The Sorcerer's Apprentice Season 6: ODYSSEY

[Orange Cat]

@TheOriginalTiki Pufflefan‘s reviews I wanna start off by saying this is the best & worst project just... ever. Since you gave your explanation I realized that this is really the definition of working with what you got. But here’s my review so... yeah ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————— - for one, i really like the ”backstory” of it. Cause theres no other reason I can think of for a spy’s in disguise hotel to, well..... exist - your video was just “horrible” in the best way possible - the “angry will smith pigeon” impression has nothing good about it, & it fits PERFECTLY - getting @mickeyfan5534 for the video was a great idea (it wouldn’t be a spies in disguise project without them) - for a project about spies in disguise (that’s made on a cheap & on the fritz computer), it certainly has a lot of “effort” put into it - the fact that there’s a pool in the middle of the hotel to emulate the pond/lake in the middle of a park is actually... a good idea? Or at least it could be - well the Mt. Fuji rooms sound thematically horrible - I’d actually stay in the Venice Tower rooms (&/or the HTUV room) though - both the gift shops fit, just..... fine - same with the dining - the fact that the Venice lazy river takes up most of the resort is just, PERFECT - was this actually an advertisement for spies in disguise all long? - I could say more but I’ve talked about this hotel long enough so just one last thing,

Spoiler

”you better turn me back RIGHT NOW WALTER!”

 

[Orange Cat]

@NateD1226 Pufflefan’s reviews before I start the review “officially“ I wanna point some things out. For one, the project is relatively short, which is fine with me as it reminds me of the Disney Adventure (the winning one), which was my favorite project of the season. The creativity & images also make up for it. & second, now I get that Disney hotels are usually very grand. But this seems to be more of a “mini theme park“ with hotel rooms, than a hotel to me. Now that that’s been said, here’s the “real” review. ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————— - I love the idea of the project, it could come off unorganized but I think it works perfectly - Royalty, Space, Western & Ocean I mean they all fit the “theme“ of the project, I don’t no they just kind of came off weird to me - the tangled rooms seem like well..... tangled rooms... not much more to say here - gaston‘s tavern seems fun, again not much to say here - Royalty play place fits PERFECTLY for the hotel, this is the appropriate level of entertainment to me - Agrabahs Royal Table seems like the main incentive to stay here, it sounds beautiful, I know I really don’t have much creativity so far, but wait! I’ll have good points soon, just keep reading - Cinderella’s Royalty Ready seems very “Disney” - Attila The Bun is a Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure reference, nice - I just wanna say If this hotel was real I’d stay in the Wall-E rooms - the Wall-E VR experience is where the “more theme park then hotel” really kicks in for me. Never the less, it seems pretty cool - Buzz’s Galactic Fun seems to be more “traditional Disney hotel entertainment“ again, pretty cool - Tie Fighter Spin sounds really cool, but again “more theme park than hotel” - The toy story rooms sound cool but not amazingly immersive - I’ll try to avoid talking about Runaway Mining Train as it sounds cool but... well, I won’t repeat myself - Jessie’s Critter Golf sounds like well.... Jessie’s Critter Golf - I realize I’m being repetitive so I’ll skip past a few things - I’m not a big fan of Moana but the Ocean rooms sound almost as cool as the Wall-E ones - Sebastians Rooftop Pool Palooza seems obvious so I’m glad you included it - Pirates Of The Caribbean seems a bit weird with all the bright & cartoony things surrounding it - & it seems even weirder that Captain Jacks Pirate Hideout is an attraction for children - glad to see Turtle Talk - Sprite Garden seems peaceful & is definitely needed in such an IP, family, & entertainment focused hotel - in conclusion, I’ve been typing too long & this will probably not make sense to me when I read it back & it probably doesn’t make sense to you

 

[Orange Cat]

@D Hindley Pufflefan’s reviews where to start? This project isn’t perfect, but its ALMOST perfect. The presentation, the writing, the prices, the images, the hotel, the Photo Shop, & just the general realism & beauty. It seems kind of useless to review the project, as I think I’ve said everything I need to say. So yeah..... BYE!

 

[Pi on my Cake]

@TheOriginalTiki

I’m not sure what is more unbelievable, that you did a Spies in Disguise Resort at all or that it kind of worked lol

One of the great things about solo projects (and one of the reasons we wanted a solo project for the semi-finals) is that it lets players have a chance to show off what makes them special. This project is the perfect example of that kind of a showcase. You use a simple forum post to hold one of the most unique and creative presentations of the season for one of the most unique and creative projects of the season. Multi-media approach, alternate timelines, dialogue, and taking an utterly bizarre idea and fully taking advantage of it. This is fully and uniquely a “Tiki” project.

I’m gonna start with the Angry Will Smith Elephant (Spoiler for Spies in Disguise 2: Working for Peanuts) in the room. Because of the very unique project, it is tough to review how I normally do with my bullet point thoughts in order. So, I’m gonna start with the main point. This project’s biggest strength is also it’s biggest weakness though. The full and complete dedication to the joke is incredible! But did it go too far? I can accept the food people transformation being the SAU version of the Corona stuff, but having beloved star of Hawaii Five-0, Masi Oka, live in the resort and rooms intentionally described as being unpleasant… It needed just a slight sentence or two where the jokes drop a Tiki comes in to say something like “Well, sorry Angry Will Smith Pigeon, was too busy reprising his role of Koji in the sequel to the Cars Mater-National video game to be here every night. But he does show up for special occasions and on nights he can’t be here, we have some great body doubles!” You come like 90 percent of the way to making the joke fully and completely work! But some parts just go sliiiigggghhhtttllllyyyy too far. But the 90 percent of the time when it works, it freaking WORKS!
​

