Mouseadventure?

[scaeagles]

Aren't there people here who participate in these things? Wasn't there one this past weekend?

I always enjoy reading about your excursions into it. Didn't GD and CP win one recently?

I've never done one (sorry to say not really interested in doing one), but I was wondering about it.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I'm freaking out right now....I was just about to post a "what happened at MA thread", so I checked the Disney forum to be sure no one posted...and here this is, about 60 seconds before I thought of it. :eek:

So, nu? We weren't there, and we want a report!

[BarTopDancer]

Fun. Tired.

Superstar Losers placed 3rd, with only two original members.
Brother Bears are now masters.

Next event is scheduled for Nov. 5th - enchanted race and newbie event.

[Ponine]

I wont be able to do a trip report till lunch... but you were missed, it was hellacious.. I applied suncreen three times and I am still a lobster. And .. you know, I really love DCA... I do. But for MA, it makes me nuts.
Stupid Redwood Challange

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Congrats SSL! They are a proven force to be reckoned with. :cheers:

Congrats to the Brother Bears! I knew they could do it. :D
Stupid Redwood ChallangeSounds like everyone that participated will deserve congrats as well. Heehee, listening to people gripe about the quests will be fun :evil:

[innerSpaceman]

I was really happy that Brother Bears made it to Masters. But don't expect a Master's Tournament any time soon ... themouse.com is now working the event as staff.

I think it was the most fun game they put on at DCA. Granted, we didn't get to do everything because we got a lousy start at the Downtown Disney portion of the Resortwide game.

There were a couple of quests inside the Redwood area, and I haven't had so much fun in there since we believed the rumour that they were going to laywer-proof the place! One quest had us crossing net-bridges to spy out the Hollywood Tower from viewers at the lookout point. Another involved animals and the tracks they left all over, and a process of elimation based on clues in the area. Then there was an evil-paragraphish quest using the logging and mining machinery plaques near Grizzly River. And, best of all to us lazy APs, there was a quest that took us to the Grand Cal AP Lounge!

The stuff at Hollywood Backlot was fun, too. Inventory at the Disaster Storage Area of the Muppet queue, and a decoder puzzle that led to playfulness in the Animation Building.

We only had time for one quest at the Fun Faire area, with barely 20 minutes to go - so our fun didn't fair so well over there. Can't comment on those quests.

A few of the quests started out with some pretty tricky puzzles. A couple of crossword-type deals that took a long time to get started, but flowed pretty quickly after a while. I thought the puzzle starts were more difficult than in past games, but I was duly impressed that the MouseAdventure staff keeps coming up with fun activities built into the quests.

There was trivia for the resort-wide teams ... but even with that bonus opportunity that played into my teams hands, we never quite recovered from the poor start we got at the Resort-only DTD opening quests. I must say that even though our team bungled the ESPN quest and missing it was totally our fault ... it was the absolutely worst worded quest I have experienced in MouseAdventure history. Heheh, officials told us we didn't "interpret" it correctly, but interpretting it in the English language led our team to the absolutely correct answer - - even though not the answer we knew they were looking for, and which we stupidly missed.

Boy was I ever glad that they neglected to mention the only present Masters' Team final score. I'm sure we did very poorly, and our scores are continuing their tragic downhill slide. Still, we had amazing fun - as always. It was a great game ... easily my favorite one they've had in DCA to date.

Gotta say, though - - I am not a fan of the Mad Scramble format. I'm a little too old to scramble madly, and there's too little room for strategizing. You pretty much take the quests they give you, as they give 'em to you. Your only game-playing options are to quit or not. Bah.


Don't get me wrong. MouseAdventure is pure fun. And 7 hours seemed Just Right.

[tracilicious]

Congrats to the Brother Bears! I knew they could do it. :D


Are they from here?

[innerSpaceman]

Nah, they don't post here ... but they've been a good-natured, good-playing MouseAdventure team for quite a while now, and it's been a pleasure to see them do well.

Of course, they are somewhat older gentemen, and make a mockery of me and my team in completing the Mad Scramble at lightning speeds while we try to pawn off our poor showing on old age.




Oh, but of people who do post here ... I ran into Bewitched after the awards ceremony. She stopped me on Big Thunder Trail and asked who I was on the LoT. Huh? Turns out she recognized me from some thing or other. Heheh.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Are they from here?Actually no...we just know them from MAs...I guess those congrats are more vibes I'm sending out....;)

I really want to know who else placed but apparently no one else has posted such elsewhere. iSm, Ponine, do you remember?

[Gemini Cricket]

Are they bears? We can add them to the den we have going here.
:D

[innerSpaceman]

I had never heard of the team that placed 2nd in the Resort-wide, and Gak - I can't remember any one in the winners circle of the DCA-only game. Guess I'll have to wait a few weeks till MousePlanet posts the results. :evil:

[Gemini Cricket]

I had never heard of the team that placed 2nd in the Resort-wide...
The winners for the resort-wide competition were: 1st place Brother Bear (new masters team), 2nd place Oswald Returns, and 3rd place Superstar Losers.
And I'm in Boston!

