Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure: Soft Opening Mystery and Fun

[Armadillo4]

A friend's wedding in S. Florida was a good reason to visit WDW this weekend. One of the highlights today was being able to play two missions from the soft opening of the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure.



I showed up at Innoventions East just a few minutes after 11am.


I scanned my park ticket at one of the interactive touch screen kiosks, which also serve to convey the backstory of the adventure.





The machine gave me a fastpass-like ticket which told me to report to the International Gateway in about an hour.


I was extremely excited at this point. Hurray for interactive in-park quests! But what would happen when I reached the International Gateway? Stay tuned to see if I was able to help Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable in their never ending quest to defeat evil.

[Armadillo4]

With some time to pass, I picked up a fastpass for Mission: Space and stopped for quick refreshment at Club Cool. On my way over to World Showcase, I noticed another KP Recruitment Center.



Once at the International Gateway, there was a wooden cart with several touch screens and CMs wearing the KP Adventure uniforms. I handed one my ticket and after a quick tappity-tap on a computer, she told me that my mission would be to help Kim and Ron in the UK.

The moment I was waiting for...in my shaking hands, I was handed my own Kim Possible Kimmunicator!

This adventure brought to you by LG and Verizon.

IMPORTANT! POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW.
If you do not want to know details about any of the missions, stop now. I'm NOT actually going to post many details and will try to be general and vague about specifics. But some of the pictures may reveal things that you may want to experience yourself. Consider this your warning.

Disclaimer end.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Still here?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
OK, on with the report!

On the Kimmunicator's screen, the first things you see and hear are the basic game instructions. Nothing too complicated or difficult. If you know how to use a cellphone, you can use a Kimmunicator. After the initial instructions were complete, I was instructed to go to the UK.



The mission briefing was given over the phone by Wade. Apparently, some nefarious individual by the name of Duff McKilligan was concoting some kind of evil plan to take over the world. Of course he would.



I thought the choice of villain was very appropriate for the UK, and the mission made some thematic sense--at least from a location perspective. The UK mission consisted of a series of tasks that had you look for various items in and around the UK pavilion. I'd like to say that there were about 8-9 tasks and it took me about 35 minutes to finish.



The really fun part is that several of the tasks contained interactive elements, usually triggered by the Kimmunicator. There were set pieces around the UK that were specially modified to react to the Kimmunicator and in some instances provide you with information--like a code word--or even a physical item that you needed to pick up and drop off elsewhere. I was tremendously impressed with the design of the game and all the elements that went into the tasks. It could have been done cheaply but the game designers actually modified or put in new elements into the pavilions to support the game. Two big thumbs up!

The last task is the Kimmunicator drop-off. You don't have to return the Kimmunicator back to where you picked it up. Instead, that's just another fun part of the game.

In the UK, I noticed several groups and families with Kimmunicators. A lot of people were playing...at least more than I was expecting. So, the word is getting out (even though it's just a soft opening) and those recruiting kiosks seem to be doing their job!

After the mission was over, I did return to the International Gateway station to pick up a ticket for another mission. This time, I was to report to the Norway station at 1pm. The timing was great as helping Kim, Ron and Wade had worked up my appetite. After lunch, I showed up at Norway with my ticket in hand.



After turning in my ticket to a CM, I learned that my second mission would be in China. This time, I would be helping Kim, Ron and Wade against Monkey Fist.

I don't have many pictures from the China mission. But it, too, was very fun. There was one big difference though. There were only about 4-5 tasks to complete the mission and defeat Monkey Fist. It really felt about half as long at the UK mission, and therefore kind of easier. I also noticed fewer people with Kimmunicators in China--when compared to the UK. There were still really ingenious interactive elements--including one where you had to find a CM at a specific location and tell him or her a code word to receive the next clue. And the clue itself was delivered in a very appropriate manner.

Overall, I wish I had more time to spend at Epcot to play the rest of the adventure. The CMs told me that there are currently 7 different missions among the various countries in the World Showcase. The one thing that I really wish they had figured out would have been some kind of reward or acknowledgment that you finished a mission. Kind of like the reward at the end of the Muppet Time Rewinder Quest at DCA. But it was still very cool to do the missions and I think it's a terrific addition to the World Showcase. I'll probably try again tomorrow morning before I head to the airport and back to L.A.

