MickeyWaffleCo.
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
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The Imaginarium - Competition Thread [Complete]
- Thread starter tcool123
- Start date
PerGron
Well-Known Member
My issue is we had more than 10 attachments so I had to finagle a way to get them all to work out
D Hulk
Well-Known Member
Tcool's Reviews
Sorry for taking so long on getting reviews out, took my own advice from my most recent Discussion Thread post, with that said I'm proud of all the effort that both teams have put into their projects! Since the reviews took longer to get out additional time was added to the planned window for the immunity challenge and elimination period. With all that said let us now journey to a galaxy far, far away....
Star Wars: Streams of the Force by Team Innovators
I would like to start off by saying this presentation shows off how far one can go with something as a simple forum post. Present here you can original artwork, a trailer, various trailers and a few unique fonts to help denote various scenes and information. Moving on from that all the bonuses, such as the custom map and trailer really aid in making this project seem more realistic. Although I suppose that opening date is all but too optimistic given Disney's construction times
Conceptually I think including the Jedi and the force is a logical path for an expansion of the land as it is a major part of Star Wars that really isn't well utilized. I also think the plot of land is a wise choice given it is definitely the bigger of the two expansion pads for the land, and therefore would be able to execute this major attraction better. The fact this ride is truly open to all with no height requirements is a great one as only two other rides in the park that can boast that! The various sections of the queue are rather detailed, allow for room for plenty of easter eggs to past Star Wars projects, and sounds more enjoyable than many of the queues in Hollywood Studios so good job! The little details such as Kylo's force holds are reminiscent of the interrogation pre show at Rise of the Resistance, but honestly it is a really cool effect so definitely don't mind seeing it recreated.
The preshow while effective sounds like it would wow guests much like how the Rey hologram and Pepper's Ghost (projections? both?) Jack Sparrow over at Shanghai does today. The kyber crystal caves sound quite beautiful reminds me of the rainbow caverns which are always a fan favorite. As we continue into the jungle scene I do wish that spoken word was kept in that same font that was used by Yoda in the preshow as it aids in breaking dialogue up from the ride through; thus making it a much easier read through. Lots of iconic animal creatures are featured in the scene which is nice, for future reference it would be nice if the pictures matched what was being described. For example the lothal cat's inclusion is odd when it's not mentioned in the scene where as the Klatooine Paddy Frogs, Nuna, and Mynock were mentioned with no visual aid. A small quip especially since this team had issues with the images this round.
Oop there's the Loth Cat! In the Jedi Temple Scene, so I suppose its nice that the image was included. However it would have been a better fit here when it was mentioned. I enjoy how the murals work in concepts from modern day Star Wars films while keeping in mind this temple fell long before the Clone Wars so having concepts instead of specific characters depicted was a smart move. Fastpasses are dead, this temple really is ancient With that said I'm sure Star Wars nerds will be enthused at the little in joke that leads up to the Sith temple. The reveal of Palpatine was really well done and a good wow moment for the ride! Furthermore the way the backwards portion was handled was really well done allowing for guests to really fear the dark side given going backwards is always a big uh oh moment. The effect of having a guests' own face projected onto the statues is another big wow moment, and I think would be a big hit with guests! The finale is a nice way to include some more Jedi at the end to please many fans, both casual and hardcore a like.
Overall I think this was a solid attraction however I feel like the over relying on comparing to other attractions really brings the reading experience down as it makes the reader automatically compare it to other attractions instead of focusing in on what's new. For me personally it's better to reminiscence on something ala the rainbow caverns vs the kyber caves that be thinking exactly of how this copies Navi River Journey's night jungle. With that said I think it was a really solid concept the jungle did feel a bit out of place to me with the rest of the setting, but beyond that I think y'all had a great effort!
The Grand Batuu Escape by Team Imaginators
I want to start off by saying I appreciate all the effort that was put into making this project happen with the time that y'all gave yourselves for. I will say that in the future definitely try to pace yourselves, and set deadlines. One deadline could've been the angle for the ride and the system, and another could've been handing out parts. I feel like a strong concept is present throughout the project, but it has yet to truly reach its fullest potential.
