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Visions Fantastic: An Imagineering Competition (Game Thread)
- Thread starter PerGron
- Start date
Great job teams! I will be reviewing and giving scores today, but first I wanted to handle a bit of business and get elimination out of the way to allow us to continue on. We will be entering a speed round for the next period of the game so to give you guys ample time, I figured the elimination was an easy choice and I can give you the next prompt and get onto reviews in my own time. With that said, this decision was made regardless of which team wins or loses, so in 16th place we have...
@JokersWild
This decision was made because over the last few rounds, Jokers has not responded to the messages and has not contributed to their team. While I hope everything is alright, this decision was easy and allows us to go to our next round rather quickly. Thank you for playing Jokers!
This decision was made because over the last few rounds, Jokers has not responded to the messages and has not contributed to their team. While I hope everything is alright, this decision was easy and allows us to go to our next round rather quickly. Thank you for playing Jokers!
SPEED ROUND
Welcome players to the middle of our game for our SPEED ROUND. Here, we will truck through six very fast small projects that will each give you about three days to work on them with your teams. I will not be reviewing each individual project as they're submitted and instead will do a big review at the end of the series where results will be given and a second DOUBLE ELIMINATION will occur. All of these speed rounds will occur in the same PM as well, so keep that in mind as we send messages. With that, here is the first challenge of the speed round...
Challenge Five: Transportation Trouble
Almost all of the Disney Parks have various unique transportation opportunities to get to them. If you want to visit Magic Kingdom you can take a boat, a bus, a monorail, or walk; to get to Epcot you can take a boat, a bus, a monorail, a skyliner, or walk; to get to Hollywood Studios you can take a boat, a bus, a skyliner, or walk; and even to get to Disney Springs you can take a bus, a boat, or walk. Yet, if you want to get to Animal Kingdom, your sole option is to take a bus to the park. I think it's time to change that.
Prompt: Design a new additional transportation system to help guests visit Disney's Animal Kingdom
You can make this one of the existing modes of transportation or come up with something wholly new. The biggest consideration to take in is where can you utilize this transportation from (you don't see the monorail visiting Port Orleans or boats at somewhere without a water feature) so focus on "Animal Kingdom area resorts" being Animal Kingdom Lodge, Coronado Springs, and the All-Star Resorts. You can expand this transport to other resorts, Blizzard Beach, or wherever else, but be realistic about it.
The other consideration is that the park houses live animals and so intrusive transportation with lots of noise or emissions should be avoided, so no helicopters landing on Discovery Island I guess. Otherwise, the world is your oyster!
This project is due Wednesday, August 20th at 11:59 PM PST (2:59 AM EST, 1:59 AM CST, 3:59 PM PT)
Welcome players to the middle of our game for our SPEED ROUND. Here, we will truck through six very fast small projects that will each give you about three days to work on them with your teams. I will not be reviewing each individual project as they're submitted and instead will do a big review at the end of the series where results will be given and a second DOUBLE ELIMINATION will occur. All of these speed rounds will occur in the same PM as well, so keep that in mind as we send messages. With that, here is the first challenge of the speed round...
Challenge Five: Transportation Trouble
Almost all of the Disney Parks have various unique transportation opportunities to get to them. If you want to visit Magic Kingdom you can take a boat, a bus, a monorail, or walk; to get to Epcot you can take a boat, a bus, a monorail, a skyliner, or walk; to get to Hollywood Studios you can take a boat, a bus, a skyliner, or walk; and even to get to Disney Springs you can take a bus, a boat, or walk. Yet, if you want to get to Animal Kingdom, your sole option is to take a bus to the park. I think it's time to change that.
Prompt: Design a new additional transportation system to help guests visit Disney's Animal Kingdom
You can make this one of the existing modes of transportation or come up with something wholly new. The biggest consideration to take in is where can you utilize this transportation from (you don't see the monorail visiting Port Orleans or boats at somewhere without a water feature) so focus on "Animal Kingdom area resorts" being Animal Kingdom Lodge, Coronado Springs, and the All-Star Resorts. You can expand this transport to other resorts, Blizzard Beach, or wherever else, but be realistic about it.
The other consideration is that the park houses live animals and so intrusive transportation with lots of noise or emissions should be avoided, so no helicopters landing on Discovery Island I guess. Otherwise, the world is your oyster!
This project is due Wednesday, August 20th at 11:59 PM PST (2:59 AM EST, 1:59 AM CST, 3:59 PM PT)
Earlie the Pearlie
Well-Known Member
I could be wrong, but I don't think we have credits in here. Just in case:
Team, I'm so sorry if any of this is incorrect!
