Earth Globe rehab

[Rob562]

Also wanted to add that the 20 torches around the lagoon represent the 20 centuries, and the last one arising in the middle is...

Actually, there were *supposed* to be 20 torches around the Lagoon, but in reality there's only 19. (Look at the two on either side of World Showcase Plaza, one is #1, the other is #19). I've heard that for one reason or another they couldn't figure out how to fit 20 torches around the perimeter of the Lagoon. There wasn't enough space.

-Rob

 

[CrashNet]

Actually, there were *supposed* to be 20 torches around the Lagoon, but in reality there's only 19. (Look at the two on either side of World Showcase Plaza, one is #1, the other is #19). I've heard that for one reason or another they couldn't figure out how to fit 20 torches around the perimeter of the Lagoon. There wasn't enough space.

-Rob

That's correct. If you look at their layout, it wouldn't have looked right to have 20. Plus, its usually better to have an odd number for asthetic purposes.

However, many just think, oh, 19 for the 1900s, with the 20th in the center being the 2000s. So it still works.

 

[donaldfan]

Anyone know when the globe is going into rehab? I figure it will be any day . . .

I hope someone can post a video!

 

[CrashNet]

Should be any day no donaldfan. I would guess near the beginning of a week...possibly next week? They are doing some testing again for the show that will be used while its in rehab first. I think some of the execs wanted a few changes.

 

[JML42691]

I kind of glad to hear that the globe will be rehabed. I viewed the show last February (the week after they brought back the inferno barge) and the burnt out LEDs were clearly noticible. I have also seen the show without the globe once before because of a lightning storm and to be honest, it stunk. All there was to look at were the fountains and the occaisional lightning strike, the globe is the center-peice of the show and I hope that the temporary "globeless" version will be somewhat good and I hope that if it is, they save it for the storms.

Also to solve a previous question: There are usually two people on board the globe during the show to steer/guide it to the dock at the center of the lagoon. This is why they cannot risk a lightning strike on the barge during the show, the two people under a massive metal structure, and their close proximity to the inferno barge while out there. If the inferno barge were to be struct and catch fire (a massive fire if you look at the result during the burnoff), then the two people on board the earth barge would be in great danger.

Does anybody know what those guys in speedboats are doing while racing around DURING the show?

 

[donaldfan]

I've seen the boats "re-boot" one of the fountian/pyro barges when it got "stuck" -- and it was in the middle of a portion where pyro was shooting. It was interesting, once they re-started the barge, it was synced up with the other three.

 

[Rob562]

Does anybody know what those guys in speedboats are doing while racing around DURING the show?

They go out and fix anything wrong with barges that may have happened during the opening, but I believe the main reason they go out is to turn off valves on the Inferno Barge and make sure nothing's still on fire.

It's the only thing I can think of that would call for a visit by a team every show.

-Rob

 

[Thelazer]

I can assure you they are NOT going out and turning off the gas on the inferno barge.

 

[donaldfan]

They don't go out every show, only if there is a problem. I've only seen them go out once (see previous post). I've seen the show at least 20 times (not as much as some, I'm sure).

 

[CrashNet]

Yeah those boats are there should there BE a fire, and they are there to fix mechanical problems. Sometimes lighting on a fountain barge won't be in sync or something to that effect. They'll race out there and reboot the computer. If you watch closely, the system will rapidly move through its entire sequence until it reaches sync with the rest of the show. Kinda like fast-forwarding on your tape player.

 

[donaldfan]

Yeah those boats are there should there BE a fire, and they are there to fix mechanical problems. Sometimes lighting on a fountain barge won't be in sync or something to that effect. They'll race out there and reboot the computer. If you watch closely, the system will rapidly move through its entire sequence until it reaches sync with the rest of the show. Kinda like fast-forwarding on your tape player.

HMMM, not what I saw, it was in the middle of Celebration, and it picked up with the rest of the barges, it didn't shoot off the rest of the fireworks that were missed . . .

I was just so shocked to see them go out there while Pyro was going off . . .

 

[Figments Friend]

Awesome...

I think i saw that happen once ( a fountain barge's lights going on the fritz) and never really knew what the story was until now!

Thanks!

:wave:

 

[Rob562]

I can assure you they are NOT going out and turning off the gas on the inferno barge.

LOL. Oops. You know, occasionally the mind fills in the holes with the *wrong* answers. But of all the times I've seen the show, I want to say I've seen the boat come out during the Earth Globe movement more often than not.

As for seeing a show get off in its' timing, there was one show where the timing was off in a few places. First, the promenade lighting (at least the ones where we were in Norway) didn't go off when the torches were blown out. They turned off partway into the Chaos section.

Then, the Canada lighting was off on its timing. Its edging lights didn't light up, but then two minutes later they came on. And the embedded strobes were late, too. And finally when the show was over, the promenade lighting didn't come back on for a couple minutes.
It was like the sub-processors running some of the lighting were running two minutes behind the rest of the show. It was funny where during the Celebration section, there was Canada doing it's own thing. :lol:

I also have a video clip from my last trip of them testing out the Canada strobes during the day. It's interesting seeing Canada go all sparkly.

-Rob

 

[Spring Breeze]

I spoke briefly with some entertainment managers last night at Epcot and they told me that the Earth Globe was going down for three weeks in January. He said that it would get an updated video system. I didn't think to ask what they would do to fill the abscence? :hammer:

I did ask if there would be a new show for the "25th" (without specifying Epcot) -- his response was that nothing was official yet . . .

you can never see whats on the globe anyway.

 

[donaldfan]

you can never see whats on the globe anyway.

Depends where you are I guess?

I've always watched from WS Plaza, and can always see the images. Although, they are no where near as clear as they were in 99 - 01.

 

[marni1971]

cac2889 :wave: ;

Presumably all the show computers run to a timecode signal? Is this harwired between the pavilions, or is all radio linked (especially for the barges) - or is there just a `start` radio signal and then all the systems normally keep in time with a local crystal locked clock?

I`d guess if timecode radio links are involved then there can be a multitude of problems, though I`d have thought there would be a backup alternative (the local clock system). We use timecode links at work to sync cameras, DAT recorders and clapperboards and occassionally have sync issues - though once in sync the crystal lock keeps it that way (normally)

 

[CrashNet]

HMMM, not what I saw, it was in the middle of Celebration, and it picked up with the rest of the barges, it didn't shoot off the rest of the fireworks that were missed . . .

I was just so shocked to see them go out there while Pyro was going off . . .

Oh no. :lol: Sorry I didn't specify. Just the lighting on the fountains does that. It would be too dangerous for all of the pyro to go off at once and really take away from the show if it did that. That, and there are two different tracks, a music track, and a timecode track. The timecode track is a sequence of blips that tell which launcher to fire at what time. When it hits a blip, the launcher that matches that blip fires. If the rest of the show is already further ahead, those blips are are never read, and those fireworks never launched.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[CrashNet]

Hey marni. :wave:

That's basically it. Several systems run all of the different components of the show, and sometimes one falls out of sync with the others. The show techs try to fix them if they can, but sometimes it does more worse than good, so they just let it run its course or turn it off completely. I remember once when the spot on the UK was acting crazy, rotating through all of the colors and falling way out of sync with the rest of the show. They eventually just turned it off for the remainder of the show.

 

[WDW Monorail]

I am not sure if this is true or not, but I have heard that the rehab has been delayed until sometime in February.

 

[donaldfan]

Thanks for all the great info cac2889. :wave: How do you know all this techical stuff about ROE? It's my favorite show anywhere -- any other tidbits of info you can pass along?