I get that the backwards waterfall is cool and all, but why? Is it the force? There's other waterfalls on Batuu that fall normally, what makes this one special? Right off the bat I enjoy the premise of the attraction however it does remind a lot of the the nearby Millenium Falcon attraction where guests are hired by Hondo to fly the falcon to retrieve his treasure, and to not waste time because time is money. I'm not sure if it was unintentional but the queue and preshow just reminded me a lot of Smugglers Run, not that's a bad thing! I actually enjoy both elements of your attraction it is just very similar to the next door ride.
I enjoy the extra details that went into the water speeders such as the variety of colors, and personal touches that makes this feel more like a genuine Star Wars endeavor rather than a run of the mill copy paste ride. The boats being unique bring the ride to life, and was just a great thing to read about. I feel like the ride through was rushed, and more of a rough outline than an experience. Yes every scene was there, but things like the creature, lack of overall dialogue or emotions, mentioning only one pair of attacking droids, etc. really made the project feel bare bones. With that all said, I think this would be a really cool ride. The focus on Clone Wars would be a refreshing departure from the land which relies on the styles of the Original and Sequel trilogies, and with the current appreciation from the prequel era I think that it was a smart play.
Overall this team produced a really great concept and some areas of the project are very detailed. However things such as lack of detail in key parts like the ride experience alongside the lack of any images did hurt the project. In the future I think it would be beneficial if the chief imagineer set up a schedule/plan on when to have brainstorming done, pitches for the ride, written portions for the ride, etc. I think it helps organize the team and results in a better project on the end. This feedback is not limited to just Team Imaginators but to Team Innovators as well! Teamwork makes the dream work, and communication is an important tool to use for all.
Sorry for taking so long on getting reviews out, took my own advice from my most recent Discussion Thread post, with that said I'm proud of all the effort that both teams have put into their projects! Since the reviews took longer to get out additional time was added to the planned window for the immunity challenge and elimination period. With all that said let us now journey to a galaxy far, far away....
Star Wars: Streams of the Force by Team Innovators
I would like to start off by saying this presentation shows off how far one can go with something as a simple forum post. Present here you can original artwork, a trailer, various trailers and a few unique fonts to help denote various scenes and information. Moving on from that all the bonuses, such as the custom map and trailer really aid in making this project seem more realistic. Although I suppose that opening date is all but too optimistic given Disney's construction times
Conceptually I think including the Jedi and the force is a logical path for an expansion of the land as it is a major part of Star Wars that really isn't well utilized. I also think the plot of land is a wise choice given it is definitely the bigger of the two expansion pads for the land, and therefore would be able to execute this major attraction better. The fact this ride is truly open to all with no height requirements is a great one as only two other rides in the park that can boast that! The various sections of the queue are rather detailed, allow for room for plenty of easter eggs to past Star Wars projects, and sounds more enjoyable than many of the queues in Hollywood Studios so good job! The little details such as Kylo's force holds are reminiscent of the interrogation pre show at Rise of the Resistance, but honestly it is a really cool effect so definitely don't mind seeing it recreated.
The preshow while effective sounds like it would wow guests much like how the Rey hologram and Pepper's Ghost (projections? both?) Jack Sparrow over at Shanghai does today. The kyber crystal caves sound quite beautiful reminds me of the rainbow caverns which are always a fan favorite. As we continue into the jungle scene I do wish that spoken word was kept in that same font that was used by Yoda in the preshow as it aids in breaking dialogue up from the ride through; thus making it a much easier read through. Lots of iconic animal creatures are featured in the scene which is nice, for future reference it would be nice if the pictures matched what was being described. For example the lothal cat's inclusion is odd when it's not mentioned in the scene where as the Klatooine Paddy Frogs, Nuna, and Mynock were mentioned with no visual aid. A small quip especially since this team had issues with the images this round.