[Ponine]

I had never heard of the team that placed 2nd in the Resort-wide, and Gak - I can't remember any one in the winners circle of the DCA-only game. Guess I'll have to wait a few weeks till MousePlanet posts the results. :evil:
Per Adrienne K

Resort-wide:

1- Brother Bears - Masters Team, now retired!! YEAH!!
2- Oswald Returns FKA A buncha cute names, MPinSV, gfy4dland & ReluctantDG
3- SuperStar Losers

DCA ONLY:

1- Pillage People
2- Electric Barbarellas
3- Mickey's Marauders

Best new team: (The Meeples who are friends of Simbas Pride and our own *Nala* )

[Ponine]

My day started off well… it was overcast, and seemed we wouldn’t overheat, and the first folks I met were the folks in the lavender Tink outfits.
I had three newbies on my team, and they were all suddenly very impressed they weren’t wearing the wings.
(In case those folks read this, we LOVED your costumes, but my team was still pleased they didn’t need to wear them)

We started in Hollywood, had to take the assistance on the Muppets quest, and once we did, that went tons better.
It was interesting, our first quest was not too bad.. but the muppet one, you solved down to the question How Many Open Doors are there on the Monsters Inc façade?
Well, as many of us know, that’s a trick question… the answer was Ten, and that’s what we answered, but I would like to know if anyone challenged them with 11.

Next we shrunk ourselves to miniscule size, and wandered over to Bug’s Land.

One was to find the number value to a list of items… How many fl oz are in the juice box, how many unbroken popsicle sticks make a bench, how many egg rolls in a box…
Then you too those answers, and used the next page to connect numbers on a grid pattern.
You then turned in the sheet, after you memorized your drawing, and were told to find that which the grid represented.
Well dang it, if we didn’t fell dumb. After wandering around assuming we were looking for a bldg with a chimney… we saw a bunch of people at the kids watering area with the yellow poles?
The ones in the grid pattern? You had to run through the poles as a team, in the same pattern you drew, in order to complete the quest.
Yes, well. Four tries later, and very wet, we emerged. (Try three we think we got right, but no one saw us go through)

Another quest had us ride the Chew Chew… I didn’t know that the rest of my team had never ridden the chew chew… and really? We assumed we wouldn’t have to ride the ride, and turned the quest in wrong at first….
We had to answer a bunch of questions from the Farm area that could be found on the signs, if the answer was this, write this in space 4.
Once you had the list completed, you had to see what the list seemed to represent, and figure out what was missing.
It was a list of the snacks along Heimlich’s route, and you needed to find the missing item. Hence, riding the ride.
The cast member was great, wonderful attitude, pin traded with one of my team mates while we were in line… and that was done.

From there we went to Redwood challenge .. now… why did I say stupid Redwood Challenge?
I asked if there were physical limitations to the day, I was told no.
To me, the suspended rope bridge things, and tons of stairs, are a limitation to be made aware of.

That aside… the second Redwood challenge puzzle for us, was the one with the empty grid and the letters in columns above the grid?
We sucked.. it took us forever… and had we known there was an evil paragraph yet to come, we might have given it up.
We realized sitting there in the shade that the couple not two feet from us, were doing worse than we were. When we finally figured out where to go, I literally told them to come with us.
We had less than 30 minutes, and weren’t more than half way done, what loss would it have been to us? None.
We lost the couple. I have no idea what happened to them, and they were so frustrated, with the puzzle and each other. (I think I found them on MP, possibly sdfilmcritic and partner)
We got that puzzle finally… but it was so stupid I stood there… I looked at my team and said, That answer is SO dumb, it has to be right. No, they said… that’s doesn’t make any sense. Yes, I say, that’s why it’s right. <sigh> the joys of MA.

Three applications of sunscreen, I’m toasty. One team mate, a co-worker, is also burnt, and I am not sure he’s speaking to me. His gf, will never bring him again, and the last gal, was amazed at the entire event.


And GC, yes, I think the Bears are bears, and they are a great group of men.

[Disneyphile]

Fellowship of the Mouse tanked this time around. :(

We botched the first quest (the "Hollywood Squares" one), and then spent over 45 minutes on the stupid crossword jigsaw puzzle. We didn't leave Downtown Disney until after 10:30. :rolleyes:

Sadly, we did really well with the rest, but we still couldn't make up enough of the lost morning time to finish. :(

It was our worst game ever.

[innerSpaceman]

I gotta say I'm now a little miffed at the Flik's Fun Faire stuff. We arrived there with 20 minutes left in the game and asked them to pick out the most fun quest we might be able to do in 20 minutes. They gave us the one where, after figuring everything out, you had to ride Heimlich's Chew-Chew train, which had a 30-minute queue.

That was a cruel and unexpected trick (for which I allege no malice). But Bah. Messed up our mojo, because we couldn't complete it. Heheh, we even got yelled at by the Chew-Chew CM for sneaking through the unused queue areas to try and spot the answer.

Once we had gotten into DCA, we started completing all our quests on the first try, with no assistance, and in pretty short order (though I will never comprehend the blistering speeds attained by some of the winning teams). But that last one with the Chew-Chew train really messed us up. Nothing compared to the Downtown Disney games early in the morning, which we botched completely.


I think the truth is that the caliber of the teams has just gotten better over time. My team has aged, but we still play about the same as we've always played ... and what was once good enough for 1st place is now only good enough for 20th. (Geez, I'd be happy with 20th this time around, but I fear we did far worse.)

[Stan4dSteph]

I'm not Alex, but I believe the recap is supposed to run on Wednesday.

[Ghoulish Delight]

So, we weren't completely shut out of MA, despite choosing to go to Coachella...we got to beta test a few weeks ago.

I'd agree with iSm's observation that the puzzles seemd a little bit more difficult this time around (and I'm the puzzle guy!), but there were some really fun and clever things, and I'm jealous of all of you that got to run it competetively.

Big congrats to the winners, I'm bummed we missed the Brothers Bear finally cross over.

For those that did the long-form one, was there a quest in Disneyland that involved tribute windows? Did you have to go to Toon Town?

[BarTopDancer]

For those that did the long-form one, was there a quest in Disneyland that involved tribute windows? Did you have to go to Toon Town?

