MouseAdventure Basic - May 2010 [SPOILERS / Discussion / Results]

[Heaven Is Disneyland]

I'm really enjoying reading everyone's comments here. I was the staff memember who hung out in the Adventureland Bazzar most of the day, keeping you all out of the isles.

We lucked out by having a CM in that area who enjoyed her job but was very dilligent in her duties of keeping the isleways clear. At first I didn't get along with her, I viewed her as the "enemy" but I felt that was not a good mindset to have so I made friends with her and she had such a great attitude. We then worked as a team for the rest of the day.

We didn't realize that so many teams would be in that shop to look on that wall all at once, and then stay there for as long as they did. It did not take long for that area to become very crowded, so it was quite the challenge to make sure we were not disrupting the flow of the shoppers in that store.

I did notice a few teams took the opportunity of being near other teams and using the time to exchange postcards, that was smart.

I love working this event, I am a social butterfly at heart, I love saying hello to all the teams and seeing familiar faces.

Our main discussion after the event was how to describe this event to new comers, and people who may have interest in this game, so they are not overwhealmed on the day of the event. Some new teams did very well with the quests, yet some were frustrated and did not enjoy the event. With over 500 people playing, it is so hard to build quests that are challenging to everyone but not too frustrating.

I helped with grading after, and who used black crayon on their answer sheet? That was the most unique looking answer sheet. I had to chuckle over that one........ Some of the answers to the Bad Robot question were amusing as well.

Liana

[Drince88]

Have you tried making it be mandatory that your first go around must be day at the park? That way you have to work your way up through the ranks...

As part of a team that has to travel (me from New Orleans, LA) that went right into an Advanced event (and we were happy with that decision even at the awards ceremony immediately AFTER) - I would be VERY unhappy with that requirement. If I'm spending that kind of money, I want to be able to play the event I want to play. (We did have multiple people try to talk us into doing Basic first, but we did have our reasons, and we were NOT clueless about what we were getting into. Other people that we trusted agreed that our logic wasn't flawed.)

I think the only times Advanced has been signifcantly longer than Basic (i.e., a 2 day event) is when it's been an invitational -and to me - that's a Super Advanced level.

And those that are anxious for another game this year - Florida isn't THAT far away! October is a GREAT time to visit Florida and WDW in particular.

[mre200200]

My team (Drink Me, Eat Me) had a really fun time as well.

Did anyone else look around during the slide show? There were SO many teams copying every bit of info from those slides thinking it might have been trivia.

For the Main Street Windows quest we were able to figure our that it was YOURTUNE, but we ended up choosing the wrong answer. We found an organ at the back of the arcade with a digital display that let you pick a song to play. We thought "Your Tune" was a reference to that.

Overall though we had a great time. We'll definitely be back next year. We got excited when you mentioned October as the date for the Animal Kingdom MouseAdventure, but we're getting there two weeks too late.

As a team we were interested in seeing the quests that the Advanced teams had to do. Is there any way to buy an Advanced packet? Even without the LEGO, socks or MP3 players.

[SunolMouse]

The Disney MountainEars (long) report:

We drove down from the Bay Area Sunday morning (leaving at 2:00am). Had a dusting of snow over the Grapevine but no traffic anywhere and we pulled into Mickey and Friends at 8:00am. Exchanged our Get-a-Day/Give-a-Day vouchers for tickets and got to the PP by 8:45 all ready to go!

When they started MA retrospective (during game time!) we were sure that the trivia quiz would be based on the slide show. Big Thunder took meticulous notes but looking around I didn't see any other teams writing furiously. Then when they gave us the option of skipping the trivia we were in a quandry. Trivia is my least favorite part of MA - I would much rather be in the park working on quests. If we have the choice then I say let's skip out and enjoy what we came here for. We're not going to win so let's do the fun stuff! Big Thunder and Matterhorn pointed out that if the trivia was, indeed, based on the slide show then we were going to kick ***. Splash and I pushed for leaving fearing the standard trivia where we are just lame. We all actually got up and started to leave then changed our minds again and returned to our seats! Luckily Andrew gave us even more time to change our minds again and we decided to leave.

Started in Toontown and loved that one! Fantasyland next where we got confused with the colored numbers on the Publik House quest (we treated "17" of the same color as "1" and "7" so we were trying to take the first letter AND the seventh letter instead of just the seventeenth letter and we ended up with too many letters!). We decided to come back to it later. Did all of our postcard trading while we stumbled around Fantasyland. This was our 4th MA but the first where we had to interact with other teams. I liked it! Pinnochio line was too long so we left Fantasyland for Tomorrowland.

Counted Vinylmations and spent a long time in Innoventions but were successful in both. Down Main Street (found half of the windows) then into the Opera House. Back up Main Street where we found all but one window but had enough to get "a song". I liked that one! Into Adventureland where we were part of the mob scene. When we couldn't translate the very bottom right picture I asked the staff member present if it indeed was extra but she said she didn't know - that no one had mentioned it! I have since seen posts concerning the extra picture but at the time we were concerned that we were missing something.

