of focusing on education and conservation, while also adding a unique attraction.

Touchstone_Pictures_logo.svg.png


If I am not mistaken, the topic of seabirds was the very first fully fleshed out idea pitched and what you ultimately went with, though you did bounce around a few additional ideas theming wise that also proved interesting (especially that Australian/Aboriginal angle). It was nice to see several ride systems debated as well until you settled on something that ultimately would mesh perfectly with your exhibit species.

Presentation/Cinematography
Another well laid out website from Touchstone which helps organize a project of this type. Minor issue with the homepage logo, but the sunset picture of the dive coaster goes a long way in pulling my gaze from that. The intro of the project provides a backstory for the land utilized in the project that I think might have been more suited for an immersive land rather than this addition to Ocean Park. On the flip side, I can see keeping the intro as is, but including further detail for guests in the Seabird Exhibit via video boards, etc. regarding this history would have gone a long way in fleshing this out. One key thing that was missing from me as well in this realm was a map layout, even a simple one, to ascertain how the coaster and exhibit mesh (which I will notate later in my review).

Attraction & Exhibit
A dive coaster is the most spot-on choice for an attraction for multiple reasons. The obvious connection to the seabirds makes for a great synergy between the additions, but also would take advantage of both the views and the sloped terrain that exists on this plot of land as you noted in your writeup. Dive Birds does its best to simulate the flight pattern of the seabird above and below water, and I thought you pulled it off swimmingly. Solid descriptions of the queue which are basic enough to fit the Ocean Park mold, and the ride itself make for a nice addition to the park. Having not experienced Mine Train personally, I am sure @D Hulk can attest, but I think this dive coaster in that location might provide some of the most heart stopping views one could want on a coaster. The Planter Coaster and accompanying music were extra great touches to flesh out the ride experience.

The Seabird Exhibit is basic enough and the type of exhibit I could see coming to Ocean Park. Again, a solid choice both for placemaking with the location overlooking the channel, but also synergistically fits perfectly with the coaster experience. I will not pretend to know all the birds featured so I will assume they are on point. I thought we might see a bit more detail in the exhibit, but what is here is good.

If I have any major quibble with the attraction and exhibit, it ties back to the lack of a map or layout for this area. I have no doubt space wise your proposal easily fits in this location given the terrain, etc. A map, or artwork of the exhibit with the attraction would have gone a long way for me in fully realizing the vision of this space. I know this team especially would take care to look out for the bird's well-being, but besides the underwater portion being separate, was there any concern of noise with the two seemingly intertwined? Some sort of visual representation would have helped assuage any fears.

At the end of it all, solid additions to Ocean Park, including the hilariously named Storks Sporks, and a project I could easily see being a seamless fit into the park.



Hollywood.JPG


First off, it was great to see a bounce back week from this Studio team. This Studio has several great minds, and the new faces added to the team and competition hopped right in to get things moving. Like Touchstone, this team debated a few ideas, one of which was very adventurous, and I was hoping you would tackle instead of penguins, but in the end, you went with what you felt was most comfortable for the team. While I do have some qualms about the choices, the effort and result speak for themselves from top to bottom in this project.

Presentation
Google slides is an easy-to-use format, and for purposes of this pitch, made for an easily read and flowing presentation. Solid intro and pitch for your decision that lay the groundwork for the rest of the project that is to come. One minor quibble is you note with this addition you allow the existing area of the park to focus on the Arctic (no penguins), while the new Austral Pole focuses on the south. With this distinction, it does feel a bit odd to not move the penguin exhibit to your project area to allow for this separation to fully be realized.

That being said, what you have done here is create a true destination in the park with all you have included (though too much which I will tackle later?). The glass, glacierlike façade would certainly make for a striking feature with its position on this tip of the island. The map too goes a long way in placemaking and realizing all that you have brought to the project. Also love the inclusion of a mascot for this new area that featured some original artwork!

Attraction & Exhibit
The Great Penguin Plummet provides an uber detailed write up along with a flying coaster, that like the dive coaster from Touchstone, is an inspired choice. Maybe a bit too ambitious at times for Ocean Park, it provides what would surely be an enjoyable experience, and easily the most high-profile attraction for the park at large. The mixture of dark ride and coaster elements is inspired, and easily translates to the penguin theme that you the team went with. While I hate to lose some of the view with all the dark ride scenes, there is still enough there it appears from your description to get momentary peak views of the channel. Love the map work and including imagery that accompanied the write up!

