News Dragon caught fire in today’s Festival of Fantasy parade

[GhostHost1000]

Well, fire is contagious, so...

'tis the season?

 

[V_L_Raptor]

'tis the season?

Fa-la-la... oh, geez.

 

[V_L_Raptor]

it really wasn't bad... just more shocking than anything

could it have been worse... absolutely... as could anything

they need to identify the problem, fix it, make sure it either doesn't happen again (guaranteed) and/or have a fire suppression system to put it out quicker.

my fear is we may never see the fire effect again

I'm surprised there wasn't a fire suppression system set up in parallel from the start. Have a few more lines going up the neck and ready to spray suppressant anywhere the fire might go out of control. Surely it wouldn't add too much weight or volume to the float... Instead, the fire suppression system seems to be a CM or two walking by with extinguishers...?

 

[donsullivan]

I'm surprised there wasn't a fire suppression system set up in parallel from the start. Have a few more lines going up the neck and ready to spray suppressant anywhere the fire might go out of control. Surely it wouldn't add too much weight or volume to the float... Instead, the fire suppression system seems to be a CM or two walking by with extinguishers...?

It seems if not already there, that would be a prerequisite for the dragon to return to normal operation.

 

[GhostHost1000]

I'm surprised there wasn't a fire suppression system set up in parallel from the start. Have a few more lines going up the neck and ready to spray suppressant anywhere the fire might go out of control. Surely it wouldn't add too much weight or volume to the float... Instead, the fire suppression system seems to be a CM or two walking by with extinguishers...?

that was my thought was well...but then thinking more about it this could be risky (depending on the system anyways) spraying into the crowds as well.

 

[V_L_Raptor]

that was my thought was well...but then thinking more about it this could be risky (depending on the system anyways) spraying into the crowds as well.

Depends on where/how they set it up, I guess. If they set it to spray inward, that would certainly help, if it could be shown to be effective (and not, say, destroyed in turn by the fire). Otherwise, putting something around the base of the float and still pointed inward could be a viable alternative.

I don't see how the current system would prevent getting anything sprayed on the crowd, although minimizing audience participation would certainly be the goal in any case.

 

[donsullivan]

The most practical solution is likely a set of temperature sensors added in the head and upper neck that will shut down the fuel source if a similar condition occurs again. It's clear from the after photos out there, it wasn't the structure of the float that was burning but the fuel that is used to generate the fire. If they can automate (and maybe this is what failed) removal of the fuel source from the upper neck, any fire that might start would extinquish on its own rather quickly once it ran out of fuel. That way you don't need to worry about clearing guests away before you can use any sort of external active extinguishing methods.

 

[GhostHost1000]

The most practical solution is likely a set of temperature sensors added in the head and upper neck that will shut down the fuel source if a similar condition occurs again. It's clear from the after photos out there, it wasn't the structure of the float that was burning but the fuel that is used to generate the fire. If they can automate (and maybe this is what failed) removal of the fuel source from the upper neck, any fire that might start would extinquish on its own rather quickly once it ran out of fuel. That way you don't need to worry about clearing guests away before you can use any sort of external active extinguishing methods.

good point

 

[mikenatcity1]

I mean it’s a pretty big deal that a float at Disney World was caught on fire right near guests. The only place I heard the news was on some Orlsndo based news stations and this forum. I’m not seeing it trending anyway so I don’t get what you mean by “media buzz”.

I thought it was pretty bad. A float caught fire in a dense part of the park and had pieces falling from it. I think what made it seem "worse" it the thought of what could have happened. I didn't think of this as a media buzz, but more of an actual news story.

 

[larryz]

The most practical solution is likely a set of temperature sensors added in the head and upper neck that will shut down the fuel source if a similar condition occurs again. It's clear from the after photos out there, it wasn't the structure of the float that was burning but the fuel that is used to generate the fire. If they can automate (and maybe this is what failed) removal of the fuel source from the upper neck, any fire that might start would extinquish on its own rather quickly once it ran out of fuel. That way you don't need to worry about clearing guests away before you can use any sort of external active extinguishing methods.

Or, maybe position a float containing a swimming pool or a big bucket of water right in front of the dragon float.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Or, maybe position a float containing a swimming pool or a big bucket of water right in front of the dragon float.

if only the muppets could have appeared out of the windows with a fire hose to put the fire out... now THAT would be an entertaining parade

 

[Fable McCloud]

Any news on whether the dragon has or will make a comeback?

 

[SoupBone]

The most practical solution is likely a set of temperature sensors added in the head and upper neck that will shut down the fuel source if a similar condition occurs again. It's clear from the after photos out there, it wasn't the structure of the float that was burning but the fuel that is used to generate the fire. If they can automate (and maybe this is what failed) removal of the fuel source from the upper neck, any fire that might start would extinquish on its own rather quickly once it ran out of fuel. That way you don't need to worry about clearing guests away before you can use any sort of external active extinguishing methods.

Actually, Disney's most practical solution is to remove it from the parade, permanently.

 

[ParksAndPixels]

This has probably been mentioned in the previous 13 pages, but it's funny how what was essentially a non-event creates such a media buzz. Is everything a big deal on social media? Answer is clearly yes. ha

I don’t think you get just how serious this really was though...

I could have gotten uromysitisis poisoning... and died. (favorite show to this day)

 

[WDWFREAK53]

I mean it’s a pretty big deal that a float at Disney World was caught on fire right near guests. The only place I heard the news was on some Orlsndo based news stations and this forum. I’m not seeing it trending anyway so I don’t get what you mean by “media buzz”.

I live in MA and it made our local news up here. I also listen to a radio station out of NYC and they were talking about it as well.

 

[raven]

This has probably been mentioned in the previous 13 pages, but it's funny how what was essentially a non-event creates such a media buzz. Is everything a big deal on social media? Answer is clearly yes. ha

Well, it’s Disney.

 

[JeffAndKaren]

The most practical solution is likely a set of temperature sensors added in the head and upper neck that will shut down the fuel source if a similar condition occurs again. It's clear from the after photos out there, it wasn't the structure of the float that was burning but the fuel that is used to generate the fire. If they can automate (and maybe this is what failed) removal of the fuel source from the upper neck, any fire that might start would extinquish on its own rather quickly once it ran out of fuel. That way you don't need to worry about clearing guests away before you can use any sort of external active extinguishing methods.

Even simpler would be a big red fuel cutoff button at the operator's station with a manual ball valve (closed with a quarter turn of a lever handle) as a backup. The electric valve should be one that remains open only when there is electric power flowing. The backup is in case the electric valve gets stuck in the open position. These would only let fuel be delivered to the burner assembly in the head and not be used to control the flame effect itself. I don'think setting this up would be too very hard nor expensive.

 

[GCTales]

I mean it’s a pretty big deal that a float at Disney World was caught on fire right near guests. The only place I heard the news was on some Orlsndo based news stations and this forum. I’m not seeing it trending anyway so I don’t get what you mean by “media buzz”.

It made the abc, nbc, and cbs national news and I saw it on CNN.

 

[JohnD]

Actually, Disney's most practical solution is to remove it from the parade, permanently.

Boo! (Not to you). But you're right, it would be the most practical. But the least popular.

 

[monothingie]

It made the abc, nbc, and cbs national news and I saw it on CNN.

See, no one is focusing on the monorail doors anymore.