From what it sounded like, they cut the Disneyland portion out and only a small handful of teams had to go there.

[innerSpaceman]

Oh, GD and CP are in for it now. Because I will never stop needling anyone who Beta-tested that ESPN quest - which had absolutely wrong wording in two sections, resulting in two purportedly incorrect answers when foolishly interpretted using the English language.




Also - I must question the wisdom of using some of the best players ever born to Beta test the game. A certain high-level staffer confided in me after MouseAdventure that the quests were running far longer in reality than they did in Beta, to the point where they even had to cut one quest from the game mid-morning. I don't know who the other Beta testers were, but the likes of GD and CP are not going to provide you with a running time for average contestants!

[FEJ]

Oh, GD and CP are in for it now. Because I will never stop needling anyone who Beta-tested that ESPN quest - which had absolutely wrong wording in two sections, resulting in two purportedly incorrect answers when foolishly interpretted using the English language.




Also - I must question the wisdom of using some of the best players ever born to Beta test the game. A certain high-level staffer confided in me after MouseAdventure that the quests were running far longer in reality than they did in Beta, to the point where they even had to cut one quest from the game mid-morning. I don't know who the other Beta testers were, but the likes of GD and CP are not going to provide you with a running time for average contestants!


They were not the only beta testers...

[Ghoulish Delight]

We tested in the very early stages, and weren't timed. We were just looking for accuracy and general assessments of difficulty.

Of course, there was some imformal observation of time. So when the version of the Disnyland quest (which I guess was cut?) took over an hour, even with 3 people splitting up and combining efforts, scaling back was definitely immediately discussed.

[innerSpaceman]

Yep, that was the one. Well, they can always use it at a future M.A.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

GC - yes, the Brother Bears are definitely Bears. Very cool guys. I wish they posted - they're not even on MP, I don't think.

Beta testing was annoying for me because I had to go to work in the middle of it. I missed most of that day, but it hardly matters because I was completely useless anyway. They had us do puzzles only, which everyone knows is GD's turf. All the other stuff that I usually help with wasn't there so I was revealed to be a puzzle idiot. Alex handed both of us a copy of each puzzle and I was forced to work alone...I was rather embarrassed to be so completely outed as a moron. I'll take a page out of iSm's book and add my excuse - Alex said the beta versions are always harder, because scaling back is easier.

iSm - I totally feel for you on the bad start in DCA. I did work on that puzzle, and got it wrong too. It's so awful to start off on the wrong foot, especially in Scramble.

Even so, enough with the excuses! Next time is another chance for true glory, as they are doing an Enchanted Race, which means us Masters will have to cough up the mothballs and really compete. I predict we will destroy your excuse #53 - "I skipped an MA and lost the feel for it." ;) We'll be back in the fall!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The Brother Bears (from Spring 2005)

http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure050313/teamI414.jpg

[Babette]

Also - I must question the wisdom of using some of the best players ever born to Beta test the game. A certain high-level staffer confided in me after MouseAdventure that the quests were running far longer in reality than they did in Beta, to the point where they even had to cut one quest from the game mid-morning. I don't know who the other Beta testers were, but the likes of GD and CP are not going to provide you with a running time for average contestants!I agree with that. People who have been successful in previous games cannot give an accurate estimate of the time an "average" team will take. Some of the beta quests seemed to go quicker than they should have. Part of that may have been from redoing a quest that previously had bugs. So, one person already had an idea of the expected outcome, and could non-verbally nudge along the other tester to the clue locations. Love you Bro! :fej:

But, I think it is good to use them for getting out the bugs. A more experienced player knows the game and can really overthink the possible scenarios ahead of time and make sure it works. Then the players (and staffers) don't have to run around like chickens with their heads cut off on game day.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I agree with that. People who have been successful in previous games cannot give an accurate estimate of the time an "average" team will take. Yeah, which is why we weren't really looking too much at time when we were doing it. It was more about finding errors, looking for ambiguities, and getting a general "easier than average" or "harder than average" feeling.

As for the ESPN zone one, I had major trouble doing the puzzle part of that, so by the time I found out what it was asking, I didn't pay much attention to the question itself. Speaking of...was there a "starter piece" to that puzzle already placed in the grid?

[Alex]

Ponine, do you know who you spoke with about access issues? Everybody should have been very clear that there were access issues (I tried to track down everybody in a wheelchair specifically to tell them) and then when you took that specific quest there should have been another warning (though I overburdened the people at that station so I wouldn't be suprised to learn that it was inconsistently given). The other Redwood Creek quest could be done without ever having to use stairs or other inaccessible areas of RCCT.

Steve, I wasn't present for your expression of disagreement on the ESPNZone quest. So I don't actually know how you read the question. I have on doubt you had a valid reading that I never thought of, it happens all of the time. Could you explain?

[Prudence]

What's an enchanted race?

November 5th? (Marks calendar)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

What's an enchanted race?Suicidal Madness.

We were cripples afterwards. For days.

Consider yourself warned.

[Prudence]

ooooh! I haven't had suicidal madness in ages! well, since yesterday, at least!

[innerSpaceman]

Steve, I wasn't present for your expression of disagreement on the ESPNZone quest. So I don't actually know how you read the question. I have on doubt you had a valid reading that I never thought of, it happens all of the time. Could you explain?
First of all - let me be clear that the ambiguity in the quest language had nothing to do with us bungling this quest. We knew what the quest was "looking for" and we plain and simple missed it. (Heheh, third time's the charm for walking around the ESPN building ... when the third time's after the game is over.)

