MouseAdventure Spring 2009 Recap

In an effort to keep MouseAdventure events fresh and exiting for our teams, we try to introduce a new twist or format each time. For our 18th MouseAdventure event, we decided to hold two events on two different weekends: a competitive event on April 26 for returning or ambitious new teams, and a noncompetitive event on May 10th for first-time and family teams. Almost 1000 players turned out for the two events, (some die-hard MouseAdventurers even registered for both weekends), making this our largest MouseAdventure event to date. Teams participated in one of three divisions, each with a different format and set of challenges. We've detailed the quests from each division below, along with the correct answer and the most common errors and incorrect answers.

Last Fall MouseAdventure teamed up with Toys for Tots to host a holiday toy drive, and generous MouseAdventure players filled an entire van with toys and games. This Spring we partnered with Second Harvest for a macaroni and cheese drive. Between the two weekends, MouseAdventure players donated a total of 777 boxes of macaroni and cheese. We are extremely grateful for the overwhelming response to this charity drive, and thank the teams and players who donated so much to local families.

Recaps: Trains, Trams & Monorails (Basic) | Trains, Trams & Monorails (Advanced) | Day at the Park

Results: Trains, Trams & Monorails | Day at the Park

Crew acknowlegements | Next events

MouseAdventure: Trains, Trams & Monorails (Basic Division)

Participants in the Basic division of the Spring 2009 event tackled 8 quests in a modified Mad Scramble format, where teams had to complete or skip the quests at one of four stations before moving on to the next station. But first, teams had to complete a 50-question trivia challenge and solve the cryptic 2-page “Traffic Jam” quest before leaving the Paradise Pier Hotel ballroom. We were quite surprised when a handful of teams managed to solve the Traffic Jam quest without any clues, thus earning them a substantial head start on the teams who remained in the ballroom to watch as we revealed the code.

Andrew Rich talks with one of the teams who managed to solve the Traffic Jam quest before any clues were given. MousePlanet photo.

After teams passed their opening challenge, they received their first quest envelope and headed to one of four locations to solve their first pair of quests. For this recap, we'll follow a team that started with the Main Street quests:

Main Street

Town Square View

A Basic division team tries to unscramble the Town Square View quest. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

We gave teams a scrambled “street view” image of Town Square, and asked them to put the ground, second and top floors of each building in the proper order to reveal a question.

Solution:
The Disneyland Entrance Tunnel
Posters Give You A Glimpse Of Attractions Found In
The Park Which Land Or Area Is Not Named
Answer: Toontown

Several teams seemingly tried to “brute force” this quest by unscrambling the words instead of the photos, and told us which poster (Fireworks) did not name a land or area.

Grand Circle Tour

A team returns from their Grand Circle Tour of Disneyland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Teams rode the Disneyland Railroad on a complete circuit around the park to find the answers to 12 questions. After collecting the required data, teams used the numbers associated with each correct answer to properly cut and fold a grid of letters to reveal their question.

Solutions: What is the elevation posted on the Main Street train station?
A = 56
B = 66
C = Front Street (75)
D = Mark Twain (14)
E = Zip-A-Dee Lady (41)
F = Have a Beary Great Day (16)
G = Settler's Cabin (60)
H = Indiana (22)
I = Carrot (17)
J = Motor Oil (80)
K = 4
L = 6
Answer: 138 feet

Teams had a very hard time finding the street address of the Camerer, Kuss & Co. clock works, as well as the year that Primeval World was added to the Disneyland Railroad route. Both can be found inside the Main Street Train Station.

Tomorrowland

Music of the Night Sky / Space Opera

The Haunted Mansion Holly-Daze think they have solved the Tomorrowland music quest. MousePlanet photo.

Every MouseAdventure seems to have one quest that must be rewritten just days before the event because a major element of the puzzle has been removed, replaced, repainted or closed for refurbishment. Our first Tomorrowland quest fell victim to the unexpected refurbishment of the Astro Orbitor. In the reworked quest, teams had to match a provided staff of music notes to the neon Mickeys on the exterior wall of the Star Traders shop, then identify the decoded song – and the attraction it was written for – by referencing the sheet music posted inside Innoventions.

