Embedded Files
Facade
Facade
The Baxter Building is the northernmost point in The Big Apple, and is easily visible from most places within the land. The structure is around 60’ tall, but forced perspective techniques make it look much larger.
Queue
Queue
Entering the massive sprawling lobby, guests are greeted by a large sign that reads “Welcome to the ALL NEW Baxter Building!”
Guests encounter numerous set pieces from the films, deliberately displayed like a museum. Among these are Johnny’s burnt up temperature testing container, the machine that was used to try and return Ben to his human form, and some of Reed’s random gadgets and drawings strewn about a makeshift laboratory setting. There are no handrails of any kind in the lobby; guests are free to spend as much time as they’d like appreciating the props and taking photos.
Once they reach the other side of the lobby, guests encounter a set of three freight elevators. Entering in groups of 24 into each “lift,” guests are then “sent” to the 59th floor, where the team’s newly renovated laboratory is headquartered. In reality, the lifts go absolutely nowhere and the entire scenario is an effect reminiscent of “descending to Seabase Alpha” at The Living Seas.
To add to the realism, and to help stagger guest flow, the elevators are loaded one at a time and “sent” to the lab floor one at a time. The elevator trip takes about 90 seconds, which helps create a buffer between each group for the pre-show, as well as loading. There are even lights on the top of the elevator which illuminate for every individual floor the elevator supposedly passes on the trip up. There are buttons for each floor as well, but pressing them will trigger the display to read “access card required.”
During the elevator sequence, a computerized feminine voice will occasionally chime in with seemingly random tidbits.
“Floor 13, Uatu is ever Watchful.”
“Floor 24, childcare unit.”
“Floor 26, currently unavailable.”
“Floor 28, Danger Room testing.”
“Floor 39, Offices of Nelson and Murdock.”
“Floor 49, I wouldn’t recommend it.”
These gags are all references to the original Fantastic Four comics, each floor number followed by a quip referencing the corresponding numbered comic.
Pre-Show
Pre-Show
Once guests “reach the 59th floor,” they exit the elevators and enter a short walkway littered with high tech looking gadgets and gizmos. At the end of the hallway is a briefing room, which literally has the appearance of a large corporate lounge or board room. Along the wall are a couple screens meant to represent windows. A camera mounted outside and high above the show building provides real time live video overlooking guest areas of The Big Apple to further enhance the realism.
At the front of the room is a gigantic monitor displaying the classic “4” logo from both movies. Once all guests are in the briefing room, the lights dim, and the short pre-show film begins.
Featuring
- Jessica Alba as Sue Storm
- Ionn Gruffudd as Reed Richards
- Michael Chiklis as The Thing
And in a surprising and possibly controversial decision, it was agreed upon by all parties to not have Chris Evans reprise his role as Johnny Storm. This decision came about over concerns that guests might be be confused about his presence in the show due to his incredibly successful portrayal of Steve Rogers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The role was recast and Lewis Tan became the new Johnny Storm.
The show begins with Reed in his lab.
Reed: (momentarily unaware that the camera is in fact on) Oh! Um, I mean, hi everyone! Welcome to the Baxter Building! We’re so glad you were able to join us here today.
Sue: (walking into frame) Is the new group here?! (Fully in frame) Hey there! Welcome to the Baxter Building!
Reed: (hesitantly interrupting), umm, yeah I was already,...kind of handling...
Sue: Oh! The introduction? (Reed nodding), Well go on! Tell them all about how we’re opening up our lab to civilians for the first time!
Reed: ...I was,..just about to do that!
Sue smiles at Reed, which causes him to briefly lose his train of thought.
Reed: Right! The lab! Uhhh, we’re so excited to welcome you here today! We have never had the,...privilege of bringing real people here,..not that we aren’t real,...we very much are, I just
Sue: (Interrupting, empathetically feeling embarrassed on Reed’s behalf) Yeah you’re terrible at this. (Reed exhales and then quietly agrees while gesturing to Sue to take over). Here at our newly renovated facilities, we perform all sorts of experiments in fields ranging from gamma rays to quantum physics! And today, we’ll be showing you all of it, in action!
