Best Team
Despite having 6 excellent teams to choose from, ultimately Team Reality would be the most memorable in the game for their insatiable desire to talk and run up the score in the page count battle. Reality brought out the best in each other despite finishing 2nd on a multitude of occasions, it was their perseverance and spark they brought to the game that set them apart from the rest.
Team Reality: DC Funverse
Runners Up
Team Power: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril
Team Soul: Flower Street
Team Space: Charlie's Chocolate Factory
Best Team Project
From Team Reality, the DC Funverse was one of the most intricately designed projects in SA history. There were many to choose from this regular season, and many of the runner up contenders stood out in their own rank.
Stanza VII: The Pin Runners Up
Stanza IV: The Mistake, Stanza XII: The Pavilion, Stanza I: The Street
Going off from the DC Funverse, The Pin (Stanza VII) was the most out of the box prompt we've had in some time. And it turned out to be one of the best, as it has sparked a pinhead fanclub throughout the forums that continues on to this day.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a great introductory competition especially for folks who want a more laid-back environment for most of the event. ThemeParkPriest, starting on Team Power, and migrating throughout the cosmos to Team Time and Space, each and every available round brought out the best in himself and others as well. From leading as PM, to a role player, ThemePark was a stand out player in the game despite being so new.
After his great performance in SYWTBAI Season 18, monty migrated to the SAU, and truly became one of the greats with his evolution of artwork and leadership throughout the game. His excitement and teamwork as well exemplified what it means to be an SA player.
Most Likely to Start a Prank War between the Teams- @Honey Bee Most Likely to Correct Outbound’s Misspellings - @MickeyWaffleCo. Most Likely to Post Budweiser Zero Ads on their Team’s Project - @Outbound Most Likely to be Asleep Right Now: @pix Most Likely to be Awake Right Now: @Tegan pilots a chicken The “Disney Adventure” Award for Idea Which All Three Teams Did: Futurama in Dubai (alternate: Dubai Legoland) Most likely to be on vacation during the Epcot challenge - @Mickeynerd17 Team most likely to run up the page count - Team Reality Most likely to have 2 alternate usernames - @Pi From 2018@1SC Pi@Pi on my Cake Most likely to post the chat from More Pooh Talk - @b-wolf95 Most likely to be a priest - @ThemeParkPriest Most likely to be in a different timezone - @JokersWild@montydysquith-navarro@TheSquirrel
Throughout the regular season, Tegan has been the most vocal, supportive, and genuinely enthused player in the game. Perhaps that has something to do with her coffee cravings, or 4am Nintendo sessions, but overall the game would be a much different atmosphere without Tegan. Her personality radiates throughout the game and has lifted it to where it is today.
So before I review each individual project, I just wanted to monologue for a minute here. 1986 was the first comp I played in where I actually felt a drive and desire to win. It began right around the time that my zoo closed down for good and I had to help drive all of the animals I've been caring for over six years to new homes. Needless to say, I wasn't in a very good place at all, but as cliche as it sounds, 1986 did help me through that. It really let me have something to focus my time on instead of dwelling on one of the worst things I've ever experienced (probably even worse than appendicitis, it was that bad).
Because of my focus shifting to this comp, I ended up putting a lot of time and effort into everything I was doing, and thus, ended up winning the game. We had some drama, some backstabbing, some betrayal, and more than a few instances where I thought about dropping out, but in the end, I stuck it through and even won, leaving my fingerprints all across both gates, the resort, and the shopping district. Because of this, the 1986 parks mean a lot to me, so this round was the one I was going to be grading the absolute hardest. Watching three teams take the park I hold so close to my heart and add a major land to it was a unique experience, but in the end, all three teams did right by the park. You all took a mature and thematic tone and made it fit right alongside the other amazing lands. Because of that, I want you all to pat yourselves on the back and celebrate as I think the park would be amazing with either one of these lands. Anyway, monologue over, let's get to the reviews.
Yukon Valley makes a ton of sense for a theme park land and fits really well as a Frontierland replacement as well. Any time I'm designing a zoo (it happens a lot), I often find myself creating a North American area with Yukon themes because the aesthetic is just perfect.
-I really really appreciated you guys including the types of conflict theme here. This was an idea I brought up back during the 1986 comp and while we never really fleshed it out beyond just a concept, having it return here was such a neat throwback and really ties into the original park.
I listened to the playlist you guys selected, and I am in love with this area music! I love a good folksy, woodsy music style and it fits so perfectly. I use the Animal Kingdom Tree of Life and Frontierland loops when studying or doing homework, and this one I can see being added to my collection.
+1 point for trash cans. -1 point for anti-Budweiser Zero trash cans.
Ice Mountain Rapids
So on one hand, I really appreciated this attraction as a water ride. We didn't have too many of those in the park at the time of creation so it was nice to have.
I also love the mountain towering over the land. I'm a big mountain fan and I think they add a lot to an area's theme.
Where this ride blunders a little bit, for me at least, is with the anthro characters. I get the vibe you guys were shooting for, with a Country Bear Jamboree and Splash Mountain feel, but I don't think it was very successful in that. Featuring these anthropomorphic animals alongside a very naturalistic river and mountain and Aurora Borealis At this time of year? At this time of day? In this part of the country? Localized entirely within your kitchen? they just didn't do it for me.
