DHS Special FX Generator

hazelrah

hazelrah

Member
Original Poster
Sorry if this question has already been asked, but does anyone know what that "Special FX Generator" thing is that they're creating behind Muppets (next to the overflow queue across from the Backlot Theater)?

It's a purple tank that is very Muppet-looking, with eyes, and some kind of Sousaphone coming out of it. the fence has a sign with something to the effect of "Special FX Gener8or - Don't Look Up!"

Maybe it's going to spritz water, or maybe they're just theming a tank that was already there, but the sign makes it sound like it might be something more elaborate than just a water tank in disguise.

Sorry I don't have a picture, but maybe Mousemerf or EpcotServo snapped one recently...?
 
EpcotServo

EpcotServo

Well-Known Member
I just saw it on Studios Central, it looks great! I'm so happy to see them theme this big thing that replaced some of the Muppets queue.
:D
 
Figment82

Figment82

Well-Known Member
I just miss the old "Don't Look Here" wall that this giant wall replaced. I, too, am glad they finally decorated the wall, but it's just not the same.
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
So while removing Toy Story items in the muppet area they are actually ADDING more muppet sets. This is a very positive trend. My feeling is they have mended fences with the Henson folks which may have been a pre-requisite of getting Lucas on board for a Lucasfilm Studios area. Time will tell. Very promising though! :)
 
O

OmegaKnight

New Member
jt04 said:
So while removing Toy Story items in the muppet area they are actually ADDING more muppet sets. This is a very positive trend. My feeling is they have mended fences with the Henson folks which may have been a pre-requisite of getting Lucas on board for a Lucasfilm Studios area. Time will tell. Very promising though! :)
Click to expand...
Disney owns the muppet brand now. They bought it about 3 years or so ago. The only announced thing they are doing with the license is a new movie being written and directed by the creators of Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
 
wdwmagic

wdwmagic

Administrator
Moderator
Premium Member
hazelrah said:
Sorry if this question has already been asked, but does anyone know what that "Special FX Generator" thing is that they're creating behind Muppets (next to the overflow queue across from the Backlot Theater)?

It's a purple tank that is very Muppet-looking, with eyes, and some kind of Sousaphone coming out of it. the fence has a sign with something to the effect of "Special FX Gener8or - Don't Look Up!"

Maybe it's going to spritz water, or maybe they're just theming a tank that was already there, but the sign makes it sound like it might be something more elaborate than just a water tank in disguise.

Sorry I don't have a picture, but maybe Mousemerf or EpcotServo snapped one recently...?
Click to expand...

Photos are at http://www.wdwmagic.com/disneyshollywoodstudios.htm :)
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
OmegaKnight said:
Disney owns the muppet brand now. They bought it about 3 years or so ago. The only announced thing they are doing with the license is a new movie being written and directed by the creators of Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Click to expand...

Yes but there is still a "Jim Henson Company" that has other productions that Disney could cross promote and even feature at DHS. As I said, time will tell. I also found out a sequel to "The Dark Crystal" will be released next year. A lot happening!
 
Captain Hank

Captain Hank

Well-Known Member
Evoulie said:
Anybody notice that the Dancing Lights signs are still up..? o_o

Ev
Click to expand...
That particular Osborne Lights sign stays up all year.

Cool prop! Also, very interesting placement, as that part of the queue isn't used too often (if I'm figuring its location right).
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
Captain Hank said:
That particular Osborne Lights sign stays up all year.

Cool prop! Also, very interesting placement, as that part of the queue isn't used too often (if I'm figuring its location right).
Click to expand...

I am having the same problem, it is difficult to tell exactly where it's located since there are no definitive landmarks.
 
Rob562

Rob562

Well-Known Member
jt04 said:
I am having the same problem, it is difficult to tell exactly where it's located since there are no definitive landmarks.
Click to expand...


If you look at the pics here on WDWMagic, in the fourth photo... The pink building straight ahead is the back of the MuppetVision building. The shorter part to the right is the exit corridor (look up the side of the building and you can see the window openings into the exit corridor), the taller part is the theater itself. The building facades to the left are the start/end of the San Francisco "cross street" of the Streets of America. The San Francisco backdrop and Al's Toy Barn are to the right of where the cameraperson was standing to take the pic.

I guess part of the problem is that many people don't walk back here unless they're going to Al's Toy Barn or while walking through the Spectacle of Lights. Most people when they're exiting Muppets go into the Muppets shop, or follow the street past Mama Melroses and "It's A Wonderful Shop" (is that even open anymore?) They don't turn right to follow the street back and around.