Reed: One of the most exciting,...
Johnny: (off screen, interrupting), What are you guys talking about?!
Sue: The guests are here for the lab tour, Johnny.
Johnny: (Walking into frame) Yeah that sounds uhh, pretty boring! I bet what these folks would really like to see is (opens his hand, revealing flames) our powers in action!
Sue: Johnny! Stop it! (Johnny stops it)
Reed: You know we only use our abilities in public when absolutely necessary.
Johnny: (looks around, arms shrugging) We aren’t in public!
Sue: You know what I mean!
Ben: (off screen) Johnny! You givin’ Stretch a hard time?! (Walks into frame)
Johnny: (gesturing to Ben) You let him use his powers in public.
Reed: You know he can’t help it!
Johnny: And neither can I! FLAME ON! (Johnny takes a running leap into the air, becoming the Human Torch and flying out of frame)
Reed: (Sighs) Where was I?
Johnny: (flying through background) Tell them about the Fantasticar!
Reed: Right! The Fantasticar! Uhh, thank you, Johnny. I guess.
Sue: Our brand new Fantasticar is specially designed to chauffeur civilians around our lab!
Monitor displays rendered images of the Fantasticar ride vehicle.
Ben: That’s right, and it’s remote controlled! Luckily you’ll have an ace pilot! Old Blue Eyes himself, Ben Grim!
Monitor once again on the team, Johnny is seen floating through the background performing a “backstroke.”
Reed: Yes, Ben here was a Space Shuttle pilot prior to,...
Johnny: (from off screen) Prior to looking like a moldy sweet potato?!
Ben: I heard that, Matchstick! You’re lucky we got company!
Reed: (hands together, trying to remain calm) When you leave, the room, not after, right now to..
Sue: What Reed meant to say is, when the doors open, gather all personal belongings, take small children by the hand, and make your way to the loading platform. Ben will have a Fantasticar pulled around and waiting for you!
Monitor shows guests loading into the ride vehicles.
Reed: Yes! All of that. And for your safety, please make sure your precautionary lap restraints are secure before departing. We don’t anticipate any turbulence, but your well being is our top priority!
Monitor again shows the team.
Johnny: (landing, then walking up to the camera, pretending to whisper) And don’t worry guys, I’ll take you out for a spin so you can see what these things can really do!
Sue, Reed, and Ben all simultaneously begin reprimanding Johnny.
Johnny: Man you guys are about as much fun as a wet blanket!
Ben: (to Sue and Reed) I’d like to put him on ice for a while.
Johnny: I understood that reference! (Flies away again)
Reed: ughhhh, we’ll see you out there. (Reed thinks he has successfully turned the camera off) I am so bad at these kinds of things!
Sue: What do you mean? You did great!
Reed looks at Sue as if to say “really?”
Sue: You’ll do better next time!
Reed: Hopefully there is a next time.
Ben: Hey! Egghead! You know your camera is still runnin’?!
Reed and Sue share a look of panic as Reed is finally able to shut off the camera. The lights come back on and the doors open.
The Ride
The Ride
The load platform is immediately outside of the pre-show area. The 24 guests are funneled into three groups of eight to board their Fantasticar ride vehicles.
The custom vehicles are suspended from an overhead track. There is a six inch monitor built into the dashboard of each row. Vehicles are dispatched approximately every 20 seconds for an hourly capacity of 1440 guests.
The dialogue starts as the ride is dispatched. (Dialogue is heard over the built in speakers in the ride vehicles).
Reed: Alright, Ben. It looks like our next group is ready to go.
Ben: Roger that, Big Brain. I got em on the monitor.
Ben shows up on the in-vehicle monitors.
Ben, on monitor: Go ahead and relax gang, you’re in the hands of the best pilot you’re ever gonna fly with. I could probably drive this thing blindfolded, (amused laughter)
Johnny, out of frame: You wanna try that out?!
Sue: Cool it you two! We have guests!