Oop there's the Loth Cat! In the Jedi Temple Scene, so I suppose its nice that the image was included. However it would have been a better fit here when it was mentioned. I enjoy how the murals work in concepts from modern day Star Wars films while keeping in mind this temple fell long before the Clone Wars so having concepts instead of specific characters depicted was a smart move. Fastpasses are dead, this temple really is ancient
With that said I'm sure Star Wars nerds will be enthused at the little in joke that leads up to the Sith temple. The reveal of Palpatine was really well done and a good wow moment for the ride! Furthermore the way the backwards portion was handled was really well done allowing for guests to really fear the dark side given going backwards is always a big uh oh moment. The effect of having a guests' own face projected onto the statues is another big wow moment, and I think would be a big hit with guests! The finale is a nice way to include some more Jedi at the end to please many fans, both casual and hardcore a like.Overall I think this was a solid attraction however I feel like the over relying on comparing to other attractions really brings the reading experience down as it makes the reader automatically compare it to other attractions instead of focusing in on what's new. For me personally it's better to reminiscence on something ala the rainbow caverns vs the kyber caves that be thinking exactly of how this copies Navi River Journey's night jungle. With that said I think it was a really solid concept the jungle did feel a bit out of place to me with the rest of the setting, but beyond that I think y'all had a great effort!
The Grand Batuu Escape by Team Imaginators
I want to start off by saying I appreciate all the effort that was put into making this project happen with the time that y'all gave yourselves for. I will say that in the future definitely try to pace yourselves, and set deadlines. One deadline could've been the angle for the ride and the system, and another could've been handing out parts. I feel like a strong concept is present throughout the project, but it has yet to truly reach its fullest potential.
I get that the backwards waterfall is cool and all, but why? Is it the force? There's other waterfalls on Batuu that fall normally, what makes this one special? Right off the bat I enjoy the premise of the attraction however it does remind a lot of the the nearby Millenium Falcon attraction where guests are hired by Hondo to fly the falcon to retrieve his treasure, and to not waste time because time is money. I'm not sure if it was unintentional but the queue and preshow just reminded me a lot of Smugglers Run, not that's a bad thing! I actually enjoy both elements of your attraction it is just very similar to the next door ride.
I enjoy the extra details that went into the water speeders such as the variety of colors, and personal touches that makes this feel more like a genuine Star Wars endeavor rather than a run of the mill copy paste ride. The boats being unique bring the ride to life, and was just a great thing to read about. I feel like the ride through was rushed, and more of a rough outline than an experience. Yes every scene was there, but things like the creature, lack of overall dialogue or emotions, mentioning only one pair of attacking droids, etc. really made the project feel bare bones. With that all said, I think this would be a really cool ride. The focus on Clone Wars would be a refreshing departure from the land which relies on the styles of the Original and Sequel trilogies, and with the current appreciation from the prequel era I think that it was a smart play.
Overall this team produced a really great concept and some areas of the project are very detailed. However things such as lack of detail in key parts like the ride experience alongside the lack of any images did hurt the project. In the future I think it would be beneficial if the chief imagineer set up a schedule/plan on when to have brainstorming done, pitches for the ride, written portions for the ride, etc. I think it helps organize the team and results in a better project on the end. This feedback is not limited to just Team Imaginators but to Team Innovators as well! Teamwork makes the dream work, and communication is an important tool to use for all.
Results
I want to start this by saying I think both teams had strong core concepts, and many high points in both submissions. I know that life can be challenging (trust me I know
) however I think that planning and communicating is a key in a team setting. You're not just relying on yourself, but there's a whole group of people who are there for you. They are there to aid in your creativity, in your writing, in your feedback, and more but only if you are willing to communicate. In the end both teams choose a boat based attraction allowing for one team was able to sail to victory, but the other never left the port.
This means that the losers are unfortunately...
I want to start this by saying I think both teams had strong core concepts, and many high points in both submissions. I know that life can be challenging (trust me I know
) however I think that planning and communicating is a key in a team setting. You're not just relying on yourself, but there's a whole group of people who are there for you. They are there to aid in your creativity, in your writing, in your feedback, and more but only if you are willing to communicate. In the end both teams choose a boat based attraction allowing for one team was able to sail to victory, but the other never left the port. The winners for this round are...
Team Innovators with Star Wars: Streams of the Force! While the jungle scene is odd surrounded by the caves and ancient temple setting seen throughout most of the ride the attraction remains strong. It is for the most part a rather calm ride that embraces the more beautiful and calming parts of Star Wars while working the action that one comes to expect from something like the dark side and Palpatine being involved. I think this boat ride is a great way to handle a boat ride for Studios, and is exactly what the park needs to bolster its attraction lineup.
This means that the losers are unfortunately...
The losers for this round are...