• Very good work on the logo and the map! You could’ve made the fonts bigger for my old man eyes, but it is bright and colorful and extremely clear. ​
• I know you know how much I love alternate timelines! Especially utterly bizarre ones that add needlessly strange details. The Foodpocalypse freaking killed me! It is such a weird way to make this concept work.​
• I really love the way this is presented as a conversation between you, Mickeyfan, and Angry Will Smith Pigeon lol. This might have been the funniest project I’ve seen in a long time. Yet you also managed to use it to not just tell jokes, but to really communicate what the resort was.​
• The video was really well done too! Something like this is absolutely, incredibly brave! Putting yourself out there like this isn’t easy. To do that and then to also make it work surprisingly well, it was impressive! The writing was really good! The voice acting from you and @mickeyfan5534 was great! You guys have great comedic chemistry together on podcasts and videos!I loved this!​
• I do have some concerns though about where the line is about too much outside help from past competitiors. I’m really glad you clarified that he didn’t help on the writing or conceptualization. Just with helping to record the video. I think it might push the limits of what would be ok rules wise, but I don’t think it crosses any lines. It is a really interesting situation since we don’t see voice acting much in general. It isn’t like you asked Puffs to paint you something where art is a major part of the game. We never want to see people’s ranking get hurt based on technicalities, but as judges we have to ask ourselves where the line should be drawn. Like I said, this seems like a minor enough contribution that I think you’re safe, but from a host perspective it begs an interesting question. Also, I wouldn’t usually train of thought ramble like this about this, but as someone who has hosted a lot of these games and love behind the scenes stuff, I figured you’d be interested in this.​
• TL;DR The video is cool and is (just barely) within the rules of the game. Probably. Gonna check with other hosts if there might be a small penalty.​
• YOU BETTER UN-BIRD ME, WALTER​
• The entry area is great! I love the attention to detail with sightlines and all. Those are really nice touches that show the level thought that went into this.​
• Is H-TUV really the name of the spy organization? And are those the initials? That’s so dumb.​
• A (probably) animatronic Angry Will Smith Pigeon is a fantastic way to greet guests lol.​
• I like the concept of the basic rooms being in the spy facility while the nicer rooms and more specialty rooms are in towers themed to important locations from the movie!​
• Sidenote: I’m sure it is fantastic and not this at all, but I can’t shake the mental image of raw beef anytime I walk past that burger sushi place at Citywalk.​
• The way the main dining and gift shop are connected through the unquestionably iconic location of Walter’s Lab is great. It makes it feel like a really smooth and connected area and make the whole hotel feel like a more fully connected and immersive experience.​
• Yay! Angry Will Smith Pigeon is back in the presentation! The writing here is, presumably, way funnier than the movie haha​
• I love lazy rivers, so the idea of one that takes two hours and weaves through the hotel itself is awesome! Perhaps impractical (imagine the sunburn after being on a float for 2 hours lol), but a really unique and interesting tubing type experience​
• I like the stylistic realism design approach here. It is a really unique architectural approach that would look really interesting if done correctly.​
• Heroes was a personaly favorite of mine when it orginally aired and all these years later, Hiro Hamada is still what comes to mind when I’m car shopping and see a “Nissan Versa'' for sale. This restaurant would be great even without the celebrity, but the MAsi Oka cameo was a lot of fun. Like I mentioned, maybe really pushing the realism though. ​
• Still working on that KK Concert on my island lol. But KK music has become my go to review writing background music.​
• I think the idea for indoor camping in an immersive room is really intriguing and could have worked great, but this is one area where the dedication to the joke went one step too far. You said it yourself in the presentation, “the worst rooms in the resort”​
• Overall, an incredibly fun project and an incredibly fun presentation, but is this simply too much of a joke to fully work?​

@Disney Dad 3000

This project has the really unique and interesting challenge of trying to convince me that a hotel based on a culture I haze zero knowledge of is a perfect fit for a fictional Disney resort in a culture I know very little of. This game can be weird sometimes. And it is truly impressive how easily you manage to navigate all those layers and make this seem obvious and easy.​

• That video is amazing! It looks like a real tourism video and does an amazing job selling me on the unique beauty of the area. That right there was enough that I’m already sold.​
• The logo is great as well, but that’s not surprising. You might be the best at logos on the whole forum. That might not be the flashiest skill that gets called out every round or anything like that, but don’t think it ever goes unappreciated or unnoticed. Its a real talent!​
• Your intro gives just the right amount of context to make me fully appreciate why this is a great choice for a resort without going overboard into just feeling like a school lesson on the region.​
• The updating of the Resort map is a nice touch! Plusses like that are the exact kind of thing I’m always looking for.​
• Again, this is just a perfect intro and really shows how well thought out this project is.​
• Fantastic map. Very clear and easy to read while also being very visually pleasing. Simple, but effective.​
• The lobby building would be incredibly beautiful. I love the level of care taken here to stay respectful of the religious nature of these buildings while still recreating the experience of seeing them.​
• Salted butter tea sounds like an odd combo, but I also really wanna try it now! Little touches like that get you some nice cultural bonus points.​
• I used to, back when I was a cast member, spend a lot of my days off wandering around different resorts. The gardens and the artificial slopes are exactly the kind of stuff that would make a resort amazing to explore! Especially with the winding paths on the map.​
• Again, the level of thought and care here is incredible. Even in little details like accessibility and parking.​
• I love the idea of putting the Magical Portholes in more hotels. Not just for over the top fantasy, but like how it is used here to transport you to a a beautiful, scenic landscape!​
• The Black Cran just sounds like an amazing dining place! It is one of the many things that make this the type of project that feels so real I almost had to double check this wasn’t a hotel at WDW I just didn’t know about lol​
• Great job on the menu of course!​
• Bhutan Cafe is also a very solid quick service option.​
• Kula Kangri Lounge would be a beautiful vantage point to look out at the resort while enjoying a nice drink or two at the end of the day. ​
• Again, little touches like the local drinks and food options in these places are great and really elevate the project!​
• More naturalistic pool areas like this are almost always my favorites! It would be a striking visual and a great addition to the resort as a whole! It would serve the double purpose of being both a fun water play area as well as being a great set piece for the center of the complex.​
• The spa is a very nice touch. It usually gets overlooked, but that is a great addition and arguably necessary to attract higher end guests for longer stays.​
• Overall, this was a great project. A perfect length. Full of care and little details and plusses. My only complaint is that Google Docs feel a little underutilized. Very simple font, plain white background. But this is relatively minor compared to how great the rest of the project is! Plus, great logos, reference photos, maps, and menus help elevate the presentation. Not to mention the video!​

