Theme Park Apprentice Winter 2017 - Final

tick tock tick tock....it's really quiet around here...

AthenaLand is a brand new theme park experience that, not unlike the Greek goddess of war and wisdom herself, serves as both an experience full of thrills and knowledge of a goddess you just may not know all that much about! A main goal of the park would to have each attraction's queue attempt to teach guests something brand new about the mythology of Athena, all while offering the thrills of a typical amusement park!

The park is laid out in typical "hub-and-spokes" design, with its four themed lands breaking off from a central hub accessible by the park's "main avenue" where guests enter the park. The avenue would be lined with a few basic shops and restaurants, park information, etc., all themed around Greek architecture. At the "hub" of the park is a relatively small walk-through exhibit full of information and mythology of Athena, modeled after the famous Parthenon in Greece. This is located right on the edge of the park's central lake, where the park regularly holds Athena's Nighttime Spectacular. The goddess herself would present a mix of sight and sound in a nighttime show featuring pyrotechnics/fireworks, water effects, and music, all while recounting the basic history of Athena and featuring the different aspects of each of the lands of the park.

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Working clockwise around the park, the first land we come to is themed around the Trojan War, during which Athena sided with the Greeks and helped lead them to victory. At the center of the land would be, well, a massive recreation of the famous Trojan Horse, a perfect photo-op for guests entering the land.

Attractions:

Trojan War 3D: The flagship attraction of this land, Trojan War 3D is an interactive 3D dark ride that puts you right into the midst of the war itself on the Greek side. Upon receiving their protective eyewear, guests load into ride vehicles themed as chariots, capable of fitting six guests per vehicle, with two vehicles traversing the ride track simultaneously. Each seat would be equipped with a "bow" capable of shooting "arrows" at enemies to score points, which would be kept track of throughout the ride to encourage competition between the two vehicles. The ride would feature a mix of practical targets for closer targets (on-foot soldiers, enemy chariots, etc.) and digital ones for the background (long-distance soldiers, etc.)

The Trojan Horse Coaster: Guests climb aboard cars modeled as smaller versions of the Trojan Horse (which Athena herself had a hand in creating) for this fast-paced wooden roller coaster experience. The ride features multiple drops, the first and largest of which sits at approximately 125 feet, helixes, overbanked turns, and passes right by the Trojan Horse recreation at the center of the land as riders reach speeds up to 65 miles per hour.

The Shipwreck of Ajax: One of Athena's major interactions within the war came when Ajax was failed to be punished for desecrating her temple. In a fury, she conjured a storm that wrecked Greek ships as they returned from Troy. This shoot-the-chutes water ride lets guests relive the experience. A brief indoor section of the ride sets the scene, with guests riding in a ship as part of the Greek fleet (the rest of the ships would be accomplished via screens around the perimeter of the room). The room darkens as Athena summons the storm, and the fleet is slowly destroyed in a fury of water and lightning, giving guests a chance to get wet just before the ride's finale. As the guests' ship becomes the final surviving vessel of the fleet, a massive wave is summoned (projected onto one of the screens and heightened with water effects). Just as it begins to crash down on riders, the riders pass through a now-open door that sends the ride vehicle plummeting down 80 feet and completely soaking riders in traditional shoot-the-chutes fashion.

Restaurant:

The Greek Grill: A quick service restaurant where guests can choose from a multitude of Greek themed meals to enjoy as they watch the Shipwreck of Ajax attraction just off to the side of the restaurant. Dishes available for purchase include gyros, other wraps (chicken, turkey, etc.), various gourmet sandwiches (turkey, feta portabella, etc.), and bowls with rice and other Greek ingredients.

Shop:

Trojan Barracks: The perfect location for guests to pick up Trojan War themed items, including toy shields, spears (Athena was known for carrying both!), swords, model replicas of the Trojan Horse and more. Guests can also purchase their on-ride photos from the Trojan War 3D attraction.

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The second land is themed around Athena and her relations with Medusa, whom she transformed into the Gorgon-esque form that we know her as today after desecrating Athena's temple. The centerpiece of the land is a large scale statue of Medusa's transformation at the hands of Athena.

Attractions:

The Wrath of Medusa: Right in line with Medusa's appearance, this is an inverted steel coaster full of twists, turns, inversions, and rolls that give the coaster a gnarled, twisted appearance. The ride features seven inversions in total, including multiple loops, corkscrews, a cobra roll, and a heartline roll, and reaches a total height of 150 feet and a max speed of 70 miles per hour.

Medusa's Spinner: A fairly standard spinning scrambler flat ride suitable for most ages and themed around the Athena/Medusa interaction, of which a small statue portraying their confrontation would be the centerpiece. The ride vehicles would all be themed as snakes to match Medusa's "new" form, with guests sitting within the snake's head and the ride's arm would serve as the snake's body.

The Garden of Gorgons: If the more thrilling rides of AthenaLand are too much, the younger guests and families can take a break at this interactive play area. Young children can explore the many layers of the garden, which is outfitted with slides, nets, water elements such as fountains, and small interactive games. The whole family can participate and try to find their way through a small maze modeled after the garden as well.

Restaurant:

Medusa's Eatery: Since snakes aren't exactly the most ideal amusement park food, this restaurant serves the next best long, thin food: pasta! Guests have their choice of pasta noodle (spaghetti, linguine, fettucini, angel hair, etc.) and sauce (regular tomato sauce, alfredo, etc.), as well as herbs and cheeses. The restaurant also features various soups and a salad bar for a variety of dining options.

Shop:

Athena's Library: Within Athena's temple, guests can browse through her library and purchase a multitude of literature and films based around Greek history and mythology, including classics such as The Iliad, The Odyssey, as well as more non-specific books and movies about the individual gods, Greek life, etc.