Team Imaginators. I'm sorry to tell you this as this was a very creative concept, but the project felt rushed and unfinished. This fact was put under a magnifying glass by the lack of any visuals, not every image has to be an original piece of art. Sometimes something pulled right up from Google suffices, and it aids to fill out your project. Take the critiques from this challenge, and apply them for the future as it will allow you all to grow.
Disney Warrior
Well-Known Member
Disney Warrior low effort guest reviews
Yeah I hate Star Wars lol,
team imaginators your project looked unfinished, tesm innovatirs your project looked finished
Yeah I hate Star Wars lol,
team imaginators your project looked unfinished, tesm innovatirs your project looked finished
The Bottom Three
Team Imaginators your Chief Imagineer has decided, and here are your bottom three.
Team Imaginators your Chief Imagineer has decided, and here are your bottom three.
@JokersWild and @TheOriginalTiki you are safe. All five members of Team Imaginators please vote within the lounges I have set up for each of you. The deadline to submit your vote is on October 7th at 11:59 PM. Remember that the immunity challenge closes at 10 PM on the 7th.
JokersWild
Well-Known Member
Well that shouldn't be.
Shannoninthemagic
Well-Known Member
Can we just send you our vote?
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
Refresh my memory, are we allowed to post our Immunity Challenge projects in the main thread, or do we have to wait for a conversation to be sent to us?
MickeyWaffleCo.
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
You’re supposed to submit them privately. I think you should already have a PM with Tcool, but if not I’m sure you can start one and he wouldn’t mind.
spacemt354
Chili's
Privately in the PM please.
Shannoninthemagic
Well-Known Member
wondering that too
ThemeParkPriest
Well-Known Member
Rooting for you, Shannon! You've survived up to this point!
Shannoninthemagic
Well-Known Member
thanks priest!!
montydysquith-navarro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Monty's Reviews
Bright suns and rising moons, teams! First of all, I would like to congratulate both teams for their wonderful expansion proposals to DHS' Galaxy's Edge. Despite utilizing the same ride system (we had a laugh about this in the judges' PMs once we realized what was happening), both teams presented new takes on it that fit within the world of Black Spire Outpost on Batuu. As @Disney Dad 3000 said in their team PM, DHS badly needs a boat ride, and what better way to premiere that ride system than in park's the newest land?
Just a disclaimer, my approach to this round is from the viewpoint of a casual Star Wars fan: I know some stuff about it, but that's it. This is how much of a noob I am about Star Wars: when The Force Awakens premiered and Han Solo made his first appearance on the Millenium Falcon, the entire cinema gasped. I then turned to my brother who was sitting next to me and whispered, "Is that Luke Skywalker?" Sooooo...
Now, on to the reviews!
Star Wars: Streams of the Force
Team Innovators
The first of our two boat ride projects. Your team set out to provide contrast to the thrills of Smuggler's Run and Rise of the Resistance, and you achieved just that. It's old-school Disney (think Maelstrom; photogenic vignettes, "fear minus death = fun" elements, the works) that was married to newer technology. Though it's not perfect (understandably so), for nearly a week's worth of work, this is very impressive.
Admittedly, @PerGron's initial pitch of using the Force as a major plot element didn't excite me at first, but reading about it in your final submission made me change my mind. In the wrong hands or concept, it may come across as too cheesy for the ruggedly-sophisticated Galaxy's Edge. Then again, the lightsaber ceremony is a thing that happens in the land so it comes down to personal taste I guess. Anyway, I agree with @tcool123 about using it, as the films (and the franchise in general) emphasize the Force's importance a lot but it's not so apparent in the land today. Using that and running with it for your attraction was the logical next step. Even casual fans like I am are familiar with the idea/concept of the Force, so using that plot point is an added bonus that will cater to both the casual and die-hard fans.
The queue is a smart move. I was intrigued by how will you transition from the First Order side of Black Spire Outpost to our main destination, the hidden ancient Jedi temple. @MickeyWaffleCo.'s "reverse-Rise" approach (as coined by @D Hulk) is very clever, and ties in well with the surrounding area. Who knew the First Order has a bunch of archaeologists within their ranks? Kidding aside, the detail in the descriptions is remarkable. From the First Order artifact warehouse (the effect of Kylo's force holds sounds exciting) and dig site, the ancient Batuuan cistern, to the cave where we first meet with Yoda, the descriptions and the accompanying visuals helped me imagine this feast for the senses.