@NateD1226
This is perhaps the most well organized and clear and easy to read projects of the season. The different color choices used throughout really help this to pop! You carry a great energy into your projects! This fun, colorful vibe that really makes them come to life! But is the chaotic, fun energy lacking too much in terms of cohesion? ​

• Your logo is great! And the more abstract art for the hotel buildings does a great job communicating the feeling of the resort. That tough to define concept of the emotion it should be making guests feel. That atmosphere is arguably one of the most important things to get across in a presentation, and yet that is one of the toughest things to get practice communicating.​
• The main problem with the resort is the theme. This has a really loose theme. Maybe a longer intro delving into what exactly you were going for, but as it stands the theme that ties things together feels very loose and undefined. ​
• Royalty, very fun and a great compliment to the park with its Tangled focus!​
• You did a great job with the rooms describing what makes them special! Gaston’s Tavern is always a great addition! A good kid’s play area would be a great addition to a family focused resort like this! A new version of Bibbidi Boppity Boutique is a good addition, and Attila the Bun is another fun quick service (Maybe a bit repetitive with Gaston’s Tavern which is mostly a pastry stand, assuming it is like the one in the park)​
• Agrabah feels like an odd fit for the otherwise very European tower, but still is a nice dining choice!​
• 

  ​
• Wall-E themed rooms would be a nice compliment to Tomorrowland and the Wall-E space mountain.​
• A mural of the fire extinguisher scene would be a beautiful addition to the rooms! The VR pods at the mall always look like a lot of fun and a hotel is a good place for something small scale like that to work well. A second kids play area is good, a resort this size with such a family focus could use too. Especially since the focus seems to be on keeping people in the hotels. Tie Fighter Spin sounds fun, but having a ride for hotel guests seems like a risky move. Though this is small enough of a ride to work.​
• The Western tower kind of breaks the trend of the towers lining up with lands or icons from the park, but it is a cool addition. ​
• They use Toy Story for the sci-fi focus with Buzz so often for attraction, seeing some proper Woody’s Round Up representation is great!​
• Another attraction, plus mini-golf, plus escape rooms… All of these are amazing! And I love the focus on keeping them at a small scale. But this is just too much for a hotel at the theme park. One or two attractions would be great! But all of these together is just a lot.​
• That being said, they’re great! I love the praciticality of the “train” ride. The mini-golf would be a great choice for a design for one! A Toy Story 2 escape room looking for keys to save the toys is a really fun idea!​
• Ocean Tower would definitely be a personal favorite! Love the under water aesthetic. ​
• A scavenger hunt is a perfect addition for a hotel! I would love more hotels to have this! It just makes perfect sense and really encourages guests to explore the resorts (Which as I mentioned on DDad’s review, is the best part of the Disney hotels).​
• A rooftop pool deck would be an incredible addition and I’m surprised more Disney hotels don’t have this!​
• The Pirate hideout is another fun play area, but feels slightly disconnected from the rest of the tower being all under water. Though it would definitely be a lot of fun. Pirates were always my favorite as a kid. Having on ship to play on would have been cool enough. Having three would have been a dream come true!​
• Turtle Talk is always a fun and solid addition. Again, maybe too many attractions for this resort, but they are all good additions!​
• With how big, colorful, and over the top this resort is, the Sprite Garden serves as a very solid balance for them. It is a great addition and a great way to give the resort a peaceful center.​
• Overall, this hotel would’ve worked better as a stand alone resort seperate from a theme park as it is truly a crazy fun destination all on its own! It is amazing! But connected to a theme park, there might just be one too many amazing elements added in! Plus, there isn’t a strong tie to connect the four towers together, even if they are each incredible on their own.​

@D Hindley
What can I say except that it is clear that this season you came to win. You’ve always been one of the best on the forums consistently putting out amazing work. Yet something about this season feels different. You have gone full force and cranked it up to 11 at every turn. From Duckburg to this, you’ve done amazing work and have been consistently topping yourself at every turn! You feel like a man on a mission ready to go! Get ready to hear me say “That was super cool” a lot as I get into this review.​