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The third land is based on Athena and Heracles, who were half-siblings. Athena provided regular assistance in Heracles' famous twelve labors. The main landmark of the land would be a detailed statue of Athena gifting Heracles with the sword needed to defeat the multi-headed hydra.

Attractions:

Heracles vs. Hydra: Guests choose between the legendary hero and the multi-headed beast in this dueling steel coaster that recounts the famous battle that served as the second labor of Heracles. The coaster itself is located in what would be themed as a swamp to match the setting of the myth, which took place in the lake of Lerna. The two tracks are mostly the same, including six inversions each and the same height and speed, although each track has its own unique inversions that encourage guests to ride both tracks at some point.

Stymphalian Launch: Based on Heracles' sixth labor, in which he was tasked with driving away an enormous flock of birds gathered at a lake in the town of Stymphalos, this is a highly themed space shot attraction. The ride would begin with an indoor segment, which simulates the dark wooded setting that the lake was located in. Guests are treated to a very brief pre-ride show where Heracles enters the woods, and is gifted the krotala needed to drive away the birds. As he clashes the kotala together, the guests are shot up approximately 150 feet at a top speed of 40 miles per hour: in traditional double drop space shot fashion, guests would shoot back up a couple more times before the ride concludes.

The Heracles Stunt Spectacular: Witness Heracles overcome a handful of his twelve labors in this live action stunt show. With the aid of Athena, Heracles takes on three select labors in three "acts" of the show: to steal the man-eating horses of Diomedes, to retrieve golden apples belonging to Zeus, and his culminating labor in which he was tasked to kidnap the beast Cerberus (an animatronic within the show) from the underworld.

Restaurant:

Heracles' Dining Hall: Guests can stop and fill themselves up for their next adventure at this quick serve restaurant that serves typical amusement park food: burgers, fries, fried chicken, sandwiches, etc.

Shop:

Twelve Labor Relics: This shop would sell more common theme park items, all themed around the park as a whole rather than simply the single land itself: T-shirts/hoodies, hats, and action figures based on the different gods, heroes, and beasts.

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And lastly, the final land is themed around Athena's competition with Poseidon for dominion of Athens, in which the former conjured the first olive tree and the latter created a spring or a horse, depending on the version of the myth. To commemorate this, the centerpiece of the land is a recreated version of the spring, a horse statue, and a planted olive tree.

Attractions:

Poseidon's Steeplechase Coaster: Guests choose from three different tracks and mount their horse, newly created by Poseidon of course, in this steeplechase coaster, bringing a mostly dead coaster technology back to life. The track winds around much of the land, with plenty of small drops and turns after the first chain lift hill.

Athena's Olive Tree: Similar to Medusa's Spinner, this would be a relatively gentle chair swing ride themed around the tree from the competition. Guests are taken high into the sky in their swings as the main base of the ride tilts in the "breeze."

Salt Spring River Ride: While Poseidon's salt water spring was deemed less useful than Athena's olive tree as far as a fundamental aspect of Greek life, it does have another use: a wild water ride! Guests board round rafts for this high speed river rapids ride that passes by both of the aforementioned actractions, as well as numerous structures designed to soak guests as much as possible.

Restaurant:

Athena's Temple: The park's higher end restaurant, like The Greek Grill, serves a variety of Greek food dishes, although with a higher quality dining experience. Dishes available to guests include Greek seafood (kalamari, mydia, etc.), meat dishes (lamb chops, pork, etc.), and pasta (pastitsio, spaghetti, meatball based dishes, etc).

Shop:

The Pottery: One of Athena's most notable traits is her craftmanship in weaving, pottery, and other similar arts. At this shop, guests can browse and purchase these crafts that make for perfect additions to any home, such as baskets, ceramic bowls, plates, and mugs.

Hi everyone,
I hate to do this, but I was wondering if there was any way possible to get an extension on this. Over the past two weeks I've done two performances of a musical (with a full week of 6 hour tech rehearsals leading up to it), a show choir competition, gone before school committee to change policy at my school, gone to a Model United Nations Conference, and taken the SATs. So, I've been busy. I understand entirely if it's not possible, but I would really appreciate that extension. It's simply not possible for me to have a full park designed by 12:00.

DPCC, does the word "overachiever" mean anything to you? ;+) I sent my thoughts to Jeff and Scott and we'll let you know asap. BTW, what musical?

Into the Woods! I played Jack in our production!

Great show, great part! Are there really Giants in the sky? And are there going to be any bootleg videos of it on YouTube?

I thought one of the other guys would've posted this by now (all the judges have emailed and discussed it), but they haven't, so I will...

One week extension granted!

This goes for all competitors, Serious and Fun. New due date is at the end of next Saturday! Andy, as you've posted already, you have until then to develop and fine-tune your idea further.

Seeya all in a week!

Pan World

Pan World is a new theme park based on the greek god Pan. Pan is one of the lesser-known greek gods, though one we find every day. Pan is the god of nature; all nature. Not just animals or plants or weather, all of nature is under Pan’s rule. Pan World is focused on nature’s presence across the globe.

Pan World features six distinct themed areas. Each area is themed to a different ecosystem of Planet Earth. The park does not follow a specific “Wheel and Hub” format, but rather different areas placed such that they are mainly unseen from the other areas. This gives the park a somewhat mysterious feel, as nature so often has. The areas are: The Rainforest, The Savannah, The Ocean, The Islands, and The Woodlands, These five lands round out the different ecosystems found in the world, all of which are the domain of the god Pan.

