7DMT Animatronics

[kap91]

Maybe it was the same budget and they decided to make the ride shorter for the better animatronics?

No, pretty sure the track layout was changed way, way, way earlier in the design process - like practically while it was still in the concept phase. There's someone with a lot of say so, that understood deeply that the attraction might not be well regarded with the previous design.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Maybe it was the same budget and they decided to make the ride shorter for the better animatronics?

I had considered that but it sounds like the layout we've seen from the ride was approved years and years ago. Lee posted a layout of the current version of the track years ago, so the track length was decided early on. There were longer track layouts posted prior, but they were from incredibly early versions before the budget cuts occurred. It sounds like the new animatronics however were approved much more recently (after he last saw the first gen figures which was from about a year ago according to Lee), well after they began construction on the ride and were well into development. The new figures may even have been created after D23 last year (in which they showed us diagrams of what appears to be the older simpler figures). Whenever the change happened, it sounds like it was pretty recent and probably would have needed some more money besides what had already been approved.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Yeah, although I feel a lot of people are going to end up disappointed that they queue 2 hours for a 100 to 120 second ride, when I think some are expecting something along the scale of Splash Mountain.

That's what happens when you don't build an E-Ticket in 22 years.

 

[Mawg]

I had considered that but it sounds like the layout we've seen from the ride was approved years and years ago. Lee posted a layout of the current version of the track years ago, so the track length was decided early on. There were longer track layouts posted prior, but they were from incredibly early versions before the budget cuts occurred. It sounds like the new animatronics however were approved much more recently (after he last saw the first gen figures which was from about a year ago according to Lee), well after they began construction on the ride and were well into development. The new figures may even have been created after D23 last year (in which they showed us diagrams of what appears to be the older simpler figures). Whenever the change happened, it sounds like it was pretty recent and probably would have needed some more money besides what had already been approved.

I went back to look for the old schematics that were posted and found this:

These are the pictures I got at the D23 expo.. They will have a pretty good range of motion but nothing too articulate like what we see with Ursula's AA

This Dopey figure will apparently have four functions: Head Nod, Head Tilt, Body Up/Down, and Ears Wiggle

These look like what we are seeing videos of just everyone interpreted them as not that great and very basic movements. Maybe they didn't change and these were the plans all along?

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

They don't, the basic designs for the dwarfs are very similar but the underlying motions in the final version quite clearly have FAR more range of articulation than the D23 diagrams show. Go back and compare the listed functions to the figures in the video, the diagrams are incredibly specific about listing all the motions the figures are capable of. Doc in particular for example has more moving joints such as his wrist (both arms also now have movement, not just the left), and the other joints have more motion than the simple forward/back or left/right listed (they can even pivot and twist to some extent). The finals I would classify as actual animatronic figures rather than the simpler moving figures from the diagrams (which are more comparable to the range of motion older dark ride figures have). The D23 diagrams also show mechanical mouths and eyes as opposed to projections, only Dopey's eyes were mentioned as using a projection in such diagrams.

Even without Lee's word that he saw the older figures (among other respected and trusted people confirming), these diagrams make it quite obvious that the plans changed. Probably fairly recently in fact considering Lee actually saw the old figures about a year ago and D23 was pretty recent. I am very happy that they did upgrade them, the new ones look very good (only Dopey looks a bit off).

 

[Kman101]

Yeah, I agree, Dopey does seem a bit ... off for some reason. Not nitpicking but his expressions just seem strange to me.

They look FANTASTIC though. Really well done.

 

[phi2134]

No.
They were legit and reflected designs described to me a few years back.

Were they just basic AAs without the projection faces?

 

[Mawg]

They don't, the basic designs for the dwarfs are very similar but the underlying motions in the final version quite clearly have FAR more range of articulation than the D23 diagrams show. Go back and compare the listed functions to the figures in the video, the diagrams are incredibly specific about listing all the motions the figures are capable of. Doc in particular for example has more moving joints such as his wrist (both arms also now have movement, not just the left), and the other joints have more motion than the simple forward/back or left/right listed (they can even pivot and twist to some extent). The finals I would classify as actual animatronic figures rather than the simpler moving figures from the diagrams (which are more comparable to the range of motion older dark ride figures have). The D23 diagrams also show mechanical mouths and eyes as opposed to projections, only Dopey's eyes were mentioned as using a projection in such diagrams.

