Spring 2005 MouseAdventure

[AVP]

Unfortunately, my explaination of this got cut a little short yesterday. I've already gotten some questions about it, so here are the basics in a nutshell. The game is still in development, and subject to change w/o notice.

Spring 2005 MouseAdventure

To keep the game accessible to the ever-growing numbers of new teams, and to keep the game challenging enough for returning teams, we are planning two different MouseAdventure categories for spring: "Open" and "Invitational."

The Open category will be open to any team, old, new, Masters, whomever. This is going to be an easier game, using some elements of MouseAdventure as you know it. We may revisit some quests from previous games, spend more time on Eye Spy - we're not quite sure yet. This category is meant to be family-friendly and fun, geared to the teams who come out just to have a good time in the park, and really aren't concerned with their score.

The Invitational category will be open to returning teams ONLY. This means that 1/2, 2/3 or 3/4 of your team must have completed a previous MouseAdventure. (And by completed we mean turned in your materials and received a score, not finished every quest.) Registration in this category will be limited to NO MORE than 40-50 teams, with the final number to be based on some logistical considerations we haven't worked out yet.

The invitational category will depart from "normal" MouseAdventures in several ways:

* Registration fees will be per-team, not per-player. We want to encourage 4-player teams, and larger teams will have a decided advantage. We will let you play with fewer people if you want, but you may hurt your chances of finishing if you do so.
* The game will be based around Disneyland, but may also include Downtown Disney, the Disney hotels, and possibly a field trip off-property....
* The game is going to be longer than a normal MA. We're not sure how long yet, but 5-6 hours is the guess right now.
* This game is going to be hard. It's going to be long, exhausting and physically-challenging. (We estimate that teams walked around 7 miles to complete this past game - imagine doubling that.)
* We're going to give teams a LOT less "instruction" on how to do games. Since all teams will be returning, we assume that you know how MA quests usually work, and will need less hand-holding.

In addition, the two Masters teams will be given the choice of playing for free, or competing. I've talked with members of both Masters teams, and they are looking forward to adding another 1st Place award to their resume, so the other teams really have some competition.

So, that's the event in a nutshell. The date is tentatively scheduled for March 13, and we don't expect it to change unless there is a major event added to Disneyland's schedule between now and then. We've picked this date to avoid conflicts with major conventions, cheerleading competitions, Easter, Passover, May 5th and staff member availability, so it's 90% certain.

More details in January, when we open registration.

AVP

[gfy4dland]

WOW! This new format sounds great! At the award ceremony yesterday, you mentioned the Amazing Race when describing the new format. That doesn't mean people would be eliminated along the way, does it? I love competing in MA's, so twice as much time would be great! I love the idea of being more spread out too.

[AVP]

WOW! This new format sounds great! At the award ceremony yesterday, you mentioned the Amazing Race when describing the new format. That doesn't mean people would be eliminated along the way, does it?

No, because that would mean teams would be running the same course at the same time. Even if registration is limited to 40 teams, having all of them reading the same sign, riding the same ride or searching the same store at the same time would be too much congestion.

We'll be using a lot of scatter techniques to spread the teams out, so mid-point eliminations would not exactly be fair. But bonus points for being first to a station..... there's an idea.....

AVP

[cstephens]

How about a Fear Factor version of the game? There are a number of icky things I can think of that people would have to eat.

Who is perfectly safe making these kinds of suggestions because I don't participate in these games anyway other than to visit and stare and laugh.

[DisneylandForever]

How about a Fear Factor version of the game? There are a number of icky things I can think of that people would have to eat.

My version of Fear Factor:

"Okay Forever, for the next stunt, you have to stay in DCA from opening till closing."



Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

[cstephens]

My version of Fear Factor:

"Okay Forever, for the next stunt, you have to stay in DCA from opening till closing."



Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

You have to watch "Golden Dreams" for that entire time.

No, MP staff can't play.

[Disneyphile]

The ultimate one would be riding SSL continuously.

Thank goodness it's not still around.

[DisneylandForever]

You have to watch "Golden Dreams" for that entire time.

The ultimate one would be riding SSL continuously.

Oh, God!


Is this called Fear Factor, or Torture Factor?

[Sheila]

You have to watch "Golden Dreams" for that entire time.

No, MP staff can't play.

Drat! I'd soooo win this one!

Sheila

[Niwel]

Drat! I'd soooo win this one!

I'd bet money on that

As we like to say at MA -- "Folks, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet."

[innerSpaceman]

Gak, if this event goes forward on the tentatively planned date of March 13, 2005, I will not be able to play - - as I am attending a wedding that day. (phft, not just attending ... I am performing the ceremony. No way out of that one.)

As of now, it's one of four days I have plans for in all of 2005 - - and wouldn't you know the MouseAdventure First Ever "Invitational," the long-looked-for chance for my team, The Denton Affair (1st ever MouseAdventure Masters), to get back in the competitive action ... is on that date that I cannot be there!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.