• The poster is incredible! I had to do a reverse Google search to see if that was something you drew in a week as one part of a project or a professional art piece. Something that should be a real testament to your skills as an artist. The only reason I even thought to check instead of just assuming you drew it was that it wasn’t in your usual art style. Still, the photoshop artwork throughout this project is top notch! I love seeing you do a project focused on an entirely different kind of art then you are so well known for!​
• The fake website is great! Your presentation as a whole does an amazing job capturing the feel of a travel review and tourist website! This is far from the first fake website on the forum, but this is extremely well executed and never falls apart part way through the way these presentations usually do.​
• Again, your photo shop art is amazing! Instead of calling each individual picture, I’m just gonna make this a blanket statement. If any of your pictures suck, I’ll let you know lol​
• Discount Deluxe is a smart choice. Probably something we're gonna see more of from Disney in the future as the prices on the regular deluxe keep rising. ​
• The Marco Polo, well, Mickey Polo set up is exactly the kind of subtle storytelling that makes a hotel amazing! Telling a story in a hotel is a tough balance, because obviously you can’t have a grand sweeping narrative told through a few paintings in the lobby without it feeling clunky. Something very subtle like Marco Polo is the perfect amount of a thematic tie!​
• The entrance just sounds lovely​
• Authentically Italian, authentically Indian, and Authentically Disney. I can’t think of a better balance to strike! This project showcases what makes you great. You blend incredible story telling with cultural knowledge and research and art! It is an incredible blend of the talents that make you an amazing imagineer!​
• You just describe an amazing lobby and resort!​
• The notes on location and transportation continues to show your dedication to fully thinking through every detail. Same with the lovely descriptions of the rooms.​
• This project has a great balance of detail without going too far into it to start getting boring. It never goes on too long, while still giving all the needed details.​
• All the different suites sound like they do a good job giving a lot of options.​
• I love the more relaxed, naturalistic hotel grounds! I could easily see myself spending hours here! It just sounds lovely.​
• The Arno Springs Pool sounds like a perfect addition to the hotel. Not anything crazy exciting, which is perfect for a more “Adult” hotel. Yet things like the waterslide add to the fun for families. This hotel is a great example of the classy take on characters Disney is using more and more.​
• The Carnival Cafe sounds great! I love the party vibe and how big and colorful it is! I do worry that it might clash a bit from the more “refined” rest of the resort. But the theme is a great fit for Mumbai Disneyland!​
• Mickey’s Merry Masquerade would be a great character show! It reminds me of Mickey’s Backyard BBQ, but for a very different culture of course. That was always a favorite of mine specifically because it wasn’t a traditional story/show. That kind of vibe makes for a really unique dining experience that would be a great fit for Mumbai.​
• The other dining adds a nice and more mature counterbalance to the colorful Carnival Cafe. A great choice and they are clearly very well thought out. They show the thought put into balancing cultures and themes at every turn.​
• Again, so many fun details with the fake website. ​
• Overall, this was a fantastic project! Only issues are minor ones like the hotel being kind of too much for the moderate price. Or the Carnival clashing a bit with the rest of the resort. This is a project from a top tier imagineer bringing their A Game.​

@Tux
Finally! Someone using a giant font for my old man eyes lol.
I love the idea of a Main Street hotel and think that was a really neat choice for our Main Streetless Mumbai. The presentation is a bit bare visually though, will that hold back the project? Let’s see!​

• I really like the inspiration section taking us through your thought process. It is really interesting and I like seeing the way you came to the idea you went with and why. It gives a lot of the insight that we miss on solo projects since there isn’t an open brainstorming thread. The decades/eras tie to the other hotels was a clever one and seeing how that tied into Main street shows the level of thought that went into this!​
• Linn County Inn is a great name btw. I don’t usually care one way or the other for names, but this was a good one.​
• The red borders around pictures and section headers was a really smart way to tie the whole presentation together! It is subtle, but that is the kind of thing I love seeing on Goolge Docs!​
• I’m a little torn on using the “let me take you through my thought process” presentation style for the whole project. But it is definitely unique and makes this read like something fully “you”​
• You do a lot of talking about different architectural styles and that is great! But a picture or two would go a long way to helping demonstrate it! Though your writing is very strong and you do a great job describing every detail.​
• It is clear that you thought heavily on every detail! Even down to safety of the flowers used! That attention to detail is incredible! Maybe a bit overwhelming, but great!​
• Again, incredible sense of detail and placemaking. You paint a picture with your words! But a picture would help. ​
• This project is great, but there are not many reference photos used and there could be a lot more easily added. And as much as I do like larger font sizes, it also makes the length between pictures and visuals feel even longer. We’re averaging about 4 pages between each picture or visual element.​
• Details like the Mary Blair art on display and 20s cartoons really help round out the lobby and make it feel full.​
• I will admit, I skimmed the full page list of Guest Services lol. This is the type of thing that could be in a smaller font or use a color background to set it off a bit from the regular part of the write up.​
• Crystal Palace, Casey’s Corner, and Tony’s are great choices for room themes that I could see working incredibly well! Though since these rooms are based on locations that exist in the park where pictures could be easily googled, I am not sure why a reference photo wasn’t added just to break up the wall of text. But even without pictures, I don’t feel like I’m missing much. You do such a great job describing it with such a high level of detail that makes it feel alive!​
• Dorothy’s Dining Den sounds like a really lovely place to eat! I like that you branched out too. It would be really easy in a Main Street Hotel to just copy and paste dining from real world main streets. You went the extra mile and took the theme and expanded it!​
• Even down to creating the ice cream shop from the ground up rather than just using the real life one! The amount of care, effort, and thought is fantastic!​
• All of the menus are great! Though a little more to set them apart visually would be nice. A different font or something. But having not one, but FIVE full menus is no small feat!​
• Marceline’s is a great sounding hot dog quick service! Linn County Cafe sounds like a really good mid-level dining place! And no version of Main Street is complete without a bakery! I could see all the donuts especially being a really popular way to start your park day!​
• A place that sells some more traditional Indian food would have helped, but you have a great variety of dining available with each location feeling unique from each other! And no restaurant feels like an after thought!​
• Having a Main Street Cinema in the lobby is a really fun idea! Most Disney hotels have some form of movie night, this would help make them into a real event!​
• An Art Gallery in the hotel is a great choice! I think attractions like this that are more passive and open to exploring are the perfect fit for hotels!​
• A jazz club is a great idea to blend a bar (which isn’t as popular a concept in Mumbai) with a music performance (Which is very popular in Mumbai!). It balances what would be popular with locals and what would be popular with tourists very well!​
• Imagineering Files is a great idea for another hotel museum! I don’t fully see the connection to the Main Street theme, but it would be another good fit for a hotel attraction!​
• The Speedy Stage Club is maybe a bit redundant with the Jazz Club and how close the resort is to the shopping district. ​
• Overall, this project is very strong! The big thing holding it back is actually too much detail that it can feel overwhelming. Especially with so few photos mixed in with the presentation. But the ideas are all strong and clearly well thought out. If you continue to the finals, a big focus will need to be balancing details with visuals, even if it's just more use of colored text or quickly googled reference photos.​