@AceAstro - Monday, Introduction
@Earlie the Pearlie - Tuesday
@Lizzy May Bee - Wednesday, Presentation
@Lord Fozzinator - Thursday
@Lord Fozzinator - Friday
@Lord Fozzinator - Saturday
@TheOriginalTiki - Sunday
@Mr. Sullivan - Menus
@AceAstro - Monday, Introduction
@Earlie the Pearlie - Tuesday
@Lizzy May Bee - Wednesday, Presentation
@Lord Fozzinator - Thursday
@Lord Fozzinator - Friday
@Lord Fozzinator - Saturday
@TheOriginalTiki - Sunday
@Mr. Sullivan - Menus
Lizzy May Bee
Well-Known Member
While the theme park industry has grown, leading to the rise of many competitors, one of the elements that sets Disney’s entertainment experiences apart from the rest is the consistent dedication towards making a trip to their parks an immersive and memorable experience every step of the way, truly making children feel like they’re transported to a different world, while also offering a unique artistry that adults can appreciate. One of Disney’s foremost efforts in reaching this standard is the high theming they put into their hotels, which is often furthered by offering unique ways for guests to get to the parks, transforming even the typically boring act of traveling to your vacation destination into part of the magic. While three of Walt Disney World’s parks offer something in this manner, Animal Kingdom, a park that otherwise excels in immersing guests through its design and associated hotels, does not, or it didn’t until now at least.
The Zootopia Express will fill in Animal Kingdom’s lack of a unique transport option with a highly themed IP offering, capitalizing on the success of Zootopia while advertising its upcoming sequel. This seemingly ordinary railway will treat guests to a view of the bustling, animal society that makes up Zootopia’s setting, through screens in place of windows that look out into the different bureaus of the titular city for each route (with the trips to and from the same locations showcasing the same scenes in reverse) while also serving as a quick, fun transportation option to and from Animal Kingdom and its associated hotels, Animal Kingdom Lodge and Coronado Springs, as well as the water park Blizzard
Incorporating a new transportation system into the Walt Disney World Resort is no small feat! Luckily, WDI has its best urban planners on the job to get 'er done in the most efficient way possible.
To begin with, the majority of the Express loosely follows pre-existing roadways. This has a few benefits! Most importantly, it minimizes the amount of land TDO must have re-zoned for this project, cutting down on costs and turnaround time significantly. Additionally, it preserves most of that area's Floridian wilderness, and makes running buses to compensate when the Express is down (which is almost guaranteed to happen at some point!) far simpler. As an added bonus, families driving to Animal Kingdom in the mornings get the chance to see the train whiz past - a simple joy worthy of the monorail!
Each station is properly themed and integrated into its environment as thoroughly as possible. For the two parks and Animal Kingdom Lodge, the station is fairly centrally located, providing easy access to both the parks and main lobby. In the case of Animal Kingdom, the station displaces a portion of the bus drop-off area - not to worry, though, this can easily be rebuilt just feet away. Blizzard Beach's station also provides service to the walking-distance Winter Summerland Minigolf. For Coronado Springs, the station is located close to Gran Destino Tower. Ranchos enthusiasts shouldn't worry, though - a new tram system, decorated like Mexican trajineras, make the distance a lot more easy to cover!
When it comes to crossing existing roads and paths, the Express has it covered - literally! The entire train will be elevated about one story off of the ground, simply going over roads when necessary. Near the stations, the railway will remain fairly bare-bones, fitting with the parking lots (or, in one case, intentionally brutalist park entrance) they’re near. Still, each will carry a few elegant architectural touches, like tree stumps and icicles carved into the supports, that give the Express tracks enough whimsy to be distinctly Disney.
The real deluxe treatment, though, will be given to the road crossings. Elaborate stone tunnels, with landscaping terracing up to them, will add an air of refined natural beauty to the otherwise plain terrain. As roads approach each station, animal motifs for that area, carved into the stonework, will become more and more prominent: penguins and alligators for Blizzard Beach, giraffes and zebras for Animal Kingdom Lodge, axolotls and capybaras for Coronado Springs, and elephants and lions for Animal Kingdom. A subtle detail, but one that will go a long way in introducing the Zootopia Express to this corner of the World!
Animal Kingdom Lodge to Blizzard Beach and Coronado Springs
Hop on board the Zootopia Express for a high speed trip to Disney's premier water park. This route starts by departing the lodge and going straight into Tundra Town. Bodyguard polar bears are seen patrolling the area. Mr. Big can be spotted in a high rise tower.
Fru Fru walks past our train cabin in shadow form, excited for a day out in Blizzard Beach. Her entourage of gal pals follow as they gossip about seeing all the male opossums in their cute beach outfits. We pass through a "tunnel" on the screen as a nervous Clawhauser walks past our car in shadow form. Cawhauser is very self conscious about his water park attire and needs a pep talk from Judy.