And the Muppets standby queue is rarely used, especially its full length (though I admit I usually only go in the off-season, and have barely ever seen a line of any kind for MV3D). As you approach Muppets from Star Tours, the extended queue goes down the right-hand side of the building and curves around the back. In that extended queue, this tank is located at the turn-around where you'd loop back to head up to the front of the building again.

As mentioned, the tank has been there a while now. My guess on what it is? A centralized storage tank for the soap-solution used for the Spectacle of Lights' snowfall. They're just now getting around to themeing the exposed part of it in with the Muppets' queue. (It's just a funny bonus that they themed it as an "FX-Gen-R8R"... ;)

-Rob
 
HS0411

HS0411

Member
There's actually a game on the Muppets website with Dr Honeydew and Beaker where you can there is a FX generator. I wonder if there is anything to to do with that...

Never mind... they had the game, but the site has totally been redone from what I remember it. I went there to link it, but no luck... :( Can anybody else remember this too???
 
Captain Hank

Captain Hank

Well-Known Member
HS0411 said:
There's actually a game on the Muppets website with Dr Honeydew and Beaker where you can there is a FX generator. I wonder if there is anything to to do with that...

Never mind... they had the game, but the site has totally been redone from what I remember it. I went there to link it, but no luck... :( Can anybody else remember this too???
Click to expand...
Ah, yes! IIRC, the experiment was to create the world's greatest cup of coffee. Too bad that the "reject" samples caused Beaker to explode... The machine in that game and the FX Generator do share some similarities.
 
J

JLW11Hi

Well-Known Member
Rob562 said:
If you look at the pics here on WDWMagic, in the fourth photo... The pink building straight ahead is the back of the MuppetVision building. The shorter part to the right is the exit corridor (look up the side of the building and you can see the window openings into the exit corridor), the taller part is the theater itself. The building facades to the left are the start/end of the San Francisco "cross street" of the Streets of America. The San Francisco backdrop and Al's Toy Barn are to the right of where the cameraperson was standing to take the pic.

I guess part of the problem is that many people don't walk back here unless they're going to Al's Toy Barn or while walking through the Spectacle of Lights. Most people when they're exiting Muppets go into the Muppets shop, or follow the street past Mama Melroses and "It's A Wonderful Shop" (is that even open anymore?) They don't turn right to follow the street back and around.

And the Muppets standby queue is rarely used, especially its full length (though I admit I usually only go in the off-season, and have barely ever seen a line of any kind for MV3D). As you approach Muppets from Star Tours, the extended queue goes down the right-hand side of the building and curves around the back. In that extended queue, this tank is located at the turn-around where you'd loop back to head up to the front of the building again.

As mentioned, the tank has been there a while now. My guess on what it is? A centralized storage tank for the soap-solution used for the Spectacle of Lights' snowfall. They're just now getting around to themeing the exposed part of it in with the Muppets' queue. (It's just a funny bonus that they themed it as an "FX-Gen-R8R"... ;)

-Rob
Click to expand...

Very cool. This is defenetly one of the problem areas of DHS in terms of confusing layout and odd theming. Its nice to see them sprucing the place up a bit to keep it from looking so barren :)
 
Figment82

Figment82

Well-Known Member
It's a Wonderful Shop is really only open during the holiday season, it's very small so it doesn't have a wide selection. It does offer ornament personalization, which is a nice alternative to the busy MK and DTD locations.

This past year they also had a Christmas overlay to Mouse About Town on Sunset Blvd, which has a much better location to pull in passing guests, and hopefully will not result in the permanent closure of IAWS. One of my favorite Christmas details at the Studios is Santa Claus descending the fire escape over the store's entrance.
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
Rob562 said:
If you look at the pics here on WDWMagic, in the fourth photo... The pink building straight ahead is the back of the MuppetVision building. The shorter part to the right is the exit corridor (look up the side of the building and you can see the window openings into the exit corridor), the taller part is the theater itself. The building facades to the left are the start/end of the San Francisco "cross street" of the Streets of America. The San Francisco backdrop and Al's Toy Barn are to the right of where the cameraperson was standing to take the pic.

I guess part of the problem is that many people don't walk back here unless they're going to Al's Toy Barn or while walking through the Spectacle of Lights. Most people when they're exiting Muppets go into the Muppets shop, or follow the street past Mama Melroses and "It's A Wonderful Shop" (is that even open anymore?) They don't turn right to follow the street back and around.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great explanation! You are right, never even knew that area or the tank was there.

I do appreciate the ongoing efforts at the Studios to keep making it a better experience. Not sure what Jim Hill is talking about that the Imagineers feel like there is too much complaining here. They need to learn to seperate the wheat/chaff. There is plenty of praise on these boards if they look for it -------> GREAT JOB IMAGINEERING!
 

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