Into NOS where Big Thunder and Matterhorn worked on the missing word one while I carried the narration quest around. Splash was trying to do both. Multi-tasking! We never found "black of" or "scrumptuous" but knew what we were looking for and STILL had trouble finding it. Quite a success when Big Thunder finally spotted "Carter's". None of us picked up a "times" sheet at the DL entrance so we were stuck on the 4:00 Celebrate show. Finally found a time sheet somewhere in NOS and retraced Facillier's route. Fun!

We could see Tracy on TSI and actually started to get in line for the raft but we got scared away by the length of the line (and the mob on the island waiting for a raft back). The quest sheet said that Tracy would give us a code word but people have been saying that he gave a question (and the answer which I guess was "bad robot"). But what was the question? Really liked the Frontierland quest. Couldn't find three of the numbers on our first sweep. Then Splash mentioned the Ranch area. Found one more number and finally went into the cabin and found the ribbons. Deciphering was straight forward even with two missing numbers but I was worried about all of the left over letters. We check for more ribbons but decided they must just be for "fill".

Staff finally straightened us out on the pub quest but we were still having trouble. Rode Pinnochio and all of us just scribbled down everything we saw. After we came out we compared notes then actually read the instructions! We rode again, did the scratch off - no penalties! With five minutes to go we finally figured out the question for the pub quest but did not have enough time to go through the Sleeping Beauty walkthrough. Went with Merriweather.

We got to MA central at 3:29. We had only found a couple of the EyeSpys and we had not been writing them on the answer sheet! Staff told us that we had to hand it in NOW! so we got no points for that.

Whew! The MountainEars really had fun. I have absolutely no regrets about skipping out on the trivia since we needed every single minute and finished every quest (except the Island) (oh and the EyeSpys). We rode a couple rides then got back in the car and got home at midnight. What a great way to spend the day! We also can't wait for the next one!

[Mostly Anonymous]

But then at the ceremony they said it had to do with the italicized word on the Pub Quest.

That does seem very suspicious. But I've tried anagramming it and have found a variety of possible questions, none of which seem right. (The letters are Wontsow Hamlet)

What women lost?

Who almost went?

Ant who met owls?

and my favorite...

Who went "om" last?

[AVP]

As a team we were interested in seeing the quests that the Advanced teams had to do. Is there any way to buy an Advanced packet? Even without the LEGO, socks or MP3 players.

Patience, grasshopper... we have something up our sleeves...

AVP

[julierika]

For the Main Street Windows quest we were able to figure our that it was YOURTUNE, but we ended up choosing the wrong answer. We found an organ at the back of the arcade with a digital display that let you pick a song to play. We thought "Your Tune" was a reference to that.

We did the same thing!

[Niwel]

That does seem very suspicious. But I've tried anagramming it and have found a variety of possible questions, none of which seem right. (The letters are Wontsow Hamlet)

What women lost?

Who almost went?

Ant who met owls?

and my favorite...

Who went "om" last?

What if I told you one of the the words is a proper name?

[mre200200]

Talking to someone afterwards (cause we didn't figure it out), they said it was

 

"Walt's Hometown" and the answer was Chicago.

That does seem very suspicious. But I've tried anagramming it and have found a variety of possible questions, none of which seem right. (The letters are Wontsow Hamlet)

What women lost?

Who almost went?

Ant who met owls?

and my favorite...

Who went "om" last?

[julierika]

As a team we were interested in seeing the quests that the Advanced teams had to do. Is there any way to buy an Advanced packet? Even without the LEGO, socks or MP3 players.

Patience, grasshopper... we have something up our sleeves... AVP

OOHH! We are excited about that possibility!

[mre200200]

Excellent.....

But who was it that said, "Waiting is the hardest part"

Patience, grasshopper... we have something up our sleeves...

AVP

[Shellyjj]

Talking to someone afterwards (cause we didn't figure it out), they said it was

 

"Walt's Hometown" and the answer was Chicago.

A crew member told me that they were looking for

 

Marceline as Walt's Hometown

Michelle
Team All4Mickey
(Our experience/recap coming soon!)

[adriennek]

Excellent.....

But who was it that said, "Waiting is the hardest part"

Tom Petty.

Adrienne

[Shellyjj]

As a team we were interested in seeing the quests that the Advanced teams had to do. Is there any way to buy an Advanced packet? Even without the LEGO, socks or MP3 players.

Patience, grasshopper... we have something up our sleeves...

AVP

OOHH! We are excited about that possibility!

We are also very excited about that possibility!

Michelle

[AVP]

Ok, you asked, we listened:

http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=147135

OOHH! We are excited about that possibility!

As a team we were interested in seeing the quests that the Advanced teams had to do. Is there any way to buy an Advanced packet? Even without the LEGO, socks or MP3 players.

YES we would totally be interested! This was our second time and we are hooked!