Actually, I'd have to have the decoded grid question in front of me to explain the problem (and yes, GD, there was a starter on that - - thank goodness). I wish I had written it town, because my memory fades fast nowadays.

But basically, it was because the decoded question read, "If there are any duplicates on the list" rather than something like "if any items on the list are duplicated." There were no duplicates on the list. Our problem was that we - by unfortunate coincidence - neglected to decode one of the words. The winning word. And so when we couldn't find a majority among the (incomplete) list of bobbles, we thought we were dealing with a trick question because there were no duplicates on the list.

Another potential ambiguity arose from use of the generic word "item." Of course, you didn't want the quest instructions themselves to give away the ESPN location ... but many of the Sports (such as football, basketball) are also "items" that are displayed in various locations on the ESPN exterior. Again, the line "it will bobble your mind" clearly indicated the quest was looking for the bobbles. But when at first we don't succeed, we don't hesitate to look for trickery at MouseAdventure!


Anyways, maybe you should use our team for Beta tests from now on. We are drawn to potential ambiguities like moths to a flame, and we are scoring more and more like average players!


(A side note - - I will not be able to respond to any reply from Alex till later this evening. They've blocked the LoT from my office computer network (haha, it took them long enough) and, well, you'll be reading a lot less of me around here from now on, I'm sorry to say.)

[katiesue]

Ponine, do you know who you spoke with about access issues? Everybody should have been very clear that there were access issues (I tried to track down everybody in a wheelchair specifically to tell them) and then when you took that specific quest there should have been another warning (though I overburdened the people at that station so I wouldn't be suprised to learn that it was inconsistently given). The other Redwood Creek quest could be done without ever having to use stairs or other inaccessible areas of RCCT.

Our team was clearly told when we picked up that quest that there could be access issues and that if we couldn't/wouldn't do it to come back and there would be an alternate provided. It did get crazy at that station toward the middle of the day so I can see how not everyone got the information.

We did the long for the first time and did ok. We almost finished the last quest right before time was called. We spent wayyyyyyy too much time on a couple of quests where we should have just taken a penalty and moved on.

The eye spys were fairly easy. We only had to look for two of them.

It was a really fun, crazy day. Huge kudos to Alex and staff for pulling it off!

[Ponine]

We got to that station later in the afternoon... I'd say after 1, since thats where we ended the day.
(I've sent an email to my team mates to see if anyone caught the name of who we asked earlier.)
It was wacky when we got our first redwood puzzle... it happened very fast, and we almost didnt get a crayon.

I can see with the amount of teams that were bottle necked at that station at the same time how information can get lost.
I'm not really bitter about it, know that folks. I did after all actually "play" an MA with two sprains. (I fell in the morning on my way out the door, wanted to go so badly I pressed on.)

It's something I need to train myself to ask more often. When I saw that we were headed in there, I didnt want to go back and ask again, and I didnt want to look like a wuss to my team mates.
I hated that quest in there for totally different reasons.
Hollywood... stupid stupid stupid. And the snake... dont even get me started...

[Ghoulish Delight]

Aww, I loved the "wood" quest. I thought it was pretty clever, and gave me the opportunity to say to Alex, "I got wood."

[katiesue]

I liked the wood quest too - if I could actually add correctly it would have gone a wee bit faster. And the animal print one was a lot of fun too.

[Ponine]

As I said, that was the end of our day.
We were hot, frustrated, and hungry. And double that for the fact that I had three new bodies.
I tried... I really did.
I told them, wear comfy shoes, eat breakfast, pack snacks, bring water, be prepared to get wet, be hot, and be cranky, and whatever will fix that, tell me.

Did any of them beleive me? Not a chance.
At the "colorful" check in station I turned to two of them and said "Look, and ice cream cart. Here's $10, go get yourselves ice cream and a water before I kick you"
They got the ice cream and gave me the change. (they had their own money too)
They kept saying we cant split up, blah blah... I didnt care by then. You could have made me climb grizzly peak by then... I knew we werent winning, I just wanted a fair shot you know?

So, in that state, we got the Snake thing.... it was prob easy if you went right as you came into Redwood challange. WE, on the other hand, went left.
Then when we got it, we didnt do the rubbing because someone had stuck the crayon in their pocket for safe keeping, and somone else didnt read.
Hence, my loathe for that puzzle.

The wood puzzle... THAT.... that was just ugly. We finished it with three words wrong.... so we were in the lookout looking for a herd.
Moose... we were looking for Moose.

so I stood there.... this doesnt feel like Alex I thought. My team members think I'm insanne.
I said, see, a few things I keep in mind when playing this game:
a staff member in a wierd place in the park can be a clue.
Alex and co. have a very odd, or off sense of humor.
And if the "ah ha!" Moment doesnt come.... somethings wrong.

another what seemed like 20 minutes tying to figure out what was wrong...
while I stood there saying... it has to be obvious...
jeff.... you dont suppose................

Then we got the paragraph... I should have passed and ended on a good note. :P

[BarTopDancer]

What do you get when you put two people with zero attention span on the same team? FUN TIMES!

I had a blast. This was my first attempt at Mad Scramble and Matts second. I doubt he'll post so I'll do our re-cap.

We booked our way through the first quest only to have issues deciphering what it said. I thought it said the "Limo Lot" and thought we were supposed to go back to where SSL used to be. We turned towards DCA and discovered it was closed. After some would they make us...nah... where do Limos park... it dawned on us that it was the Lilo lot! Yay! Off we go. There were still a ton of teams in the Esplanade and we were off to a good start.

Got to the Lilo Lot and did the Hollywood Squares quest first. That was a really fun quest. After one wrong answer and a return trip to the grid got it right on our third try.

