Theme Park Master Plan
Background: In the last 30 years, the subject has tarnished as a result of a lack of vision and undercapitalization. As a result, the resort side of the business has been deemphasized and the guest experience has lost its prominence. The very role of the resort has become precariously misguided. My master plan offered vision for a complete redevelopment that brings the resort's assets to their fullest potential by focusing on these areas:- Strict adherence to architectural & historical sustainability design guidelines
- Complete integration of lodging, amusements, and refreshments, lakeside amenities, commercial navigation, and facilities that support a robust arts, culture, and entertainment program
- Solid infrastructure and operational support facilities
Concept Art
Some areas of my plan are demonstrated through the use of my watercolor concept art and digital renderings, completed by a colleague - based on my total direciton. The first example is a new quickserve restaurant on the amusement park midway. The restaurant is themed as a restaurant built in an old amusement park funhouse that was recently used as a warehouse. The second example is a general view of a new midway that closely resembles the resort as it appeared at the turn of the century (with the new restaurant added). The third example concepts the restoration of the park's vintage roller coaster, with new, recreated art deco details. The fourth example is an overhead view of a new front gate and entrance plaza.
Establishment of Architectural Design Guidelines
In my master plan, a chapter was dedicated to architectural guidelines for the design of a Victorian-themed amusement resort, based on the look and feel of the facility at its founding in 1892.
Some Concepts
Front Gate Area: Because the park's existing front gate was functionally obsolete and lacked the character and design needed to make a statement to welcoming and admitting Guests, a new facility was needed. Other needs including amusement park support facilities such as security offices, group sales, and turnstiles were included, in addition to corporate offices and surrounding landscaped grounds.
Land Design:
While I developed new or revised lands for the entire amusement park, this areas was one that was essentially a clean slate. I determined the current offerings and marketplace position aligned this amusement resort as one primed for families with children. My concepts for redevelopment of the facility were guided by this determination.
This particular area of the amusement park contained lagoons that were built and used in a Disneyland-like attraction in the early 1960s. Since the attraction's closure in the early 1980s, the entire tract of land had remained vacant.
My proposal, as outlined in this master plan detailed a new use for the area - A land containing different realms for children. The land would include:
- Minture Play Village where children can makebelieve being citizens of a city that is their size (while their parents play along, or watch from a short distance)
- Garden Railway that features an even smaller village and city. Small pathways strategicly placed throughout would provide space for the guests to wonder about, without damaging the display
- Grottos where guests can wonder about and explore, built in the existing concrete caves that would be reconditioned to include a helter skelter slide where they can enjoy a scenic view of the amusement park before sliding their way to ground level
- Treehouse Village where guests can climb winding staircases, nets, and ropes courses
- Power City which is an area with a small handfull of attractions that are "muscle powered", such as hand-crank cars and rope power lifts
- Boat Ride that utilizes the old Jungle Cruise lagoons
- Children's Theater for puppet shows and other forms of kid-friendly entertainment