Solution: Grim Grinning Ghosts
Answer: Haunted Mansion

We did not provide a key signature or note values, which made this quest especially difficult for the teams who tried to guess the song without visiting Innoventions. Several teams answered either “There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” or “Carousel of Progress.” Quite a few teams that correctly decoded the song unfortunately gave us the name of the song, instead of the attraction as requested.

Sign Language

king louies monkey mafia is ready to exchange their Tomorrowland answer sheet for a new pair of quests. MousePlanet photo.

Teams took a stroll through Downtown Disney to identify a series of store and restaurant signs, then used the text on the signs to decode a question to answer as they rode the Disneyland Monorail back into Tomorrowland.

Solution: Which boiler planet do you pass on your trip?
Answer: East

Teams that attempted this puzzle generally solved it correctly, but the time commitment required to walk through Downtown Disney and then wait for a Monorail convinced many teams to skip this quest.

Fantasyland

Are We There Yet?

A team juggles their dominoes, instruction sheet and park maps to answer “Are We There Yet?”. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Teams used a provided set of paper “travel dominoes” to spell out the names of Fantasyland ride vehicles. When the names were placed in proper order, the second set of letters on the tiles formed a question.

Ride vehicles (in order): Woodcarver's Cart; Mine Cart; Pirate Galleon; Motorcar; Oversized Caterpillar
Solution: HOW MANY MICE ARE IN THE THREE DISPLAY WINDOWS OUTSIDE OF BIBBIDI BOBBIDI BOUTIQUE?
Answer: 17

The most common wrong answer was 13, which means teams counted the mice in the two windows on the front of the store, but missed the four mice in the third window at the side of the store.

One Moon, One Sun. Really?

This team hopes a few Heffalumps and Heffabees can help them solve the next quest. MousePlanet photo.

We sent teams on “it's a small world” to match a list of 8 rooms or scenes to photos of 8 suns and moons found inside the attraction, in the process revealing a decoded question.

Solution: What was the date of the first voyage?
Answer: April 22, 1964

New Orleans Square

I Wonder What Happened to Rosita?

The Musty Running Horse Pants are full of energy at the start of the Basic event. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Teams got to take a break by attending a performance of The Enchanted Tiki Room. While there, teams had to locate the names of all of the Hawaiian Gods in the pre-show area, and of all birds with nametags inside the show. After solving a letter-elimination puzzle, teams were left to unscramble the letters D E H I L O P W, and tell us the price of that item.

Solution: Dole Whip
Answer: $3.00

An unfortunate error in this quest survived several rounds of testing, and teams that correctly solved the letter elimination part of the puzzle were left with an extra L. (The Tiki Room's Colette is spelled with just one L, not two) Most teams quickly figured out the problem or asked us for help, but some teams went searching Adventureland for a HED PILLOW.

Fast Train

The Mouscreants are on their way to Big Thunder Mountain. MousePlanet photo.

We sent teams on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to answer a set of six questions, and also to put in order a series of six photo stickers of animals they pass during the ride.

Answers:
A = $1.50
B = 1880
C = 1870
D = Accuracy / Dispatch
E = General Mercantile
F = 79 Miles
Photos (in order): Possum; Coyote; Turtle; Snake; Goat; Skunk

Many teams told us that they had to ride two or even three times to locate all of the animals; other teams just could not spot (or read) the price chart painted on the window of the barbershop.

Eye Spy

This Eye Spy asked teams to identify the exit signs of 20 rides and attractions around the Resort. This is actually more difficult than it sounds, but teams who were willing to do a little legwork did well.

A: 52	F: 36	K: 70/72	P: 16
B: 24/25	G: 59	L: 22	Q: 43
C: 1	H: 68	M: 57	R: 75
D: 47	I: 32	N: 31	S: 69
E: 39	J: 49	O: 58	T: 38

The Hidden Quest

Basic division teams that carefully read the MouseAdventure rules might have noticed that some of the letters looked a little…different. When read in order, those letters revealed the hidden quest for this event. The correct answer is 12, but we'll let teams find the question for themselves.