The preshow reminds me a lot of ROTR's, but it's warranted enough considering the guests will be encountering Yoda's force ghost. The floating rocks and pebbles effect is very intriguing though. Will it be done through projection mapping (like the interrogation cell escape from ROTR), something more practical (like the old crashing rock effects that used to be on the final lift hill of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad), or a mix of both? Moving on, I do wish you elaborated on what happens after the preshow before you board the boats. It's a little nitpicky, but I noticed the rather obvious jumpcut after the queue/preshow section to the ride experience section. Will there be a short queue from the caves to the boarding area, or are the boats already waiting for you to board into as soon as the cave opening is revealed?
The ride experience is very much unlike Star Wars. As I've mentioned earlier, your team set out to contrast the action-packed MFSR and ROTR and this proves just that. The environments you chose (the kyber crystal caves, the subterranean jungle, and the crumbling Jedi temple itself) reflect that choice. The emphasis on bioluminescence and natural/nature-taking-over-infrastructure settings in the attraction really makes this stand out from the other 2 attractions in Galaxy's Edge. The choice of animals in the subterranean jungle is interesting and definitely provides a new set of characters for guests to encounter (and maybe get a stuffed toy of in the gift shop) in Galaxy's Edge aside from Chewie. I wonder though how could Disney even maintain that massive jungle rancor AA by the temple entrance if they couldn't even maintain the Yeti AA in Expedition Everest? Anyway, the Jedi temple itself looks and sounds impressive, especially the literal and allegorical mural depictions of Jedi history and future. The entire Dark Side section with Palpatine and the other Sith is the definite showstopper of this attraction, especially the Sith statues taking on the guests' faces. The finale is great as well, if not ending a bit abrupt for my taste. Having different faces from both the original and prequel trilogies appear will definitely please many fans, especially those craving for that sweet, sweet original trilogy content in the sequel-based land.
However, I will say that there is a disjoint of sorts between your ride narrative and ride system. Your ride system is the classic Pirates/It's a Small World boat, but the little narrative/narration you have doesn't seem to match its relatively slow pacing. The slow-moving boats work for either attraction because of the kinetic and energetic environments it travels through. In Pirates, you ride through the town the pirates have landed in and you pick up snippets of group conversations happening all over the place which contributes to the overall lively atmosphere of the ride. In contrast here, you can only see 30-40-some (being generous with my figure count here) physical characters, the majority of which are animals that are concentrated in one show scene. With only a few lines of dialogue per show scene spoken by a disembodied human/Force ghost (I think I counted one or two lines for each before the Palpatine encounter and the finale) in addition to the John Williams musical underscoring that you presumably have, it falls into the Na'vi River Journey trap: very pretty pictures with great music but has very little story, and you're stuck in a slow-moving boat for 12 minutes (per your ride statistics). NVJ, by the way, takes 5 minutes to ride and a lot of people found that ride boring. A Star Wars-themed attraction should anything but that. My recommendation is that you either can expand the narrative more to fill in the dead air moments (I doubt serenity is in your team's emotional attraction mood board), or use another similar ride system. Maybe an expanded Maelstrom ride system (additional boat capacity) could work better?
The presentation was very simple and effective. It's a great example of the "less is more" approach. Having not been to Galaxy's Edge personally, I appreciate the project's completeness, from the ride's placement within the land, how it fits and expands the Black Spire Outpost lore, to its great accompanying visuals. It helped me imagine how it will help beef up the land in general. Shoutout to Disney Dad's attraction ad, which helped sell the attraction to me without spoiling and promising too much (looking at you, sparking Kylo Ren lightsaber from the Rise of the Resistance ad).
Overall, this project has definitely found its legs on solid ground. The ride premise is great and sound within the story confines of Black Spire Outpost, the effects are groundbreaking, and the environments are interestingly different from the ones we already see in MFSR and ROTR. With just a few adjustments either with the narrative or with the ride system, your team will have developed an instant classic attraction that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family. Great job, everyone!