We really enjoyed the jigsaw quest. We looked at it as a puzzle until we were almost done and the words started making sense. We though the duplicate items were "balls" and that was our first wrong answer. ESPN Zone dawned on us and off we went. We couldn't figure out what "Bobble the mind" meant but we did figure out that it was the pictures high on the walls of ESPN Zone. Right answer and off we go back to DCA.

There were lines to get into DCA and we debated whether or not to go back through the Grand Cal enterance. We decided to get in line because I was pretty sure we couldn't go in through the Grand Cal yet. The decision was confirmed as we ran into another team who tried that. They gave us sunscreen too. THANK YOU! We also ran into Andrew who "joined" us in line. No answers were given and he was not keen on granola bras.

We found the "colorful" area right away and took our first quest. I did forget the order of the quests, but we did them in alphabetical order. Redwood Creek was fun, the evil paragraph was evil but we did solve it after taking assistance (the last three words really helped!). Paradise Peir was fairly easy because we are so easy to distract and we kept looking at different things. Found the super eye-spy there too.

Bugs Land was fun as well. Matt had wanted to get on the train right away and I should have listened to him but I was convinced the other questions had to be answered. We lost a lot of time doing that. The second quest was fairly easy and we memorized the grid. I remembered seeing LisaP by the sprinklers but I forgot about it as we went looking for a queue in that shape. We were about to give up as I remembered that really we just needed to find a staff member and thats when I rememembered seeing LisaP. YAY! We went through and only got a little wet.

Off to Hollywood Backlot where Andrew asked us if we wanted easy or hard. We only had 25 minutes until the game was over so we took the easy. I figured out how to do the puzzles and we booked it over to the Anamation Building where Matt identified who we needed to draw. Off to the Sorcers Workshop where Matt started drawing Genie and I drew the last two slides. Note to team: Matt is the artist.

Turned the packet in right at 4.

I'm not sure if I like Mad Scramble or Classic better. They both have their perks. We'll most likely have a newbie next time and I'm not sure if I'll subject him to Enchanted Race.

Thank you Alex and staff for a great event!

[innerSpaceman]

Hehehe, we were heading to DCA from the Downtown Disney quests and, knowing that we were headed for the San Francisco Street, we knew that going thru the Grand Cal would be the shorter route. But we were talking with another team as we walked thru DTD (ugh, can't remember their names ... insane, pin-laden, khaki adventurers outfits with Aussie hats).

Anyway, we didn't want to reveal our "strategy" to another team, so we hung back for a moment, and then dodged into the Grand Cal entry near Libby Lou. Well, Team Khaki saw through that, turned around, and followed us through the Grand Californian to the DCA entrance.

As bad luck would have it, they were actually enforcing the Hotel Guest Only entry policy. Well, a member of our team happens to carry around her old hotel key from July and we get through .... but Team Khaki, who are actually staying at the Grand Cal, left their key in a locker and were turned away by the CM. They had to go all the way around to the DCA main entrance!


I hate to laugh at another team's misfortune .... but I did.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

(ugh, can't remember their names ... insane, pin-laden, khaki adventurers outfits with Aussie hats). Ooh, we met them last time. They were first-timers then and they won the Best New Team award. Very spirited, smart group.
The California Adventurers:
http://albums.mouseplanet.com/101605/MA_Winners_10.jpg

Funny story :evil:

[jdramj]

Ooh, we met them last time. They were first-timers then and they won the Best New Team award. Very spirited, smart group.

I agree! They were very nice at the last MA and took the several people asking them for help at the tram stop very well (considering we had to help them answer the guests questions...LOL!). They were very funny and chatted with us up to the gate. Of course then it was game time.......:D

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, that's them!

BTD, I don't suppose they were the team you ran into at the DCA Main Entrance after they had failed at the Grand Cal route?

(I wouldn't be surprised, since we seamed to be leap-frogging BTD's team all day, and came in contact with them more often than anyone else by far.)

[BarTopDancer]

Yeah, that's them!

BTD, I don't suppose they were the team you ran into at the DCA Main Entrance after they had failed at the Grand Cal route?

(I wouldn't be surprised, since we seamed to be leap-frogging BTD's team all day, and came in contact with them more often than anyone else by far.)

No, that wasn't them. We ran into a team of two girls who were trying to beat their parents at the game. They graciously shared their spray on sunscreen so the transparent Matt and myself wouldn't get burned. (I had sunblock but it was cream and in my bag. Spray is so much easier and I will be packing that during the next MA).

Our leapfrogging seems to be par-for-the-course during MA. I know we ran into you more than any other team last time too. Of course we could just be noticing that we keep running into each other all the time since we know each other. Either way, the teasing and taunting that happens whenever we run into each other keeps the day extra fun for us (and hopefully for you guys too).

[Prudence]

So, if it's your first time playing MA you have to play the "beginner's" version?

[innerSpaceman]

Either way, the teasing and taunting that happens whenever we run into each other keeps the day extra fun for us (and hopefully for you guys too).Of course. Heheh, I love some of the looks we all shoot when we pass each other.


And I don't think beginner's have to play the beginner's game ... if they've got chutkspa.

[Alex]

The Enchanted Race last spring was one where we only let returning teams play and all new teams had to do the less intense game. The last two times we've allowed teams to decide which they want to try and I don't know which I prefer.

[Alex]

Just to correct something way up above. the-mouse.com is not now on staff and so far as I know will be returning as players for future events.

When I realized how badly I had overburdened the Golden State station I knew I needed help. 30 seconds after deciding this I ran into them and so asked if they were interested in coming to the dark side for the day. They responded well to the tone of desparation in my voice and agreed to help out.

