Verde's Verdict
Tcool's Reviews
First off I would to thank you for not only having the courage to post first, but also for participating in the competition! I'm going to be splitting my review into two parts the brainstorming/group dynamics, and the final product.
I'm not going to lie I was scared for the group. While the rest of the teams instantly clicked, and threw everything they had to the wall, this team was a bit slower. At times members would dispute over one particular attraction, but overall once
@DisneyManOne came in everything began to settle. Thanks to not only your great project manager, but also your group bonding everything worked out fine.
Throughout your brainstorming various unique ideas had come up, and I was glad to see such ingenuity within the team. This brainstorming you all had is essential for making a team work as it gives you not only a map for the future, but also allowed for you all to come together. Now onto part two of your review the final result.
Overall I am fan of the way you had your expansion set up, and I feel that your final concept art meshes well with Old Fantasyland creating an extension of it. So while not only expanding Fantasyland your team also complimented it. However this does not mean your project is without any faults. The map itself is a nice touch, and in general is easy to follow. However the issue comes in with A - H. With no explanation for the markings, nor the meanings it left me with a few questions to placement. Also I'm having an issue locating Cherry Tree Lane, and its placement.
The Mr. Toad Ride sounds like it would be immensely fun, and a great way to bring in the character into the park. However my concern is the size of the building, and it sound like it is going to be immense, and may dwarf the rest of Fantasyland challenging the skyline for the area. The idea to incorporate the Cobra's Curse system is a clever one. For Alice I like how you play homage to the original labyrinth, but I will miss the teacups. While it is a minor thing it is a classic attraction that all parks have a variation of. At first the ride begins with an interesting idea, and seems like it could divert from being Alice from Disneyland. However it quickly subverts to this, and this creates one big issue. How can you see the Cheshire Cat guiding you if you are in the Cheshire Cat? Overall I do like this ride, and I think it is an interesting twist on a classic much like Toad.
Winnie the Pooh in my books is a homerun. It is fun, innovative, but also familiar. It is something that I'm sure will become a favourite throughout time. However the queue is quite frankly odd. You enter the queue through an oversize book in a village, and then you enter a library to just enter the same book again. I'm sure if this works as not only would the giant book would ruin the aesthetic of the village, but it may lead to confusion within guests. Love the gift shop though really has a cheerful atmosphere in my opinion.
Tangled in general is off, or to clarify aspects of it all. As I was reading I was loving the atmosphere and the planned streetmosphere. The gift shop was well done, and clever. However came the Tangled ride, and it just felt forced. It was oddly paced, and seemed to be just the tower and the lanterns. There is no real reason behind it nor a story to be told. Nor is there a resolution of the story that was set up as it seemed the riders get swept away, and Flynn Ryder essentially responds with "eh, they'll figure it out". While not saying it is what came across. The story felt forced, and I was hoping for a resolution. The restaurant tries to be Be Our Guest, but then there's also Cherry Tree Lane also doing the same thing. This for me is concerning as they would fight for attention from the fans, and if I remember correctly both would require reservations thus lacking any new quick service in this area.
For Beauty and the Beast once again fell into the same pattern. For example why is lumiere welcoming you into France if you're in France. Is seems a bit redundant, no? As for the pacing it was alright, but a head scratcher on why we leave the castle to start in the forest, and just return to the castle in a moment's notice. However besides this is was a good ride.
Lastly there is the Hunchback of Notre Dame. At times I felt that at certain portions the decisions were decided they had to be justified. However given the opening of the ride it was clear that stylistic deviations were going to be used given we were in a puppet show. By doing this it takes readers out of the element. Additionally the big trackless exploration scene fell flat for me. My main issue is there wasn't enough detail for the Frollo and Phoebus segment, and compared to the rest of the scene is just a disappointment. However whatever is a dissapoint are the Court of Miracles, Out There, and Hell's Fire scenes as they all sound lavish. Overall this ride was risky. The source material is dark, and different from much of Fantasyland. However an effort was done to establish that this is the adult area of Fantasyland. In fact I even liked how you reincorporated A Guy Like You into something worthwhile.
Overall this project was at one point a mess, but the team came together to form a project that for the most part flows well. Not only that but there was some fun rides. With my main and lingering concern is the feasibility of this project given the park has two years to bulldoze, and build essentially a literal whole new Fantasyland. With that said I do like your project, and think it complements what already exists.
Castle's Conclusion
Tcool's Reviews
Much like with Verde my review will be split into two.