The Grand Batuu Escapade
Team Imaginators
The second of our two boat rides. In contrast to Innovators, your team opted to continue the trend of action-packed attractions at Galaxy's Edge. The concept and premise for it is thrilling, and even casual fans like me would be excited to ride that. @JokersWild's initial pitch for it actually made me more excited for it than Innovators' did to be honest, but that's about it. Strong concept, but the execution of it could still be improved.
The inverse waterfall is certainly a unique and striking visual for an opening, but why is it falling in reverse? Is there something mystical about these particular set of caves on Batuu? Or is it a recently-exposed former Jedi base that had some Force seeped into its surroundings? I wish this was clarified/expanded more and how it works within the overarching story of Black Spire Outpost, which is honestly something I could say about the entire submission. The bones are there and well-accounted for but the meat is barely there. Your team's PM is evidence that more was initially planned, but I didn't see this in the final submission. Granted, @DisneyFan18 did write this on the fly though...
I can't help but be reminded of Smuggler's Run while reading through your submission. Given the similar ride narratives between the two, I'm not that surprised. I do appreciate the mentioning of the blended physical and screen-based set for this attraction, which should help differentiate it from MFSR (aside from the lack of interactivity). The different aesthetic per boat is a neat idea, and definitely works in-world given you're working for a (shady?) scrappers' guild that has a tour company front. I could use some visuals though, in general. Again, I'm not familiar with Star Wars, I don't know what that ship looks like so some visual context would be nice next time.
The ride narrative is promising, but it's not as narratively detailed as I'd like. The outlines of each scene is present, but that's about it. What am I supposed to see, hear narration-wise, and feel as I approach each show scene? Or, if it a purely musical and visual experience (like Phantom Manor in Paris), what am I supposed to see, hear musically, and feel? If these three/four elements were present in your submission, your team would've been golden.
Overall, this project has good bones but couldn't stand on its own as it was submitted. Close, but no cigar, as the saying goes. It needs much more TLC from everyone in the team so it can move further to better itself.
Wait, this is DHS, I don't think anyone is allowed to smoke in here...
Bright suns and rising moons, teams! First of all, I would like to congratulate both teams for their wonderful expansion proposals to DHS' Galaxy's Edge. Despite utilizing the same ride system (we had a laugh about this in the judges' PMs once we realized what was happening), both teams presented new takes on it that fit within the world of Black Spire Outpost on Batuu. As @Disney Dad 3000 said in their team PM, DHS badly needs a boat ride, and what better way to premiere that ride system than in park's the newest land?
Just a disclaimer, my approach to this round is from the viewpoint of a casual Star Wars fan: I know some stuff about it, but that's it. This is how much of a noob I am about Star Wars: when The Force Awakens premiered and Han Solo made his first appearance on the Millenium Falcon, the entire cinema gasped. I then turned to my brother who was sitting next to me and whispered, "Is that Luke Skywalker?" Sooooo...
Now, on to the reviews!
Star Wars: Streams of the Force
Team Innovators
The first of our two boat ride projects. Your team set out to provide contrast to the thrills of Smuggler's Run and Rise of the Resistance, and you achieved just that. It's old-school Disney (think Maelstrom; photogenic vignettes, "fear minus death = fun" elements, the works) that was married to newer technology. Though it's not perfect (understandably so), for nearly a week's worth of work, this is very impressive.
Admittedly, @PerGron's initial pitch of using the Force as a major plot element didn't excite me at first, but reading about it in your final submission made me change my mind. In the wrong hands or concept, it may come across as too cheesy for the ruggedly-sophisticated Galaxy's Edge. Then again, the lightsaber ceremony is a thing that happens in the land so it comes down to personal taste I guess. Anyway, I agree with @tcool123 about using it, as the films (and the franchise in general) emphasize the Force's importance a lot but it's not so apparent in the land today. Using that and running with it for your attraction was the logical next step. Even casual fans like I am are familiar with the idea/concept of the Force, so using that plot point is an added bonus that will cater to both the casual and die-hard fans.