[Prudence]

It's the masochist in me - I would rather not finish the harder game than win the easier game. Personal preference. If there's a more difficult path, I'll take it. Drives most everyone who knows me nuts. If I could get my brother to join me, it would be two, two, two-times the bull (fool) headedness.

[BarTopDancer]

The Enchanted Race last spring was one where we only let returning teams play and all new teams had to do the less intense game. The last two times we've allowed teams to decide which they want to try and I don't know which I prefer.

If Enchanged Race is held again, will the majority of the team have to be returning like last time or will the entire team have to be new? Of course it's months away and I don't expect you have decided yet.

[BarTopDancer]

Results are up!

#38 in long division. The Denton Affair beat us. Next time iSm... Next time [waves fist and gives look] ;)

[Prudence]

Next time iSm... Next time [waves fist and gives look] ;)

oooh! BTD does Dr. Claw impressions! :p

[katiesue]

Hurrah - we finished in 11th place in the long. Way better than we had thought. Trivia and eye-spys really helped us out.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

It's the masochist in me - I would rather not finish the harder game than win the easier game. Personal preference. If there's a more difficult path, I'll take it. Drives most everyone who knows me nuts. If I could get my brother to join me, it would be two, two, two-times the bull (fool) headedness.I totally understand this and I'd love to compete with you! :) I must warn you, however - start exercising now. I'm not kidding - I'm exercising for this and hope to be in better shape when it happens. We speed-walked our asses all over the resort at the last Enchanted Race for hours on end, including from DTD to the parking structure, and then at the very end went all the way to the Howard Johnson's and then all the way back to New Orleans Square. And this was the second day of competition. The endurance required is not to be underestimated.

What I mean to say is, masochists unite! :D

[tracilicious]

We speed-walked our asses all over the resort at the last Enchanted Race for hours on end,

Did you actually for real speed walk? As in this? (http://atoz.iqhealth.com/Atoz/Fitness/CardioCraze/speedwalking.html) Or did you just walk fast. Just curious. :p

[Ghoulish Delight]

And this was the second day of competition. The endurance required is not to be underestimated.Nope, you've merged your memories. The Enchanted Race was a single day event. The 2 day version was last Fall, our first event as Masters.

[BarTopDancer]

The endurance required is not to be underestimated.


Ya, what she said. Almost everyone I know, if they didn't already have the day off, they called in sick.

We timed out at the first station and I could barely walk the rest of the day. I think if I did that final structure to HoJo to NoS trek I would have died.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Found out that Oswald Returns, which got second in the long version, is the newest name for Finding Teamo/Team Story 2/Unintelligibles. They seriously rock and I'm sure they'll be Masters soon.

Check out Uncle Dick's non-hair!
http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x006.sized.jpg

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Nope, you've merged your memories. The Enchanted Race was a single day event. The 2 day version was last Fall, our first event as Masters.Oops. Anyway, I stand by my intent ;)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Did you actually for real speed walk? As in this? (http://atoz.iqhealth.com/Atoz/Fitness/CardioCraze/speedwalking.html) Or did you just walk fast. Just curious. :pWe walk really fast. Hence the Masterdom. But we don't look like freaks doing it....oh, wait. :p

[BarTopDancer]

Check out Uncle Dick's non-hair!

Uncle Dick's non-hair got him seriously hassled at the GCH gate for DCA. Matt and I walked up just in time to see the CM hassling him about his AP photo and his current look. She was going to ask the other guy there if she should let him in or not when he pulled out his drivers license with the same 'look' as his AP. She didn't like his drivers license photo either and was still hassling him and I said to her "His name is richard, I know him, he used to have long hair and a beard. This is him!" She finally let him in.

[Not Afraid]

Found out that Oswald Returns, which got second in the long version, is the newest name for Finding Teamo/Team Story 2/Unintelligibles. They seriously rock and I'm sure they'll be Masters soon.

Check out Uncle Dick's non-hair!
http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x006.sized.jpg

Wait! So who is on the Super Star Losers teaam?


I don't know which type of even event the Howard Johnson's run was but, we competed while I was still recovering from my onshaught of diseases and, man, was it tough. I'm in a bit better shape now.

[Prudence]

I totally understand this and I'd love to compete with you! :) I must warn you, however - start exercising now. I'm not kidding - I'm exercising for this and hope to be in better shape when it happens. We speed-walked our asses all over the resort at the last Enchanted Race for hours on end, including from DTD to the parking structure, and then at the very end went all the way to the Howard Johnson's and then all the way back to New Orleans Square. And this was the second day of competition. The endurance required is not to be underestimated.

What I mean to say is, masochists unite! :D

But endurance training is part of the prep for every Disney visit! Just ask BT about my "commando" tendancies... I know, it's more at one time, but hey, motivation to keep on that treadmill! Yay masochists!

[Ponine]

Wait! So who is on the Super Star Losers teaam?

.
If memory serves, THAT is a picture of Superstar Losers

Oswald Returns had Oswald shirts.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Wait! So who is on the Super Star Losers teaam?
Only UD and awinner were there from the original SSL team, and they don't post here, so I don't think we have any way of finding out who the other two were. Perhaps zapp could find out.

It would be a kick to see you there, Pru. I wish far more swankers would show up. Maybe we could dominate the top rankings once more ;)

I love looking at all the pictures. The group shot of resort players (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/resort_group.jpg) is a crack up, much better than the usual shot. Check out the Denton Affair (iSm is in a green hawaiian shirt, down front), so cute.

Looks like Darkbeer snuck a secret team member (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x029.jpg) in.