What happened to April? I thought Spring MouseAdventure was in April. I think it's supposed to rain in March. All of March.

[lesliebumper]

And tornadoes and several earthquakes, perhaps tidal waves. April's definitely a better choice (um, or the weekend of 3/20).

It's crazy I already have plans that weekend too, and I'll be heartbroken to miss the invitational.

[adriennek]

What happened to April? I thought Spring MouseAdventure was in April. I think it's supposed to rain in March. All of March.

This year it was actually the last weekend in March. Other years it was as late as May and June!

March is cooler and when we looked at the staff calendars and the holiday calendar and the Anaheim/Disneyland Convention calendar, that was the best weekend.

Adrienne

[Sophie832]

I'm intrigued at the idea that having more than 2 players will suddenly be an advantage...I've always thought I'm much better in a team of 2 than I'd ever be in a team of 3 or 4, and that too many teammates, with their own ideas of what to do or where to go, would get really annoying.

[Andrew]

Gak, if this event goes forward on the tentatively planned date of March 13, 2005, I will not be able to play - - as I am attending a wedding that day. (phft, not just attending ... I am performing the ceremony. No way out of that one.)

Simple, just move the wedding to the Disneyland picnic area. Tell them it's a requirement for your ordinal sect.

[adriennek]

I'm intrigued at the idea that having more than 2 players will suddenly be an advantage...I've always thought I'm much better in a team of 2 than I'd ever be in a team of 3 or 4, and that too many teammates, with their own ideas of what to do or where to go, would get really annoying.

That's been the traditional thinking for MA- that teams of 3 seem to be optimum. But this will be a different game with different rules. AVP has said before so I don't think I'm revealing anything secret that teams may be allowed to split up. If there is so much stuff to do that you need four individual people to split up and do it, fewer than four could be a disadvantage.

Adrienne

[Dlandmom]

March is cooler and when we looked at the staff calendars and the holiday calendar and the Anaheim/Disneyland Convention calendar, that was the best weekend.

Yeah, but the business expo I'm producing will be at the Anaheim Hilton across the street on March 12! There will be HOARDS attending the expo!

[garkat]

I have always wanted to participate in a Mouse Adventure and I thought this year it would work out for me...but alas, my left knee starting acting up (joint problems and arthiritis). Adrienne - I'd like to know if it would be possible to volunteer as a worker in the March 2005 Adventure?? I don't know that I could do all of the walking involved, but I'd love to still participate or help in anyway I could

[AVP]

Adrienne - I'd like to know if it would be possible to volunteer as a worker in the March 2005 Adventure??

Sure! I can even find you a sitting job. Please send me a PM, so I have your info when we start organizing people - and don't feel left out if you don't hear from me until February.

AVP

[KarenW2]

Alas, we and our team members had to miss the MA on Sunday. My hubby had a surprise birthday party at The Hobbit for me, early for my 50th birthday (it's on 10-18), with a team from ComedySportz LA performing, so I was anxious to hear how this last one went.

The new ideas sound great!! We'd be up for the less-grueling "Open" version and March sounds hopefully like a much cooler time of year too! As far as I know now, the date should be just fine with our team of four.

I'll email our team members today, to have them put the tentative date on their calendar!

[gfy4dland]

I think I'll reserve a hotel room for 3/12, just in case my parents can watch the kids overnight. Then we could finally come to the picnic and do some evening reconnaissance.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

So you're doing these two events on the same day? Are you going to have more staff to handle it?

Hmm, perhaps we could beta-test the Open quests for you guys? That is, if you're not just reusing old quests.

I'm so excited for the new format but really sad that iSm can't make it. And adding people to our team?! Well, it worked ok for us on Minnie's Moonlit Madness, I guess we can pull it off...but it's still scary. Bring on the new challenges!

[AVP]

So you're doing these two events on the same day? Are you going to have more staff to handle it?

Both events will be the same day. The Invitational will start before and end after the Open game. The Invitational has no scoring, so we don't need extra staff per se.

Hmm, perhaps we could beta-test the Open quests for you guys?

Thanks for the offer, but only staff and completely un-related parties get to see the quests before the event day.

And adding people to our team?! Well, it worked ok for us on Minnie's Moonlit Madness, I guess we can pull it off...but it's still scary.

You do not NEED to add people to your team. There are going to be places where having more people to do certain things may be an advantage, but you can play with just two if you really, really want.

AVP

[Ghoulish Delight]

The Invitational has no scoring, so we don't need extra staff per se.

Curiouser and curiouser.

[Lani]

The Invitational has no scoring, so we don't need extra staff per se.

Oh, now I'm confused. The Invitational has no scoring because there will be a sole winner, like in Amazing Race? Or the Open has no scoring because it isn't competitive? Sounds like either way, there's no scoring?

What will Team Red Pen do?!?!? [I don't care; I'm not on Team Red Pen; this time I was on Team Blue Pen. Hee hee]