The queue is a smart move. I was intrigued by how will you transition from the First Order side of Black Spire Outpost to our main destination, the hidden ancient Jedi temple. @MickeyWaffleCo.'s "reverse-Rise" approach (as coined by @D Hulk) is very clever, and ties in well with the surrounding area. Who knew the First Order has a bunch of archaeologists within their ranks? Kidding aside, the detail in the descriptions is remarkable. From the First Order artifact warehouse (the effect of Kylo's force holds sounds exciting) and dig site, the ancient Batuuan cistern, to the cave where we first meet with Yoda, the descriptions and the accompanying visuals helped me imagine this feast for the senses.
The preshow reminds me a lot of ROTR's, but it's warranted enough considering the guests will be encountering Yoda's force ghost. The floating rocks and pebbles effect is very intriguing though. Will it be done through projection mapping (like the interrogation cell escape from ROTR), something more practical (like the old crashing rock effects that used to be on the final lift hill of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad), or a mix of both? Moving on, I do wish you elaborated on what happens after the preshow before you board the boats. It's a little nitpicky, but I noticed the rather obvious jumpcut after the queue/preshow section to the ride experience section. Will there be a short queue from the caves to the boarding area, or are the boats already waiting for you to board into as soon as the cave opening is revealed?
The ride experience is very much unlike Star Wars. As I've mentioned earlier, your team set out to contrast the action-packed MFSR and ROTR and this proves just that. The environments you chose (the kyber crystal caves, the subterranean jungle, and the crumbling Jedi temple itself) reflect that choice. The emphasis on bioluminescence and natural/nature-taking-over-infrastructure settings in the attraction really makes this stand out from the other 2 attractions in Galaxy's Edge. The choice of animals in the subterranean jungle is interesting and definitely provides a new set of characters for guests to encounter (and maybe get a stuffed toy of in the gift shop) in Galaxy's Edge aside from Chewie. I wonder though how could Disney even maintain that massive jungle rancor AA by the temple entrance if they couldn't even maintain the Yeti AA in Expedition Everest? Anyway, the Jedi temple itself looks and sounds impressive, especially the literal and allegorical mural depictions of Jedi history and future. The entire Dark Side section with Palpatine and the other Sith is the definite showstopper of this attraction, especially the Sith statues taking on the guests' faces. The finale is great as well, if not ending a bit abrupt for my taste. Having different faces from both the original and prequel trilogies appear will definitely please many fans, especially those craving for that sweet, sweet original trilogy content in the sequel-based land.
However, I will say that there is a disjoint of sorts between your ride narrative and ride system. Your ride system is the classic Pirates/It's a Small World boat, but the little narrative/narration you have doesn't seem to match its relatively slow pacing. The slow-moving boats work for either attraction because of the kinetic and energetic environments it travels through. In Pirates, you ride through the town the pirates have landed in and you pick up snippets of group conversations happening all over the place which contributes to the overall lively atmosphere of the ride. In contrast here, you can only see 30-40-some (being generous with my figure count here) physical characters, the majority of which are animals that are concentrated in one show scene. With only a few lines of dialogue per show scene spoken by a disembodied human/Force ghost (I think I counted one or two lines for each before the Palpatine encounter and the finale) in addition to the John Williams musical underscoring that you presumably have, it falls into the Na'vi River Journey trap: very pretty pictures with great music but has very little story, and you're stuck in a slow-moving boat for 12 minutes (per your ride statistics). NVJ, by the way, takes 5 minutes to ride and a lot of people found that ride boring. A Star Wars-themed attraction should anything but that. My recommendation is that you either can expand the narrative more to fill in the dead air moments (I doubt serenity is in your team's emotional attraction mood board), or use another similar ride system. Maybe an expanded Maelstrom ride system (additional boat capacity) could work better?
The presentation was very simple and effective. It's a great example of the "less is more" approach. Having not been to Galaxy's Edge personally, I appreciate the project's completeness, from the ride's placement within the land, how it fits and expands the Black Spire Outpost lore, to its great accompanying visuals. It helped me imagine how it will help beef up the land in general. Shoutout to Disney Dad's attraction ad, which helped sell the attraction to me without spoiling and promising too much (looking at you, sparking Kylo Ren lightsaber from the Rise of the Resistance ad).
Overall, this project has definitely found its legs on solid ground. The ride premise is great and sound within the story confines of Black Spire Outpost, the effects are groundbreaking, and the environments are interestingly different from the ones we already see in MFSR and ROTR. With just a few adjustments either with the narrative or with the ride system, your team will have developed an instant classic attraction that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family. Great job, everyone!
