are the "magic" bumps still on the airstrip?

[lamarvenoy]

I once read that built into the runway at the WDW airstrip were a series of bumps that would tap out "when you wish upon a star" when you ran over teh bumps in a single axle aircraft. Well last year my wife and I were staying at the Contemporary and I came across the end of the runway when I missed my turn. I drove around the poles that block off cars from entering and drove all the way up the runway to the circle at the end used to taxi a plane. I then drove all the way back and exited the way I came,I videotaped the whole thing and at no time did I ever here anything except evenly spaced thumps. Was that effect ever there or was it just a rumor?I know it would sound different in a double axle car but I didn't here anything.

 

[Talsonic]

A Dream is a wish your Thump Makes!

Seven thumps repeated three times and then four thumps? How in the world would anyone be able to figure that out? Perhaps I am missing something? Tap your finger on a table with those "thumps" and see if anyone could figure it out. Doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[wahooskipper]

Actually, they did exist and I want to say it was back in '94 or sometime around there. An imagineer came up with the idea but it was for cars, not for airplanes. It was just tried out at the runway b/c it was a good location for it.

The idea, in a nutshell, was that there were various heights/depths of ruts and bumps that, when run across with a vehicle, would make tones. Those tones, when configured as such, would produce a series of tones that became a song.

I think the original thought was that these could be put in the roads as you are approaching toll plazas. Now, the imagineer in question wanted to take the idea that wasnt' used at WDW out to the real world to see if it would sell. Imagine, if you will, driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and hearing, "San Francisco...open your golden gate" or driving across the Brooklyn Bridge and hearing, "Start spreading the news...I'm leaving today...".

Not a bad idea, huh? Well, Mr. Imagineer sued the WDW company claiming it was his idea. In a rare instance he won the lawsuit and got damages of a whopping $1. That's right...$1. Since I have yet to drive into a major city and hear any theme song, my guess is Mr. ex-Imagineer didn't find a lot of takers for what I thought was a very cute idea.

 

[Invero]

I've spent many, many hours at Stolport... and if it did actually exist, then it was paved over quite some time ago...

 

[WDWsmith2001]

I remember this story as well, "Zip a dee doo da... Zip a dee day" I never actually saw them, but I've read numerous "sightings" of them.

 

[tenchu]

Re: A Dream is a wish your Thump Makes!

Originally posted by Talsonic
Seven thumps repeated three times and then four thumps? How in the world would anyone be able to figure that out? Perhaps I am missing something? Tap your finger on a table with those "thumps" and see if anyone could figure it out. Doesn't make any sense to me.

Surely the timing of the bumps could give a tune.

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by Fantasia Boi
I've spent many, many hours at Stolport... and if it did actually exist, then it was paved over quite some time ago...

i agree... I've had to park there many a time for special events, and while.. "testing out my suspension" (ie- driving over a huge paved expanse like a jackass) I didn't encounter a single bump that wasn't a pothole

 

[wahooskipper]

I personally never experienced it but I am almost certain Cast Members were invited to try it b/c my best friend and a Cast Member that did and was the person who told me all about it.

 

[jeffs10]

Originally posted by lamarvenoy
I once read that built into the runway at the WDW airstrip were a series of bumps that would tap out "when you wish upon a star" when you ran over teh bumps in a single axle aircraft. Well last year my wife and I were staying at the Contemporary and I came across the end of the runway when I missed my turn. I drove around the poles that block off cars from entering and drove all the way up the runway to the circle at the end used to taxi a plane. I then drove all the way back and exited the way I came,I videotaped the whole thing and at no time did I ever here anything except evenly spaced thumps. Was that effect ever there or was it just a rumor?I know it would sound different in a double axle car but I didn't here anything.

Just a quick quesiton where is the wdw airstip at?

 

[tenchu]

Re: Re: are the "magic" bumps still on the airstrip?

Originally posted by jeffs10


Just a quick quesiton where is the wdw airstip at?

WDW.

:lol:

Sorry.

 

[mkt]

Re: Re: are the "magic" bumps still on the airstrip?

Originally posted by jeffs10
Just a quick quesiton where is the wdw airstip at?

it's by the MK guest parking lot/wilderness lodge. Nothing flies there though

 

[Apot2788]

Pics

Does anyone have pictures of the airstrip they can post?

 

[jeffs10]

Can you see the airstrip from the monorail?

 

[wahooskipper]

It is a long, wide stretch of pavement. I could take a picture of I-95 and post it here and you would get the picture. I think the bus drivers use that area for training purposes now.

 

[tenchu]

Originally posted by wahooskipper
It is a long, wide stretch of pavement. I could take a picture of I-95 and post it here and you would get the picture. I think the bus drivers use that area for training purposes now.

Handbrake turns and burnouts?

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by tenchu
Handbrake turns and burnouts?

no, that's me... I don't think handbrake turns are as popular in the US as they are in the UK though.. I've never heard that phrase from an american... heard a lot of brits use it though

 

[tenchu]

Originally posted by mktiggerman



no, that's me... I don't think handbrake turns are as popular in the US as they are in the UK though.. I've never heard that phrase from an american... heard a lot of brits use it though

I suppose you all drive automatics, so handbrakes dont really matter as much!

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by tenchu
I suppose you all drive automatics, so handbrakes dont really matter as much!

nope! The Xterra is an automatic, but it's only a rental... otherwise, I only drive 5 speeds (except in the scenario when I drove my friend home in her Saturn.... I have never stalled out so many times)

 

[tenchu]

Originally posted by mktiggerman


nope! The Xterra is an automatic, but it's only a rental... otherwise, I only drive 5 speeds (except in the scenario when I drove my friend home in her Saturn.... I have never stalled out so many times)

Well in that case, you need to learn to do handbrake turns! :animwink: :lol:

I've never driven an automatic (well any further than round a car park) but i reckon they would be quite boring compared to a manual.

I'm in it for the driving, not just getting from A to B.

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by tenchu
Well in that case, you need to learn to do handbrake turns

handbrake turns in an SUV?? somehow I think i'd flip... I know how to do them though, I've done them in my friends Prelude. That's the only way to do a U-Turn in some Orlando back roads