@gam3rprincess
This project is a tough one to review because I really adore this concept! And I think this is just oozing personality and charm. But this doesn’t quite feel finished. There is only one photo and no exterior description and a few slides feel really quickly slapped together. This was a strong concept and what is here is great, but I just don’t know if there is enough here. I see a lot of potential in you and I can’t wait for the time when you have the time to fully reach it. But this project might not have been it. That being said, I wanted to start with the negative because basically all the negatives just tie into what is missing. What is here, I love!​

• The Slides are very well done with a great sense of visual identity! They are just nice to look at! Everything from the font, to the colors, to the font sizes… All those nerdy things that no one but me cares about, you nailed them!​
• The concept of a sleep themed resort is such a bizarre idea, but one that works incredibly well!​
• Including a Mandir is a really nice cultural touch. I like how it was just subtley tossed in too instead of a big deal being made about it. The focus on the calm atmosphere is really unique for a Disney hotel, but I think you did a great job creating a very chill atmosphere in a very family focused resort without it sounding boring.​
• The colors and constellations are both great touches to help build the atmosphere. The pajama themed cast member costumes are also a great “plus” to include and have mentioned. Along with the music.​
• With the focus on atmosphere with this project and you even mentioning the music for the hotel, this could have benefited a lot from reading music. A simple plus that would have helped this feel more fleshed out.​
• Midnight Snack is a good value resort dining option. It is simple, but it works exactly as needed.​
• Sleepytime Supplies is good too. I love the focus on sleep aids like pajamas and stuffed animals lol. That’s a nice touch.​
• The R.E.M. Rooms are a great name for the guest rooms.​
• Slide 7 with the descriptions of what types of rooms you can find in each tower feels a bit confusing. This is one of the slides that feels very rushed. A second pass through editing would’ve gone a long way.​
• The movies under the stars and children’s activities are both very solid and realistic additions. The Sunrise Yoga is something I really really love and think was a great choice! ​
• A Mandir service is a really interesting choice. I don’t know enough about the culture to say is this would feel inclusive or sacrilegious. But I’ve been to the Easter service at the Contemporary resort and would love a more dedicated church at a Disney resort, so I feel Hindu people would like this! ​
• I love the pools! A few pictures or maybe even a quickly done map would help. Or maybe just a second pass on editing to clarify the writing a bit. But the cloud shaped pool and moon and rainbow slide and all that stuff is just great!​
• I agree, naps are great!​
• Overall, this is a great concept and I’d love to see you expand on it in the future! I get the feeling real life may have gotten in the way leading to a last minute project, which is a shame. The potential is here both with you and with the hotel! I can’t wait to see what you do in the future. This just wasn’t fully complete. But was is here is strong. Is it enough to carry you through to the final stanza?​

 

[Outbound]

The six of you have each improved tremendously over the past three months and three days. Looking back to Stanza One, you should all be very proud. And having reviewed all the projects, I can definitively say these are some of the best projects yet!

@Disney Dad 3000 -- Gangtey Resort & Spa

I love this resort’s theme. It’s different from the rest of the hotel options but also fits Mumbai better than any other Disneyland. Of these six, this is the hotel I would most want to visit (sorry @TheOriginalTiki).

Everything is very well thought out. You’ve considered how to best make Bhutan come alive in this limited resort. I love how the rockwork builds around the building to look mountainous, but they are built to be accommodating to all guests. Parking underneath the mountain facades is a genius idea. The restaurants are well thought out, one for authentic Bhutan food (with anything conflicting with India removed) while the other is more general. And last, that video is a great introduction to somehow who before didn't know what Bhutan was.

I can find no nitpicks for this project. It all fits. Excellent job!

@NateD1226 -- Disney’s Dreams of Magic Resort

This is a really imaginative project with a clear emphasis on magic. Your bright presentation helps sell that wonderfully. However, I’m not entirely sold on this as a theme. It feels more like four resorts tied into one. Each would work perfectly fine on their own, but together, they contradict. Most Value Disney Resorts have separate themes, but “magic” is so general I’m not sure it works as well as others.

I really enjoyed the Royalty Tower, but the others have a lot of focus on attractions. The resort sorta becomes Disney Springs after a while. Interactive games aren’t a problem by themselves, but I feel you’ve sacrificed a lot of the “hotel aspect” for something that isn’t entirely fitting.

This project is by no means bad. It’s a great effort with plenty of details, but I think it could have used more focus.

@D Hindley -- Disney’s Florentine Resort

Looking at this, I’m not entirely sold on this being “Discount Deluxe” -- there’s some really cool theming here! But minor nitpicks aside, this is a great fourth resort for Disneyland Mumbai. It’s filled with things to do but isn’t overkill. The Florence theme is everywhere, there's stuff here that you just can't find in the other hotels of Mumbai DL. And little references to the fact Indians don’t do casual drinking like Americans go a long way!

My only concern with this project is having it the closest to Disney Springs, strongly based on Indian culture, when there are two very Indian hotels that are far away by comparison. But this is more an issue of us spacing the prompts, and I don’t think it would matter that much.

Your presentation is the best of the bunch! A trip report is a great way to break up the standard “Imagineering speak” mold. There’s a lot of hidden details around your site from references to past events this season to getting our doppelgangers to help you. Great work!

Also, I’m unsure if you put those portraits of Mickey on the walls. I first thought they were from MiraCosta, but I couldn’t find any on Google Images. They look photorealistic.

Overall, this is a great hotel in both aspects (project core and presenting extras). Good job!

@Tux -- Linn County Inn

I’m impressed by the detailing of this project. You’ve taken our advice by focusing on your strengths (writing and restaurants). This helps you. My one feedback would be, while you do want to focus on your writing don’t be afraid to try art (it doesn’t have to even be that good, but to get across things faster). A picture is worth a thousand words.