Even without Lee's word that he saw the older figures (among other respected and trusted people confirming), these diagrams make it quite obvious that the plans changed. Probably fairly recently in fact considering Lee actually saw the old figures about a year ago and D23 was pretty recent. I am very happy that they did upgrade them, the new ones look very good (only Dopey looks a bit off).

Yeah, you maybe right.
But, that said, it is very impressive they were able to change course and complete these in about a year.

 

[WDWLover#1]

I still think it looks like the face is mechanical and moves with the projection. So the physical cheeks on the audio animatronic move upwards if the projection one does as well

 

[ASilmser]

Having seen these things, imagine the possibilities of a re-done Winnie the Pooh ride with these new techniques!

Tigger's face probably doesn't lend itself to internal projection, but Pooh and Piglet's would.

I was thinking Peter Pan. . . Add some of the projection flourishes along the lines of the DL Big thunder upgrades (I can imagine the flight over London or Mermaid Lagoon), and you have something special.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Not everything has to be THE GREAST THING EVER.

You let me know when you believe the MK is overdue for something groundbreaking and incredible.

I, for one, believe more than 20 years at the highest attended theme park in the world is far too long.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I still think it looks like the face is mechanical and moves with the projection. So the physical cheeks on the audio animatronic move upwards if the projection one does as well

I don't think so, if the faces had any physical motion then you'd see the bases of their beards moving whenever the cheeks did (and they don't, only the ends move as they brush against their bodies). I think the faces are 100% projected onto a physically sculpted but static surface. I'd guess there would also be synchronization issues with projecting onto a surface that is constantly changing shape (Disney has problems syncing even audio with moving figures at times).

Also if there was anything mechanical like that inside the head then it would ruin the projection. The facial expressions for the dwarfs are internally projected apparently, so if there were any mechanical elements in the cheeks then you'd be able to easily see the shadows of the moving parts inside. They'd also probably get in the way of the video feed and screw the effect up.

 

[Bairstow]

I was thinking Peter Pan. . . Add some of the projection flourishes along the lines of the DL Big thunder upgrades (I can imagine the flight over London or Mermaid Lagoon), and you have something special.

Thought about that, but given the capacity problems of that attraction is give people more reasons to ride it.

 

[Mawg]

Plus if there was anything mechanical like that inside the head then it would ruin the projection. The facial expressions are rear projected so if there were any mechanical elements in the cheeks then you'd be able to see the shadows of the mechanics inside, and they'd get in the way of the video feed and screw the effect up.

That's a very good point.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I still think it looks like the face is mechanical and moves with the projection. So the physical cheeks on the audio animatronic move upwards if the projection one does as well

I believe the cheek movements are all projection-based forced lighting. The projections are internal, so if there were any mechanics in the face to move the projection dome there would be crazy shadows everywhere. In my experience, a well designed projection is a much more viable and as-convincing way of creating that effect. Additionally, if you look at the edges where the faces meet their beards, there is no physical movement. I think their illusion is tricking you (as it should be!).

EDIT: Looks like Merlin beat me to it!

 

[ASilmser]

Thought about that, but given the capacity problems of that attraction is give people more reasons to ride it.

Good point. I was just trying to make it worth the current wait times. . .

 

[Lee]

Were they just basic AAs without the projection faces?

Pretty much. Simple limited-motion figures with some articulated features.

 

[NearTheEars]

That doesn't always seem to be the case. Take the Yeti on Everest and the final Captain Jack on pirates - both scenes are passed by very quickly.

You see Jack for quite a bit now since the boats slam into each other at unload now. Every time I ride I'm like "they will have the timing down today" but then we helplessly drift into the boat ahead of us.

 

[RMichael21]

Today, Disney released a sneak peak at the audio animatronics inside the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Take a look!

 

[aladdin2007]

You see Jack for quite a bit now since the boats slam into each other at unload now. Every time I ride I'm like "they will have the timing down today" but then we helplessly drift into the boat ahead of us.

why is that anyway, I dont remember that being the norm till a couple years ago.