MouseAdventure: Trains, Trams & Monorails – Basic Division Team Photos

MouseAdventure: Trains, Trams & Monorails – Advanced & Basic Division Candid Photos

MouseAdventure: Trains, Trams & Monorails (Advanced Division / Enchanted Race)

As our Basic event teams were just arriving to sign in for their event, our Advanced Division teams had already embarked on our third edition of The Enchanted Race. The Enchanted Race is a time-based event requires teams to correctly solve one quest before moving on to the next quest. The goal is to be the first team to reach the finish line, while avoiding penalties that could cost a team valuable time.

Advanced teams started their event at the Paradise Pier Hotel at 8 a.m., and started the competition by solving a slightly different version of the Traffic Jam puzzle. Once teams were sure they had the correct answer, they could leave the hotel and head off to find a MouseAdventure crew member in Downtown Disney to collect a souvenir and a clue that would lead to their next quest. We've detailed most of the quests below, but some navigation tasks are omitted.

Sign Language

The Guardians of the Sleeping Zebra collect a souvenir during the Enchanted Race. MousePlanet photo.

Teams had to identify a series of store and restaurant signs, then use the text on the signs to decode the directions to their next checkpoint, where they collected their third souvenir.

Solution: Collect a souvenir at the Pixie Hollow entrance

Are We There Yet?

Oswald Returns sorts their travel dominoes for a Fantasyland quest. MousePlanet photo.

Ride vehicles (in order): Woodcarver's Cart; Mine Cart; Pirate Galleon; Motorcar; Oversized Caterpillar

Solution: HOW MUCH IS THE CROWN PACKAGE AT THE BIBBIDI BOBBIDI BOUTIQUE?

Answer: $49.95

Main Street View

Team Heffalump and Woozle head to Main Street to start their trivia quest. MousePlanet photo.

We gave teams a scrambled “street view” image of a section of Main Street, and asked them to put the ground, second and top floors of each building in the proper order to reveal a question.

Solution:
WHAT EVENT IS NOT COMMEMORATED BY A
CARD OR SIGN IN THE EXTERIOR DISPLAY WINDOWS OF THE DISNEY SHOWCASE
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY JUST ENGAGED FIRST VISIT OUR HONEYMOON FAMILY FUN GOOD TIMES

Answer: First Visit

Detour: Fast Train / Slow Train

Enchanted Race teams had to answer six questions and place six photos in a specific order, but had to decide whether to perform this task on the fast train (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad) or the slow train (Casey Jr. Circus Train).

Fast Train

The Tweedle Dums wait for crew member Amanda Smith to let them know if they successful completed the detour. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

We sent teams on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to answer a set of six questions, and also to put in order a series of six photo stickers of animals they pass during the ride.

Answers:
A = $1.50
B = 1880
C = 1870
D = Accuracy / Dispatch
E = General Mercantile
F = 79 Miles

Photos (in order): Possum; Coyote; Turtle; Snake; Goat; Skunk

Slow Train

Team Big Cheese Catering is all smiles. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Teams who chose the Slow Train quest answered six questions about the ride, and then used a set of photo stickers to complete a diagram of the giant patchwork quilt visible from the ride.

Answers:
A = 4
B = Pink
C = Smaller
D = 7
E = English and Spanish
F = 4

Trivia

Enchanted Race teams completed the trivia portion of their event while riding the Disneyland Railroad from Main Street to Tomorrowland. Each correct answer earned the team a one-minute credit, and teams who aced the test could shave an hour off their score.

Music of the Night Sky / Space Opera

With no time to stop for lunch, this Advanced team depends on Vitamin Water to power them through the Enchanted Race. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Solution: Grim Grinning Ghosts

Answer: Haunted Mansion

Once teams completed this task, they boarded the Disneyland Monorail to find a MouseAdventure crew member stationed at the Disneyland Hotel. When teams sang the correct song to our crew member, they received another souvenir, and a clue to their next quest.

Mickey and Friends Parking

The ImaginEars wait for their turn at the locker. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Teams solved a logic puzzle to determine when Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy arrived at the Mickey and Friends parking structure, and on which level they parked their car, to help Mickey find his car.