An area-by-area map of Pan World

This park is not meant to imitate the nature guests can find in their backyards. It is meant to be a natural journey around the world. It is a trip into the parts of nature some guests will never be able to visit in real life. It encompasses the animal world, plant world, and human interaction with both of these realms. All of this is controlled by Pan.

Throughout the park, Pan’s presence is always known. There are statues of him, references to him, and cast members even mention him. Although not every land is made explicitly about him, he is an ever present entity. In nature, it is uncommon to actually meet Pan, but he is always there. That is the way it is in this park. Pan is a constant presence, even when he is unseen.

Pan World uses a blend of fantasy and real world themes to create the ideal theme park. It is a mixture of real-life nature adventures, cultural folktales, and Pan’s omnipresence to create a park that helps people explore their natural world through mystery and magic, as well as through true-to-life experiences. Unlike other non-fiction parks, Pan World is sprinkled with fiction in a way that provides a perfect balance for a park planted with one foot in mythology and the other in the real world.

Pan World is located near Austin, Texas. This is an ideal location, as it provides a comfortable warm climate for the animals, as well as ensuring the park can stay open year-round. The theme park market in Texas also provides less competition than Central Florida or Southern California.

So, without further ado, I am proud to present Pan World.

Entrance Plaza

This area is not a named area, but instead serves as a place for guests to begin their journey through the park. This part of the park is themed to an Ancient Greek town. Signs on the various shops are written in both Greek and English. Columns line the front of the buildings. A tavern serves up traditional Greek foods. A souvenir shop sells a variety of merchandise for guests to purchase on their way into and out of the park. Costumed actors interact with guests and invite them into their world. In the center of the town, a giant statue of Pan watches over the people of the town. Guests continue through this plaza into the remainder of the park.

The Woodlands

The Woodlands is home to the flora and fauna of the European forests that Pan calls home. The atmosphere here is mysterious. As guests walk by, fireflies may light up the thickly wooded area, or a tree branch may move slightly. The woods are designed to prevent guests from seeing around the next corner, providing a sense of adventure, and increasing the feeling of truly being in the woods.

Here, guests will find various animals of all shapes and sizes, and all provide their own adventures. Throughout the area, the presence of these animals is made abundantly clear. In addition, the area is done in dark greens, moss grows on trees, and various other elements imply the wildness of the woods.

Beyond the real animals, are those of mythology. Guests may find wood nymphs (whom Pan is the companion to) or other magical creatures in these forests. The wood nymphs will suddenly appear from trees at times and interact with guests in a playful way.

Guests who wander the back trails of this area will find the woods getting darker and scarier. There are dozens of pathways to explore, and Pan’s darker side is here made apparent. He has been interpreted different ways, especially since the dawn of Christianity. This part of his personality is found here, in the dark part of the woods.

Attractions

Flight!

Flight! is a virtual reality flying coaster coming to Pan World. Guests can fly above the forest with their flock. This attraction serves as a “weenie” in its own right, as it will surely attract guests into this area of the park.

The queue winds around and around the forest, outside. The special thing about this queue is that the forest guests wind through is home to several rescued eagles. The eagles have all been rescued and their needs are too complicated to be released into the wild. For most of the queue, guests wind through these woods. The path the guests are on has railing on both sides, and a net rises across the railing. The eagles are inside this area to prevent guests provoking the eagles into injuring them. Later in the queue, guests leave the eagle area, and begin to pass signs that instruct guests on how to operate and set up their Samsung gear Virtual Reality headsets.

Once guests board the ride vehicle, cast members hand guests their virtual reality headsets. Cast members help guests in need put on, calibrate, and focus their headsets. Then, guests’ seat rotate so that they are “lying” on their stomachs, and guests pull forward out of the station.

After the ride, guests can purchase photos of themselves taken on the ride, as well as the VR program used in the headsets. Guests are informed that there is an app that can be purchased that is identical to the ride. Flight! will be the main thrill attraction in the Woodlands area of Pan World

Minor Miners

Minor Miners takes guests under the trees in The Woodlands. This dark ride shrinks guests down to the size of a mouse, and takes them underground to “Meet” the wildlife that doesn’t often show its face on the surface.

Tales of the Woodlands

Tales of the Woodlands is a live show coming to Pan World. The show tells three Native American folktales, each featuring nature’s relationship with man, long ago. The show tells the stories of “Fire” from the Alabama Tribe, which tells the story of how man earned fire from nature; “How the Rainbow was Made” from the Ojibwe Nation, telling the story of man’s paint and two birds who together painted the sky with streaks of color; and “Terrapin the Turtle”, the story of “The Tortoise and the Hare”, but instead of the Hare resting, Terrapin places his relatives at different points on the racetrack, so that a turtle is always ahead.

Restaurants

The Game Tavern

The Game Tavern, located in The Woodlands, serves up game meat (As well as other, more standardized meat). Appearing from the interior and exterior as a log cabin, the restaurant features multiple rooms of faux-taxidermy and antlers hanging upon the walls. Food is served family-style, with each table choosing a set number of meats, sides, and a dessert to share. The restaurant, like others in Pan World, serves up well known favorites (such as brisket) as well as less well-known dishes. This makes sense in a park based on Pan, as he is the god of shepherds and farmers, and this is the kind of food they likely would have eaten in antiquity.

Hunter’s Market

The Hunter’s Market counter-service restaurant is located in The Woodlands, Its menu is similar to that of The Game Tavern. The atmosphere however, is themed to be a picnic setting in the woods, with a large pavilion covering picnic tables.

Retail

Outdoorsman’s

At Outdoorsman’s, guests can find merchandise that they can take home and use in their favorite outdoor hobbies. Guests here find fishing poles, camping equipment, and more, all with its own nod back to the park itself.