[TDLFAN]

Armadillo4, You did a Great report on this new park feature!
Of course, anything that features something remotely similar to Fastpass gets a negative strike from me. But seems like the game is a lot of fun and I am glad the teens visiting EPCOT have something fun to do besides falling asleep in most of EPCOT Center's educational attractions.
Is there a prize for completing the challenge? Please God, not a Dream Fastpass. Or do you get to keep the cellphone and use it as a "pay as you go" real phone? Hehehe.
Another question. How much time does it take to do the entire challenge? In other words... how much time does the challenge takes away from you being able to enjoy what EPCOT Center is really about and it's attractions?

[Nancywitt]

Thanks for the report, Armadillo. I'll be at WDW tomorrow and will have to look for this attraction while in Epcot. I remember when they were testing this and then heard nothing more about it. I'm actually quite surprised they went ahead with it. Are they even still playing Kim Possible on the Disney Channel? My kids haven't watched it in a long time.

Do you have to show up early for this? In your report you said you showed up around 11am. Was that a good time? Thanks for your imput!

[SummerInFL]

Oh I'm so glad they added other countries to the mix! I can't wait to go back and try this attraction, it's definitely something that my family would enjoy doing.

Thanks for the detailed TR Armadillo, it looks like you had a great time!

[Armadillo4]

Originally Posted by TDLFAN

Armadillo4, You did a Great report on this new park feature!

Thanks TDLFAN!

Is there a prize for completing the challenge? Please God, not a Dream Fastpass. Or do you get to keep the cellphone and use it as a "pay as you go" real phone? Hehehe.

No, there's no prize. But I certainly wish there was. Even a simple certificate would have been great. I'm sure the game designers had thought about this but decided against it. I think it's the one thing about the KP Adventure that could be better.

Another question. How much time does it take to do the entire challenge? In other words... how much time does the challenge takes away from you being able to enjoy what EPCOT Center is really about and it's attractions?

As I only did 2 of the 7 adventures, I'm not sure how long they would all take. The UK mission took me 35 minutes, but the China mission was a lot shorter and only took me 18 minutes. There's nothing that requires you to do all 7 missions. But if you decided to try all 7, it would probably take somewhere between 2-3 hours. However, that doesn't include the staggered start times between missions.

Thanks again for the comments!

[Armadillo4]

Originally Posted by Nancywitt

Thanks for the report, Armadillo. I'll be at WDW tomorrow and will have to look for this attraction while in Epcot. I remember when they were testing this and then heard nothing more about it. I'm actually quite surprised they went ahead with it. Are they even still playing Kim Possible on the Disney Channel? My kids haven't watched it in a long time.

Nancywitt, thanks for the comment! According to the CMs, they started soft opening just a week ago. And the official opening is this coming Sunday, Jan. 25. And you're right, KP is no longer on the Disney Channel. So, it's curious that this is coming out a couple years after the show left the air.

Do you have to show up early for this? In your report you said you showed up around 11am. Was that a good time? Thanks for your imput!

I don't think you have to show up early at all. As there are missions throughout the day and there are staggered start times. I picked up a ticket for my second mission at 12:40pm (at Intl. Gateway) which gave me a 1pm start time in Norway. Maybe, if this gets to be really popular, they may run out of missions by mid-afternoon. But that's a really big IF.

[Armadillo4]

Originally Posted by SummerInFL

Oh I'm so glad they added other countries to the mix! I can't wait to go back and try this attraction, it's definitely something that my family would enjoy doing.

Thanks for the detailed TR Armadillo, it looks like you had a great time!

Thanks Summer! All the folks playing the game in the UK looked like they were really enjoying themselves. I bet your family would too! I'm hopefully packed and out the door soon to try at least one more mission today.

Gotta bundle up cause it's cold*. Brrrrrrrrrrr!

*I bet Canadians and visitors from the northern states would laugh at my definition of cold. LOL

[flynnibus]

Thanks for sharing Armadillo - looks like a fun game that both kids and adults can enjoy.

[NMBC1993]

And you're right, KP is no longer on the Disney Channel

Well actually KP is still on Disney Channel. I watched it last night at 1:30 am, but thats just because I'm a night owl

[TDLFAN]

Originally Posted by SummerInFL

I can't wait to go back and try this attraction

This is an "attraction"?

[NMBC1993]

It might as well be....Pooh's Playground is an "attraction"

[TDLFAN]

Originally Posted by NMBC1993

It might as well be....Pooh's Playground is an "attraction"

I guess you are right. I know there is more to be done in the Kim challenge than there is to do in that stupid playground for kids. But you'all keep in mind, this is what you are getting back from WDW for your admission paid $$, while we are enjoying TWO brand new stage shows and ONE brand new E-ticket ride at TDR within the next three months.

[seenoevil]

Sounds like fun! I'm sure we'll try it out in December, if it's still going.

[Micoofy Duck]

Cool, thanks for this