Fantasmic! Question

JML42691

Active Member
Original Poster
Even though I am pretty sure how they do it, but how do they project the images onto the "water screens" during Fantasmic? Is it one central location that pushes water out in a 180 degrees with the projector behind it (see first link), or is it like a long strip that pushes the water up with the projection behind it (see second link)? Or do I have it all wrong and it is something completely different?

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s41/jml42691/F1.jpg

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s41/jml42691/F2.jpg
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
^ Yep, the screens are generated from a WDI custom fountain head. It took a lot to develop into a working model; getting the shape and size right, and the pressure just right. To little and you get a fountain. Too much and the water is too thick.

There are 3 projectors in the island directly behind each screen - if you sit dead center to one you can see the light from it through the screen.
 

palmage

Member
^ Yep, the screens are generated from a WDI custom fountain head. It took a lot to develop into a working model; getting the shape and size right, and the pressure just right. To little and you get a fountain. Too much and the water is too thick.

There are 3 projectors in the island directly behind each screen - if you sit dead center to one you can see the light from it through the screen.
They were at one point considering video projection for the displays, but opted for film.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Yeah, I`m surprised they havn`t gone to video yet. Especially with the issues in respooling and re syncing 3 projectors after a show stop (the nature of the show having more risk of a 101 than say Impressions de France)
 

palmage

Member
Yeah, I`m surprised they havn`t gone to video yet. Especially with the issues in respooling and re syncing 3 projectors after a show stop (the nature of the show having more risk of a 101 than say Impressions de France)
It's a continious loop of film, no spools.
 

lightboy

Member
^ Yep, the screens are generated from a WDI custom fountain head. It took a lot to develop into a working model; getting the shape and size right, and the pressure just right. To little and you get a fountain. Too much and the water is too thick.

There are 3 projectors in the island directly behind each screen - if you sit dead center to one you can see the light from it through the screen.

ACTUALLY...
A company in Europe made them and designed them awhile back. But they wanted an unreal amount of money for them. So what did Disney do? Used the concept to make their own...Disney didn't design the concept themselves...but they did use it to make their own. It's the same thing though.
 
ACTUALLY...
A company in Europe made them and designed them awhile back. But they wanted an unreal amount of money for them. So what did Disney do? Used the concept to make their own...Disney didn't design the concept themselves...but they did use it to make their own. It's the same thing though.

That is correct. Not to mention these fountain heads can be seen being used all over the place, not just at WDW.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
I know another company designed their version of the heads; WDI custom made their own in 1991. SeaWorld Orlando used them for a portion of Rockin' Rockets for example.
 

Rob562

Well-Known Member
It's a continious loop of film, no spools.

I believe his comment about "respooling" was more about getting the film back to its start point. If the show stops, they need to run the film forward until it reaches the start point again (or wherever it is that they're going to start the show from). A digital projection would eliminate this problem entirely.

-Rob
 

palmage

Member
I believe his comment about "respooling" was more about getting the film back to its start point. If the show stops, they need to run the film forward until it reaches the start point again (or wherever it is that they're going to start the show from). A digital projection would eliminate this problem entirely.

-Rob
I spent a lot of nights with Imagineering doing projection demo's. And that came up a lot.
Disney just likes film.
 

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