Hello everyone,
If you are not currently an active competitor in Theme Park Apprentice 7 but wish to submit a proposal, this is the place to do it. While proposals in this thread will not be scored, you will receive a critique with suggestions on how to improve your ideas in the future. If you are an eliminated competitor and wish to stay a part of the game, or if you are thinking about competing in the future and want to get some practice, this is an excellent way to do so.
For current competitors, please DO NOT submit official proposals in this thread. As it will not be monitored by the regular judges, your proposal will not be read and you will be treated as a non-submission. Please make sure all official proposals are only submitted in the official challenge thread.
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Just because I had a Looney Idea, and because non-American parks don't get enough love...
Warner Bros Movie World, Gold Coast, Australia
A Village/Roadshow Park
Land: Kids’ WB Fun Zone
“What’s Cookin’ Doc” combines the fun of the Warner Bros’ characters, and the varied eats of a world food court. In addition to jus being an eatery, part of the area doubles as a stage show, soaking up extra guest attraction demand on busy days during parts of the day where the eatery is seeing less demand, and providing extra facilities for further income generation from the park when the area would otherwise lie fallow.
Lunch Service style
What’s cookin’ Doc appears as a regular food court, with “stores” themed around one or more of the Looney Tunes characters. However, in order to keep crowds flowing through the food court, each item will be a standard set price depending on its place in the meal - Appetiser, Main, Desert, Drink. Guests before collecting their purchase use an automated Kiosk (there is also a staff member on hand in case a guest is having difficulty) and basically selects how hungry they are - They could order one of the three components, or a combination of them.
After paying, the customer is given a token for each dish they have ordered. Each token can be exchanged at any eatery for a dish of that size - so you could get a main, a desert and a starter at the same store, or you could mix and match to your hearts desire.
This helps keep pricing simple, and reduces the need for more staff to handle cash (reducing opportunity for theft or change mistakes), and makes it easy to select from multiple outlets without having to pay multiple times. Families will also appreciate being able to do all of the "Buying" in one place even when everyone wants to order from different outlets.
Back of House, Specials, and Plates Passport
Our cooks at What’s Cookin’ Doc aren’t just “whoever we can find”, Village/Roadshow has paired with the Queensland educational authorities to operate Whats Cookin’ Doc as culinary school offering industry standard qualifications. Chefs spend time in both classroom and cooking environments, ensuring they earn a good wage and get real practical experience. Graduates get preferential status when applying for roles at other village/roadshow properties.
In order to help keep the menu fresh, and boost staff morale, each stall features rotating “Special” dish - one stall changes every week and contains a special appetizer, main and desert. It stays on the special board until that stall comes back in the rotation, and the cook gets a bonus based on the number of dishes sold.
This dish isn’t designed by committee, its designed by the staff. Any kitchen staffer can propose a “special” dish with all the staff taste testing and selecting their favourite at the monthly staff meeting. Aspiring chefs are given a spec to use seasonal ingredients, and ensure the the dishes meet meet Australian Government Department of Heath recommended dietary guidelines.
Younger guests are encouraged to select these options through the “Plates Passport” scheme. When a younger guest selects a special plate from a stall, they collect a stamp for their (free) souvenir “plates passport”, which also contains information (using the Looney Tunes and DC characters) encouraging kids to make healthy eating choices. When guests have collected a certain number of stamps (starting at 3 stamps to account for one day guests) they receive a % discount off a single purchase at any park retail location (the discount increases based on the number of stamps).
Outlets and decor
Each eating outlet is themed around the Looney Tunes Characters. There will be around 2 appetisers (commonly refered to as Entrees in Australia) and 2-3 mains on offer, and 1-2 desert options - the exact number may vary by station. This is in addition to the specials.
Decor is like the "House of bricks" in the Three Little Bops, with a slightly cartoony look.
The dishes stated are examples, and may vary depending on market research and customer patterns, as well as ingredient availability.
Yosemite Sam’s Steakhouse Spectacular
“Yee-Hah!” - Sam
The Best of the West, Sam bring you some fine Texas steak done Texas-Style. Make sure you wash it down with some Ginger Beer, Boiling Hot, Texas style.
Appetizer: Chicken Strips and Potato Wedges
Main: Rump Steak, with your choice of sauce, served with Fries and a corn cob, Steak Sandwhich
Desert: Hot Fudge Brownies, with Ice cream.
Pizzarriba
“I Like it” - Bugs Bunny
Loosely based off the Recent Looney Tunes series, Pizzarriba offers a selection of pizzas from around the world.
Appetizer: Garlic bread pizza(v)
Mains: Classic Italian Margarita(v), a Chicago Deep Dish Pepperoni, or Australia’s favourite, the Supreme (works). Supereme is available also without meat as an additional vegetarian option. Gluten Free bases available on request but may take some time.
Desert: Desert (Fruit) Pizza.
Pismo Beach
“Here we are, Pismo Beach, and all the clams that we can eat!” - Bugs Bunny
Pismo Beach offers a bit of Seaside style, brought to you by your favourite bunny.
Appetizers: Clam Chowder, Pan fried Calamari tossed in Lemon, Lime and chilli and
Main: Mussels, served with a garlic, Blue Cheese & Bacon, or White Wine and Challot sauce
Desert: A Knickerbocker Glory (Ice Cream sundae containing cream, fruit, meringue, nuts and a cherry on top)
Henry Hawk’s
Who better to serve chicken than a Chicken-hawk? Our chicken is grilled - not fried, enuring that it tastes great and is low in fat. Remember to ask for some of our “I’m not a chicken (I’m a chicken-hawk)” hot sauce on the side.
Appetizer: Chicken Wings
Main: Grilled Chicken burgers and Fajitas with your choice of toppings including Cheese, Bacon, Pineapple, and salad items
Desert: Apple Crumble served with Cream or Ice Cream.
Taz-Mania Carvery
“Tasmanian Devils eat everything - especially Wabbits”
No Wabbit on the menu here though folks, Taz-Mania offer something a bit more traditional. Taz-Mania offers your choice of some of Australia’s best home grown foods
Appetizer: Shrimp Cocktail, using King prawns caught off the Queensland Coast
Main: Finest Australian Roast Lamb, Pork, or Beef, served with the finest Australian roast seaonal vegetables, amazing roast potatoes, and gravy.
Desert: Pavlova with seasonal Australian fruits.
Granny’s Secret Recipe
Granny offers some of her families’ favourite recipes to theme park guests. Good enough for even a bad old puddy tat. The Cuisine skews sightly classic americana, but without being in your face about it.
Appetizers: Cocktail meatballs, with spicy tomato sauce.
Mains: Pork Chops or Turkey Drumstick, served with “Sufferin” Southern succatash.
Deserts: Apple pie, or Peach cobbler, with cream or Ice Cream
Wabbits Galore Gone Fishing.
Elmer has given up trying to catch that Wascally Wabbit, and has instead gone fishing. The “Wabbits Galore” sign is covered by a classic “Gone Fishing” signs, and fake "menus" offering a range of Wabbit dishes are crossed out, with "fish" hastily scrawled in.
Appetizer: Tempura Fish Bites and Deep Dried Scampi/Prawns with dipping sauce
Main: Local fish grilled/crumbed or battered and deep fried, served with chips and fresh tartare sauce
Desert: Lemon Mirangue pie with cream or Ice Cream.
Daffy’s Fantatasic Island
Not so much a stall, but a “Salad Island”. A free self serve salad bowl is available to any customer who purchases a main. Kids with the Passport can get an additional stamp for taking a salad with their meal. To encourage healthy eating, you can return to the salad bar as many times as you like.
Daffy’s fantasy island includes salad components you’d expect, popular clasic salads, and a selection of seasonal creations invented by our chefs.
Three Little Bops After Hours Dinner, Dance and Character Meet and Greet.
When the park starts to close at 5pm, stick around to see “Whats Cookin’ Doc” transform into “Three Little Bops”, an all you can eat eatery staying open for several hours after the park playing upbeat Jazz Music as seen in the Merrie Melodies adaption of the Three Little pigs. Some of your favourite characters might even come to play a a tune.
Reservations are taken throughout the day, and in advance, and are officially required (depending on availability some walk ups may be accepted at the end of the park day). Wait staff are on hand for Drinks service.
Part of the overflow area gives way to a dancefloor for this event.
Whats Cooking Doc Demonstrations:
At 10:30 and 3pm during peak season you can join your favourite Looney Tunes characters for a Cook-off . Will the winner be Sylvester's Strawberry Mouse Mousse, Bug's Carrot Stew or Pepe's Sauteed Seafood? Attendees will get to have a taste, and vote for their favourite.
This allows part of the area during quieter hours to serve as an “overflow” attraction, and promote the after hours eating service.
Conference facility
During low season, the overflow area used for Demonstrations and seating in peak time is available for hire for conferences, corporate events and weddings.
Bespoke menus can be created for these events and pricing is on request, and Alcohol service is available.
Prices (Australian Dollars)
Lunch service
Prices are designed to be on par with lunch options throughout Warner Bros Movie world and competing nearby parks.
Main: $30
Main and Appetizer or Desert: $35
Main, App, and Desert: $38
App or Desert - $7
App and Desert - $10
(You can have half a main and save $10 on any of the options that include a main for those who aren’t too hungry or for kids who can’t manage a full plate).
Non Alcoholic Drinks: $5 for a single serving, $3 Refill of previously purchased souvenir cup (Free if purchased on the day) - In line with existing park practice. This covers Soft Drink (Soda) as well as signature items to to this location: Ginger Beer and Carrot Juice.
Alcoholic drinks are also available.
The Three Little Bops Dinner Service: $60 Adults, $40 Children, Drinks except table water are extra.
Cash and all major cards all accepted.
A totally unofficial critique:
Karina Bhattacharya Menu for the Movies
First of all, thank you for sticking with the competition! It never hurts to keep the old imagination juices flowing. Now for your proposal: I commend you for not going with one of the usual CaliFlorida/Six Flags/Cedar Fair/etc parks, but using one that few have heard of and fewer have been to. I think the wisdom there is that you are working with a clean slate, with nobody having any preconceived notions or expectations. Your theme would fit in perfectly with what I assume is a movie-themed park. You chose a wide variety of film genres, which will give you a very broad selection of foods to chose from as you create your menus. Be sure that you do indeed have enough options in each category that people can create a meal without having to go to too many counters, and if you can't find enough items to fully create a menu then you might want to consider leaving that genre on the cutting room floor. Only two items under horror? Water and crackers? Selling something called "Bottled Holy Water" for $2? People would be offended at best, and I don't know what salted biscuits even are much less what they have to do with scaring away ghosts.
This decision of using movie genres might be more of a burden than it is worth if you are indeed limited by the concept in what you can offer. Just looking at your various menus (and I realize that they are not complete menus) it appears that your selections are all over the map in each genre's food booth. Perhaps it would have been less confusing for the diner if you would have each course ( the appetizers, main entrees, salads, desserts, etc.) as separate stations, then have each item offered be based on a movie. Example:
Main Entree
Steak- "Mr. and Mrs. Smith"
Lobster Tails- "Mrs. Doubtfire"
Lasagna- "Garfield"
Grilled Fish- "Castaway"
Focusing more on food from the movies and less on food from movie genres would have greatly assisted you in providing a clearly understood selection process while still focusing the theme of movie food. Showing clips while eating would be fun, similar to the ideas in "Prime Time Diner" and "Sci-Fi-Dine In" at DHS, but the discussion time would not be needed- I really doubt that anyone would talk about the movie they had just seen.
Your basic premise of food from the movies is a solid one, and would allow for a continuing to add and/or subtract dishes as new movies come out. I think that ditching the genre idea and going with dishes grouped around types of food, while emphasizing what movie they came from, would be less confusing to the general public.
Thanks for the critique, @James Koehl. I appreciate the feedback!
As for your criticism on the genres, I was actually hoping to find appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks for each genre, so people could have a full course meal from one genre, without having to go to separate stations (sort of like what I made with the Children's genre). I didn't anticipate how difficult it would be to find all those foods, with genres suited for everyone's tastes. I was planning on adding on to the menu when I found more movie foods, but last week was very hectic and I didn't have enough time to add on to it.
The "Discussion Time" most likely wouldn't be used for its intended purpose, but I don't think the restaurant should have a jump-cut through the clips, because that would be sort of confusing and make them think that all the clips are all of the same movie. Perhaps shortening the gaps to 10 seconds would be sufficient.
Thanks for reading my proposal and spending time writing the critique!
I think this would be a good opportunity for me to introduce myself. I’m Blake Meredith, and I’ll be assisting AJ and the other judges with the Unofficial Submissions. I won last season’s (Theme Park Apprentice 6.1) contest and have been quietly following the competition ‘from the shadows’, so to speak.
Firstly, let me thank you and commend you on your hard work and willingness to continue to keep Theme Park Apprentice a part of your life, it is a special thing that many of us find to be exciting, creative, and meaningful.
Secondly, I judge a little bit differently than other judges. What I’ll do is provide pros and cons to proposals before giving my final thoughts on the proposal. As this is an unofficial submission thread, I won’t rank or score anyone. I do hope, however, that my critiques are helpful and informative and that those who submit come away with some constructive criticism. With that said, let’s get on with the critiques.
Menu From the Movies (Karina Bhattachary):
Pros:
-I think you’ve made a very clever choice by setting your restaurant inside a ‘movie theater’. It’s an incredibly fun concept that will provide diners an exciting and interesting place to enjoy a good meal.
-The exterior façade would fit perfectly within a movie-themed park and would keep guests rooted in the world of cinema.
-I like the idea of being able to choose which genre of film you would be able to watch. Very fun and would increase return customers
-Some of the items on the menu(s) sound great. I think most of your family menu would be well-received and enjoyed, particularly Po’s Noodle Soup, Pancake Tower, and Dumplings sound delicious.
-I’m glad to see you’ve included a popcorn stand, as it would be sorely missed inside a ‘movie theatre’.
-The family movie seating is a smart choice, as I could see how having Horror movies suddenly appear on screen could be very frightening to small children. Additionally, every family and parent is different. What’s perfectly acceptable to one parent may be totally taboo to another. With the rise of violence, sex, and disturbing or controversial material in many movies today, having a safe haven for families is a smart and, quite frankly, necessary choice.
-Prices seem modest and reasonable, even for a theme park dining option.
Cons:
-While you identified a park to place your restaurant within, you didn’t indicate which area the restaurant would be situated. It’s hard to judge the theming and aesthetics properly if we are unaware of where the restaurant will be located within the park (it would be awkward to see, say, a futuristic Pizza Port in New Orleans Square right?).
-I think you have some pretty serious licensing problems with some of your proposed movies/dishes. Barely any of the movies you reference or use were produced or distributed by 20th Century Fox. Narnia was Disney/Walden. Kung-Fu Panda was Dreamworks/Paramount. I could go on and this is a minor quip but it is something I can’t really overlook
-Many of the movies you selected aren’t what I or many others would consider ‘classic’ movies and would be totally obscure to some younger generations. While you did include some classic films (Home Alone, The Exorcist, etc.), there are some that are referenced that I didn’t even remember until I saw them in your proposal (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Doubtfire, etc.).
-As the park is located in Malaysia, I can’t help but notice there is a gap for a Bollywood themed dining option.
-While your family menu is good, the other menus seem to be lacking. The one that sticks out most is the Horror counter, where they are only selling water and biscuits. From the way you described it, I can’t see this as an appealing dining option. If the biscuits are some type of rare delicacy or have some other culinary twist which makes them special, it would have been beneficial to include such a description.
-Though I think your aesthetic and thematic choice is clever and well used, I would have liked to have seen some greater variation than simply a movie theater. Movie theaters are pretty dull venues, typically just having seats, screens, and a concession stand. Perhaps some more description on how your ‘theatre’ stands out from the average movie theater would have been better (maybe theming it after an opulent movie theatre as would be common in the 1920’s would have been a good way to add some extra thematic qualities to the experience.
-I’ve got to be honest, apart from some the Noodles, Turkish Delight, and Lobster Tails, most of the menu seems relatively uninspired and tame. Now I understand that you are going for a more casual dining experience, but part of the challenge was to replicate EPCOT’s successful food and wine festival. I would have liked to have seen a few unique or creative dishes to go along with some of the crowd pleasers.
-I noticed that you have some very distinct breakfast dishes on the menu. There was no indication on if these dishes would be available after breakfast time. I’m assuming they could be ordered throughout the day, but going forward, remember to spell out small details such as this as clarity and comprehensive descriptions help us as judges paint a clearer picture of what you’re proposing.
Final Thoughts:
Menu From the Movies would certainly offer a fun and unique setting for guests to get a nice meal and off their feet for a while. The addition of screening classic movies is a smart and fun choice which many guests would get a kick out of and enjoy. Ultimately, a more varied menu, offering additional choices to guests, would improve on what is a solid core idea.
What’s Cookin’ Doc? (Chad H):
Pros:
-Fantastic theme. The Loony Toons franchise is a wonderful franchise that people of all ages will recognize instantly and be familiar with.
-I love the idea of having real culinary students take part in the food and creative process. This will ensure fantastic food at all times and you’ll be able to justify your higher food costs in the parks.
-I like the map you’ve created. Very helpful in forming a visual picture.
-Though I’ve never encountered your particular payment and redemption plan, it seems intuitive and enticing. A sort of cross between buffet and cafeteria. I particularly like how it offers freedom to the customer. There are so many times when I’m at a park (or restaurant in general) and want a corn dog as an appetizer and a salad as a main course. Way to give the customers options.
-The menu(s) seem varied and interesting. You’re appetizers and main courses are themed appropriately and sound fantastic.
Cons:
-While the Loony Toons is a great franchise, it may deter more mature guests from experiencing or trying the restaurant, as Loony Toons is viewed as a franchise aimed only at small children.
-Part of the challenge is to create an experience similar to EPCOT’s food and wine festival. While you mentioned alcoholic drinks as being available, there was no mention of what type of alcoholic drinks would be available (wines, beers, cocktails, etc.). Again, I know it’s a small detail but its something that should have been given at least a small description on what types of beverages you are offering.
-This is me nit-picking, but being spending six years in Texas has made me be a staunch defender of Texan cuisine. That being said, there is no “Texas style” steak. Texas is primarily known for BBQ and Tex-Mex (a fusion of Mexican food with some American and central Europe influences).
-While I understand the need and desire to bring in more money to the park, I simply can’t see many people holding conferences inside the restaurant. I say this for two reasons. 1.) a theme park setting is not the ideal setting to conduct business. 2.) The Loony Toons theming would detract serious conference or convention event managers. A great idea in concept, but I don’t think it would be executed as well as you are envisioning it.
-The prices seem to be somewhat high (I’ve never been to Australia, but even for a theme park, $20 American Dollars for a main course is steep). Again, I understand the point about having culinary students and chefs making the food but this type of pricing and quality of food doesn’t seem to mesh well with a Loony Toons/Kid Audience.
-Your dessert menus seem very similar, with very little deviation from the standard pie/cake/ice cream formula. I would have like to see some more unique dessert options.
Final Thoughts:
I think you’ve got a fantastic idea and a really great menu. The Loony Toons theme is fun and appropriate, both for your park and the land you put it in. My reservations lie almost primarily with the fact that the aesthetic won’t blend well with the quality and the diversity of the food offered. If done correctly, I could see this as a really big hit and a fantastic place to grab a bite to eat. Overall a quality restaurant that you should be proud of; even if there are some minor ‘back of the house’ issues lingering.
Blake Meredith, thanks so much for the critique! I just wanted to say that my friend and I were HUGE fans of your winning proposal for TPA 6.1, and it was probably the best proposal I've ever had the pleasure to read.
The problem with the location was that 20th Century Fox World isn't completed yet, and there's only some vague renderings and some examples of rides that will be featured there, so I couldn't provide that information essentially because there wasn't enough information.
If you didn't see before, I had some issues with finding food. You see, my restaurant wasn't movie-inspired, it was about food that you can actually find the actors eating on the screen. Since there weren't really any culinary-inspired movies, it was really hard to find some unique foods, from the limited options. And if finding American foods from the movies was difficult, I couldn't imagine the problems with finding Bollywood movie foods. It would be a good idea, but I think that all of the rides in the park are off American-based movies, so I think this restaurant would most likely be synonymous with that.
As for the movie ownership problem, I found it on a list that supposedly has all the films associated with 20th Century Fox Pictures. The films you mentioned supposedly had "coproduction" with 20th Century Fox. I don't know if this was completely accurate from your standards, sorry.
And I agree, I should have elaborated more on the theme of the restaurant, which would have to be unique of course. I was especially happy that you liked the family themed restaurant, however.
Anyways, I really appreciate feedback from a crowned Theme Park Apprentice! Thank you for reading my proposal and writing the critique.
Karina,
Thank you for the kind words! I didn't remember until you just brought it up that 20th Century Fox World has yet to be completed. I think the idea of having food inspired by what actors and characters actually eat in a movie is a double-edged sword. On one hand, some movies have very distinct and memorable foods and meals (Turkish Delight was a fabulous choice in this regard) while most movies simply don't concentrate on food enough (directors and writers are much more concerned with what's happening with the plot and characters than what they're having for dinner in any particular scene). The concept of a themed movie theater dining option lies in the fact that there is littler room to incorporate the theme into the menu (as you have correctly identified). Again, I think it's a tough concept and I commend you on your ability to turn it into something that has potential.
Thank you again for your time and commitment to TPA. Don't forget that there is a redemption round for eliminated contestants so practicing is a fantastic way to increase your chances of being redeemed.
Keith, you have this on the wrong thread...
Tyler, you beat me to it. Keith, if this is your official proposal, move it to the Challenge 4 thread or it won't be considered.
Sorry, using this as my testing grounds.
That's ok, Keith, but warn us the next time! You scared the crap out of us! I thought, "What the heck is he doing?!"
Thank you, and still testing.
I'm testing too....my apologies if you catch an early look at the new World of Dog Poo Coaster at Six Flags La Ronde.
Great- now I'm scared again.
The Levitator
Coming to Six Flags Great Adventure in 2016
Introduction
Speed. One of the most desirable factors of a roller coaster, this element has flocked park visitors from The United States’ Kingda Ka in the United States to Dubai’s Formula Rossa. Most people assume that gravity is the key, but in a way it’s only a friend who faces intense speed’s greatest adversaries - friction and propulsion.
But what if there was a roller coaster vehicle that almost completely neglects friction - a safely fully enclosed vehicle that could reach speeds up to 225mph - without even touching the track, but rather levitating above it? And what if magnetic propulsion systems could accelerate and decelerate the vehicle from such incredible speeds?
“Impossible,” guests may say. “Too adventurous for Tomorrowland,” critics may claim.
Scientific Theory
Despite initial senses of public disbelief, this technology known as Magnetic Levitation, also dubbed “Maglev”, had its foundations as early as 1937, and was later put to use by German engineer Hermann Kemper. This technology wouldn’t be possible without the use of superconductors. Superconductors are in the absence of electrical resistance and exclusion of magnetic fields when certain substances are cooled down to each respective specific temperature. Basically, magnetic field lines are expelled from a superconductor when it reaches the certain temperature. The resulting electromagnet has the ability to successfully repel the magnet above, thereby levitating it. A maglev coaster can also operate at any angle, including those that are upside down, thereby expanding its possibilities to inversions, loops, and any other existing standard roller coaster features.
Existing Applications
While The Levitator may be the first roller coaster to implement such technology, it is certainly not the first method of transportation. Maglev trains initiated in England in 1984, but are commonly used in the United States and throughout Asia. They have an incredible level of efficiency and speed, which was recorded to reach up to 330mph.
Cost
According to statistics, the total cost per kilometer for the Shanghai Maglev train was 16 million. If this technology was implemented in the form of The Levitator, the cost for 1 mile of the track and vehicles would be approximately 12.88 million dollars. While this may sound exorbitant, park designers should consider the lower rate of maintenance costs for Maglev trains. Also, the actual cost may actually fall below 12.88 million dollars because the superconductors of the track would have greater gaps than the Maglev trains because they support significantly less weight. The total cost of The Levitator, including theming, the queue, and advertising would be an estimated 14 million US dollars.
Queue
The queue for The Levitator is located at the Orleans Place, near the entrance to the Dark Knight coaster. The queue is conveniently accessible near the entrance to the park, and guests can easily access their Flash Pass option for this ride. The queue itself is futuristic themed, with a clear heading of the ride title and approximated wait time posted on a waterproof screen at the beginning of the queue.
As guests progress along the queue, they are invited to watch an informational video about superconductors and Maglev in general, using terminology and visuals 10 year olds can easily understand. The queue is completely shaded, so guests can enjoy their visit without intense exposure to the sun during summer months and can watch the video, free of glare, with ease.
RIde Experience
Finally, the loading station is located in a covered area. There, park employees direct the guests to each respective car. The cars themselves seat a total of eight people, with two people in each column with four different rows. For safety reasons, due to the extreme speeds reached during the ride, only one vehicle operates at a time, although one vehicle is loaded while the other is on the ride track. This method contributes to increased efficiency. The ride itself lasts a total of 16 seconds, with an astounding length of 1 full mile.
First the guests take a gradual left turn. Then the additional magnetic propulsion systems are staggered along the the upward track. The guests experience one partial inversion. Then they are plummeted down a steep drop of 70 feet, followed by two full loops, reaching a maximum height at 100 feet. They are then taken down a path of 4 inverted turns. The coaster takes on another incline of 70 feet, before suddenly dropping down to 15 feet. That is followed by a nearly 90 degree gradual inversion, and a gradual descent of 140ft as staggered magnetic propulsion decelerators gradually slow down the vehicle to 5mph when it reaches the station.
Theming
Apart from the queue, theming is incorporated during the duration of the ride. Upbeat, space age music is played in the interior of the vehicle to set the mood, and during the loops and inversions red and blue slow blinking lights mark the pathway. To set a backdrop for riders and onlookers, modern building models with unique, innovative styles are sparsely yet strategically placed throughout the ride. In addition to that, two large yet simple animatronics resembling fully functional robots are used to enhance the rider’s experience and come into view once after the first inversion and the second during the four inversion turns. These elements are strategically lighted so that guests can also experience a slightly different yet fully immersive experience during the dark evening hours as well.
Conclusion
The Levitator is truly a one of a kind roller coaster that reaches the highest possible roller coaster speed by implementing state of the art technology. It not only gives thrill seekers the insane adrenaline rush they desire, but the ride also provides a gateway to the ever-improving world of technology.
[OOC Sorry about the lack of photos, I’ll try to illustrate some and add them when I can!]
Well I’ve got to say that this week is one of the tougher challenges, not only to compete, but to judge as well. Thanks again for staying vigilant, Karina. Onto the critiques
THE LEVITATOR (Karina Bhattacharya):
Pros:
1.) I like the theme of the Levitator. A futuristic take with some exciting thematic elements such as the lights and the robots add to the tone of the ride.
2.) Speaking of the tone, I think you made a smart choice going with a positive, pro-future/pro-scientific approach to the coaster. Too often do coasters try so hard to be themed after superheroes or monsters or villains when those elements are really very sparse. A coaster isn’t really an ideal ride to tell a story, and for this reason I think you’ve made a great choice about making the theme and queue about the technology and innovation of the coaster rather than any set story or character. It would also be informative and interesting to be able to understand how the technology works.
3.) I can’t think of any other coaster that would even dream of reaching 225 MPH!!! My word that is fast!!!
4.) I think you’ve made the perfect Six Flags coaster. It not only breaks a previous world record, but also introduces a world-first completely levitating coaster. Congrats on not one, but two world records.
Cons:
1.) Details, Details, Details! I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m harping on this but you failed to include your ride statistics in your proposal. Seeing as it was part of the requirements of the challenge, it’s something I can’t overlook. I bring this up because, going into the redemption round, you need to be as detailed oriented as you can be and make sure you include all of the stated requirements of the challenge. Some ride stats were given, but you missed some key minimum requirements such as manufacturer and length. You also missed the part about the advice to limit speeds to around 70 MPH, but considering speed is your world record, I’ll let it slide.
2.) I’m confused as to how you came to your estimation of your coaster cost. On one hand you state that, “…the total cost per kilometer for the Shanghai Maglev train was 16 million. If this technology was implemented in the form of The Levitator, the cost for 1 mile of the track and vehicles would be approximately 12.88 million dollars.” Well seeing as how a mile is much further than a kilometer, and factoring in theming and production costs, I just don’t see how you could come in at a lower cost than a kilometer of Maglev. Again, this problem would be rectified if we knew the total length of the track. You also need to consider that the Shanghai Maglev is mostly built for straightaways, with none of the advanced engineering required to withstand the crazy amount of g-forces, inversions, and other elements that the coaster will surely put out.
3.) Speaking of g-forces, you would have a really tough time keeping riders conscious throughout the coaster as I didn’t see any indication of slowing the coaster before entering the load/unload station again. Taking a turn, even a large banked turn, at 225 MPH is going to cause some serious physiological issues with many riders (consider, for example, that Epcot’s Mission: Space had to implement a “green” version of the attraction so that guests who are susceptible to nausea and motion sickness wouldn’t have to deal with the high G-Forces that the attraction puts out).
4.) While I like the theming of the attraction, I’m afraid it doesn’t fit well with the rest of the overall theme of Orleans Place. A minor detail, but one I noticed.
5.) I like the inclusion of animatronics and small set pieces, but when you’re travelling at 225 MPH, are you really going to notice them?
Final Thoughts:
While the idea of reaching speeds of up to 225 MPH in a coaster seems both exciting and ambitious, the practical application of such high speeds seems like it would be more trouble than it is worth. The technology showcased in The Levitator is groundbreaking and innovative and is something I hope to see in a park someday soon. Unfortunately, the reality of such a high-speed and high cost coaster wouldn’t appeal to many riders or book keepers. Keep the faith though! Take what you’ve learned through the unofficial submission thread and apply it to the redemption challenge!
I'm half tempted to do a "blast from the past" and do an updated version of the JATO car ride from the Mythbusters themed area of my first final. Of course, I'd have to place it at Six Flags La Ronde..... :P
Thanks for the critique Blake!
I just thought I would clarify a few things, because I'm glad you pointed out some of the issues of my ride. On the whole, I wrote my proposal a bit rushed and I just wanted to put the idea out there for a little practice and to see what other people would think.
So for the Maglev train estimation that I used, I was using the assumption that the roller coaster track would be at least half as long in width as the Shanghai Maglev, plus since the coaster supports less weight the superconductors would be spaced further apart, which would result in the lessened cost.
The entire ride isn't 225mph, but it's my fault that I didn't specify that. Most of the ride is around 90-120mph, but it gradually speeds up to 225mph when it does some very gradual undulations on the track. Hopefully then they would be able to notice the larger animatronics.
Yes, and of course the details! I'm working on including more of those! The only problem is that sometimes including too much detail in my proposals has somewhat hurt me in judging in the past, so I have to get used to including the necessary parts that make sense. I didn't put too much work into these proposals, because they were unofficial, but that'll definitely change with the Redemption Round. I've got an idea, and I'm currently working on the execution. Thanks for all of the help!
Karina, are you testing your proposal here or is this meant to be your official submission for the Redemption Challenge? If this is your official submission, I need you to repost it in the Redemption Challenge thread in order for it to be judged.
For those of you who like to use this thread to test formatting of proposals, that is absolutely fine. However, please identify that it is a test at the top of your proposal and remove it when you are done. This eliminates any potential confusion on the part of both judges and other competitors.
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Theme Park Apprentice 7: Challenge 3
Menu from the Movies
Have you ever wanted to taste food from the famous noodle shop in Kung Fu Panda, Edmund’s Turkish Delight from the world of Narnia, or Garfield’s famous lasagna?
Now coming to 20th Century Fox World’s first theme park in Genting Highlands, Malaysia, guests can taste the delights eaten by famous actors and actresses that they have witnessed on screen. Menu from the Movies is an entertaining family-friendly eating experience for all types of moviegoers!
Menu from the Movies is a multi-station service restaurant featuring foods from the following genres: Family, Horror, Action, Comedy, Drama, Romance, and Fantasy/Science Fiction.
Theming
The exterior of Menu from the Movies resembles a Hollywood-style Movie theater that even showcases a red carpet entrance for the park guests, the real “stars” of the experience. Menu from the Movies food station counters are themed to resemble box offices, and the menus are clearly posted on a screen within the office. Employees are dressed as traditional American movie employees. All food is prepared in the larger cooking rooms behind the box office.