The Islands

The Islands are a tropical paradise. Here in the park, guests walk across sandy beaches, under palm trees, and by blooming tropical flowers. This part of the park is also adventurous. There are rope bridges to cross, back trails to explore, and hidden waterfalls to discover. Forced perspective will be used to create a gargantuan volcano in the distance, something that will surely draw guests into The Islands. The surprises are endless in The Islands.

Here, reality meets fantasy. This area is not based on any one island, but rather, the idea of the Pacific Islands. It is a conglomeration of our collective image of the islands. It stays true to authentic culture, but also is designed to transport guests to this multi-cultural land, this idea of “The Islands.”

Attractions

Hurricane!

Hurricane is a raft ride that takes guests out onto the sea, only to realize that the storm of the century is about to strike. Guests go over rapids and their craft is thrown about by the waves. At the end, guests do make it back to port safely, but only after plummeting down a 35 foot drop. Hurricane! will be a thrilling water-ride addition to Pan World.

Jolly Mon is a live conservation story based on the Jimmy Buffett song of the same name. Jolly Mon is a poor man who “sings for his supper every night”. He was always kind to all the people and animals of the island. Then, one night, when Jolly Mon is on his way to a distant island, he hears a cry for help. When he goes to investigate and offer them a hand, they turn out to be pirates. They seize his ship and all his belongings before throwing him into the sea. He appears to be drowning when a puppet dolphin appears. He has always loved Jolly Mon’s singing and appreciated his kindness to the animals. The dolphin carries Jolly Mon up above the surface, before they swim up to the sky. “They stayed up in the sky. Now all the island people when they wish upon a star, see the dolphin and the Jolly Mon tell ‘em where they are.” Most of the song is incorporated into the show, and this story teaches the virtues of being kind to all of the ocean’s creatures.

Eruption

Eruption takes guests on a “geological tour” of the inside of a volcano, only to find that the volcano is due for eruption that very day! Guests vehicles move on a flat track, but can tilt to all directions, allowing for an immersive experience on this 3D screen-based simulator attraction.

Restaurants

Kakula Kitchen

Named after an island in the pacific, this sit down restaurant serves food with a tropical taste. It is sweet and tangy, but, most importantly, it is fresh with the taste of the islands. The food has a light flavor, nothing sits too heavily in the stomach. The food is heavy on fish and pork, but does include other options. The ambiance of the restaurant is that of an old touristy luau that has been abandoned. The building is still in good condition, but it is being reclaimed by nature. All around them, guests see the two worlds colliding, as vines with colorful flowers overtake all signs of human interference with the natural world in this place.

Emao Lanai

Emao Lanai is a counter service restaurant that can be found in The Islands. While the menu of Emao Lanai is very similar to that of Kakula Kitchen, the atmosphere is quite different. The name is derived from an island in the pacific. Instead of an abandoned luau, guests find themselves on a large deck with several circular picnic tables of varying sizes. The menu is an abbreviated version of Kakula Kitchen’s, though the two experiences are very much different.

The Ocean

Creating an ocean on land is no easy feat. However, Pan World has done an excellent job creating an immersive land that is unlike anything else ever seen in the world. The area is decorated in shades of blue, and all around the guests are massive coral and anemones. The general feeling is that of a great tropical reef.

All around, there are signs of human disturbances to the reef. A sunken ship, for example, serves as a children’s play area. Aside from this, the details are small, but noticeable to the close observer. A dropped necklace in the pavement, a set of scuba gear, lost forever to the deep. Here, guests may encounter water nymphs, who are always eager to interact with guests while dressed in their all blue suits.

This design will set the perfect framework for the attractions within the land, allowing guests to truly immerse themselves somewhere they could never go in real life.

Attractions

Ocean Observatory

Ocean Observatory differs from the standard attraction in many ways. Ocean Observatory contains two attractions, as well as the observation deck. The Observation Deck is a massive aquarium, the reef area is filled with hundreds of different species of fish. Also here can be seen dolphins and manatees, rescued from injuries in the wild. Guests also can find Ocean’s Tour, an omnimover attraction that takes guests through a glass tunnel through the the reef area. At Dolphin’s Day, guests find an hour-long video from footage taken by tiny cameras carried by rescued and released dolphins. In the centre of the space is an open area, and in this area, Daylight Holographic Imaging will be used to create sea creatures swimming around the room. Ocean Observatory will surely attract guests from all across Pan World thus serving as a weenie in its own right.

Barracuda

Baracuda, this is another of Pan World’s roller coaster attractions. This ride is highly intense and reaches top speeds of over 70 miles per hour. It focuses heavily on sharp turns at high speeds, and although it lacks an inversion, the turns itself are certainly enough thrill for one ride. The ride features an outside spiral, which effectively allows riders to experience negative gravity. The music is played loud on this ride and is, of course, “Barracuda” by Heart. The gift shop features a tank with a school of live red tail barracuda.

Deep Journey

This attraction is a simulator-type ride. Guests enter a large room filled with “submarines”. Guests board submarines in groups of one-to-three. Once inside, guests find three seats. Each seat has a joystick in front of it, and a large screen stretching across the front. Once the ride begins, the guests can “steer” their submarines, and encounter several creatures on the deep sea.

Restaurants

Fisherman’s Catch

Fisherman’s Catch, utilizes the same hologram technology used in Ocean Observatory to give guests the feeling that they are really dining underwater. Fish swim by over their heads, as do whales and dolphins. Throughout the hour, the creatures swimming by change. On the hour, it is shallow water creatures. Moving towards the half hour, the creatures come from deeper and deeper in the ocean, eventually including deep sea animals, such as the Anglerfish. The lighting of the room goes from light blue to dark blue. Moving back towards the hour, guests move to shallower waters again. Once each hour, Pan’s friend Poseidon even makes an appearance, welcoming guests to their shared realm of the ocean. Overall, this restaurant serves delightfully prepared seafood accompanied by a truly unique dining experience.