As Clawhauser gets into brighter spirits, we emerge from the tunnel as the screen looking out of the train reveals a grand vista overlooking Mammal Mountain, the sprawling arctic mountain range that surrounds the city of Zootopia. Judy and Nick pass by in shadow form and knock on our cabin door. "Just one more turn around the mountain and we'll be at Blizzard Beach!" Judy exclaims with excitement. In a cool transition, the animation on the screen slowly fades into an animated Blizzard Beach that then gives way to the reveal of the real peak of Summit Plummet as the screens lower and guests see through the actual windows of the train that they've reached their destination!
Blizzard Beach and Coronado Springs to Animal Kingdom Lodge
After a long day at Blizzard Beach, hop back on board the Zootopia Express for a quick trip back to your hotel. The windows transition back into the animated realm of Mammal Mountain as the train pulls out of the station. After taking in another panoramic view of the mountain range from the window screens with the city of Zootopia far below us, we enter the transition tunnel back into Tundra Town and switch our focus to the window screens on the cabin doors.
Clawhauser and Judy can be seen walking by the cabin doors. Judy gives Cawhauser props for how comfortable he was in the wave pool and Clawhauser thanks Judy for giving him the self esteem he needed to enjoy the day as a plus sized tiger. Judy playfully slaps him on the back and says "any time, pal!" Clawhauser yelps in pain, Judy having obviously hit the nerve of a bad sunburn.
Fru Fru and her gal pals march past our cabin, all obviously miserable from sunburns. Fru Fru loudly complains that the name Blizzard Beach was false advertising for how much sun was in that place. "In spite of...my...sunburn...I happened to...(long painful pause)...love it!" says Flash also walking by.
As we pass back through Tundra Town, we see the polar bear body guards hot on our trail as Mr. Big has reported Fru Fru as missing. "Oh no, daddy's over reacting about me being gone again!" Fru Fru laments. "He's sooo over protective!!"
A polar bear enters the train car and marches past a very cowardly Nick to retrieve his boss's daughter, who is still complaining about the sun tan as she's dragged off the train. With that we exit Tundra Town and have one more animated to real life window transition bringing us back to the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Animal Kingdom Lodge Platform
The station for the train at Animal Kingdom Lodge is located on the site of a former pond to the immediate left of the Spa Pool. A new pathway from the pool area that cuts through the tree line leads guests to a station that appears to have been built from the same material the lodge itself has been built with.
Guests will be able to take notice of carvings in the walls depicting various locations in Zootopia interpreted via the African art style present through the rest of the resort.
There is a simple animatronic wildebeest in a ticket booth that occasionally speaks to guests, acting as the station operator for AKL. When the train arrives, guests will step onto the train from the platform and begin their journey.
Journey
The trip from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom takes about five minutes total. On the inside view screens that take place of the windows, guests can see Judy and Nick standing on the platform they just left with Judy telling Nick they have to hurry and get on board.
As the train rolls from the station, guests can see themselves passing through an African biome as seen at the lodge briefly before the train appears to turn away from this and toward a smattering of trees.
The train briefly goes through the trees until it comes out into a beautiful, misty part of the city of Zootopia that is inspired by Asian culture and architecture. The buildings are made of stone and feature Asian tiling and lettering, and in the background are tall misty mountains.
Guests will see various citizens of this part of the city, known as Lotus Lake as identified by some signage.
Guests will see panda citizens working building buildings out of bamboo, bengal tigers acting as restauranteurs serving food to the locals, water buffalo sailing boats down a beautiful river, peafowl as artists painting on the river bank, Komodo dragons acting as local religious figures, and more.
Judy’s voice can be heard pointing out a large mountain in the distance that looks like Everest and she comments that she wonders who lives there and if they’re open to visitors.
The train appears to move through trees again as it begins to slow down. At this point, the video screens begin to show the front of Animal Kingdom as they hear Judy and Nick walling back their compartment talking about going to see some big tree Judy saw on the way in.
The route between Coronado Springs and Animal Kingdom takes riders through the gorgeous Rainforest District, alongside Judy and Nick.
Overall, the Zootopia Express looks to deliver on all fronts that a unique transport option should, capturing the ingenuity and magic that the talented creative staff behind the Disney parks always brings!
Credits
Logo, Formatting, & Intro/Conclusion - @Lizzy May Bee
Map - @Earlie the Pearlie
Blizzard Beach Routes - @TheOriginalTiki
AKL to AK - @Mr. Sullivan
P-R-T, on-the-go! That’s your Personal Rapid Transit, on-the-go! Team Wish presents….
P-R-T, on-the-go! That’s your Personal Rapid Transit, on-the-go! 