These guys (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x003.jpg) win for "How did they get in the gate?" I love the pirate on their shoulder, great touch. On MP they posted a pic of them with Rainforest Cafe parrots. These guys (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x105.jpg) are also worthy of a mention in that dept.

Great shirts (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x017.jpg), more great shirts (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x069.jpg), more great shirts (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x120.jpg) (and great meshing of references). These (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x132.jpg) are so cute I'd wear them on normal days.

Fellowship (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x125.jpg), I love the pocket design, too funny! :snap: What was on the back?

The Unbuilt Attractions (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x108.jpg) have not only a cool name but cool shirts featuring concept art that I'm not familiar with. Bumper boats?

Apparently another team used the name "Finding Teamo". I've wondered if anyone requests current team names, but the MA staff says "you probably shouldn't". If not I'm surprised that no one else has gone for "Happy Haunts" as a team name. I know there were two "Raiders of the Lost Park" at one time.

[Ghoulish Delight]

The Unbuilt Attractions (http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MouseAdventure060430/x108.jpg) have not only a cool name but cool shirts featuring concept art that I'm not familiar with. Bumper boats?Were they in the long version? Cause if so, they had an advantage. One of the quests involved the very concept art that's on their shirts, hanging in the Disneyland Hotel!

[Disneyphile]

Please don't look at Fellowship's ranking. It's just horribly pathetic. :(

But, hey, at least we know we'll do MUCH better next time!! :rolleyes:

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Please don't look at Fellowship's ranking. It's just horribly pathetic. :(

But, hey, at least we know we'll do MUCH better next time!! :rolleyes:You guys have beaten us before, so we all know this was just a tiny misstep. :)

I guess you missed it, I asked about your shirts in my post above - I'd love to see a pic of the backs :)

[BarTopDancer]

Please don't look at Fellowship's ranking. It's just horribly pathetic. :(

But, hey, at least we know we'll do MUCH better next time!! :rolleyes:

You still beat iSm and team! ;)

[Ponine]

Pixie Chicks... or Pixie Chicks +1
(made of me, and three new people)
Placed 32nd

<sigh>

[Disneyphile]

I guess you missed it, I asked about your shirts in my post above - I'd love to see a pic of the backs :)Ooops. Yep, missed it. We did "Ringwraiths' Day at Disneyland" in "scrapbook" style on the back, featuring photoshopped images of Nazgul on various Disneyland rides and such, even one holding a churro!! Morrigoon has the pictures. :D

Each shirt also included a different postcard, one of which read, "Dear Sauron - Got the pin you wanted. Still looking for the ring." ;)

(Which reminds me that I still have photos to upload from the past month of other stuff too. :rolleyes: D'oh!)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

You guys in Fellowship seriously rock! I can't wait to see the pics. :D

[innerSpaceman]

Yes, please post the pics. I missed all the cool details on game day.

Feh, I miss too many shirts and costume details on game day. Eh, with our crappo scores, and continually dropping like lead, we should just observe from the sidelines from now on. Bah.

[BarTopDancer]

Yes, please post the pics. I missed all the cool details on game day.

Feh, I miss too many shirts and costume details on game day. Eh, with our crappo scores, and continually dropping like lead, we should just observe from the sidelines from now on. Bah.

Then who are we going to shoot looks at?? :(

[Uncle Dick]

Only UD and awinner were there from the original SSL team, and they don't post here, so I don't think we have any way of finding out who the other two were.
They were Andrew's friends who he apparently called up at the last minute after the rest of SSL pulled out due to work commitments. Fortunately, New Isaac and New Nikki were also Annual Passholders, and more than up to the task of their first MA ever.

Once again, we placed by virtue of accuracy rather than speed, getting a fair number of the Eye Spys and a lot of the trivia. None of the puzzles were truly evil (although forcing us to ride on the Chew-Chew Train was cruel and unusual). I have no idea how the Brother Bears beat us by nearly an hour, though, since we were moving at a good pace. In all, probably the most balanced MA I've played in terms of time, difficulty and fun.

[Alex]

You think making you ride it was cruel and unusual? At least you had a team.

I had to ride it three times in a row all by myself when I was making the game. Now that makes a man feel like a scuzzy pedophile.

[Ghoulish Delight]

You think making you ride it was cruel and unusual? At least you had a team.

I had to ride it three times in a row all by myself when I was making the game. Now that makes a man feel like a scuzzy pedophile.
Tell me about it.

[BarTopDancer]

Tell me about it.

I think you guys should tell us about it. Our very own LoT scuzzy pedophiles.

We so rock.

[Matterhorn Fan]

Can't you see nearly all of the Chew-Chew Train's track from the sidelines?

[BarTopDancer]

Can't you see nearly all of the Chew-Chew Train's track from the sidelines?

Yup. But the answer was in that one tiny section that you can't see.

[Matterhorn Fan]

What did you have to find?

[Ghoulish Delight]

What did you have to find?What is between the candy corn and the cupcake?

[BarTopDancer]

What did you have to find?

I forget.

What is between the candy corn and the cupcake?

Sweets?

[katiesue]

Hard Candy

[Ghoulish Delight]

I forget.



Sweets?That's correct (and that's what you had to find). "Hard candies" was the answer I gave (and Alex accepted).

[Ponine]

That's correct (and that's what you had to find). "Hard candies" was the answer I gave (and Alex accepted).
From what I understand, Sweets and treats, hard candy/ies, sweets, and treats were accepted.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yup. Heimlich calls them "sweets and treats", but I didn't even hear that when I rode it. Actually, I never really even noticed they were there at all until I did this.

[Ponine]

For whatever reason, I've taken a picture of them. :rolleyes:

[innerSpaceman]

I will never heed the advice of a MouseAdventure staff person again. I will do the opposite of anything they suggest.