When we proposed including an exhibit with this project, an omni mover is the absolute last thing we expected. You leaned hard into Epcot vibes with this one. Like the coaster, the attraction might be a bit too ambitious for Ocean Park, but it is hard to argue with the detail and story that is here. A Journey of Marine Life does a tremendous job of capturing the education narrative the park is leaning for. Very impressed with the thought and detail that went into this attraction/exhibit. I am not 100% sure how this attraction with a ride time of 10 minutes (maybe shorten to 4-5 min?) would work real world given the location constraints and the heavily sloped nature of this location, but again love the work that went into this including the after ride hands-on exhibits. A slight mention of this being included in the Ocean Park Academy programs would have really put it over the top.

As noted in this intro, great to see Hollywood fully show out this week and bring forth a great project. At times maybe a little grander than we could expect from Ocean Park, but given the money being pumped into the park and the detailed care that all parts of the project took into account, cannot complain with the results. Wonderful things continue to lie ahead for this Studio I am sure, and a job well done this week.​
 
TheOriginalTiki

TheOriginalTiki

Well-Known Member
@D Hulk might be able to speak to this better than I can, but I actually think the capacity on "Fly" is relatively high especially given its ride type. I believe it loads similar to Forbidden Journey, with the Omnimover style conveyor belt. The transition from sitting to flying happening on the actual track instead of in the station is a major selling point for this new model as far as capacity goes. B&M flyers are a bit infamous for being very slow loading even though B&M typically make coasters that swallow crowds.
 
Disney Dad 3000

Disney Dad 3000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
AND THE RESULTS ARE IN....



Scene 2 is in the books as we have concluded our time here in Hong Kong. A great week from both Studios and their pitches for an update to Ocean Park.

Many more entertaining weeks ahead on The Great Movie Ride, and we look forward to seeing what you come up with next.

Academy_Award_trophy.png
​


Best Original Music Score​
Original composed music
(You all are really going to make us give this every week aren't you?)
Touchstone Pictures for Seabird Bay (10 points) - The on board music for Dive Birds was a great addition to the project and perfect complement to the on ride experience.
Best Original Art Direction​
Original artwork, design, logos, menus, etc.
Hollywood Pictures for The Austral Pole (10 points) - A pavilion facade rendering, mascot and attraction map for The Great Penguin Plummet were standout additions to this project

Best Visual Effects​
Special Effects
Touchstone Pictures for Seabird Bay (10 points) - Utilizing Planet Coaster for a ride along was a great choice to help visualize the riders' point of view on Dive Birds
Best Cinematography​
Presentation
Hollywood Pictures for The Austral Pole (15 points) - End to end solid presentation using Google Slides and provided all the necessary elements from intro, layout, and content that was easily followed and explored
Best Picture​
Best overall Project
Hollywood Pictures for The Austral Pole (35 points) - A tight race between two solid projects, but the top to bottom detail and teamwork from Hollywood won out this week in a cohesive project that provided a grand addition to Ocean Park

​
Overall Standings After Scene 2

Touchstone Pictures -
90 points
Hollywood Pictures -
60 points
​
 
D Hulk

D Hulk

Well-Known Member
TheOriginalTiki said:
@D Hulk might be able to speak to this better than I can, but I actually think the capacity on "Fly" is relatively high especially given its ride type. I believe it loads similar to Forbidden Journey, with the Omnimover style conveyor belt. The transition from sitting to flying happening on the actual track instead of in the station is a major selling point for this new model as far as capacity goes. B&M flyers are a bit infamous for being very slow loading even though B&M typically make coasters that swallow crowds.
Click to expand...
Tiki is right on regarding F.L.Y. The flying vehicles are able to rotate perpendicular to the track, a bit like Disney's new Omnicoaster (also from Vekoma). The track goes sideways through the load station with ride seats facing outwards in a simple upright position, allowing for quick, efficient loading. The trains continue through F.L.Y.'s initial dark ride segment in this same upright position. For the transition to the coaster segment, the track reorients to face downwards while the seats rotate so riders face forwards in a new flying position. This means fewer moving parts than B&M's flying model. F.L.Y. has 4 trains running at once, with a good-for-a-coaster 1,400 THRC.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom