Showing posts with label Dark Ride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dark Ride. Show all posts

Sunday, May 19, 2013

So You Want To Be An Imagineer Season 11--The Legend of Zelda

"Nintendo World Headquarters" overrun by the World of Hyrule


A few notes...

-The queue reflects the Lost Woods as best as I could interpret/understand it.
-The Nintendo World Headquarters sign is the Controller at the front of the queue.
-The attraction sign is the Zelda game cartridge at the front left of the queue. 
-In the back left corner, you'll find the logs that Link can walk through from one of the Zelda games (I forget which one). 
-Also in the back left corner is a sword and a shield from the game (I saw a screencap of that as well).
-In the center of the queue is a fountain featuring the Tri-Force...I imagine it would look similar to the upside down waterfall at Imagination.

"Nintendo Revolution" ride vehicle



Be sure to check out So You Want To Be An Imagineer on Visions Fantastic to discover this and other future projects!

Thursday, March 31, 2011

A Little Spark--007: License to Thrill

Be sure to check back soon for a Spark of Inspiration update on this wonderful piece of concept art!

Prepare to get shaken, but not stirred (see what I did there?), in 007: License To Thrill, an all new action packed ride that puts you in the seat of a stunt driver for the newest James Bond movie, coming soon to The Walt Disney Studios Park!


FYI: The name is not original (as you can probably see above). It actually comes from an old Paramount Parks attraction that was released to correspond with the opening of Tomorrow Never Dies (great movie by the way). From what I understand, the attraction was a bummer, but the name was great, so I decided to borrow it unless I can come up with something better...


007: License To Thrill will replace three attractions in the current park (an article I should probably post soon haha), Soundstage 1, The Improve Theatre, and the Sound Attraction in what is currently The Attraction Studios, leaving the I Love Lucy Tribute Show and Studio P&G the last remnants of what was The Attraction Studios. With the opening of the James Bond ride comes a new name for the area, The Action Studios. Eventually those two attractions will be replaced as well, with what though I’m not quite sure yet…but that’s a story for a different day.


Using Test Track technology, the ride will put guests in the seat of James Bond, where they'll dodge explosions, speed through oil slicks, and crash through walls. In order to make it appear you're actually chasing someone, the vehicles will be timed so that they are "chasing" the vehicle in front of it. In other words, if there are 10 vehicles, then vehicle 1 will "chase" vehicle 10, vehicle 2 will "chase" vehicle 1, vehicle 3 will "chase" vehicle 2, and so on. This timing will be done by having the cars load as if they're a Peoplemover attraction (the vehicles never stop). If for some reason the vehicle did need to stop, for a handicap person, etc, there'd be a pit stop over to the side where that person would be able to load, and the attraction wouldn't be stopped.


Walking up to the ride, you’ll find pretty much what you see in the above concept art, the only difference being a soundstage behind the façade (much like Star Tours in DHS).


-The Queue-

Once inside of the soundstage, guests will find themselves on set of the latest Bond picture, standing inside the lobby of MI6 headquarters. On overhead monitors throughout the queue, a director preps guests for their big role as double-O agents working alongside Bond in his big blockbuster picture. Throughout the queue, guests will see agents and other MI6 employees going about their business, some CM’s, and some AA’s. After winding through the Lobby and hallways, guests will finally find themselves in the Briefing Room. Entering the room guests will find that giant screen seen in the picture below (from Quantum of Solace) and a M animatronic (played by Judi Dench) standing in front of it.


-The Preshow-The director will come on screen, explaining that this is everyone’s first shot and making sure everybody’s ready. From the right side of the room you’ll hear, “QUIET ON THE SET…AND ACTION!”, and suddenly the room will go dark, with a spot light shining on M, who will begin to debrief your mission: to stop a group of terrorists with bio-weapons from reaching their destination, London Heathrow Airport. Suddenly a James Bond animatronic (played by Daniel Craig) will enter the room through a door on the right. M will say something along the lines of, “You’re late 007”, to which he will respond, “Sorry, I was just getting to know Ms. Money Penny a little better”, or something along those lines, though I’d want it to be more humorous (haha yeah, I know, I’m reeeeally bad at writing scripts lol). She’ll explain how we’re going to be working along side Bond, and will then tell us to move along to the Q-Branch Labs.


-The Load Area-Entering the Q-Branch, a large, bright, warehouse looking-room, guests will find a Q animatronic (featuring the late Desmond Llewelyn) on a platform above the empty Aston Martins that drive into the room (the cars will have 2 rows of seats, sitting 3 across). He explains the special features of the cars, how they’re controlled from MI6 via GPS Sattellite, bulletproof, and include a grenade launcher inside of the headlights. Of course, once guests are buckled up, Q will, as always, beg of the agents to, “...Please return the car in one piece this time (sighs)…”


-The Ride-

Zooming out of the Q-Branch Labs and onto the streets of London, Bond comes over the radio, explaining that the car guests’re tracking is right in front of them, and how he’s a street away so as not to give up our cover and make it appear obvious that the car is being followed. Weaving around corners and zooming through alleys and back streets, still keeping their distance, the car you’re following suddenly zooms into the old abandoned (enter sponsor’s name here) warehouse. Speeding after them into the warehouse, the car is nowhere to be found, but whispering can be heard from over some crates and boxes. Suddenly, henchmen pop out from behind the boxes, firing away at your car (which can be felt/heard through holes in the car shooting air just as in GMR on the walls during the gangster scene). “We’ve been caught! Quick, get out of there!”, Bond shouts as guests crash through a warehouse wall and back onto the London streets. From there, the chase is on, and the real fun begins. Guests follow the car out of London and into the British country-side, dodging past pedestrian cars, hitting other bad guy vehicles and flipping their car over, slipping through oil slicks, etc, until guests reach the final straightaway with the car they’ve been playing tag with right in front of them, but about to go into a tunnel. Bond comes over the radio, “Now’s our chance! Q, use the grenade launcher, quick, we won’t get a shot like this again, they're speeding into the tunnel!” “Alright, alright 007, we’re locking onto the target…now! Aaaaaaaaand, FIRE!” All of a sudden, the car in front of guests appears to go up in flames! Of course, it doesn’t really, as the car in front is holding the load of guests in front of us. In order to create the illusion, two separate unload areas will be created, and when the car is “blown up”, guests will have really zoomed into the unload area, where a steel door has slammed shut behind them just as quickly as they zoomed in. Most of the effect will be created with smoke, though Flames will be included. When your car is “blown up”, you will have zoomed into the unload area over. Does that make sense? Haha I suppose it is kind of confusing. Once inside the tunnel, everythings pitch black, then the director yells, "AND CUT!" and suddenly, the lights turn on, and you're back in the soundstage. The director, along with Daniel Craig, tells you what a great job you've done, thanks you for your hard work, and to be sure and enjoy the rest of your day at The Walt Disney Studios Themepark.


Well, there you have it! Any comments, critiscims, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully you get a pretty good sense of what I'd want this attraction to be like.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

A Little Spark-- The Muppet Studios Tour

Muppet Studios Logo


Nearly 2 years ago now, I was in an Imagineering contest over at the WDWmagic forums, in which players would be given tasks to create attractions to improve Walt Disney World. There was one idea in particular that I was extremely proud of, and so, seeing as how this is my strongest idea to date, I think it's perfect to have this attraction be the first fully developed and detailed project posted on this blog. For the contest, we were to create a brand new Dark Ride for Disney's Hollywood Studios, and immediately I knew I wanted my ride to be Muppet-themed. The Great Muppet Movie Ride was off limits (this had to be a 100% original idea) but that was ok, because I actually had been developing a new Muppet attraction called The Muppet's Take New York, a whimsical and crazy tour through the streets of NYC, Muppet-Style (think DCA's SuperStar Limo + Muppet characters). Although that attraction probably would've fit perfectly into the "Streets of America" section of DHS, after developing the ride further I somehow wound up with The Muppet Studios Tours. What follows is my description of the ride from WDWmagic:

Backstory: The Muppet Studios is now open to all guests wishing to catch a glimpse of how the Muppet's create their movie magic through the Muppet Studios Tour!


List of Show Scenes:

1. Introductions/Studio Gate

2. Muppet Studios Lounge

3. Sweedish Chef's Kitchen

4. The Great Gonzo and Bean Bunny

5. Muppet Sound Studio

6. Muppet FX Labs

7. Miss Piggy's Trailer

8. Finale/Rainbow Connection


Scene Descriptions

Introductions/Studio Gate-



Once you've boarded your tram, you begin your journey to the studio gate with the old familar, "Hi-Ho! Kermit the Frog here..." as Kermit (on a video screen), explains that he will be your tourguide. He also goes on to talk about a grand finale that the 'ole gang has been preparing for the grand opening of the tours. Nearing the gate, you'll notice the rats are selling discounted tickets to their own version of the studio tour (a gag that will continue throughout the attraction), along with merchandise that they've "borrowed" from the stars. Nearing the gate, Bobo the Bear stops your vehicle, being the noble and good studio guard he is. He and Kermit would have a humours spat until finally Kermit convinces Bobo to let you through.





Muppet Studios Lounge-


Kermit would begin appologizing for the inconvience caused by Bobo back at the gate as you'd enter your first stop on the tour, the Cast Lounge/Commisary. As Kermit would go about his dialouge talking about the lounge, Fozzy Bear would stop him, as he just HAS to try out his new material on the passing tour group. Of course, no Fozzy joke is complete without Statler and Waldorf heckling in the background. Saddly, before Fozzy has the opportunity to finish his jokes, he is interupted by a loud, "BANG!" coming form the direction of the kitchen, which leads us to our next scene...





Sweedish Chef's Kitchen-





As you enter the kitchen, it appears that the Chef is having quite some difficulty trying to cook a chicken...of course the problems come from the fact that the chicken is still alive. First trying to knock the chicken over the head with a sledge hammer, then grabbing a shotgun, Kermit is finally able to get the tram out just before the Sweedish Chef pulls out a cannon!


The Great Gonzo & Bean Bunny-

Quickly getting out of the kitchen, the trams enter a street near a soundstage labeled, "Stunt Arena", as Kermit again appologizes for all of the inconviences and begins to talk about the next stop on the tour. Up ahead, Bean Bunny can be seen strolling down the street, carrying buckets of paint and brushes and rollers, when suddenly, "KABLOOM!!!!", the Great Gonzo (on a weird Gonzo-Bike) comes crashing through the roof of the stunt arena, flies through the air and then, "THUD!", land right on top of Bean Bunny, sending the paint and rollers everywhere (as soon as Gonzo lands on Bean, smoke fills the air, allowing for the animatronics to switch out between the clean versions and the painty-messy versions). As Kermit began to ask Gonzo what on earth he was doing, Rizzo and Pepe would come running out of the stunt arena talking about how amazing that was, asking if Gonzo was alright, and totally neglecting Bean Bunny. Comedic dialouge between the characters would ensue, and then the tour would move on.


The Muppet Sound Studios-

The next stop on the tour is the Muppet Sound Studios, where you'll come accross Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem in the sound booth recording their next hit, with Scooter as their producer. After listening to a little bit of the song, Animal would begin to be distracted by the tour vehicles, getting excited by the guests, escaping, and chasing the tour vehicles into the next scene.


The Muppet FX Labs-

The place to find Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker. Good news is, you're just in time to chatch a glimpse of their latest and greatest invention, the FX Genor8tor. This device creates any kind of effect you need for the film being made in a matter of minutes. Against Kermit's better judgement, Dr. Honeydew insists on giving the audience a test run, and asks Beaker to push the lever onto the "Rainbow" icon. Suddenly, a Rainbow appears from the machine right over guest's heads. Dr Honeydew would then say something along the lines of, "That's right the FX Genor8tor can create litterally anything, whether it be peaceful, such as the rainbow you just saw, or explosive, such as...", just then Crazy Harry would pop up from out of nowhere and shout, "DID YOU SAY EXPLOSIVE?!?!?!". He'd then explode his TNT, causing Beaker to fly across the room and knocking the lever to "Tornado". With a gust of wind, machines and scientific items would begin flying around the room in a giant tornado, as Honeydew and Kermit urge guests to remain calm. Suddenly one of the items would crash into the tram, causing it to go haywire and immediately exit the FX Labs.


Miss Piggy's Trailer-

Crashing through a wall of the FX Labs, (with your vehicles jerking around quite a bit and moving a little faster), you make your way down a studio street with several Muppets dodging out of the way of the vehicles. Your vehicle then comes to a complete and sudden stop, after it's crashed into Ms. Piggy's trailer of course. Piggy infuriated (and in curlers in a robe), has been getting ready for the big finale, and threatens that if Kermit doesn't get the guests out of her trailer soon she'll be having frog legs for dinner with a side of melon...within seconds of the threat, Kermit and Dr Honeydew announce they've been able to get the trams up and running again.


Finale/Rainbow Connection-


Backing out of Piggy's trailer, Kermit tells everyone that it's almost time for the grand finale. You then enter a soundstage with all the lights completely shut off. Suddenly, one single spotlight shines on a Kermit AA, strummin on the banjo and sitting on a log (with a swamp facade behind him). He starts, "Why are there so many songs about rainbows..." The lights in the room then slowly begin to fade up as the entire Muppet cast joins him in the finale song from "The Muppet Movie" (in front of the "Magic Store" facade). Kermit then thanks you for taking the tour and then wishes everyone a Magical day at The Walt Disney Studios Themepark.