Next to the respective box offices are wax figures of famous actors that are commonly associated with that genre, which are open to picture taking with the guests. The wax figures for each genre are as follows: Po (Kung Fu Panda, family); Linda Blair (The Exorcist, horror); Angelina Jolie (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, action); Robin Williams (Mrs. Doubtfire, comedy); Tom Hanks (Cast Away, drama); Kate Winslet (Titanic, Romance); and Georgie Henley (Narnia, Fantasy/Science Fiction).
Menu
All prices are marked in USD
Family
Noodle Soup - $7.00
From the Peace Valley of Kung Fu Panda, Mr. Ping’s Noodle Soup Recipe is a savory meal made with the most important ingredient - love!
Dumplings (3) - $9.00
Train like Po from Kung Fu Panda with these delicious plump dumplings!
Lasagna - $10.50
Try Garfield’s favorite food!
Pancake Tower - $8.50
Try one of Theodore the Chipmunk favorite meals, any time of the day!
Berry Tart - $1.50
The children might have been lying about collecting berries while they were actually trying to see Maria from the Sound of Music, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this delicious dessert!
Pink Flower Cake Pop - $1.50
Pick up a Flower Cake Pop straight from Horton’s enormous field!
Horror
Bottled Holy Water - $2.00
Fight off your demons with your own personal Holy Water from the Exorcist!
Salted Biscuits (5) - $3.00
Deter ghosts with these salted biscuits.
Action
Steak - $14.50
Eat like Mr. and Mrs. Smith with this delicious steak meal!
Salad - $6.50
Enjoy your greens like a true assassin.
Comedy
Little Nero’s Pizza Slice - $4.00
Plan your defense while you’re Home Alone with this tasty pizza!
Lobster Tails - $21.50
Enjoy Mrs. Doubtfire’s home cooked lobster dinner.
Toast and Eggs - $7.00
Join the Cheaper By the Dozen household by joining their meal of Toast and Eggs any time of the day!
Drama
Grilled Fish - $11.00
Survive with Tom Hanks’ speared fish from Cast Away.
New York Beer - $7.00
Drink like a professional from Wall Street Money Never Sleeps.
Romance
Tea and Pastries - $5.00
Enjoy some tea and pastries aboard the Titanic.
Champagne Sparking Like the Stars - $11.00
Enjoy Amsterdam like Hazel and Augustus from the Fault in Our Stars.
Bubby’s Key Lime Pie Slice- $4.00
Enjoy Key Lime Pie from Bubby’s, a location in The Devil Wears Prada.
Fantasy / Science Fiction
Turkish Delight - $5.00
Eat Edmund’s favorite snack, Turkish Delight, from the magical realm of Narnia.
Coffee - $3.00
Go on a coffee date before spending a Night at the Museum.
Ambrosia - $7.00
Eat like the gods of Olympus from Percy Jackson.
Of course, popcorn is available at the "Pop in to the Movies" stand, which is separately themed to resemble a classic refreshments stand. There, guests can choose from basically every type of popcorn: Butter, Kettle, Cheddar, Caramel, and Chocolate-covered, among others. Also available at the stands is boxed candies and soft drinks are available in three sizes: small, medium, and large. All main entrees can be found at the Movie Genre Box Offices.
After receiving their movie-themed meals from one or more of the various counters, guests that pay for their meal at the general counters receive a receipt that resembles a movie ticket. Then, they are allowed to proceed to one of four seating locations, which are feature movie-style seating around movie screens that all rotate a series of movies from across the genres. The seats resemble movie seats, and guests have the option to choose between individual seats that include movable flat surfaces to place food, or seating arranged in a semicircle around a table designed to accommodate larger parties of guests.
One of the screens is a designated Family movie seating center, specifically designed for families with young children. This eating area also has seats designed for children 3 to 8 years old to accommodate younger guests. The movie screen in this area plays only PG-rated movies to suit even the youngest of audiences.
To ensure that the entertainment is complaisant with the customer eating time, the movies are reduced to a series of 2 to 8 minute clips. After each clip, there is a 20 second pause so that guests can discuss their thoughts of the film clip. This hiatus is replaced with filler music from famous movie soundtracks to lessen the tension of silence.
At the end of the movie experience, guests are invited to fill out a customer satisfaction survey, which inquires about the quality of the movies shown and asks for further information. This survey is used to select movies that have the highest approval rating from the park guests. If customers decide to include their contact information (name, email) with the survey, they are automatically entered to win 2 free movie tickets (one winner will be selected each day) that would be printable via email.
Special Events
Menu from the Movies features several special events throughout the year, with extra admission sometimes applicable. Such special events include actor appearances, celebrity movie chef demonstrations, and fine wine tasting. These events only heighten an avid moviegoer’s experience to the next level.
Conclusion
Menu from the Movies is a fantastic experience that is open to all types of movie lovers. Guests have the opportunity to experience luxury star treatment while eating the foods of movie actors and actresses. The result is great experience that provides guests with a memorable meal while also highlighting the superior qualities of the movies of 20th Century Fox Pictures.