Credits:
PRT description: @ThemeParkPriest
Narrations: @Outbound
Graphics: @Tegan pilots a chicken
Presentation: @Brer Panther
PRT concept art: @Architectural Guinea Pig
Great work teams! I’m working on reviews for the restaurant, it’s been a busy week, but as I mentioned there will be no reviews or winners for the supper rounds until the very end of the speed round. With that said
Challenge Six: Destination D
With Destination D23 coming up, I’m sure some of us are excited for some information about movies, the parks, etc. but that’s not all these conventions have going for them. A lot of times they have unique and fun panels from history to interviews to promotions that round out events like this.
Prompt: Create a unique panel for a D23 event.
The theme of the panel is up to each team, it can be a retrospective on a movie, it can be a game show, whatever you want to do, it’s just gotta fit the D23 vibe.
This project is due Saturday, August 23rd at 11:59 PM PST (2:59 AM EST, 1:59 AM CST, 3:59 PM PT)
Challenge Six: Destination D
With Destination D23 coming up, I’m sure some of us are excited for some information about movies, the parks, etc. but that’s not all these conventions have going for them. A lot of times they have unique and fun panels from history to interviews to promotions that round out events like this.
Prompt: Create a unique panel for a D23 event.
The theme of the panel is up to each team, it can be a retrospective on a movie, it can be a game show, whatever you want to do, it’s just gotta fit the D23 vibe.
This project is due Saturday, August 23rd at 11:59 PM PST (2:59 AM EST, 1:59 AM CST, 3:59 PM PT)
Feel better soon!!!!
Lord Fozzinator
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
)
That’s how I’m looking right now lol. But I will get restaurant reviews up by Monday. As for the speed round, those reviews will all come at the end of the speed rounds
Earlie the Pearlie
Well-Known Member
Team Fantasy Proudly Presents:
Explore Nature's Wonderland Here!
Explore Nature's Wonderland Here!
Presentation - @AceAstro
Logo - @Lizzy May Bee
Slides 1-3 - @AceAstro
Slides 4-6, 10 - @Earlie the Pearlie
Slides 7-9 - @Lord Fozzinator
Some Very Bad Luck - @Mr. Sullivan & @TheOriginalTiki
Logo - @Lizzy May Bee
Slides 1-3 - @AceAstro
Slides 4-6, 10 - @Earlie the Pearlie
Slides 7-9 - @Lord Fozzinator
Some Very Bad Luck - @Mr. Sullivan & @TheOriginalTiki
Architectural Guinea Pig
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Team Wish Presents
Disney Presents
D23 Presents
Martin Short Presents
Lost Attractions!
The Un-Built Wonders of Imagineering
Throughout Disney History, more dreams have been dreamt than could ever be made real. Imagineers have worked on 100s of rides, shows, restaurants, and even whole parks that were designed but not built for whatever reason. What better treat could there be for the Disney super fans at D23 than for Imagineers to come on stage to learn all about these bits of never-made magic!
(Now, stay with me here, what if the armchair imagineering projects we've designed on the forum over the years were not bits of creative writing/make believe but were actually just concepts from imagineering that were planned but never built for whatever reason! Thus, they'd be included in this D23 panel alongside the IRL lost attractions.)
Now, join the Imagineers of Team Wish alongside celebrity guest host Martin Short for a fabulous tour of the Wonderful World of What Might have Been!
(Click the poster above to join the presentation)
Credits (+ links to the original projects!)
Presentation - @Pi on my Cake (+ everyone)
Lavatory Laboratory - @Pi on my Cake
Great Gonzo Academy and Jungle Book Flume - @Brer Panther
Fantasia 2024 - @Architectural Guinea Pig
DL Forward - @Outbound
Silly Billy Adventure- @ThemeParkPriest
Home on the Range - @tcool123
New Tomorrowland - @Tegan pilots a chicken
Disney Presents
D23 Presents
Martin Short Presents
Lost Attractions!
The Un-Built Wonders of Imagineering
Throughout Disney History, more dreams have been dreamt than could ever be made real. Imagineers have worked on 100s of rides, shows, restaurants, and even whole parks that were designed but not built for whatever reason. What better treat could there be for the Disney super fans at D23 than for Imagineers to come on stage to learn all about these bits of never-made magic!
(Now, stay with me here, what if the armchair imagineering projects we've designed on the forum over the years were not bits of creative writing/make believe but were actually just concepts from imagineering that were planned but never built for whatever reason! Thus, they'd be included in this D23 panel alongside the IRL lost attractions.)
Now, join the Imagineers of Team Wish alongside celebrity guest host Martin Short for a fabulous tour of the Wonderful World of What Might have Been!
