Time Flies When You're Having Fun... With Math!

Hello! It’s Johanna and Alex here. We can’t believe that we only have nine days left in our Math and the Mouse adventure and can't wait to share another day's worth.

Mind your P's and "Queues"

Johanna's group presenting their winning strategy

We were given a late start to the day, and while some of us used it to catch up on sleep, others used it to put the last touches on our second project. We started our day out by giving presentations of our genetic algorithm projects. My group (Johanna) had the shortest optimal path, making it around ten of Magic Kingdom’s biggest attractions in just 284 minutes. All the groups had fun coming up with different algorithms to try to figure out the best path. It was interesting to see that all three groups had some close similarities and big differences in their approaches. After our presentations, we learned about queuing theory, which is the mathematics behind lines at places as fantastic as Disney and as ordinary as grocery stores. Because there are so many opportunities to wait in line at Disney, it is directly applicable to what we have witnessed in the parks. Queuing theory basically uses throughput, total number of people in the line at the start of the period, and the probability of a person entering or exiting the line in that period to calculate the wait time. 

At the end of class, we all discussed our initial data collection from the parks yesterday. From this we brainstormed ideas for final projects. In the end, we split into three groups, each group focusing on a project idea of their choice. In some way or another, all of us are using queuing theory as part of our projects. Both of us are in the same group, and we are studying the wait lines for various Disney characters throughout the parks. We found interest in this project after noticing the high demand for some characters and how families (including ourselves) were turned away after a certain point. Other groups are studying single rider lines or how efficient the FastPass line is compared to the standby line. These projects are still in the works, so tune in later for more details!

Hollywood Studios

We took time from collecting data to take one goofy picture

In the afternoon, the group headed to Hollywood Studios for more data collection and a little free time. At the beginning, many of us split up in the single rider line at Rock 'n' Roller Coaster to collect data. Some data we wrote down in line were the actual wait time in the single rider line (from start to finish) and the party numbers going on to the ride. While many of us got great data (some of us went through multiple times), the group didn't let our FastPasses go to waste! Today we used FastPasses for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, and Star Tours, all of the group's favorites. 

I (Johanna) along with three others in our group had a very eclectic afternoon. After riding Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, we collected queuing data on Sophia the First and Jake the Neverland Pirate in the Disney Junior section of Hollywood Studios. We spent a relaxing afternoon wandering around the park, going through all the gift shops to find souvenirs for our families. We also rode Toy Story Mania and saw The Voyage of the Little Mermaid, where I discovered that Ursula is just as terrifying now as she was when I was little. 

Some of the best ice cream sandwiches around!

Show ready with the Mickey hat atop my head

I (Alex) and a few others had an afternoon full of Disney Princesses! After collecting data and riding some of the thrill rides, we saw Beauty and the Beast Live, Frozen Sing-a-Long, and The Voyage of the Little Mermaid. It's not surprising that we were all singing classic Disney songs for the rest of the night. To top it off a few of us even treated ourselves to ice cream sandwiches which were bigger than our hands! We've made a goal to try and finish an entire one by the end of this trip (probably a lot easier said then done). I also used some of the afternoon to practice for my Fantasmic audition for Mickey Mouse, which has now become my career goal ever since seeing the show!

Look who spotted Chewbacca!

The Star Wars fanatics in the group used time after collecting data to explore the new Star Wars area and even get a photo with Chewbacca. We stayed in the park until closing and ended the day with watching the Star Wars themed fireworks show. Even after watching it again, the fireworks never cease to amaze us!

Big News for Dr. Bouzarth!

Congratulations to Dr. Bouzarth who received tenure today! In honor of her huge accomplishment, the group gave her a personalized movie clapperboard from Hollywood Studios so that she could remember the day. We all signed it at the park and presented it to her at the end of the evening. We are all so lucky to have amazing professors leading this experience and giving us memories of a lifetime.

Written By:

Alex Doxey

Johanna Swab

Day 8: Back to the Tower

The group outside of Rokin' Roller Coaster

Hey guys! It's Jamie and Alex covering today's post. We'll take you through this morning's class, project time, and afternoon in Hollywood Studios.

RFID, Infrared, and Animatronics:
We took a break from our recent lectures on modeling and graph theory to talk about the technology behind many of the things that disney does well.