I'm very fond of the people who suggested I do the quest that required a Heimlich ride with a half-hour queue in the 20 minutes left to the game. I don't know why they would do such a thing to a team not even competing. Feh. Not nice. I'm perplexed.

[Alex]

The queue for Heimlich's was never longer than 15 minutes and then that only happened in the last half-hour or so. For almost the entire game (and every time I was in the area to check) the queue was posted as 5 minutes long and probably shorter.

Presumably they were recommending on the reactions they were getting from players over the course of the game (last time in DCA teams loved the full on dousing at Rustworthy, this time we were getting complaints about the 2-second misting).

Or perhaps they just hate you.

[katiesue]

I actually liked the two second misting. It was starting to get toasty about then.

[innerSpaceman]

Yes, I think they hate me. Waaaaah. That's what hurts.



(After all, who could not equate 'misting' with our request for the quest most 'fun'?) Sniffle, sniff. fine.

[BarTopDancer]

Presumably they were recommending on the reactions they were getting from players over the course of the game (last time in DCA teams loved the full on dousing at Rustworthy, this time we were getting complaints about the 2-second misting).

As the one who took the dousing, I hated it. It really sucks playing MA in sopping wet jeans. I did like the misting a bit better. You could avoid the sprays if you tried though the staff member threatened to make us do it agian since we wern't that wet. I think she was joking.

It was still one of the best MAs ever.

[innerSpaceman]

Yes, whoda thunk an MA in DCA could be that fun?


I was very pleasantly surprised.

[Ghoulish Delight]

So I haven't seen anyone here reacting to the evil paragraph. Rather, the evil paragraphs. How did that go over?

[BarTopDancer]

So I haven't seen anyone here reacting to the evil paragraph. Rather, the evil paragraphs. How did that go over?

Well... After going nutzo and realzing we messed up in a big way we asked for assistance (last 3 words) and figured it out on the first try.

[katiesue]

Well... After going nutzo and realzing we messed up in a big way we asked for assistance (last 3 words) and figured it out on the first try.

We did the same thing. We wern't counting the title as the first line so we were all messed up. Once we got help then we knew exactly what it was. We wasted wayyyyyy too much time on this one. We should have taken the penalty about 30 mins earlier.

[BarTopDancer]

We did the same thing. We wern't counting the title as the first line so we were all messed up. Once we got help then we knew exactly what it was. We wasted wayyyyyy too much time on this one. We should have taken the penalty about 30 mins earlier.

It didn't even occur to me to count the title!

[Ghoulish Delight]

It didn't even occur to me to count the title!
Yeah, I got caught by that too. But the directions specifically said something like, "Count all text that is not part of a logo."

[BarTopDancer]

Yeah, I got caught by that too. But the directions specifically said something like, "Count all text that is not part of a logo."

Read all instructions! Assume Nothing!

[Alex]

When you tested, GD, it said "When working through the following instructions, disregard any logos and photograph captions." The played version said "When working through the following instructions, disregard any logos and photograph captions; all other writing counts."

[katiesue]

We thought the title might count after re-reading the instuctions about 90 times but never actually worked it that way to see if that was the problem. Duh.

[Ponine]

So I haven't seen anyone here reacting to the evil paragraph. Rather, the evil paragraphs. How did that go over?
Thats because there are a great many of us over on MP whining about it.
We of course slaved over it, and didnt get squat... and never once thought to count the titles.
What a pip.
we went to each station twice... our last quest of the day... yeah... that was ugly.
But, I have never said I liked the evil paragraphs.

[innerSpaceman]

Yes, the written instructions really helped with the not-so-evil paragraphs. We forgot to include the title at first, but quickly recovered due to following the written instructions to the letter.


Which is why such things as "any duplicate items on the list" really bug. Precision in wording is very important in MouseAdventure, imho.

Ah, the difference between 32nd and 29th place is at stake, after all! (OMG, our suckiest score EVER! But we had a blast!)

[FEJ]

I loved the evil paragraphs...

"the "first 40 percent" of a geographic location was my favorite

[innerSpaceman]

Heheh, my personal favorite instructive description was "pick the one that resonates with ..." - - which was MouseAdventurespeak for "has barely anything to do with."

[Ghoulish Delight]

Heheh, my personal favorite instructive description was "pick the one that resonates with ..." - - which was MouseAdventurespeak for "has barely anything to do with."Oh yeah, I was wondering how people did on that one. That was surprisingly non-literal.

[Alex]

I don't know which one you are talking about.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I don't know which one you are talking about.That's the Redwood one. After finding "wood", you had to add up the letter values of the word wood, go to the petrified tree slice, and find the event that "most resonated" with that number. They number is 57, and the event that it "most resonated" with had a date of 1573 or something like that.

[Ponine]

Heheh, my personal favorite instructive description was "pick the one that resonates with ..." - - which was MouseAdventurespeak for "has barely anything to do with."
Thats exactly how I read it...
we got there.. nothing ended in 57
I said... it either sounds like 57, or has a five and a seven in it.

[Alex]

Ah yes. I didn't write that one so the wording hadn't stuck with me so much.

[innerSpaceman]

Edit: ignore this post. I stand corrected. "Hollywood" is a compound word, where each component is indeed a word. I've been schooled.

Also, when part of a word happens to be letters that, when alone, would constitute another word ... those "embedded" letters are not a "word." Hence, technically "Wood" was not a word ... it was merely part of "Hollywood."

Again, we knew what the quest was looking for ... but the usually reliable literal quality of important instructions was a wee bit lacking this time out.