(Click the poster above to join the presentation)
Credits (+ links to the original projects!)
Presentation - @Pi on my Cake (+ everyone)
Lavatory Laboratory - @Pi on my Cake
Great Gonzo Academy and Jungle Book Flume - @Brer Panther
Fantasia 2024 - @Architectural Guinea Pig
DL Forward - @Outbound
Silly Billy Adventure- @ThemeParkPriest
Home on the Range - @tcool123
New Tomorrowland - @Tegan pilots a chicken
Another strong round! I hope you all are enjoying the speed rounds, I’ve been having fun coming up with them. Anyway, onto the next…
Challenge Seven: Meet and Greet
Everybody loves getting to meet their favorite Disney friends while at the parks. From Mickey and friends to the princesses to Figment to the villains, there’s always some character to meet. Where once there were tons of characters to meet all throughout the parks though, now they are relegated to special meet and greet areas, and there seem to be fewer and fewer every year. Your challenge is to change this.
Prompt: Design UP TO five brand new special meet and greet areas featuring characters that don’t currently have one.
While I’ve highlighted Disney, you’re welcome to tackle Universal, Six Flags, SeaWorld, or any other park with characters for this challenge. The meet and greets should be special with some amount of theming to them and should feature characters that are not represented in the parks already.
The M&Gs can be costumed characters, puppets ala raptor encounter, animated characters ala Turtle Talk, animatronics ala BB-8, or whatever other combination you want. The UP TO five rule is meant to allow most players to tackle their own if they would like to, but do not feel pressure to do all five if it’s not feasible.
This project is due Friday, August 29th at 11:59 PM PST (2:59 AM EST, 1:59 AM CST, 3:59 PM PT)
Challenge Seven: Meet and Greet
Everybody loves getting to meet their favorite Disney friends while at the parks. From Mickey and friends to the princesses to Figment to the villains, there’s always some character to meet. Where once there were tons of characters to meet all throughout the parks though, now they are relegated to special meet and greet areas, and there seem to be fewer and fewer every year. Your challenge is to change this.
Prompt: Design UP TO five brand new special meet and greet areas featuring characters that don’t currently have one.
While I’ve highlighted Disney, you’re welcome to tackle Universal, Six Flags, SeaWorld, or any other park with characters for this challenge. The meet and greets should be special with some amount of theming to them and should feature characters that are not represented in the parks already.
The M&Gs can be costumed characters, puppets ala raptor encounter, animated characters ala Turtle Talk, animatronics ala BB-8, or whatever other combination you want. The UP TO five rule is meant to allow most players to tackle their own if they would like to, but do not feel pressure to do all five if it’s not feasible.
This project is due Friday, August 29th at 11:59 PM PST (2:59 AM EST, 1:59 AM CST, 3:59 PM PT)
TheOriginalTiki
Well-Known Member
@PerGron and I will be competing in a Disneyland 70th Anniverasry debate tonight at 10PM Eastern. Don't miss it!
Questions include...
-What was the best opening day Disneyland attraction?
-Which Walt-era Disneyland attraction would be most devastating to remove?
-What is the best Disneyland dark ride?
Questions include...
-What was the best opening day Disneyland attraction?
-Which Walt-era Disneyland attraction would be most devastating to remove?
-What is the best Disneyland dark ride?
TheOriginalTiki
Well-Known Member
Any park. Have fun with it. You’re also welcome to do multiple parks if you want.
PerGron's Reviews
Alright teams, sorry about taking so much time getting reviews up, I've been pretty much bedridden all week and between that, an easy elimination, and life in general, it's set me back. Still, I owe you guys reviews and so reviews you shall have. I apologize that they're probably going to be less detailed than the other reviews have been, I don't really have an excuse for it, it's just how it has to be.
Team Fantasy- The Scary Restaurant
Picking Horror Unleashed was certainly an inspired choice, it's not the venue that came to mind for a restaurant, yet I think it's ripe for the picking being so new, so mixed, and lacking a restaurant overall. Making a dinner show really fits all in with the HHN vibes which are famous for hosting different shows and having something like this fits the aesthetic well. The shows have historically been comedy forward as well with things like Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, and Bill and Ted leading the charge, so adapting the Scary Movie idea into a dinner show feels like the right idea to capture HHN in a bottle. Nobody wants to be absolutely petrified while they're eating a meal so leaning comedy and parody fits the dinner show side of things as well. I cannot imagine a show where people are jumping out at you and spraying you with water or anything that HHN is famous for while you're trying to enjoy your meal.
