Alien Encounter tongue effect

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Original Poster
How was the Alien tongue effect accomplished at Alien Encounter? :confused:

I believe it wasn't in the first version of AE, it was added after Eisner decided it wasn't scary enough.
 

dxwwf3

Well-Known Member
Yep this wasn't in the first version of the show, as far as I know. And to be honest, I really don't know how they did this effect either, but I absolutely loved it.
 

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Original Poster
Did a little digging around on and found an article by Jim Hill:

"All these atmospheric elements that WDI wanted to use to make "Alien Encounter" a sensory break-through show may sound cutting edge and expensive. In truth, they were all low-tech effects that were incredibly easy to do. The sensation that the monster is right behind the audience member, breathing down their neck? Simple. That's just warm, moist air being blown through a hole in the guest's headrest -- synchronized to raspy breathing sounds on the show's soundtrack. That dribble of monster drool? That's less that a teaspoon of warm water -- dripped from a precisely positioned pipe, hidden high in the ceiling of the theater. The monster's tongue, flicking through the guest's hair? That's a single strand of plastic coated wire, that quickly pokes out of the headrest and lightly brushes the guest's hair. All ingenious illusions, it's true. But -- more to the point -- they were in-theater effects that could be produced on a bargain basement budget."

Can anybody here verify?
 

dxwwf3

Well-Known Member
Sounds about right to me unkadug. That's one of the things I admired most about AE. The effects were so simple, but so effective as well. Same thing could be said for the 3D shows, especially ITTBAB.
 

BRER STITCH

Well-Known Member
I'm never one to "break the magic", but next time you are at WDW, TTBAB, or any of the other 3/4-D shows, take a good look around at your seat, the headrest, and the back of the seat that's directly in front of you.

They all offer clues as to where the "magic" happens!!!

You know those party horn things that you blow on New Year's Eve that have the paper coil on the end of them that curls in and out when you blow??? Picture one of those mounted in the headset above your head going in and out quickly when STITCH tickles your head. That's the idea....

:D
 

CoffeeJedi

Active Member
BRER STITCH said:
I'm never one to "break the magic", but next time you are at WDW, TTBAB, or any of the other 3/4-D shows, take a good look around at your seat, the headrest, and the back of the seat that's directly in front of you.

They all offer clues as to where the "magic" happens!!!
:D
I'll also add to that, feel the back of your own seat, particularly those "bored" holes in the "wood", one of them might just have a surpise inside.
 

WDWFREAK12

New Member
I realized this when i was scared that something would tickle or do something to me. So i checked for anything with holes or hoses.
 

rbrower

Well-Known Member
It is pretty smart the way that they made a ride that would entertain people while they used technology that was very simple.
 

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