BOOK III REVIEWS
DISNEY VILLAIN BIG TOP
Brainstorming
This team came out of the gate with probably some of the best initial concepts of the entire cast. There were so many strong ideas that it almost seemed like it was hard to choose which one to run with. While some were leaning on the Boardwalk theme, others were skeptical it may be repetitive, so it merged into a Villains area, which then merged with the Circus theme, but others were still skeptical that Villains may be repetitive. All in all, this was a good example of coming to a consensus together as a team and making a sacrifice of personal interest for the greater good. Kudos to
@Tegan pilots a chicken as the leader in this situation going with the flow despite perhaps wanting something else herself. As overall, I
really liked this Villains Circus concept.
Teamwork
This team was good with communication, stepping up to help each other out when in need.
@AceAstro took over and elevated the project towards the end when Tegan got busy, and others stayed in constant communication and strove to do their best even when the chips were down. Kudos to
@TheOriginalTiki for toughing it out towards the end of the prompt as well.
The Project
Love the introductory videos. The Stuckmann video was chef's kiss. And Ace's intro video and neon logo set the stage very well for what was to come. Love the aesthetics of this place as well
"Up in the sky, stratus clouds with a neon green hue project on the dome to make the area seem like it is taking place outdoors." A great way of using the dome to your advantage.
I do think I would struggle to understand the map if I didn't already have knowledge of the AdventureDome. One thing that would be good for next time is a bit more description of the map, maybe a piece of concept art to illustrate what we're looking at. Granted it was a time crunch, but if there's time in the future rounds that would be something to elevate the project even further.
Parlor of Chance was a great attraction. I love the ambiance and the kinetics of the attraction. I also think having him be the center of the story so to speak in bringing the villains together was a good touch. Also the map here was very well done.
Oogie Boogie Blast brings the first NBC attraction to Disney Parks and Resorts - so definitively stepping out of the norm there. I do think overall this attraction is very well written. And the jackpot/slots/neon aspect of the attraction fits in not only with the rest of the Dome, but also the Vegas aesthetic as well.
Battle for the Big Top was so well described as a coaster. While I am a visual person and would have loved to have seen some concept art or RCT3 for stylistically how it would look in the Dome, the RMC descriptions were plentiful and I was able to visualize it in my head. The dueling nature, taking two classic literature villains, was a great touch as well to go along with the theme of the season.
Escape from Forbidden Mountain to me had me a bit perplexed. On one hand, I could totally see a random ominous mountain on the LV strip and nobody would think anything of it. On the other hand, this does feel like a lot for such a small footprint. It also reads like a coaster, which is good but I don't see this on the map, and I know it might have been a last minute thing, but I think this area could have been organized a bit better. The description and write up for the attraction are great, and I feel like time played a part in this.
Ursula's Maelstrom and the Attack of Hydra were two good flats to round out the Dome. I think the villains chosen were recognizable enough to stand out.
I must say though the Pink Elephant Mini-Golf was my favorite component of the project. Not only did it fit in with the theme of Las Vegas, the Circus, the Villains, but it was so well crafted that it became the highlight for me. Great job Tiki!
House of Mouse was a nice bookend to the project. While I know the dining aspect was intended to be the highlight, I understand that real life comes first and perhaps got in the way. And honestly, it's going to be so hard to rank these projects as I think in any other round, this would have most likely won on the surface despite the time crunch, but we still have to get to the other projects.
DISNEY'S MOONLIGHT BAZAAR
Brainstorming
This team continued the solid brainstorming efforts of Book II and picked up right where they left off. While not a 50 page brainstorming team, this team seems to have great ideas early on, have a strong lead, and then go for what they feel is best. And even within that, you all continue to toss out ideas for improvement.
@D Hulk suggesting a more focused Pan-Asian theme compared to a World Showcase theme, or
@Earlie the Pearlie recognizing the value of having the Muppets show be supplemental to something greater. All of these touches come together to develop projects and are needed in order to reach your goals.
Teamwork
As alluded to before, the teamwork on display is exceptional. Despite Disney Dad (my bad btw) having to be Project Manager while preparing and during his trip to CA, others stepped up to fill the void when needed.
The Project
Designing this area more as a permanent Food and Wine Festival and not a theme park was a bold and unexpected choice that I think paid off beautifully. It allowed this project to shine not through attraction write-ups, but through the layout and design of the bazaar. The presentation itself is also immaculate. From the color patterns to the transition between slides, the maps, and visuals, everything flows together so well. I also like how you redesigned the entire Circus Circus complex but kept the attention on the AdventureDome remodel.
Having the complex be 100% small businesses is a bold yet sensible choice. This whole preamble is so well written that it truly encapsulates the world you're trying to create for your guests. As mentioned above, the decision to go with a Pan-Asian theme really did wonders for this project.