I do like that you guys broke it down by day of the week where each experience is different. It gives a lot of revisitability that I think is required to have in Vegas. You need a draw to pull people out of the casino on any given night and the plan of having different themed nights at this one dinner show that can appeal to pretty much any type of horror fan fits pretty damn well. I will say, I do wish you had stuck to your guns and had a few of the themes repeat themselves, just because I think that is much more realistic than seven individual dinner shows, but from a creative perspective I can't knock expanding your ideas and your horizons.
Where I think you guys struggled to get me was with how different all of the offerings are as well as the way the menu ties into each individual show. The menus by @Mr. Sullivan were genuinely phenomenal and it was clear so much love was put into them because each one had their own unique themes and specialty drinks and if we were scoring just based on the menu you've provided I think the sheer amount of detail and craft put into these menus would win Team Fantasy the point readily. However, I do think that there is some disconnect between the names of a lot of the dishes and the stuff on show, especially in the slasher menu where it name drops famous slashers but the whole show is about these kind of parody killers that fit the Scary Movie parody you're going for but makes for an awkward thing where I'm ordering Freddy Krueger's Meat Skewers but watching the Easter Killer with no sign of Mr. Kreuger. I don't think this is the biggest end of the world thing ever, far from it, but it is worth noting because it highlights the communication issues Team Fantasy had this round. We had a very passionate pitch from @TheOriginalTiki which I think was a great way to go about it, but the team didn't readily communicate and we ended up with some pretty fundamental flaws here.
The shows though were the biggest issue I had unfortunately because while I thought overall they all had their charm, they also all had their downfalls. I don't really have time to go through all of them individually just because I want to get this review out, but if you guys would like a full breakdown at some point down the line, I can see what I can do. For now though, I want to just mention that I think you guys needed to discuss what each night was going to offer more than you actually did. There's a lot of overlap here and also a lot of just absolutely off the wall ideas that don't blend and absolutely just throw realism in the garbage.
We have a simple show about conjuring ghosts that feels really realistic within the concept. Maybe a bit kiddie for a HHN permanent venue in Vegas with the pick your ghost name interactivity, but still a simple enough concept that works. Then you jump into this esoteric and weird cryptid woodlands world where the cryptids are goofy but also murdering waitstaff and making them husks of some sort? Then you have a cheesy goofy killer robot show that is clearly a launch for @Lizzy May Bee to rant about killer robots a bit (respect), then an analogue horror circus talent show, then a very vaudeville variety show set around four different original killers, then American Idol but with demons, and you wrap up with an A24 parody rather than an elevated horror parody that is definitely a great passion project and something I love as an A24 fan, but I cannot imagine eating dinner while people are burping, farting, vomiting, or just looking at the Tusk walrus. Maybe that's my thinly veiled eating disorder or whatever, but while the show itself seems fun, I cannot possibly fathom it being a dinner show. Then you have this (assumingly massive) cast put on seven entirely different shows each week, one night each, plus you have to redress an ill-defined dining room every single night, this just seems like a logistical nightmare. Again, I appreciate the effort put in here and I think all of the individual pieces are great, but the sum of the parts leaves a lot to be desired as much as I hate to admit it. I wish you guys had nailed down maybe two or three concepts and really focused on them because this idea has so much promise and I think you could've captured something magical, but ultimately it's just kind of a mess of ideas and passion projects that didn't really find its footing in the end for me.
Alright teams, sorry about taking so much time getting reviews up, I've been pretty much bedridden all week and between that, an easy elimination, and life in general, it's set me back. Still, I owe you guys reviews and so reviews you shall have. I apologize that they're probably going to be less detailed than the other reviews have been, I don't really have an excuse for it, it's just how it has to be.
Team Fantasy- The Scary Restaurant
Picking Horror Unleashed was certainly an inspired choice, it's not the venue that came to mind for a restaurant, yet I think it's ripe for the picking being so new, so mixed, and lacking a restaurant overall. Making a dinner show really fits all in with the HHN vibes which are famous for hosting different shows and having something like this fits the aesthetic well. The shows have historically been comedy forward as well with things like Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, and Bill and Ted leading the charge, so adapting the Scary Movie idea into a dinner show feels like the right idea to capture HHN in a bottle. Nobody wants to be absolutely petrified while they're eating a meal so leaning comedy and parody fits the dinner show side of things as well. I cannot imagine a show where people are jumping out at you and spraying you with water or anything that HHN is famous for while you're trying to enjoy your meal.
I do like that you guys broke it down by day of the week where each experience is different. It gives a lot of revisitability that I think is required to have in Vegas. You need a draw to pull people out of the casino on any given night and the plan of having different themed nights at this one dinner show that can appeal to pretty much any type of horror fan fits pretty damn well. I will say, I do wish you had stuck to your guns and had a few of the themes repeat themselves, just because I think that is much more realistic than seven individual dinner shows, but from a creative perspective I can't knock expanding your ideas and your horizons.