* We're already gonna be there. My friend signed us up for DatP to introduce her daughter into the whole MA experience.

• Yes!!
• YES!!
• Did I already say YES?!?!?

Yes
Yes
My calendars open.

I think if we could make another trip so soon, we would be interested...

We'd definitely be interested. .

1. DEFINITELY INTERESTED!
2. Still interested
3. Count us in!

[mre200200]

I heard both as well, during the 5-6pm recap. I believe Joe said your answer and then someone mentioned my answer.

I talked to Shana who said she wrote the hidden quest.

Maybe they would accept both since

 

He was born in Chicago and grew up in Marceline

A crew member told me that they were looking for

 

Marceline as Walt's Hometown

Michelle
Team All4Mickey
(Our experience/recap coming soon!)

[Niwel]

I talked to Shana who said she wrote the hidden quest.

I did?

I wrote the trivia... I think I remember talking to you guys at turn in

The credit for the hidden quest goes to other evil staffers.

[Tony]

Maybe they would accept both since

 

He was born in Chicago and grew up in Marceline

We did accept both

[mre200200]

Maybe I misunderstood when we were talking to you then.
Sorry about that. Nice to put a name and face to an avatar.

I can go back and edit my previous post if you'd like.

I did?

I wrote the trivia... I think I remember talking to you guys at turn in

The credit for the hidden quest goes to other evil staffers.

[Niwel]

Maybe I misunderstood when we were talking to you then.
Sorry about that. Nice to put a name and face to an avatar.

I can go back and edit my previous post if you'd like.

nah -- it's all good.

[MKY4ME]

[QUOTE=SunolMouse;1542405]The Disney MountainEars (long) report:
We could see Tracy on TSI and actually started to get in line for the raft but we got scared away by the length of the line (and the mob on the island waiting for a raft back). The quest sheet said that Tracy would give us a code word but people have been saying that he gave a question (and the answer which I guess was "bad robot"). But what was the question?


It had to do with the last words spoken on the TV show LOST. But he gave you the answer whether you knew the question or not.

[mre200200]

Alright! Now to convince my wife that she doesn't need to work so hard on that school paper due on June 7th.

Thanks AVP!

Ok, you asked, we listened:

[dlphn223]

This wasn't my first time to the party...7th time, as it turns out (thank you MA staff for helping me to remember in the recap)...thank you for making me remember the 100 degree day - and the Fire day when we had to sub players while our team asthmatic couldn't play! BTW, we first learned about the MA shenanigans from Simba's Pride, although we can't match their enthusiam, commitment level, or MA prowess, lol.

Anywho, I don't know if it's just because I'm getting older, or what...but I swear these MA's are getting more & more difficult! And since the weather was perfecto, that wasn't impairing brain function! But between a preggo team member & the migraine I had all day, maybe I wasn't as pushy & determined to get things done?? But surely I was a nicer person to be around!

I think we left more blanks on our answer sheet than what we answered, so I definitely agree w/the pleas for more time!

So I saw the answer to the hidden quest and I KNEW it had something to do w/the italic words on the Pub Quest! But my team was thrown off by the 1994 date on our team numbers & the quests that didn't have a specific date written on them - what was up w/that?? Did I already miss the answer in the discussion board??

[Toocherie]

Michelle--we wondered why some of the quests didn't have years either. And thought that had something to do with the hidden quest. We didn't figure it out, obviously.

Have we gotten any confirmation on whether the correct answer to the number of Vinylmations was 257 or 267 (or?)?

My teammate who counted (there were SO many people there it was hard to get close) indicated that not all of the boxes of smaller ones were the same.

[vegaspixie]

Well, maybe my initial response was too negative; aside from the horrible, terrible, no good postcard quest (JUST KIDDING), I thought the difficulty level of the remaining quests was just PERFECT!

No, as a family team we are NOT competitive...against other teams. Against the clock and our past performances, you bet! It's like running (AdrienneK can possibly appreciate this); I run half-marathons. There is NO WAY I will EVER win or place (overall or age division) a race. I am a solid mid-packer. So why do I bother? Why pay the $100+ entry fee? What do I win? Well...first and foremost its a personal challenge...can I get through it? Can I finish? Can I beat my previous time, even by a few seconds? Next, it's the atmosphere...it's just plain fun to be around thousands of other runners like myself; we're a fun group! Do I look at the results to see how I rank against others (overall/gender/age)? You bet! I'm curious, I'll admit it. MA is exactly the same. That's why as tempting as Day at the Park might be (Advanced aside, I'm going to go home and beg DH to say yes) we'll continue to register in Basic (or perhaps Advanced someday) and we'll continue to enjoy the experience. The MA staff better NOT "dumb down" the quests...come on, make me WORK! WE LOVE IT!! And yes, thanks to our performance on Sunday, my family now gets to play with the remaining, unfinished, pristine, barely-touched quests, so there, another benefit!

Thank you MA!!!!! You ROCK!