Answer: Mickey was the second to arrive and parked on the Donald level.

Locker puzzle

The New Club 55, seen here assembling the locker puzzle, set the pace for much of the Enchanted Race. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Teams used the price tags on the five souvenirs collected throughout the race to decode the combination to a locker in the picnic area. Teams opened the locker and found a jigsaw puzzle, which they then had to assemble the puzzle to reveal their next task.

Answer: Morty and Ferdie

Speed MouseAdventure

The race moved into Disney's California Adventure for Speed MouseAdventure, a set of five quests that, solved correctly, would reveal the location of the finish line. Teams could solve the five quests in any order, and many teams quickly realized that the answers to all five quests would be found inside the new Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar.

Number Crunching

MouseAdventure teams search for answers in the Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Teams searched the Condor Flats area to find the answers to 12 questions. After collecting the required data, teams used the numbers associated with each correct answer to properly cut and fold a grid of letters to reveal their question.

Questions:
A = 87
B = 47
C = 13
D = 66
E = 45
F = 5
G = 36
H = 81
I = 80
J = 50
K = 6
L = 28

Solution: # of poster variations on the midway mania to do list?

Answer: 25

International Spelling BEE

The Runaway Brains use their souvenir park map to locate the finish line. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

We sent teams to Flik's Fun Fair in search of 10 words or phrases, which they then used to solve a letter elimination puzzle to reveal a French word found in the Blue Sky Cellar. Some smart teams skipped the quest entirely, and just went into the Blue Sky Cellar to look for French words.

Solution: Maquette

Answer: Scale Model

Junk Food and Wine

The Abominables return from solving the Junk Food & Wine quest. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Paradise Pier was the setting for this puzzle, which asked teams to identify food items sold at area carts and restaurants. Using these answers, teams solved a simple cryptogram to reveal a question.

Solution: What is the barrel to the right of the Mapo May Wine?

Answer: Corks Crew

We Suggest You Take the Stairs

The Shiny Happy People return to MouseAdventure Central. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Teams searched the Hollywood Pictures Backlot to find words that “mysteriously” vanished from a series of photos taken in the area. After using the “found” words to solve a word search puzzle, the remaining letters revealed a question.

Solution: What is the number of the model red car on display in the Blue Sky Cellar?

Answer: 5177

Do the Wave

Team Three Blind Mice…Plus 1! advance to the finish line of the Enchanted Race. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Teams used a semaphore chart found at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail to decode a secret message.

Solution: What was the name of the proposed slinky dog boardwalk game?

Answer: Slinky's Bone-anza

Finish Line ahead

MouseAdventure crew members wait at the finish line to greet the winners of the Enchanted Race. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

By this point in the Enchanted Race, teams should have opened all but five of the Route Envelopes they had been given at the start of the race. The final five envelopes were marked with locations that could be found on the large souvenir Disneyland Park map given to teams at the start of the race. Teams were instructed to draw lines between four of those locations, and the intersection of the two straight lines was the finish line. Teams had to navigate from Disney's California Adventure and into Disneyland, avoiding the new Celebrate: A Street Party on their way to the finish line at Zocalo Park.

MouseAdventure: Trains, Trams & Monorails – Advanced Division Team Photos

MouseAdventure: Trains, Trams & Monorails – Advanced & Basic Division Candid Photos

MouseAdventure: Day at the Park

Day at the Park teams solved slightly modified versions of the Basic division quests, plus a new “Find Bev & Tracy” quest added just for this event. Day at the Park teams received all of their quests at one time, and had over six hours to solve the quests at their leisure. Without the added pressure of competition, some Day at the Park teams really took their time, a few even stopping for lunch at table service restaurants! This event was a completely different experience for the MouseAdventure crew, and we marveled at how calm and relaxed everyone – including the crew – appeared all day.

Some questioned the wisdom of holding this event on Mother's Day, but a full quarter of our teams were family teams-double the percentage of family teams in our April event-and many of these teams told us that a day of MouseAdventure had been their Mom's idea of a great Mother's Day.