Captain Jack’s

Captain Jack’s is a counter-service restaurant in The Ocean. This restaurant serves seafood dishes. Guests find the indoor atmosphere is themed to a local fishing center, with nets, various small boat parts, and ocean images hanging on the walls.

Retail

Twenty-Thousand Leagues Traders

The interior of Twenty-Thousand Leagues Traders is quite whimsical, though it is meant to resemble the interior of a submarine similar to that found in Jules Verne’s eternal classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Guests here can find all merchandise related to water. This includes but is not limited to: swimwear, model boats/submarines, even prehistoric trilobites.

The Savanna

The Savanna is the last area of Pan World. Here, tall grasses line the pathways, and a massive baobab tree marks the center of the area. Throughout the land are signs of a base camp. This is a temporary camp for researchers visiting the Savanna to learn more about the wildlife and plants placed there by Pan.

The backstory of this area is made clear from its design. Half of the area is based on a base camp, the other half, a sub-saharan African village. The two complement each other perfectly. Both represent people living together with their natural surroundings, but each in their own ways. It is a celebration of the way that vastly different cultures can all find ways to live in harmony with the natural world as Pan created it.

Attractions

Wanyama Safari

Guests on Wanyama Safari can travel through the savanna. Along the way, guests can find real animals they might find in the african savanna. In fact, “Wanyama” actually translates to “Animal” in Swahili. Guests of all ages can enjoy the real-life wonder of Wanyama Safari. The natural wonder of Wanyama Safari certainly qualifies it to act as The Savanna’s weenie.

Sun and Moon

Sun and Moon is a new dark ride. It tells the story of “Why the Sun and Moon live in the sky.” Sun and Moon invited Water and all of his family to their house for dinner. However, Water’s family included all of the creatures who live in water, and soon Sun and Moon found their house overcrowded and were forced to evacuate into the sky.

Base Camp

Base Camp is Pan World’s children’s play area. In this area, younger guests are free to explore the camp, open drawers and read journals of animal facts, make music on various makeshift instruments, and otherwise explore and expand some of that boundless energy that young children seem to have.

Restaurants

Kitamu

The most upscale restaurant in Pan World, this is a full dinner theatre experience (although it opens for lunch without the show). The food is traditional African cuisine. Guests can order off a menu or choose the preset four course meal. The show that accompanies it is a series of traditional African songs, dances, and stories. The goal of the show and dining is to fully immerse guests in the traditions of Africa. The atmosphere is that of an outdoor gathering place, although the restaurant is entirely indoors. All the tables center around a firepit in the middle. The show begins suddenly, with all the lights going out and the fire sparking at once to life. Guests become a part of the show, which is performed in the round. Occasionally, they are drawn into the show as special guests, or, during a break to eat, the performers carry on conversations with guests about their actual lives in Africa (all of the performers call the continent home). This is experience is sure to be one that guests will remember forever as a one-of-a-kind experience.

The Outpost

At The Outpost, a counter service restaurant in The Savanna, guests find themselves at an old trading outpost on the African Savanna. The menu here consists of african specialties, though the menu also features fufu. Fufu is a dough-like food and can be dipped in several different soups and sauces.

Retail

Safari Shop: “Equipment and more!”

Safari Shop is a retail location that can be found just outside the exit of Wanyama Safari. This store is themed to an old equipment shop for safari guests, the walls have wooden planks along them, crates are placed about to hold merchandise, and guest can find old posters for large expeditions. Guests can find safari-related merchandise as well as park merchandise.

Wooden Wonders

In this outdoor market, guests can find merchandise made from hand-carved wood. Guests can find figures of animals, park icons, and more. For a fancier souvenir, guests can always come to Wooden Wonders.

Nighttime Spectacular

Pan’s Journey

Every night, Pan takes a journey around his park to check on his friends: the animals, plants, and nymphs. This “Wandering Theatre” experience follows Pan around the park as he visits each land. Guests can choose to follow him, but most will probably choose to watch one part of the show, prompting them to return another night to see more of the show.

The show in each land is themed to its surroundings. The score, like the rest of the park, has rustic roots, and the actor as Pan plays a pan flute. This kind of music fits well with the dancing of Pan’s followers, who travel with him around the park.

This nighttime spectacular is a borderline parade, but it stops in each area as it unfolds. In each area, Pan says something about the importance of it, and blesses all the people, creatures, and plants there, before moving to the next area. All of this in musical fashion, of course.

Overall, Pan’s Journey is the perfect way to close out the day at Pan World, and allows for a high-quality, entertaining show that will not be disruptive to the animals found at the park.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Pan World is an epic experience that combines real life and fantasy in a way only a mythological park could. It brings guests into the natural world as it is in mythology: a place where fictional creatures roam and where magic is everywhere. Pan World is a place for people of all ages to enjoy their time in the park, and, most importantly, with each other. At its heart, the park hopes to inspire a different kind of trip. It leads people and families to explore the real natural world, in all of its magic and wonder. No theme park can ever truly be natural, but it can inspire its guests to go out and see the natural world as it really is.

Looking back at my proposal, I notice that The Rainforest didn't make it onto TPI. Is it too late to post a land?

Post it. It will be up to the individual judges to decide how to judge this. But get it up soon- I'm working on my critiques right now.

That being said, you did post four themed lands, the minimum that was required, so this should not detract from your proposal as far as scoring goes in my opinion.