The Little Mermaid An Aquatic Spectacular was just that, spectacular. I really did think that this had a layer of love behind it that shined through in the writing. While inspired by the House of Dancing Water, I do wonder if a more Asian focused theme would have been a better fit than The Little Mermaid? Maybe something like Moana? Unless I'm mistaken and The Little Mermaid is Pan-Asian in theme, I thought it was housed in the Atlantic Ocean, but please correct me if I'm wrong.
The Muppets show was funny and well-written yet again. Muppets are always a go to in imagineering and I think this fit well for the location in Las Vegas. Moonlight Tours felt like something classic Las Vegas as well. I'm reminded of the Venetian gondolas going through the hotel's mall, but with much better theming in this case.
The Spirited Away restaurant/ride combo was one of the most intriguing parts of the project. At first I was very skeptical about why it needed to be moving. Similar to the Garden Grill at the Land. And I was also worried about some of the technical aspects. That may be the realism nerd in me which may crop up from time to time, but as you move into the rooms, can you get up to go to the bathroom? What if you go to the bathroom and your party leaves to the next room? If the experience lasts 2 hours, I would assume there would be a cutoff time for reservations, but there's only an hour gap between the end of Breakfast and Dessert for example. I don't want this to take away from the incredibly nuanced approach to the restaurant and I absolutely applaud the effort, I just wish some more consideration was put forth to the technical aspects of how this would work, because as I'm reading this now, this felt like more a blue sky contribution than something that I could see being functional.
Trader Sam's feels like it could be Universal's Margaritaville counter nationwide. I do love the inclusion of the bookshelf of puns, a great touch. The Yeti Hunter's Club and the Royal Dome Lounge were both very unique entries as well. I like the Disco aspect the the Yeti Club and the menu for Royal Dome was very well laid out. All in all, this was a very well themed area. While some aspects fit better than others in my view, it culminated in a very well presented project that was another great entry from Tintirrino.
BAYOU NOIRE
Brainstorming
This was my favorite team to watch, and honestly the most surprising and impressive. Out of all the teams this had what I felt was a mix of old imagineers, new imagineers, and eclectic styles that I really wasn't sure how well they would mesh together. And based on history of styles, I was not anticipating this team having the most amount of brainstorming pages. You all were really giving each other great feedback, hearing each other out, and while you didn't always agree on everything, you always talked it out before coming to a conclusion.
Teamwork
To segue from that, I thought the teamwork was great. While the ending might have been a bit rushed (when isn't it in these games) the progress and teamwork showed throughout the first several days of the project made one cohesive unit of a presentation even if it didn't feel like it. And 84 pages is nuts! (Granted the majority of it was taken up by one attraction)
The Project
Starting out, the Bayou theme I think was a home run. While there are definitely some aspects I liked more than others, I think you were able to fit this all in cohesively into one unit. Starting off with the map and French Quarter, I like how you structured the layout of the new area. Starting with Tiana's Palace, what an incredible write-up! Great visuals with the map and descriptions to make you feel like you are walking through the restaurant. A wonderful start. Ghost Streetcar brings the first of several what initially I considered to be a bit ominous contributions to the project and unsure how they would fit. But I must say given the 'adult' nature of Las Vegas, I think these types of attraction experiences would bring back the classic horror elements that Disney attractions used to have, from Alien Encounter, to The Great Movie Ride, to Countdown to Extinction, and many more, I think the Streetcar sets a vibe that then transitions into many of the other experiences.
The Jazz bar was a nice entry. It's fitting for French Quarter, not much else to say about it other than its inclusion would be noticeably absent if it wasn't there. The Beignets store was another nice complimentary piece. Even something as simple as a meet and greet with classic Disney characters was given a 'vibe check' - that's what to me makes this project stand out. Even the basic imagineering elements have an overarching layer of the theme for the area as a whole. Jean Lafitte and the Search for the Weird were two nice complimentary pieces to the area, and I think for an area as small as the AdventureDome, these types of elements bring about a sort of kinetic energy to the area.
Okay, Rougarou Run as a dark ride hybrid attraction. This ride is...dark. It's scary, the photos are even creepy. But I love it. I think this was incredibly bold but it paid off with brilliant diction and descriptions. In the end this could have been very out in left field and perhaps detracted from the project. But if anything, it was probably the highlight for me. Flight of the Fireflies was a nice family coaster that again matched the theme of the area. The animal exhibits also added a sense of nuance to the area, and as always PerGron knows what he is talking about.
The Haunted Mansion and The Naufrage round out the right side of the park. MeowWolf inspired walk-through Haunted Mansion was so amazing. Having done some research into those types of things, that would definitely be a hit experience despite being 4 hours from DL. And it goes without saying, all the streetmosphere and ambiance really added to the natural appeal of this area. From Ghosts of the Deep to the Big Easy Six, I can truly see this area coming alive. All in all, while New Orleans has been done before with Disney, it hasn't been done like this. This concept is refreshing, and reinvents the wheel for niche smaller amusement parks going forward.