Onto the resort. This is a perfect hotel for Orlando and Anaheim. But this is not as well suited to Mumbai. It certainly works, but most Indians will not feel nostalgic towards 1900s Americana. If you were going that direction, it may have been better to dial up the “Cool Foreign America” rather than Quaint Smalltown USA. Nevertheless, some Walt nostalgia is always nice.

But the bigger problem is the dining. A good number of Indians are vegetarians, and the majority refuse to eat beef. American cuisine comes crashing down. Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, and Cheesesteaks all don’t work at Mumbai Disneyland... and the menus make up a huge part of your project!

What’s a shame is, despite these fundamental issues, the project is well built! You’ve done a great job with the various restaurants, explored the rooms, the imagineering files is great, and you took great description in even the tiniest of things. This is a project to be proud of, even with a few missteps.

@gam3rprincess -- Dreamland Resort

Sleep is an inspired choice for a Disney theme. It’s not really something to get the kids hyped for, but for a modest resort, it works fine! You’ve taken the concept pretty far. I’m a fan of the description, although maybe a reference photo or two could have helped further things a bit?

Also, I’m always a sucker for pretty Google Slides themes.

My one nitpick is the length: while you do accomplish everything in a detailed manner, compared to your competitors there are not as many things to do. This is understandable for a modest resort, but it also makes it hard for us to judge in comparison… some art or additional details for the assorted activities would have gone a long way.

This is a really good project! You've done a great job this season.

@TheOriginalTiki -- Spies in Disguise

I had to review this one last. It’s so strange, I love it. Despite what it may seem, this is a very smart project. You did everything you could, primarily by beefing up your hotel with a hilarious theme, to have the best chance of moving forward. Brilliant!

This might end up the most memorable “small project” of the season, like Bloody Watermelon and Hippo Splatter Walls.

Onto the project itself: despite the questionable theme, this isn’t actually that bad a hotel. If Spies in Disguise got stellar reviews and smashed the box office of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Jumanji 2: The Next Level simultaneous, (Disney has made a Star Wars hotel so we know they do IPs for resorts) then this is a fairly reasonable look at what a hotel based on the property might be like. Or at least I assume, haven’t actually seen the movie lol.

I love this concept. Might be a bit too silly and lacking towards finer details, but still, this gets what it needs to across. Awesome work Tiki!​

 

[Orange Cat]

@Tux Pufflefan’s reviews listen, I love this project. The concept, the BTS, all the unique menus, the descriptions of the architecture (though more images would be nice but whatever), the acknowledgement of Walt, & the fact that it embraces a part of the park that’s not in Mumbai DL is all perfect, & I’m always a fan of things set in the 40s-60s. But I have one BIG flaw for this project. It’s just too American. Now I understand the theming, I love it. But the menus are full of meat, I’m pretty sure (unless there’s something I missed (I did read this in segments)) there were even beef dishes, & the most important rule (along with don‘t mention Britain) of making anything in India is to not include beef. Maybe I missed something but if i didn’t, it ruins all the other amazing elements of this project. ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————— I also wanna say I’m glad pix’s project is the only one left to read & review

 

[Tux]

Now I understand the theming, I love it. But the menus are full of meat, I’m pretty sure (unless there’s something I missed (I did read this in segments)) there were even beef dishes, & the most important rule (along with don‘t mention Britain) of making anything in India is to not include beef.

A good number of Indians are vegetarians, and the majority refuse to eat beef.

I totally forgot about that! I was so focused on the theming I completely forgot about the culture implications of the menu. Well, I should probably pay better attention next time. Thank you guys for pointing that out to me, I completely missed the mark here. Sorry about that!

 

[Orange Cat]

@gam3rprincess Pufflefan’s reviews well Pix you’ve done it, using only 11 simple slides you’ve created a hotel that I’d rather stay in than any other hotel posted this round. No, any hotel in Mumbai DL. No, any other hotel in any real Disney park. Since this project is relatively short (which well you could view as a Con, I view it as a Pro after reading (& reviewing) so many other projects), i‘ll go over each slide & provide some extra thoughts at the end ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————— - Well it’s just a title, slide one is the perfect example of the style of this project. Purples, pinks, & whites. The gradient. & the general floaty feel. I just well... love it - the idea of a sleep themed hotel is kind of weird but it’s also kinda refreshing after all the entertainment & “grand” focused hotels (in both this stanza & in real life) - the layout is very simple but this is a very “simple“ project so it fits perfectly (I like the addition of a laundry room) - slumber station really sets the mood for this project, which makes sense as it would have to set the mood for the hotel - Midnight Snack (well for one that’s a terribly great pun but that’s not my point) fits perfectly with its (good sized & well balanced) selection of comfort foods - Sleepytime Supplies is just perfect, it’s about sleep - the R.E.M. rooms fit perfectly, they sound very comforting & well..... it’s about sleep (x6) - again, comforting & about sleep (I appreciate the detail about it being shielded from Mumbai’s weather & general conditions) - all the activities seem very relaxing & peaceful - the pools fit the project very well (I also like the shapes (a little bit of that under appreciated/under used pool theming)) - (11) I agree - overall this project was the definition of “short & sweet”. There may not have been much, but what was there was literally PERFECT -

Spoiler

 

[pix]

@gam3rprincess
This project is a tough one to review because I really adore this concept! And I think this is just oozing personality and charm. But this doesn’t quite feel finished. There is only one photo and no exterior description and a few slides feel really quickly slapped together. This was a strong concept and what is here is great, but I just don’t know if there is enough here. I see a lot of potential in you and I can’t wait for the time when you have the time to fully reach it. But this project might not have been it. That being said, I wanted to start with the negative because basically all the negatives just tie into what is missing. What is here, I love!​