Where I think you guys struggled to get me was with how different all of the offerings are as well as the way the menu ties into each individual show. The menus by @Mr. Sullivan were genuinely phenomenal and it was clear so much love was put into them because each one had their own unique themes and specialty drinks and if we were scoring just based on the menu you've provided I think the sheer amount of detail and craft put into these menus would win Team Fantasy the point readily. However, I do think that there is some disconnect between the names of a lot of the dishes and the stuff on show, especially in the slasher menu where it name drops famous slashers but the whole show is about these kind of parody killers that fit the Scary Movie parody you're going for but makes for an awkward thing where I'm ordering Freddy Krueger's Meat Skewers but watching the Easter Killer with no sign of Mr. Kreuger. I don't think this is the biggest end of the world thing ever, far from it, but it is worth noting because it highlights the communication issues Team Fantasy had this round. We had a very passionate pitch from @TheOriginalTiki which I think was a great way to go about it, but the team didn't readily communicate and we ended up with some pretty fundamental flaws here.
The shows though were the biggest issue I had unfortunately because while I thought overall they all had their charm, they also all had their downfalls. I don't really have time to go through all of them individually just because I want to get this review out, but if you guys would like a full breakdown at some point down the line, I can see what I can do. For now though, I want to just mention that I think you guys needed to discuss what each night was going to offer more than you actually did. There's a lot of overlap here and also a lot of just absolutely off the wall ideas that don't blend and absolutely just throw realism in the garbage.
We have a simple show about conjuring ghosts that feels really realistic within the concept. Maybe a bit kiddie for a HHN permanent venue in Vegas with the pick your ghost name interactivity, but still a simple enough concept that works. Then you jump into this esoteric and weird cryptid woodlands world where the cryptids are goofy but also murdering waitstaff and making them husks of some sort? Then you have a cheesy goofy killer robot show that is clearly a launch for @Lizzy May Bee to rant about killer robots a bit (respect), then an analogue horror circus talent show, then a very vaudeville variety show set around four different original killers, then American Idol but with demons, and you wrap up with an A24 parody rather than an elevated horror parody that is definitely a great passion project and something I love as an A24 fan, but I cannot imagine eating dinner while people are burping, farting, vomiting, or just looking at the Tusk walrus. Maybe that's my thinly veiled eating disorder or whatever, but while the show itself seems fun, I cannot possibly fathom it being a dinner show. Then you have this (assumingly massive) cast put on seven entirely different shows each week, one night each, plus you have to redress an ill-defined dining room every single night, this just seems like a logistical nightmare. Again, I appreciate the effort put in here and I think all of the individual pieces are great, but the sum of the parts leaves a lot to be desired as much as I hate to admit it. I wish you guys had nailed down maybe two or three concepts and really focused on them because this idea has so much promise and I think you could've captured something magical, but ultimately it's just kind of a mess of ideas and passion projects that didn't really find its footing in the end for me.
PerGron's Reviews
Team Wish- TVA Bar and Lounge
Of the two concepts: a Marvel-themed TVA lounge on a Disney Cruise Line ship and a horror-themed all out nightly revolving dinner show, I don't think you can fault me for being less excited for this project. That said, I think you guys absolutely nailed what this project was going for. This team had the communication down pact and it managed to eke out a really fantastic and simple concept that is still a lot of fun and I can see people really enjoying.
The show here is an absolute win where the audience participation is consistent and strong. I love the idea of a character dining where when they come to your table it's not just a meet and greet but rather you're trying to solve a mystery. I also think this is a great way to have Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars characters all in the same room without too many inconsistencies and weird shenanigans. I do wish we got more on the actual show at the same time though because it did leave me with some questions like how many characters are out at a time/per show, how many skrulls per show, and just a few more basic logistical things. I wish you walked us through the show along with the courses and blended them together because it would've added a lot of completeness to what does feel a bit incomplete.
That said, the courses and the menu are absolutely phenomenal and I think it'd be a massive win in terms of a dining experience. There's experimental stuff like the meatball gyoza but familiar stuff like pigs in a blanket. Both teams did an amazing job with their menus and I think the menus ultimately were the highlight of both projects. Overall, great job!
Team Wish- TVA Bar and Lounge
Of the two concepts: a Marvel-themed TVA lounge on a Disney Cruise Line ship and a horror-themed all out nightly revolving dinner show, I don't think you can fault me for being less excited for this project. That said, I think you guys absolutely nailed what this project was going for. This team had the communication down pact and it managed to eke out a really fantastic and simple concept that is still a lot of fun and I can see people really enjoying.