The Rainforest

In The Rainforest, the atmosphere is constantly dark. While not indoors, the giant canopy created by the trees, leaves, and vines is enough to provide a cover of semi-darkness even during the day. Vines hang low around the sides of the pathways. Shrubs mark the decisions between pathways that guests must make.

All through the land, creatures controlled by puppeteers lurk, crawl, and scurry among the guests. The creatures are more along the lines of Broadway’s The Lion King, rather than being realistic animals. This gives the impression that the animals are among the people, as well as being a part of the land’s arts and crafts feeling.

The arts and crafts theme carries over to all man-made structures. The huts, houses, and ride buildings are all designed to embody this theme. They seamlessly blend in with the natural surroundings, rather than standing out against them.

Attractions

Timber!

Timber is a drop-tower type attraction in The Rainforest. In the queue, guests hear radio stories of deforestation in the rainforest. As guests reach the end of the queue, they find evidence of logging, such as large trucks filled with dead trees, chainsaws, traffic cones, etc. When guests reach the ride, they first “climb” a tree. Guests rise to the very top, and hear the sound of chainsaws. Guests plummet back down, and this drop is followed by a series of randomized lifts and drops. Timber puts guests in the center of a dangerous tale of human interference with nature. This is one of the few attractions that can be seen around the park, thus becoming a weenie for The Rainforest.

Jaguar Search!

This ride uses a new ride system based on EMV technology to replicate a hunt through the jungle. Guests are on the lookout for the elusive jaguar, but they won’t find her before escaping some of the other perils of the Jungle!

Bushmaster

Bushmaster is a hypercoaster coming to The Rainforest. It features many twists and turns, as well as two inversions, as well as swelling rises and falls. The movements of the train is intended to mimic that of the Jungle Viper of the same name.

Restaurants

Gosto do Brasil

Gosto do Brasil, or, Taste of Brazil in English, is a sit down restaurant for people of all ages. The setting puts you inside a luscious rainforest setting that blends seamlessly with the park around it. However, the branches have been formed into a building that houses the restaurant. It serves Brazilian and other South American cuisine, some of which is familiar to guests, while other elements of the menu are more adventurous. The flavors are strong, and the smells are wild at Gosto de Brasil

Brazilian Eats

This counter-service restaurant shares a kitchen with Gosto de Brasil. It has a limited menu with smaller portions at a discounted price for those looking for a snack or quick bite rather than the full meal experience. From the outside, it appears as a window of a small hut built from branches and with a thatched roof.

Retail

Jaguars and Parrots and more!

Located at the exit of Jaguar Search, Jaguars and Parrots and more! brings guests merchandise themed specifically to the animals of the rainforest. Guests can find animal clothing, figures, plush animals, and more.

Canopy Gifts

Canopy Gifts is Pan World’s largest retail location. Guests here can find “Pan World”-related merchandise of all types. This includes clothing, trinkets, luggage tags, coffee mugs, etc. The floors are tile with leaf and branch patterns, and the walls are decorated with artificial trees, giving guests the illusion that they have climbed into the canopy of the Rainforest.

TPA Playoff Finale Critiques

I don’t know what happened to Jay. I’ve tried to contact him to find out if anything happened that we need to take into consideration, but no response yet. Jay, please let us know you’re ok.

Andy Milito AthenaLand
AthenaLand would be a visually beautiful park- nobody built buildings better than the ancient Greeks, and while I was certainly aware of the importance of Athena I didn’t know that she had so many varied myths concerning her. I feel that you did a fine job unearthing them and utilizing them in a varied manner. Your choice of utilizing different coaster types to different myths was appropriate and well-conceived, and the variety of other attractions I thought was really smart. I especially liked your inclusion of a Steeplechase coaster- one of my favorite kinds of coasters (I seem to use one in every competition I compete in!). You made AthenaLand a place where there were many different types of attractions, and you provided entertainment for all ages. It was not required in the challenge, but you didn’t mention where you would place this park, and that might have a major influence on the familiarity of the audience to the theme and myths. This was an odd omission.

Your use of the Parthenon at the hub was the obvious choice, since it was dedicated to Athena- but the real Parthenon is huge, and standing on a tall plateau hovering over Athens makes it even more imposing. If this is your park icon (as it should be) why make it a “relatively small walk-through exhibit”? Putting it on the edge of a lake was not necessary, and further separates it from the real Parthenon. When I first envisaged what you described I saw it as being directly in the center of the hub, with the entrance street and four themed areas radiating away from it. This would make for a spectacular centerpiece for “Athena’s Nighttime Spectacular”- the crowds could watch it from all sides. When you threw the lake in there I had trouble figuring out where the lake is located relative to the Parthenon, the entrance street, etc. It seemed almost like an afterthought (as did the nighttime show). I got the feeling that you suddenly realized you had forgotten to include it and added a lake, but for what? Athena’s not known for water all that much- perhaps if you had fleshed out the nighttime show a bit more it would have shown me why it was important to have a lake there.

I really liked the four different themed lands you chose. You integrated them well to the Athena theme, yet each had enough difference to make them be able to stand alone. The attractions you chose to include in each were well-themed to fit into both the Athena part of the theme and of the specific theme of the land itself. You carried this integration into the shops and restaurants also. I chuckled a bit when you had Medusa’s Eatery featuring pasta! Tempting as it was to focus too much on Greek foods, you expanded the dining choices to offer meals for all tastes, adventurous or not. Your shops were also well-themed for each land and for the overall theme of the park. I noticed that you did include a themed “weenie” (a term that, regardless of the fact that Mr. Disney used it and possibly coined it, I really dislike) in each land, and they helped explain to visitors the significance of the myths and how they related to Athena.