First up, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). This is the tech behind the Magic Bands that Disney has implemented within the past several years. An antenna sends a signal to a transmitter in the band which in turn sends a data burst back to the receiver that includes your ID. A computer can then bring up your payment information, reservations, fastpasses and many other things. The Magic Bands have both a near and far field transmitter so that sensitive information can pass through a short range or basic information like your name can be recognised from a greater range. This is used to display your name on screens around rides. The Rockin' Roller Coaster that we visited today is a good example of this application of far field RFID.

Lindsay's Magic Band tells the display 
her name and where she is from

Apparently, Dr. Harris is a real hit

Infrared is used mainly for security monitoring and statistic gathering. Instead of classic turnstiles, most disney attractions have an infrared gate that tracks how many people pass through. Further, infrared cameras are used throughout the park to keep surveillance in dimly lit areas such as dark rides.

Animatronics have been a big part of disney from the beginning, but the audio-animatronics that are used throughout the parks debuted in the 60's with the Enchanted Tiki Room, It's a Small World, and a life sized model of Abraham Lincoln. These designs have been dramatically improved since then and more modern attractions can manage stunning emulations of living people.

Project Work:

After class, we got back to work on our OR projects, and my group (Jamie) made some very good progress. We finally have a model to present to our classmates. Whether we can write it in a way that a computer can solve remains to be seen.

At work finishing our project.

HOLYWOOOOOD!

After a break to finish up our projects, the group headed to Hollywood Studios for some free time! We spent a lot of the afternoon using FastPasses to ride some of our favorite attractions and see a new show. We started at Rockin’ Roller Coaster, but one time just wasn’t enough. The group ended up going back again but instead of waiting in the normal line, we went to the single rider line.

0 to 60 in just under 3 seconds will do this to you

We have figured out by now that while it is nice sometimes to ride as a group, the single rider line is very fast and convenient, even sometimes quicker than FastPass. Our next stop on the agenda was Indiana Jones show, a show which mimicked being backstage as the movie crew shot stunts for the classic movie. We then went from one Harrison Ford movie to another: Star Wars. We all went through a minimum wait line for Star Wars Tours. Our group then headed to Tower of Terror.

In front of the Tower of Terror

Just like Rockin’ Roller Coaster, one time just was not enough. While for some of us (including me, Alex), the faces made on the photos are not planned. However for many, it’s always fun to plan a pose for the pictures!

The whole group trapped in the Twilight Zone

Around dinnertime, the group broke off to either ride more rides or grab a bite to eat. We met up an hour or so later to ride Toy Story Mania while the line was minimum. Remember how we’ve mentioned a few times that our group was super competitive? The competition is still on. While I (Alex) may have beaten my personal record, I fell short of the winner: 189, 800 points. After the ride, we all walked back to Hollywood Scoops to get ice cream or ice cream sandwiches. This was the time too when a few of us broke off to ride Tower of Terror one last time for the day! The ride was a lot different in the dark than during the day, especially when the ride gets stuck for at least 10 seconds.

Part of the group rides Tower of Terror after sunset

The fun for the day ended when we all realized that we needed to make a run to the grocery store once we got back. All in all, it ended up being another magical day in Disney and we're excited to present our projects tomorrow and meet some of Team Disney! Stay tuned for more math and the mouse!

Written By

Alex

Jamie 

Day 3: Lights, Camera, Math!

Hi everyone, it’s Alex and Lindsay here writing the blog post for today! Today we explored Hollywood Studios, so to start off this blog we have a picture of the whole group at the entrance to the park (if you haven’t noticed, group pictures at the entrance to the parks has been a bit of a theme here).

Our daily picture at the park

Knapsack Competition

In yesterday’s blog, Caroline and Jamie mentioned an assignment we were given involving the classic Knapsack Problem.  In this problem you have a set amount of space (think a set amount of space in your suitcase or knapsack) that you are trying to fit items in.  You value some items more than others (for example, you might rather pack your toothbrush than your antique teacup set for your trip to Disney).  The value placed on each item is called utility, which is what we are trying to maximize in the Knapsack Problem.

