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Big Thunder Mountain, is it true?

wanabeimagineer

wanabeimagineer

New Member
Original Poster
Every source I see (including this site) says that Big Thunder Mountain is 197 feet tall! How is that true? That's 9 feet taller than the castle and it doesn't look it at all. That's also only 2 feet shorter than Tower Of Terror! So could someone please help me?
 
wanabeimagineer

wanabeimagineer

New Member
Original Poster
I'm not doubting you, but it doesn't look that tall at all, it doesn't even look taller than the castle, and it doesn't look all that much taller than Splash Mountain.
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
even though it doesn't look it, it's also MUCH taller than Splash Moutain. Splash is only 87 feet tall. It really doesn't look 110 feet shorter, but it is!
 
steve2wdw

steve2wdw

WDW Fan Since 1973
It's not that I don't believe what's published, but I agree with wanabeimagineer, it sure doesn't look 197 feet tall. Maybe the imagineers got their forced perspective (the trick they use to make things look taller than they really are) backwards. This fact has had me puzzled since the mountain was finished in the early 80's.
 
The_CEO

The_CEO

Well-Known Member
Yeah I'm guessing thats how they do it.... Cause look at the top of the tip top mountain... It looks wide enought to fit 3 ppl on it but if you probably went up to it you couldnt even stand on it with out falling... OK that was a lllooooooong sentance ......lol..
~ Jasmine.. lol..
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
actually, you've got it backwards on this one. The top of the mountain looks like you couldn't stand on it but you could probably fit your family on it. This mountain looks smaller than it is, and almost every other time disney uses forced-perspective they make something look bigger than it is to save money. By making Big Thunder look smaller...perhaps they are trying to make you feel like you are going a greater distance to get out there...but still...why not just make it small? Budget surplus?!
 
McArcDes

McArcDes

New Member
Think about the approach to the entrance to Big Thunder. As you walk towards it you are walking up hill. You are actually rising in elevation a you approach. Then the first part of the queue line goes up hill too. By the time you are in the densest part of the queue before going down the the train you are quite a bit higher than the ground elevation at the Castle. The actual mountian part of the attraction is quite a bit lower then where you came in. As for measuring the height is is probably measured from the River to the top of the highest point that everyone says looks so small.

As for Spash Mountian not looking as small as if really is it is probably measured from the ground level near Pecos Bills. I would be interested to see what the elevations above sea level are for the tops of the Castle, Splash Mountian and Big Thunder.

All this goes to show only a small part of what Imagineering takes into consideration when designing an attraction.
 
S

starsky

New Member
As I see it, this is quite simple as an earlier post suggested.
The castle and tower are measured from ground level, whereas, BTM is measured from sea level. I've looked at photos and videos and the castle is definitely higher so this is the obvious answer. They're claiming it as a natural feature so sea level it is.
In summary, BTM doesn't come close to being the highest point.:lol:
 
DisneyWorld30th

DisneyWorld30th

Active Member
All of the Disney Mountains (Space, Thunder and Splash), Tower of Terror, Tree of Life, Spaceship Earth, and Cinderlla's Castle are under 200 feet tall. If an object is over 201 feet tall, the FAA makes you put a red flashing light on the object.

I believe the Disney Hand at Epcot is over 201 feet tall...that has a red flashing light on it.
 
TwilightRocker

TwilightRocker

New Member
BTM vs. Cinderella's Castle

Here's the deal. Cinderella's Castle isn't nearly as tall as it looks, which is probably why Thunder Mountain seems so much shorter. On Cinderella's Castle, the Imagineers used fiberglass. I'm sure everyone already knows that. However, as the castle reaches it's highest point, the "bricks", windows, pathways, etc., get smaller. They were made that way to trick guests into thinking that the castle was taller than it actually is.

Dan
 
Fievel

Fievel

RunDisney Addict
What we're talking about is that BTM is said to be taller than Cindy's Castle, but doesn't look as tall from any vantage point in the park.

I think this is because (as previously stated ) BTM is measured from sea level, and Cindy's castle from ground level....

Either that or the fact that BTM starts lower down than the surrounding park.....

Forced perspective doesn't have much to do with it
 
WEDMagic

WEDMagic

Member
yeah

BTM is measured from sea level such as most mountain lanscapes are also take into consideration if they are measuring BTM from sea level it would not be the level of the rivers of america. The magic kingdom itself is a second story. so sea level would be much lower than that. hmmm also yeah the wand over Spaceship earth is way over 200 feet SE is 180 feet and those letters were like 30 feet or so. Its funny though how Imagineering sometimes has left things of of such items to prevent getting those warning lights, kinda like the missing finial(point) on the top of Tower of Terror, thank god they decided not to put it on, imagine the tower with blinking red lights, eckkk. Lets hope when DCA gets their tower theyll make it a little shorter so they can put it on.
 
Pioneer Hall

Pioneer Hall

Well-Known Member
Re: yeah

Originally posted by WEDMagic
BTM is measured from sea level such as most mountain lanscapes are also take into consideration if they are measuring BTM from sea level it would not be the level of the rivers of america. The magic kingdom itself is a second story. so sea level would be much lower than that. hmmm also yeah the wand over Spaceship earth is way over 200 feet SE is 180 feet and those letters were like 30 feet or so. Its funny though how Imagineering sometimes has left things of of such items to prevent getting those warning lights, kinda like the missing finial(point) on the top of Tower of Terror, thank god they decided not to put it on, imagine the tower with blinking red lights, eckkk. Lets hope when DCA gets their tower theyll make it a little shorter so they can put it on.
Click to expand...

The california law and florida law for the heights are different, but I think that the 199 feet thing is popular so it will stay. Also when the matterhorn was built there was a law that anything over a certain point could only be a sports stadium arena. So Disney cleverly decided to put a basketball court up there to make it legal.
 

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