Monitors turn off
The track shifts a few feet upward as the vehicles make a gentle turn to the left into an elaborate laboratory scene, and sort of hover in place a bit.
Sue: Alright Reed, why don’t you explain to the guests what we’re doing here.
Reed: Right. This is our brand new particle accelerator! We use this to observe the universe on a microscopic level.
The vehicles continue drifting slowly towards the lab equipment
Reed: Uhh, Ben? You’re getting a little close to the accelerator.
Ben: Yeah, I’m workin’ on it, Stretcho!
The vehicles “bump” into a large piece of expensive looking technology.
Sue: Ben!
Ben: It’s the buttons on this controller! They’re all tiny
Johnny: Some pilot you turned out to be. Shoulda let me drive!
Ben: Zip it, kid! I’m tryin’ to work here!
The vehicles make a sudden lurch forward and clumsily make their way into the next room, before slowing to a stop once more.
Ben: Think I got the hang of it now!
Johnny: I can actually fly, ya know?!
Reed, mildly annoyed: What you’re looking at now is a (static), we use it, (further static)
Sue: What is going on?
Doctor Doom shows up on the screens.
Doom: Hello Reed, friends of Reed.
Ben: We ain’t your friends, crumb bum! Beat it, or get beat!
Doom: I wasn’t talking to you, Benjamin. I was talking to your new esteemed guests.
Sue: Victor! They’re innocent people! You wouldn’t dare!
Doom: Dare to do what, Susan? This?
The vehicles suddenly accelerate forward and burst through a wall, setting off a plume of smoke.
Reed: What is going on?!
Ben: Chrome dome has control of the Fantasticar! He must have hacked into the software!
As the smoke literally clears, guests become aware that they are in the lab where Sue and Reed are, as they are seen on screens.
Doom: I think I’ll take your new toy out for a little joyride!
Sue: Reed, can you get control back?!
Reed: I wrote a backup into the operating procedures in case of an emergency. It’ll just take me a minute to…(Reed trails off in thought)
The vehicles suddenly speed up and begin to turn to the left before being intercepted by Sue’s forcefield, which can be seen around the vehicle “thanks to soft, blue lighting.
Sue: Reed I can’t hold this thing forever!
Reed: Just another minute,..there we go!
The screen switches from Doom back to Ben, who is shaking the remote.
Ben: Stupid buttons!
Reed: Ben, don’t!
The vehicles accelerate forward, breaking through another wall, the monitors shutting off in the process, and then up a steep incline through what appears to be an elevator shaft. The vehicles bounce off the walls numerous times before the track levels out and the vehicles leave the elevator shaft and then crash into panes of glass windows. The window is an actual set piece but the view of New York is a screen. The screen is where all the action takes place.
Just as it seems the Fantasticar will tip over the edge and fall off the building, Johnny in Torch form flies up and stabilizes them.
Johnny: If anyone’s taking you guys for a joyride, it’s me!
Doom, now audible from elsewhere: Wanna race, Torch?!
Doom flies into view, piloting the original Fantasticar, and takes a flyby at Johnny. Shocked, he dodges the attack at the last second, but that causes him to lose control of the guests, who begin to teeter on the edge of the building until Reed stretches his arms around the vehicle and pulls it back into the building.
Johnny: We have to stop him!
Reed: I know, Ben, take the guests back to the lab.
Johnny: We don’t have time for that.
Sue: He’s right, Reed.
The Fantasticar starts moving forward once more.
Ben: Are you sayin’ what I think you’re sayin’?!
Reed: Yep,...switching to stealth mode!
The sound of two incredibly heavy feet boarding the vehicle are heard to the back of guests.
Ben: This is more like it! Don’t worry, you’re in good hands!
The vehicles turn right and pass between a couple large skyscrapers before entering the next room, which is a sprawling, highly detailed, slightly idealized, very forced perspective model of New York.
Dozens of skyscrapers rise up to nearly eye level. Numerous famous landmarks are seen; to the left, the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge, as the sweeping right turn progresses, the Empire State Building comes into view. Down at ground level, Madison Square Garden and Times Square lay ahead. The roads below are populated with cars and buses, their engines and horns are just audible enough to be heard.