The Grand Batuu Escapade
Team Imaginators
The second of our two boat rides. In contrast to Innovators, your team opted to continue the trend of action-packed attractions at Galaxy's Edge. The concept and premise for it is thrilling, and even casual fans like me would be excited to ride that. @JokersWild's initial pitch for it actually made me more excited for it than Innovators' did to be honest, but that's about it. Strong concept, but the execution of it could still be improved.
The inverse waterfall is certainly a unique and striking visual for an opening, but why is it falling in reverse? Is there something mystical about these particular set of caves on Batuu? Or is it a recently-exposed former Jedi base that had some Force seeped into its surroundings? I wish this was clarified/expanded more and how it works within the overarching story of Black Spire Outpost, which is honestly something I could say about the entire submission. The bones are there and well-accounted for but the meat is barely there. Your team's PM is evidence that more was initially planned, but I didn't see this in the final submission. Granted, @DisneyFan18 did write this on the fly though...
I can't help but be reminded of Smuggler's Run while reading through your submission. Given the similar ride narratives between the two, I'm not that surprised. I do appreciate the mentioning of the blended physical and screen-based set for this attraction, which should help differentiate it from MFSR (aside from the lack of interactivity). The different aesthetic per boat is a neat idea, and definitely works in-world given you're working for a (shady?) scrappers' guild that has a tour company front. I could use some visuals though, in general. Again, I'm not familiar with Star Wars, I don't know what that ship looks like so some visual context would be nice next time.
The ride narrative is promising, but it's not as narratively detailed as I'd like. The outlines of each scene is present, but that's about it. What am I supposed to see, hear narration-wise, and feel as I approach each show scene? Or, if it a purely musical and visual experience (like Phantom Manor in Paris), what am I supposed to see, hear musically, and feel? If these three/four elements were present in your submission, your team would've been golden.
Overall, this project has good bones but couldn't stand on its own as it was submitted. Close, but no cigar, as the saying goes. It needs much more TLC from everyone in the team so it can move further to better itself.
Wait, this is DHS, I don't think anyone is allowed to smoke in here...
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Voting Results
Team Imaginators we're gathered here today to see which one of your players will be leaving the Imaginarium, and who will be staying.
First let us reveal who won this week's immunity!
Now let the reveal of the votes commence!
Team Imaginators we're gathered here today to see which one of your players will be leaving the Imaginarium, and who will be staying.
First let us reveal who won this week's immunity!
Now let the reveal of the votes commence!
@Brer Panther your team has decided in a vote 3 to 2. I am sorry to say this but your time at the Imaginarium has come to an end. I hope that you continue to stay and involved and follow along with the Imaginarium, and that you continue your involvement in the forum as we celebrate the 20th anniversary!
An Update to Teams
We are in the midst of unusual times with mysterious forces causing chaos in the Imaginarium. To better strengthen our odds at repairing the Imaginarium the two teams will now become one team! Let's have a warm welcome for....
Team Creators
@JokersWild
@TheOriginalTiki
@Disney Dad 3000
@D Hulk
@DisneyFan18
@Shannoninthemagic
@MickeyWaffleCo.
@PerGron
Yes this is truly a glorious team, and I'm sure you can handle any challenge thrown at y'all!
Now onto the next challenge, and I -
Wait who is that? Stay back! No don't touch th-
We are in the midst of unusual times with mysterious forces causing chaos in the Imaginarium. To better strengthen our odds at repairing the Imaginarium the two teams will now become one team! Let's have a warm welcome for....
Team Creators
@JokersWild
@TheOriginalTiki
@Disney Dad 3000
@D Hulk
@DisneyFan18
@Shannoninthemagic
@MickeyWaffleCo.
@PerGron
Yes this is truly a glorious team, and I'm sure you can handle any challenge thrown at y'all!
Now onto the next challenge, and I -
Wait who is that? Stay back! No don't touch th-
This is going to be interesting, it is finally my time to shine! Eh maybe not right at this very second. Yes rest is what I need. Tomorrow! Yes tomorrow I shall truly rise and appear to all of these so called armchair imaginers! Evil laugh, evil laugh!
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
Honestly not surprised I was eliminated.