From the start this team just clicked, and ever since then they have been on a roll. The entered and exited the brainstorming process of this challenge very quickly, and began handing out assignments in a flurry of Imagineering excitement. Overall the early stages had a few minor snags, but overall the team came together to really progress through this challenge. Now onto the submission itself!
84 Pages? Okay let me cozy then, and my reading music playing.
I haven't even read it yet, but I'm sure you aware that 84 pages is a bit large for most. With that said kudos for the table of content that sticks out from the left. Allows for navigation through this document. At times there are some grammatical and spelling errors, but we all make those errors. So while not optimal they do slip through even the best of double checking.
Fantasmic sounds like it will an issue with the crowds with the way the show is set up viewing may become limited due to the proximity guests must be for the two stages. Not only this, but wouldn't the stage obstruct the view of the fountains, and the castle itself during the show? Overall the show is nice, but I would have wished to see some of the newer properties instead of the same core Disney films. With that said there were two outliers Ratatouille and Hunchback. The inclusion for Ratatouille was odd given that it has its own land next door, but the inclusion and execution of Hunchback sounds brilliant.
I thought it was nice to see the classics get some love. However I don't follow the reasoning behind Pinocchio getting a full scene by scene, but the rest of the rides got either a blurb or a bullet point. I feel that there should be consistency throughout, and this ruined said ideas of consticinecy. With that said I do think that the refreshes are a nice touch, and should keep these rides popular for longer. While the new dark ride in Old Fantasyland, Mary Poppins, was a nice touch.
Now onto the first new subland, The Woods. I'm glad to finally see a map, and I wish there had been one earlier. The map allows me to visualize how everything will fit together, and I would've loved if this received its own tab within the table of contents. Now onto the land itself.
Within the land itself there seems to be no breathing room, and at points some thematic clashing between attraction concepts which comes into play. My issue lies upon the proximity of the Parisian Beauty and the Beast and Hunchback, Germanic Tangled, Scottish Brave, and the British Pooh. With the cramming of IP, and the likely sightlines created by the facades of the iconic locations an issue arises. You won't be transported to anywhere, and this is different from the Forest at Magic Kingdom. Within the Forest there is breathing room between Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. While the Seven Dwarfs is vaguely themed on the outside allowing for it blend in no matter the location. This is lost in the Woods in which everything has a set piece right after one another.
The best example is Tangled/Brave. You pass by a Germanic tower, and run into a Celtic castle, but you soon run into a Germanic themed tavern. However placement does not affect the quality of a ride. Just the cohesiveness of the Woods.
The Winnie the Pooh ride sounds like a fun addition, and is definitely something I would love to ride. It puts a fun twist on the current whip rides throughout the many parks. While the gift shop is a ice touch, and rminds me of th Barney gift shop at Universal.
Now onto Brave, and a lot has changed within the canon since the last time we were allowed glimpse. Apparently Fergus and Eleanor are now dead? This is of course the reason for Merida becoming a queen, or is it because she had been wed off to a suitor who needed a queen? This little detail causes some questions to pop up, and then bam dragons? Okay, sure...I guess. Look the triplets can talk now, and at this point I wished there was a time reference for when this takes place. And Merida has magic powers! And her mom, the queen, is alive! I have a whole lot of questions, and zero answers from the ride itself. Wait we get one in the restaurant with a backstory that I feel would've been great before the ride. All in all this didn't feel like the world of Brave to me, but rather something that could've worked on its own that was given a Brave theme.
However while the story was odd. The effects and the ride itself sound like they would be a great ride. This would be a huge win for Disney in terms of effects, thrills, and the ride itself. And I do apologize for ragging on the ride based on story, but that represents that you may need a backstory before the ride. The restaurant however was a good call, and I would love to go if just for the iconic pastries that the triplets were constantly stealing within the film.
Tangled I feel was well executed, and a fun ride which involves many interesting moments. While the Tavern was clever, and something that I absolutely loved.
Onto the Feast of Fools! Fun fact, all the castle parks have alcohol now. With Paris being the first? to roll it out. The restaurant itself is another home run, and is something I would love to experience. It's a fun use of the property, and definitely adds variety to the current landscape of dining at the resort.
Now we reach the ends of the Woods! Now I have a question. Does Belle's library contain literary classics such as Twilight, 50 Shades of Grey, and dystopian teen novel of choice?
Overall the Beauty and the Beast is fun, and provides for pretty much every Disney movie not in Paris's Fantasyland yet a chance to shine. It does remind of Once Upon A Time at Tokyo Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, or the Crystal Grotto at Shanghai.
Now Dreamport! I like the Las Fallas walkthrough, and I think it's great. It'll allow for a quick getaway from the crowds allowing for a time to relax. While the Fantasia museum is beautiful, and something that will probably become a must do for everyone.