Reed: I’ve got a tracker on the old Fantasticar. He couldn’t have made it far.
Sue: Everyone stay alert!
The in-vehicle monitors suddenly turn on with a "breaking news" report.
Reporter: I’m Ripley Ryan, here on the scene in Central Park where Doctor Doom has apparently hijacked the iconic Fantasticar, and is causing mayhem for the citizens of New York! Everyone is asking, “where are the Fantastic Four?!”
Ben: Well, there he is!
Johnny: I’m going after him, meet me there!
A bright orange light suddenly streaks across the sky/ceiling.
Reed: Sue, use your forcefield to protect the civilians. Everyone hang on, switching to battle mode!
A soft blue light now illuminated the entire room, representing Sue’s forcefield power. The vehicles accelerate through the mock up of the city. The border into the next room is made up of two large buildings on either side to help make the illusion more convincing. Keen eyed visitors will notice a Deadpool action figure nestled in one of the many windows adorning the building to the left.
The next room has a screen built into the floor showing Central Park, lined with more forced perspective model buildings on either side. Johnny and Doom have an action-packed battle sequence that plays out on the screen.
Reed: Keep him away from us while I figure out a way to disable his navigation system.
There are lots of easily missed details, such as people jogging through the park, birds flying by, and firefighters putting battling a few small blazes, presumably started by Doom. The sirens of emergency response vehicles can be heard. Near the end of the room, Doom manages to evade Johnny, and suddenly takes off in a burst of speed. After a moment Johnny chases after him.
Ben: He’s gone supersonic!
Reed: Good thing we’re faster!
Sue: These people sure are getting more than they bargained for!
Reed: Hang on!
The vehicles accelerate quickly around a right hand corner through some more buildings, serving as a transitional space into the next room, a speed tunnel similar to ones found in World of Motion.
The speed tunnel plays a continuous loop of Johnny and Doom flying all over the city and fighting one another, seen from a chasing perspective.
Doom will occasionally fly out of sight before re-entering the scene and firing an energy blast at guests, which are absorbed by Sue’s forcefield. Johnny continuously launches fireballs at Doom, while Doom will attempt to fly into Johnny, forcing him to perform evasive maneuvers.
Near the end of the room, Johnny pauses his attack to quip at Reed.
Johnny: I could use a little help here!
Reed: We’re working on that!
Ben: This hunk of metal has firepower! Let’s use it!
Sue: I’m with Ben, we have to help Johnny!
Reed: Hang on, Johnny! Back up is on its way!
The vehicles enter a second speed tunnel, shorter than the first. This time Johnny flies next to the ride vehicle, occasionally circling around from one side to the other. Johnny fires the occasional fireball, while energy blasts are seen coming from the direction of the ride vehicle, firing at Doom, who is too preoccupied with avoiding the attacks to be able to attack himself.
Entering the next room, Doom is on a screen to the right, the rest of the room has the basic skyscraper theming, but is mostly darkened to focus all the attention on Doom. Both visitors and Doom appear to be flying much slower now.
Doom: I don’t know what the fuss is about, Reed! I’m just trying to show your new friends a good time! (Maniacal laughter).
Sue: Reed, I’ve got an idea, keep him distracted.
Reed: He seems to be doing that on his own just fine.
Doom: What’s the matter, Torch?! Couldn’t take the heat?!
A translucent van with a blue glow is seen being guided directly into Doom’s path.
Doom, continuing: Is Ben too afraid to show his ugly face?! I bet...(CRASH!)
Doom has flown squarely into Sue’s well placed, well concealed van, which sends him spinning out of control toward the ground.
Johnny: Nice one, sis! Maybe next time we should start with that.
The vehicles abruptly accelerate to the right and enter the next room.
Reed: Ben, what’s going on?
Ben: I’ve got my pretty blue eyes locked on Doom! He ain’t gettin’ away this time!