That being said, I did really like the custom artwork of the bear character. He was pretty cute.
I don't think this was a bad ride at all, it was very well done and I can totally see it becoming a real thing and being very popular, in a round as tight as this, it comes down to nitpicks, and I picked the nits with this attraction's vibe.
The Judder Refinery: Spirit Fury
So this is actually an idea I had for when we were designing the passage, though not in an oil refinery. A drop tower with Inuit mythology in an Arctic (or Subarctic in your case) land makes so much sense. At the end, we didn't end up doing it and the Obelisk of Time didn't become a drop tower, but that's okay because it allowed this much better version to do it instead.
Oil is such an important thing in the Yukon and surrounding taiga and subarctic areas so I'm glad you incorporated that into your theme. Surprisingly, I'm sure, I wrote a 30 something page paper on the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its effects on the natural environment, so it was a neat thing to see you guys focus on the negativity of oil drilling in the region.
This land also continues the ideas presented in Adventure Atoll (my personal baby) about human impact on the natural environment, and this ride does a great job continuing that theme.
Beaumont's Dancing Sleds
Beaumont? Where the hell is Beaumont?
Footloose reference aside, this attraction was a neat flat ride, but it's probably the attraction I had the biggest issue with. Why? Because we have an almost exact copy of it already at the park with the Once Upon a Wintertime attraction in the Holiday Village. Sure, that attraction is in another time zone by the time you reach it, but it's a sled-themed flat ride dancing attraction set in a wintery theme. Yes, this takes a Rollickin Roadsters approach while Once was with an Alien Swirling Saucers, but they're similar enough to be a bit redundant.
That being said, I do love the backstory you provided here. I'm a sucker for a good backstory and having written many of the backstories for the 1986 park, this one absolutely fits. I just wish the attraction was a little varied from what was already present in the park.
Rivers of the North
Yeah, so I don't have too much to say about this one, it's just a boat ride through some pretty scenery. It is a really nice idea and it is something I certainly appreciate as an inclusion, it definitely makes sense, but it really isn't the most unique attraction, but that's okay!
It would've been neat to have seen some animatronic wildlife like bears, moose, etc. along the riverside, but that's also just me saying that, so take that criticism with a grain of salt. I do like the set pieces you guys included though.
Aeronautics Station
I was just happy to see my baby return. Good job!
Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show
This show makes absolute sense. I remember the short-lived lumberjack show at Epcot in the Canada pavilion and I absolutely loved it. Here in Maine, the woods are in our blood, so we have stuff like this at all the county fairs, but seeing it turned into a scripted show with a story alongside all of the cool lumberjack stunts is really awesome. I approve.
My one issue is the name. It's a nitpick, but you couldn't have given it an actual name? This seems like you took the concept and just called the show that. Small nitpick, but it's one that bothered me, haha.
Timber Cabin and Cafe
This is the second all-day breakfast in 1986! Granted, I think daylong access to pancakes will be more popular than all-day access to blood sausage and a full English, but still, it's funny that you guys did that.
Pancakes are great and definitely fit the lumberjack aesthetic you're going for. I'm not a big fan of sweets, but I would most certainly try the cookies and cream pancakes, that's such a unique concept and even if I could only get through two or three bites, I feel it'd be the next big Disney treat.
The Wandering Hearts Saloon
You guys really took the "more mature" theme and ran with it here, didn't you. This is like, Country Bear Jamboree levels of risque adult entertainment disguised as something fun and family-friendly. Good job.
I do have so say, I'm not sure why this had to be a dining venue, especially one just serving drinks. I'd get it more if you were going for an in-park Hoop-Dee-Doo sort of vibe, but where this isn't a food venue, I feel it could've fit better as just a standard show.
The drinks and snacks are good options, it was just a weird choice to me. That's okay though, I like the out-of-the-box concepts.
The Yukon Catchery
Ah, salmon, a staple of Alaska. I don't know how many of you have had real Alaskan King Salmon, but it's about the most delicious piece of fish you'll ever eat. Having a restaurant focusing on that makes absolute sense.
The vibes here are immaculate. Along with everything else here, the woodsman aesthetic is one I strive to achieve (although I usually end up looking more like a hipster). The homemade wood logs and buildings we have here, with canoes in the rafters, that's just *chef's kiss.* This whole land feels like an Alaskan L.L. Bean on steroids, and growing up with the real darn thing and doing homework there at 3 in the morning, I really appreciate the vibes.
Shopping
All of your shopping fits nicely here and all fit the Canada/Alaskan Yukon aesthetic
Maple trees don't grow in Alaska, so having a syrup shack is a bit out of place, but I won't call you out on that too hard as it is a very Canadian thing we all associate with them. Plus, having grown up around sugar shacks, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy to have one at a Disney park.
All of the other stores fit pretty well. Good job!
Overall You guys knocked this one out of the park. Don't take being in last place as a bad thing, you guys just had a few more nitpicks than the others and that's okay, you guys still did so well. I really loved this land and I really loved the ideas presented here. Great job!