The assignment we received yesterday was a variation of the Knapsack Problem. Students were split into four groups of three (plus a group of the three professors) to engage in some friendly math-related competition. The goal of this assignment was to fit certain rides in Hollywood Studios into a fixed amount of time to get the most utility points. Each group had from 9 am, when Hollywood Studios opened its gates until 11:20, when we had lunch reservations. Each ride was assigned a certain utility value (meaning riding one ride could be more beneficial than riding another ride with a lower utility) so the goal was to get the highest total number of utility points by riding the most (and most valuable) rides. Yesterday we were all given data about the rides’ average wait times, lengths of the rides, and distances from the other rides so that groups could plan a schedule.

This morning we had the opportunity to actually test our plans.  All 15 of us arrived at Hollywood Studios half an hour before the park opened at 9 am. We got to see how Disney dealt with all of the people crowded by the entrance gates waiting for the park to open. Just before nine, they let everyone part of the way into the park.  It was really exciting being at the front of the crowd waiting to get on the first rides, and the competition with the other students (and professors!) made it even more exciting.

Some of the selfies we took in line to prove we rode the ride

Once the Disney cast members released the crowds into the park, our groups started to take different paths.  My group (Lindsay) went straight for the Rock n Roller Coaster, because the night before we had worked out that it had the highest utility compared to the time we would spend waiting in line and riding the ride.  We ended up riding the ride five times, and by the last time we had the ride pretty much memorized.  We squeezed in one last short ride at the end (Star Tours) before heading to lunch.

My group (Alex) worked out a strategy the night before where we made a schedule for the time period through a trial and error method, using different starting points and different pathways. In the end, we ended up hitting Tower of Terror twice, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster twice, and then other rides with lower utility. It's safe to say we really enjoyed doing this assignment!

Did I Hear a 3-Course Meal?

Group at Mama Melrose's

When 11:20am came and the project ended, we all met at Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano for an early lunch! We were able to choose 1 appetizer and 1 entree, with a dessert sampler at the end. Knowing it was a 3-course meal, we all paced ourselves throughout each course to make sure we had room for the next one. Let's just say we walked out of that meal full and satisfied! During lunch, the professors finally revealed who the winners of the morning competition were.

Drumroll… In third place we had a tie between three of the groups (both of us, Lindsay and Alex, were in this category…).  In second place were Zack, Courtney, Alyssa.  The winners of the competition were…. the professors!  We won’t deny that their Ph.D.’s in math might not have hurt their chances in the competition.

Time to Explore!

Before Toy Story Mania

After lunch, we got to explore Hollywood Studios a bit more leisurely. Our first stop was the Great Movie Ride where we explored some classic movies including the Wizard of Oz and Singing in the Rain.  Our second stop was Toy Story Mania, which was a new ride for a lot of us since its a fairly new attraction. Similar to Magic Kingdom's Buzz Lightyear ride, we competed against one another to see who could shoot for the highest points. We quickly learned that trying to outscore each other on Toy Story Mania would not be a competition just for today but would be ongoing for our entire trip.  We (Alex and Lindsay) started to get the impression that outscoring Dr. Hutson on Toy Story Mania might be even more of a challenge than the math projects we'll be working on. Next, we walked to use our FastPasses for Tower of Terror, a group favorite. After surviving Tower of Terror, we walked all the way to the other end of the park to see the Muppets Vision 3D, a little 3D show with all the classic Muppet characters and their classic humor. At this point, the group split up to do different attractions. While a majority of the group went to Star Wars Tours, a few of us girls, including the two of us, were able to see Beauty and the Beast Live. Disney never fails with putting on a show, especially
"a tale as old as time."

A "Fantasmic" Way to End the Day!

A group selfie at Fantasmic before the show started!

After spending about 9 hours in the park, the group came to the hotel for a quick break. This was a great chance to catch up on homework for tomorrow, eat dinner, or even catch some sleep. For me (Alex), it was also a great time to get a refreshing Slurpee with some friends. After reconvening with the group to discuss our first major project (which will be discussed in future blogs), we headed back to Hollywood Studios to see the Fantasmic show. While many were intrigued by the special effects used in the show, for most of us girls we loved seeing some of the Disney princesses and singing along with the classic Disney songs. The show ended just in time for us to catch the end-of-the-day fireworks which ended up being Star Wars themed - it was a pretty epic way to end the day! While today might have been Friday the 13th, we, Alex and Lindsay, can say that our group is lucky to have such a great experience here at Disney!

Star War's Theme Fireworks Show on Hollywood Blvd

Written by:

                                      

Alex                                      

Lindsay