• The Slides are very well done with a great sense of visual identity! They are just nice to look at! Everything from the font, to the colors, to the font sizes… All those nerdy things that no one but me cares about, you nailed them!​
• The concept of a sleep themed resort is such a bizarre idea, but one that works incredibly well!​
• Including a Mandir is a really nice cultural touch. I like how it was just subtley tossed in too instead of a big deal being made about it. The focus on the calm atmosphere is really unique for a Disney hotel, but I think you did a great job creating a very chill atmosphere in a very family focused resort without it sounding boring.​
• The colors and constellations are both great touches to help build the atmosphere. The pajama themed cast member costumes are also a great “plus” to include and have mentioned. Along with the music.​
• With the focus on atmosphere with this project and you even mentioning the music for the hotel, this could have benefited a lot from reading music. A simple plus that would have helped this feel more fleshed out.​
• Midnight Snack is a good value resort dining option. It is simple, but it works exactly as needed.​
• Sleepytime Supplies is good too. I love the focus on sleep aids like pajamas and stuffed animals lol. That’s a nice touch.​
• The R.E.M. Rooms are a great name for the guest rooms.​
• Slide 7 with the descriptions of what types of rooms you can find in each tower feels a bit confusing. This is one of the slides that feels very rushed. A second pass through editing would’ve gone a long way.​
• The movies under the stars and children’s activities are both very solid and realistic additions. The Sunrise Yoga is something I really really love and think was a great choice! ​
• A Mandir service is a really interesting choice. I don’t know enough about the culture to say is this would feel inclusive or sacrilegious. But I’ve been to the Easter service at the Contemporary resort and would love a more dedicated church at a Disney resort, so I feel Hindu people would like this! ​
• I love the pools! A few pictures or maybe even a quickly done map would help. Or maybe just a second pass on editing to clarify the writing a bit. But the cloud shaped pool and moon and rainbow slide and all that stuff is just great!​
• I agree, naps are great!​
• Overall, this is a great concept and I’d love to see you expand on it in the future! I get the feeling real life may have gotten in the way leading to a last minute project, which is a shame. The potential is here both with you and with the hotel! I can’t wait to see what you do in the future. This just wasn’t fully complete. But was is here is strong. Is it enough to carry you through to the final stanza?​

I agree with everything and it totally wasn't finished. I am glad it got this much of a positive review honestly. Real life did get in the way and then when I had the time I hit a creative block I couldn't work around. I finally came up with the idea literally... 2 hours? before the deadline so I had no expectation for it to get as done as it did. I have plans to flesh this out to completion eventually however cause I really love the idea.

 

[pix]

@gam3rprincess Pufflefan’s reviews well Pix you’ve done it, using only 11 simple slides you’ve created a hotel that I’d rather stay in than any other hotel posted this round. No, any hotel in Mumbai DL. No, any other hotel in any real Disney park. Since this project is relatively short (which well you could view as a Con, I view it as a Pro after reading (& reviewing) so many other projects), i‘ll go over each slide & provide some extra thoughts at the end ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————— - Well it’s just a title, slide one is the perfect example of the style of this project. Purples, pinks, & whites. The gradient. & the general floaty feel. I just well... love it - the idea of a sleep themed hotel is kind of weird but it’s also kinda refreshing after all the entertainment & “grand” focused hotels (in both this stanza & in real life) - the layout is very simple but this is a very “simple“ project so it fits perfectly (I like the addition of a laundry room) - slumber station really sets the mood for this project, which makes sense as it would have to set the mood for the hotel - Midnight Snack (well for one that’s a terribly great pun but that’s not my point) fits perfectly with its (good sized & well balanced) selection of comfort foods - Sleepytime Supplies is just perfect, it’s about sleep - the R.E.M. rooms fit perfectly, they sound very comforting & well..... it’s about sleep (x6) - again, comforting & about sleep (I appreciate the detail about it being shielded from Mumbai’s weather & general conditions) - all the activities seem very relaxing & peaceful - the pools fit the project very well (I also like the shapes (a little bit of that under appreciated/under used pool theming)) - (11) I agree - overall this project was the definition of “short & sweet”. There may not have been much, but what was there was literally PERFECT -

Spoiler

You saying this is the hotel you want to stay at makes me so friggen happy because from day one I loved working with you and in my head kinda just considered you another kid I have adopted and want to help and watch grow and keep safe and you came so far thoughout this competition. When we were moved off the same team I was a little heartbroken I would have to compete against you but I am so pleased I made something you loved this much. I will make sure to tag you when I fully flesh this out.

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

 

[PerGron]

Well, it's been a while... We're gonna do this with short reviews tonight.

@TheOriginalTiki- Spies in Disguise
Well, this one really is... BLUE SKY

Sorry.

Anyway, I'm honestly pretty surprised that you were able to make this concept work. Making a joke that's been kind of hanging around all season into a fully-fledged hotel, you really did commit to the bit. However, that may also have been your downfall. A lot of this feels like a joke more than an honest to goodness hotel. There are a handful of bits here that go just slightly too far on the joke spectrum which does take away from the project as a whole.

Things like having Masi Oka just walking around all day just doesn't make sense. However, the overall hotel does work and the dialogue feels uniquely Tiki. Overall, not a bad presentation, just maybe a bit too jokey for me.

@Disney Dad 3000- Gangtey Resort & Spa
Holy cow! This presentation is really well done! I never would have predicted a Bhutan themed hotel would be so beautiful and is a really unique choice that I'd love to see come to fruition. India and Bhutan have very close relations and so I think a Bhutanese themed hotel would really please a lot of the locals as well as those traveling from afar. My biggest fear here would be Chinese tourists as China and Bhutan aren't exactly friendly, but neither are China and India historically, and the Chinese have two of their own parks, so I don't think it'd be too big of a problem.