Then there was your conclusion to the proposal…(crickets chirping). I have always said, and have told many challengers this, that a good proposal needs a beginning, middle and end. An introduction establishing what the need is for this proposal and a general overview of what will be presented, a middle with the details, technical and artistic facts and figures, and an ending to tie everything together and leave the reader with the belief that what they just read is really important, impressive, and the best thing they have ever read. You had a beginning, a middle…if this was a written proposal, I would have been looking for a missing page at the end. It just stopped. That disappointed me. I felt a bit cheated- don’t cheat yourself. Don’t stop creating too soon.

DPCC inc Pan World

Before I get into the details, the specifics- good and bad- that jumped out at me, let me say that I feel you took a risk in going far outside the box that this challenge was presented in, and this risk was both brave and exactly what I was looking for in the final challenge. You didn’t just create a theme park, or an amusement park, or a wildlife park- you created a unique, hybrid PARK, one closely approaching something we had to create for the last Tournament of Champions where we had to create a boutique park. You blended themed lands with a wildlife rescue sanctuary, thrill rides, entertainment experiences and even a touch of Renaissance Festival. This was very ambitious, and you did it with skill and imagination.

There are a few things that I had issues with. The first was with Flight!. You went into detail about the queue, the recued eagles, the VR headsets, boarding the coaster, the rotating seating position, the photos and apps available afterwards...but nothing about the ride itself! It was like a waiter at a restaurant bringing the appetizer and dessert and forgetting the entrée.

“Tales of the Woodlands” could be a really unique and important addition to the park and especially to this themed land. I thought it strange that you mentioned three tribes and three stories but only named two tribes, leaving out where the Terrapin the Turtle originated. Live theatre in a theme park can be tricky- people have notoriously short attention spans, and unless all three stories were kept short and were presented in different styles to keep the audience’s interest you might lose people towards the end. I don’t know if it would be better to run one performance with all three stories or three different performances with one story per show. I’m not knocking you down for this at all- it’s the theatre guy in me thinking. Really, I like this concept very much. Good inclusion.

“The Islands” have some interesting attractions, with Jolly Mon a good choice if well presented. However, you have no shop listed here. That was a sloppy oversight at this level of competition.
“The Oceans” is a rather strange choice for a park themed to Pan, since it is Poseidon’s realm, and it probably could have been integrated with “The Islands” without losing anything. The attractions are all appropriate, and the restaurants and shopping are good choices. The names of the restaurants seem wrong, however. A restaurant called “Fisherman’s Catch” should not have dolphins and whales swimming around, even if they’re not on the menu, and “Captain Jack’s” is a bit too close to a Disney name to avoid a lawsuit, plus the description of the restaurant sounds much more like it should be called “Fisherman’s Catch”. The name of the restaurant tells guests what to expect inside, especially in a themed restaurant.

Disney Legal would be all over you about the shop name unless you somehow designed it to look completely different from the ubiquitous look that the Black Rat of Anaheim created for the movie, and even then it would probably be challenged. Too bad that Disney seems to own much of the English language.

In “Wanyama Safari” you take the risk of trying to outDisney Disney’s Kilimanjaro Safaris. It certainly can be done, but there would be comparisons. Still, I think that this is an appropriate and important part of this land. Base Camp is a good concept for younger visitors to have a place to play, but be prepared for high maintenance costs. Kids can be rough on stuff.

“Pan’s Journey” is probably the most unusual end-of-day show I’ve heard of for a theme park, and here is where you stray/incorporate the Renaissance Festival concept into your park. I’ve been to Faires where there is a running theme throughout the day, and some people follow the storyline faithfully, going to see the different events that tell the backstory of the faire. Would people do this at a theme park? Some would, most wouldn’t, but I think that this concept is a great way to provide something wholly different from any other park that won’t cause problems with the animals that call Pan World home. Those who would take part in it would come away with a unique experience, and even those who just observe it in one land would see something different than the usual fireworks/projections/loud music/time-to-go-home experience. Here is where I think you went way outside the box and were your most creative and original- and risky. It’s a risk I think you were smart to take.

(note: I had finished my critique before you posted Rainforest. Reading through it I didn’t see anything that was either out-of-place or a problem. The quality of the writing and concepts were of equal quality with the rest of your proposal.)

I’ll give you a warning first- if you do find yourself in the Tournament of Champions (and at this point I have absolutely NO idea who it will be), mistakes like leaving out an entire Land or even overlooking a specified requirement in a challenge could be the difference between winning and losing. Read your proposal completely through and be absolutely sure that you have everything presented that you 1) need, and 2) want. That includes punctuation and grammar.

Now- I think that this was the best proposal you’ve ever presented (with the exception of the missing Land). It was well written, well presented, well thought out, and exceptionally imaginative. You went with a theme that I don’t think I would have ever come up with. Well done! You have come a very long way since you first started in TPA.

Andy Milito- Athenaland. The educational along with the entertainment factor was great with this proposal. Even people not familiar with Greek mythology will not only get some education, but have a good time. The descriptions of the rides was helpful for me to get a sense of what the rides would be, rather than citing a particular manufacturer or standard type, if you know what I mean
I can picture the Trojan War ride... forgive me for this, but my frames of references are Cedar Point, Disney and Universal in Florida... but I see how this would work well
I particularly like Medusas Eatery and the use of pasta as a sort of "faux snake". The food courts were well thought out to appeal to a wide audience while reserving the more traditional Greek fare for the upscale restaurant to allow those who want to pay a little extra to immerse themselves in the experience. You also took time to make sure there was plenty for the younger guests
I like Athenas Library... those whose curiosity about the stories they have been immersed in can be encouraged.
In the stunt spectacular, would there be an explanation of the action taking place?