This room features another model, this one uses forced perspective in a different way; the floor of this room is on a gentle angle, and the buildings constructed in such a way so as the vehicles move forward, continuing to veer to the right, the ground gets closer. Now instead of being near the top of the skyline, the vehicles seem to be around five or six stories up, flying over a busy street featuring a constant flow of vehicles, the sounds of traffic now much louder than previously. A large parking structure is seen straight ahead.
Ben: Good thing I know a shortcut!
Reed: Ben?!
Johnny: Now we’re talking!
Sue: I’m so sorry, everyone!
The vehicles fly through the parking structure, which is a physical structure on top a s bottom but has screens to the left and right. People can be seen on the screens pointing or taking cell phone video of the passing vehicle. Cars also honk.
Random driver: Ay watch it!
Ben: Sorry.
The vehicles exit the structure through a plume of smoke that envelops the entire vehicle, which helps transition to the next scene.
Slowly turning to the left, the next scene comes into view. The old Fantasticar is seen having crash landed into the side of a building, which conveniently happens to be a jail. A massive Ben Grimm animatronic is situated in front of the building. The building is a real set piece but is adorned with a screen where Ben is. Doom is on the screen, the brick pattern behind him blends in with that of the real set. He slowly gets to his feet, recovering from the crash, only to see Ben in front of him.
Ben: I’ve been waitin’ for this! It’s clobberin’ time!
Ben swings one giant haymaker at Doom, who is sent flying backwards into the precinct, landing at the feet of a couple police officers. Many others run into frame from all the commotion.
Officer: We’ll take it from here guys, nice work!
As the vehicles exit this scene and slowly enter a dark corridor, Ben is heard again boarding the Fantasticar.
Reed: Well, that wasn’t exactly the tour we were hoping for.
Johnny: Yeah, this one was way better!
Sue: Alright Ben, take us home!
Ben: You got it, Suzie!
The vehicles enter one final speed tunnel, used to get everyone back to the Baxter Building. The vehicle weaves in between numerous buildings and slowly gains altitude before the landing zone on the roof of the Baxter Building comes into view on the left. Johnny is seen flying alongside the Fantasticar.
Sue: Ben, I think you need to slow down!
Ben: I’m trying but the blasted thing won’t slow!
At the end of the room, the vehicles make a left turn that seems to put them on a collision course with the landing zone. A flash of light is followed by a final plume of smoke, transitioning into the final room.
The last room is a large physical set. The Fantasticar skids along the landing zone, entering the vehicle hanger where it then bounces off a few walls before careening down a ramp which serves as the final descent back to ground level.
The vehicles plow through two consecutive walls, similar to what cars do in Mr Toad, and finally end up back in the lab, which is shown via screen. Equipment is shown sparking, some large expensive looking device slowly falls over, and then Johnny flies into the shot.
Johnny, making a flame appear with his hand: Well! I guess we ended up showing off our powers anyway!
The sprinkler system in the lab goes off and douses Johnny.
The others walk into the shot.
Reed: Thank you for joining us today. I assure you, next time won’t be quite this exciting!
Sue: Please come see us again! After we, renovate the newly renovated lab!
Sue, Reed, and Ben wave enthusiastically, Johnny waves sarcastically. And the vehicles turn left into the unload platform. The news reporter from earlier pops back on the in vehicle screen.
Reporter Ripley Ryan: And once again, the day has been saved thanks to the incredible work of the Fantastic Four! Now, be sure to gather all personal belongings and exit to your left!
Post-Show
Post-Show
Exiting to the left, guests proceed down a short hallway lined with framed posters for various Fox Marvel films, as well as cover art from various Marvel comics featuring the Fox roster of characters (Fantastic Four, X-Men, Daredevil, and Deadpool).
At the end of the hallway is Stan’s Soapbox; a gift shop selling a variety of Marvel memorabilia including shirts, hats, action figures, and even comics. It’s Johnny Storm’s Unofficial Official Fantastic Four Outlet!! Come on..*buy* and get your hands on all sorts of awesome Fantastic Four gear! We have everything you could imagine, and our prices can’t be beat!
Ben: Johnny!!!
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