As for the resort itself, it's absolutely gorgeous. Between the buildings appearing on the mountains, and the pool definitely would be absolutely astounding. Overall, this presentation was really well done and is something I'd love to see.

@D Hindley- Disney's Florentine Hotel
Another fantastic project from Doug, not only is the backstory amazing, focusing on Marco Polo's expedition but also the architecture of Florence is gorgeous. I think Italy is something that needs to be looked at more often for resorts by Disney as they really have some gorgeous buildings.

As for the project itself, the decision to make this a review of the hotel was a great one, it made your project stand out more because of its unique storyline. I really don't have much to say outside of, great job!
​

 

[PerGron]

@Tux- Linn County Inn
This project was certainly a fun read, but honestly, it felt a little safe. Doing a hotel based around Walt history is one that I could certainly see happening, but also one that is probably just a little bit too safe. However, that's not to say the project is bad at all, it's very detailed and well written, if not a tad bit long.

I do think you could've done with more artwork or reference images. There are a lot of blocks of text that could have been done better with artwork and reference images. Even if not custom made, google images still works for this. Overall, solid project!

@gam3rprincess- Dreamland Resort
While the concept here is a really really neat one, I honestly couldn't take much away from it as it was clear this project wasn't completed. There is a lot of stuff here I would've loved to see, but honestly, the worst part is the lack of graphics. Having only one image in the whole presentation really hurts you here. While I do think the concept is great, I would've loved to have seen more from it.​

 

[spacemt354]

Closest thing to elevator 'waiting' music I could find

 

[Pi on my Cake]

After much deliberation, we have reached a verdict (which was a little bit delayed due to technical difficulties)!

Two Players will be Eliminated.

Four Players will head on to the Final Stanza.

Without further adieu, we proudly present the Finalists for Season Six of the Sorcerer's Apprentice!

Spoiler: The Final Four

@D Hindley

@Disney Dad 3000

@TheOriginalTiki

@Tux

Congratulations! The final stanza shall be starting shortly!

That does mean bidding a fond farewell to two of our friends.

Spoiler: The Eliminated Players

@gam3rprincess - The timing was off for the end of this season, but the talent is there! We look forward to seeing what you do in the future!

@NateD1226 - We have loved seeing you grow over the season and we think you have a great talent! At the end of the day, your only real issue was just having too many amazing ideas! I look forward to seeing all the amazing things you create in the future!

Just because you were eliminated doesn't mean your SA journey is over! Stay tuned for a secret mission launching soon!​

 

[Pi on my Cake]

Chapter 14: The Final Showdown!

The final battle between L.A.N.D. and S.E.A. begins!

Everything has lead to this!

We are on a battlefield of pure imagination! This place is fueled by the creativity of Mumbai Disneyland, and fighting here is the best chance imagineers have at facing off against Waldo considering how powerful he is with all the artifacts! But he is trying to turn our dreamscape battlefield into a nightmare!

@D Hindley distracts Waldo with a slideshow of vacation photos!
@TheOriginalTiki and @Tux swipe at Waldo with their TMNT Ninja weapons!
@Disney Dad 3000 tries to trap Waldo under piles of money!

The battle rages on!

But there is only one way to win! We need the Sorcerer's Apprentice! And the only way to find them, is through one last creative challenge!

Figment, Thanos, Abraham Lincoln, and the others will hold off the forces of evil, it is time for the Imagineers to go and do what they do best! Create something amazing!​

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

*breathes sigh of relief*

 

[Pi on my Cake]

After so many months, we're here. Some of you may ask, why is the 14th Stanza so important?

Walt Disney was inspired to create the iconic "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment of Fantasia by the 1797 poem, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The poem is a ballad of fourteen stanzas, culminating in a grand finale.

So here we are! For your final mission, we are going full circle, to a prompt you may have recalled before. So for the last time -

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to design a 5-year park expansion for Disneyland Mumbai.

- Although this plan can technically include refurbishments or park changes, only do this if you for some reason need to expand the park. Almost everything already in Disneyland Mumbai should stay.
- There's a massive plot of land in the northwest of the park that can be used for a flagship expansion land.
- But feel free to add other attractions dotted through the park!
- You will do this on your own.
- At the end of the day: you make the rules! This is an open canvas for imagination and creativity!

The winner of this Stanza will be crowned the winner of the Sorcerer's Apprentice: ODYSSEY. Victory is right within your grasp!

Guest Reviewers
Everyone!

This Project is due Tuesday, April 21st at 11:59 PM EST

Time Zones
Walt Disney World- 11:59 PM
Disneyland Park - 8:59 PM
Disneyland Paris - 5:59 AM
Disneyland Tokyo - 1:59 PM​

 

[Pi on my Cake]

Stanza XIV Tips & Trivia

Where in the World are Yensid and Figment?

 

[Pi on my Cake]

For all eliminated players...

While the finalists fight WALDO and his evil forces in a climactic battle, we've summoned all former SEA Agents to return for one last ride!

This Stanza is open to anyone eliminated throughout the Sorcerer's Apprentice Endgame. You will work collaboratively on a small park. At the end of the round, the MVP for the team will receive the Waldo Award, a reward of much merit!

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to design a "L.A.N.D. park" for disregarded theme park IPs.

- The project will exist in the Sorcerer's Apprentice Multiverse, so all rules of canon are now out of the window, and this project can be anywhere at anytime with any amount of projects referenced or not referenced. If you want the Moon in the 1970s with only a few SAU projects canon, you can!
- You may wish for a project manager, or you may not. Either or work as a team.
- Get creative!

Guest Reviewers
We will be judging this project alongside the finalist submissions. All guest judges are welcome to do as well.

This Project is due Tuesday, April 21st at 11:59 PM EST

Time Zones
Walt Disney World- 11:59 PM
Disneyland Park - 8:59 PM
Disneyland Paris - 5:59 AM
Disneyland Tokyo - 1:59 PM​