DPCC -Pan World - I'll admit to being overwhelmed... there is a lot to process. not that that is a bad thing. You obviously took a lot of time on this one. Lots of very good stuff here, and I could easily spend an evening writing, but no one wants to read that! it's a competition for you guys, not the judges.
I liked the idea of a small kiddie ride in The Woodlands, but when I think of the woods, I dont think of mining... i get it... underground, but perhaps something more nature oriented to creatures who live in the dirt...
In the Islands you might run into some copyright issues with Jimmy Buffet.
Deep Journey sounds like a great concept. I'd ride it
In The Sun And Moon I could not help but think Masaka and Corgano...sorry... its the dork in me
overall, it looks like you covered the bases and included pretty much everything you would find in one of the major theme parks.

Andy Milito – AthenaLand

Trojan War Land – This is exactly what I had in mind when I wrote the challenge. Equal parts knowledge and fun, but enough fun that the education would be consumed while you weren’t paying attention. The three rides do a good job of telling the story of the Trojan War while being highly interactive and fun. The restaurant and shop seem to be exactly what the land needs.

Medusa Land – The Wrath of Medusa roller coaster would need to be a snake/acid green, but it would be fantastic. The spinner ride seems a little too off the shelf for a highly themed park, but the play area would be fantastic and a great place to burn some energy off of the kids. Your logic for the restaurant I can already see in the in-park advertising. The shop seems a little too educational and probably wouldn’t have the sales necessary to keep it open long term.

Heracles Land – I hope with your dueling coaster, which could, by the time this would be built, be the only dueling coaster, would actually remain dueling. The three labors in the stunt show would make it pretty spectacular. While the drop tower seems a little bland, it fits in perfectly with the rest of the theming. The restaurant and shop have good theming but bland items.

Poseidon Land – While I’m a sucker for a Steeplechase coaster, I get the feeling that this land will be the one that is the least busy of all of your lands, although the restaurant and shop are of the highest quality, I wonder if there will be enough foot traffic to draw in business. The land really doesn’t address what the competition with Poseidon was about.

I worry that you had several lands around what happens to people when they pi$$ off Athena. It would be akin to lands at Disneyland around the different people that have made the Mouse upset. Granted it fits extremely well with the character you chose, but I wonder about the long-term takeaway which could be construed as Athena is not a nice Goddess. You only have a single indoor ride. On bad weather days and when the temperature is super-hot or cold, guests are going to be packing a ride that will already have a long line as it is one of the best in the park. I worry that this is not a full day park…but maybe that is my own fault for stating what the minimums of the parks are.

DPCC - Pan World

The Woodlands – You are killing me with vague language. The goal here is to tell me exactly what you are thinking and not to have my own imagination fill in the blanks. You allude to the fact that there are animals in this land. But you don’t say if they are animatronic or real, if they are setup in old-school prison bars cages or the new school “you have to assume the animal is hiding somewhere in its huge area but can’t actually see him” cages.
What the actual VR experience on the Flight roller coaster is never mentioned. Is it shooting space aliens? It seems like an extremely bad idea to have VR on this roller coaster in the first place as it is laid out in an extremely scenic area that should be experienced instead of having everyone’s head buried in a simulation. If you are going to go the simulation route, you might as well have the roller coaster zooming over a concrete parking lot, because no one will ever see it. Minor Miners seems interesting enough, but I wonder how you are going to attract a crowd to Tales of the Woodlands. You never say how the story telling is going to take place, is this like the Mystery Lodge at Knott’s Berry Farm or a bunch of actors trying to act out the stories or a single person telling the stories? You get vastly different experiences from each. The restaurant seems like an extremely bad idea, having a land celebrating animals and then a restaurant that specializes in different game meats…celebrating animals in a much different way. Yes, the restaurant makes sense in the park, but not sitting right next to the cousins that are being served on the plate, so the animals get to smell their friends roasting. I realize that people have to eat, but it just seems in bad taste to do something like that…pizza, pasta, seafood, crappy American food, whatever, all seem to be better ideas. I have a hard time believing that camping gear in a theme park is going to sell well.

The Islands – Hurricane! seems to be fun enough. I have no idea how you are planning on doing Jolly Mon, and I guess I’m back to harping on more details for Eruption…if done right this could be very educational and exciting, done wrong it could be pretty boring. Since there are no details here, I have no idea how it is going to go. The restaurants fit well in the theme and there is no shop.

The Ocean – I like everything that you have in this land. I could harp on eating fish while watching fish, but few people seem to care much about this.

The Savanna – Wanyama seems like standard fair. Sun and Moon, again I wonder what type of ride this is. Base Camp seems like a pretty good idea. Kitamu seems like a pretty good place. The shops seem very high end here, but they will likely do brisk business.

The Rainforest – After all of the attention given to the animals in other lands, here we have a ride where the goal is to hunt something. Although you could be talking about the hunt to find a Jaguar instead of going in to kill it…I just don’t know…one idea seems to work and the other doesn’t. Bushmaster seems like a good coaster that a high percentage of the teenage boys are going to make fun of and then buy t-shirts for. Timber! seems like standard fair. The shops in this land seem to be much more along the lines of what the rubes will want to buy.

There doesn’t appear to be any place for the bland American pallet to get a burger, fries, piece of pizza, chicken sandwich, or a coffee.

This was an interesting run. For the serious side of things, I don't think the judges ever agreed on a single thing. Anyone who won a round was never unanimous and even in the final, with only two options, the judges couldn't agree on who won.

But, in the end, someone was likely to win.

Congratulations for the come from behind win goes to:

DPCC!