Mickey's Concert is interesting. I don't follow the reasoning behind Figment being here, but sure. I wish the first ride had more detail, but overall it is really ambitious. Overall the ride is ambitious, and good. While I'm not a fan of Figment hanging around, nor that Chernabog decided to speak I like it.
Overall the rest of Fantasy Port is good. Nothing to crazy, but it is fun. It compliments the area.
Lastly I love the concept of the budget, and something I have played around with in the past. However the budget for this expansion is a tad bit too large, but I do love the realism you were going for. At times some of your rides feel like they were forced on some themes. Figment onto Fantasia, Beauty and the Beast onto the five? films, and Brave onto the original story. It just seemed a bit odd to me.
Brava's Breview
Tcool's Reviews
Eh, I tried with the title
Much like what other reviews this will be split into two. At first I was concerned if england and Vox would mix well with the newer players such as Ace and D Hindley. However any concerns were soon quelled by the way Ace took the helm of Project Manager, and he was on fire! Everyone on that team had a role, and the dynamic within the team made me really happy to see everyone work well together.
I loved the realism set up by the press release, and how the website is connected to the actual Disneyland Paris website. While the map is nicely done, and simple to navigate. However there on the website there was some errors such as [FANTASIA FLAT RIDE]. Lastly the three phases were a nice touch of realism that I felt was well appreciated.
The updates to the old rides were nice, understated, and generally improved Old Fantasyland. The small touches done to each of the rides I felt really revitalized them. Additionally the Alice restaurant was clever in its usage and theming. I especially love how parts of the labyrinth were reused to allow for guest seating.
The Mr. Toad was really innovative, and besides the grammar errors is definitely fun. It's an interesting twist on a classic, and is something I could see being popular not only for begin new ride, but a unique take on an old story and ride system. Also like how you strayed away from the main plot of the short film and book.
I absolutely love Fantasia Fields. It is a unique take on a typical Fantasyland land, and I feel that the way it was pulled off here really flows. The canal boat ride while simple is beautiful and enchanting. This ride represents that not everything in Fantasyland has to be over the top, but sometimes a calm and simple experience can be a good addition too. The big ride here is an interesting one as it incorporates typical dark ride elements, but also surprises such as the glass tube that allows for a vision of the outdoor Canal Boats. While the hybrid scenes of Dance of the Hours and Carnival of the Animals is smart, and save space while making it unique. However the usage of screens is a bit disheartening, but in general I liked this ride. The flat ride I thought was very creative, and I love the sample video that was made.
Unlike space and red I do not find an issue with the placement of the 100 Acre Woods, but rather like it. It's separate enough from the rest of the land be an indoor land, but still close enough to relate that fantasy element. Overall this land is a bit mixed bag. It has the perfect atmosphere, and has me quinely want to go in and tour the area. However I do wish there was more details for Honeycomb Hollow as the point of that ride? was unclear to me. Besides that I do like the rest of the 100 Acre Woods, and think that it is a fun distraction for the whole family.
Now onto the crown jewel of your expansion, Sleeping Beauty Mine Train. The name itself should have been workshopped a bit more along with the ride vehicles themselves. I also think that having three castles all next to each other is a bit redundant (Maleficent's, Stefan's, Sleeping Beauty). However I do think that this complements the beauty that is Disneyland Paris. It keeps the hill while getting rid of the hill (if that makes any sense) it's an interesting take for sure. I love how the backstory of the ride is shown, not told. I think it will be effective, and catches up riders to what has happened. As for the ride itself I think it is a great balance, and an improvement on the Seven Dwarfs. Overall I loved this ride, and I think it is a great addition to the park.
We made it to the last change, Dreams of Fantasy! Overall I love this show, and I think that it matches the park itself. Fantasia is an ambitious and beautiful film, and the park is also ambitious and beautiful. I especially love how you end in the Firebird Suite which I think was a wonderful move that highlights a beautiful scene from Fantasia.
Overall I felt that this was the most realistic project, and mirrors that of Magic Kingdom's New Fantasyland. The ideas presented throughout the proposal were familiar, but also fresh. These concepts would definitely fit within the park as the park itself is familiar, but also fresh. On a final note I love the concept art, and I hope to see more of it in the future!
Something about the team’s dynamic threw me into concern, with little talks in the Trader Sams Lounge pre-challenge. Later, when the project was in full swing, it seemed all of the legendary forum members knew what to do, and you guys went about your projects.
For example, the King Arthur attraction sounded amazing, 
– Yeah they did that.” 