The show here is an absolute win where the audience participation is consistent and strong. I love the idea of a character dining where when they come to your table it's not just a meet and greet but rather you're trying to solve a mystery. I also think this is a great way to have Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars characters all in the same room without too many inconsistencies and weird shenanigans. I do wish we got more on the actual show at the same time though because it did leave me with some questions like how many characters are out at a time/per show, how many skrulls per show, and just a few more basic logistical things. I wish you walked us through the show along with the courses and blended them together because it would've added a lot of completeness to what does feel a bit incomplete.
That said, the courses and the menu are absolutely phenomenal and I think it'd be a massive win in terms of a dining experience. There's experimental stuff like the meatball gyoza but familiar stuff like pigs in a blanket. Both teams did an amazing job with their menus and I think the menus ultimately were the highlight of both projects. Overall, great job!
Results
Again one final time, I am sorry it took so long to get reviews out and I sincerely apologize for them being so short, especially for Team Wish. This week has been a lot, but after the speed rounds the reviews will be up in a very reasonable time and back to my detailed reviews. Anyway, I think it's time to rip this band-aid off.
With that, we of course already bid farewell to @JokersWild as our elimination for the round and we are well into the third speed round prompt. I think everyone is doing wonderfully here and I'm loving the progress on all of the projects you guys have put out. Don't get bogged down by my issues with the restaurant, keep moving forward, you're all doing great!
Again one final time, I am sorry it took so long to get reviews out and I sincerely apologize for them being so short, especially for Team Wish. This week has been a lot, but after the speed rounds the reviews will be up in a very reasonable time and back to my detailed reviews. Anyway, I think it's time to rip this band-aid off.
Team Fantasy- The Scary Restaurant
You guys were Icarus and you flew too close to the Sun on this one. There was a lot to love here on an individual level and if these were individual projects I think each one of you could've taken home a prize, but your ambition mixed with your lack of cohesion made this a frustrating read.
This team has communication issues where a lot of times it's two or three players talking and everyone else doing their own thing without consulting the rest of the team. I think everyone here needs to work on just making sure "this is what my part of the project looks like" gets passed around. Also, this isn't on just one person, this is on all of you. The speed rounds have had similar problems and while I 100% understand real life stuff and all, communicating even just an "I'm busy" can greatly help your team organize better.
MVP: @Mr. Sullivan + @AceAstro- We've got a twofer. I think Sully deserves this because of the sheer talent and passion that went into the unique menus for seven very different projects. Ace gets to share the MVP for being the one to step in and organize everything to the best of their ability.
You guys were Icarus and you flew too close to the Sun on this one. There was a lot to love here on an individual level and if these were individual projects I think each one of you could've taken home a prize, but your ambition mixed with your lack of cohesion made this a frustrating read.
This team has communication issues where a lot of times it's two or three players talking and everyone else doing their own thing without consulting the rest of the team. I think everyone here needs to work on just making sure "this is what my part of the project looks like" gets passed around. Also, this isn't on just one person, this is on all of you. The speed rounds have had similar problems and while I 100% understand real life stuff and all, communicating even just an "I'm busy" can greatly help your team organize better.
MVP: @Mr. Sullivan + @AceAstro- We've got a twofer. I think Sully deserves this because of the sheer talent and passion that went into the unique menus for seven very different projects. Ace gets to share the MVP for being the one to step in and organize everything to the best of their ability.
Team Wish- TVA Bar and Lounge
I don't want you guys to feel like this is a hollow victory because of my issues with the other team, I do think you guys deserved this win. It wasn't the most showy or groundbreaking idea but you nailed it pretty freaking well. There are still questions I have and I think the show could've been explained a bit more than it was, but this was still a really strong round for this team and I think you guys should be proud!
MVP: @Everyone- Am I cheating? Maybe. Does this matter this late? Not really at all. I genuinely waffled between just about everyone because nobody made a huge grand inclusion that stood out, everyone worked incredibly well as a team and where that teamwork is what defined this round, the team deserves to celebrate together.
I don't want you guys to feel like this is a hollow victory because of my issues with the other team, I do think you guys deserved this win. It wasn't the most showy or groundbreaking idea but you nailed it pretty freaking well. There are still questions I have and I think the show could've been explained a bit more than it was, but this was still a really strong round for this team and I think you guys should be proud!
MVP: @Everyone- Am I cheating? Maybe. Does this matter this late? Not really at all. I genuinely waffled between just about everyone because nobody made a huge grand inclusion that stood out, everyone worked incredibly well as a team and where that teamwork is what defined this round, the team deserves to celebrate together.
With that, we of course already bid farewell to @JokersWild as our elimination for the round and we are well into the third speed round prompt. I think everyone is doing wonderfully here and I'm loving the progress on all of the projects you guys have put out. Don't get bogged down by my issues with the restaurant, keep moving forward, you're all doing great!