Fire at FoLK at AK?

[COProgressFan]

What I find interesting is that awkward, uncomfortable moment of confusion when the soundtrack stops and that other music starts. Clearly something is going on here, and as soon as folks start seeing/smelling smoke they're getting up to leave on their own. I know at this point, the crew probably doesn't exactly know what's going on. But what is the SOP when something happens like this? Playing some music before pulling a fire alarm or playing the evac spiel?

I know in retrospect we know it was a minor event and no one was hurt, but those few seconds absolutely would matter if the situation was more serious. It takes forever to exit that theater on a good day, let alone when there is danger of smoke/fire. Would it be more prudent to start the evacuation first and ask questions later? I would think the first thing would be to pull the fire alarm. Not trying to argue what happened, but just thinking about how these things are handled.

 

[Bairstow]

What I find interesting is that awkward, uncomfortable moment of confusion when the soundtrack stops and that other music starts. Clearly something is going on here, and as soon as folks start seeing/smelling smoke they're getting up to leave on their own. I know at this point, the crew probably doesn't exactly know what's going on. But what is the SOP when something happens like this? Playing some music before pulling a fire alarm or playing the evac spiel?

I know in retrospect we know it was a minor event and no one was hurt, but those few seconds absolutely would matter if the situation was more serious. It takes forever to exit that theater on a good day, let alone when there is danger of smoke/fire. Would it be more prudent to start the evacuation first and ask questions later? Not trying to argue what happened, but just thinking about how these things are handled.

Once the crowd actually sees and smells the billowing smoke, all bets are off. All the procedures are designed to manage crowds who haven't been shown reasons to panic. That guy you see in the video grabbing his daughter and running out of there? Good luck stopping him.

 

[-em]

What I find interesting is that awkward, uncomfortable moment of confusion when the soundtrack stops and that other music starts. Clearly something is going on here, and as soon as folks start seeing/smelling smoke they're getting up to leave on their own. I know at this point, the crew probably doesn't exactly know what's going on. But what is the SOP when something happens like this? Playing some music before pulling a fire alarm or playing the evac spiel.

If you are ever in a show and you hear 'stars n stripes forever' run run like there is no tomorrow.. (Stars n stripes is the 'disaster song' that when played during circuses & theatre signaled something was wrong- usually very wrong...)

 

[yensid67]

From remembering the show...when the floats were brought into the theatre, the curtains or doors behind the floats were closed, creating a BLACK background behind the floats. In the video, you can see that the door/curtain was opened, so they must have been in the process of getting ready to pull the float out of the building! I was surprised by 2 things...the jumping monkey's didn't notice and start an evacuation, and 2- the smoke was not detected earlier by cast members, instead of guest shouting...FIRE!

 

[GrumpyFan]

Clearly, somebody on stage stopped the show, because the music stopped and changed to the automated spiel about the stoppage and asking guests to exit.
Just guessing Disney doesn't sound fire alarms in on stage areas in order to prevent mass hysteria.

 

[COProgressFan]

Clearly, somebody on stage stopped the show, because the music stopped and changed to the automated spiel about the stoppage and asking guests to exit.
Just guessing Disney doesn't sound fire alarms in on stage areas in order to prevent mass hysteria.

There sometimes are false alarms in onstage areas. I've seen it happen. If there was an actual significant fire event you would absolutely hear alarms.

Also if you see the video on a few news sites, at some point the alarm horns and strobes did activate, most likely due to the smoke.

 

[AndyS2992]

the jumping monkey's didn't notice and start an evacuation

The monkey at the front did notice it as you can see him looking and pointing over to it, but the guy just ignores him and so they continued to perform lol

 

[Cesar R M]

OMG... Get ready for the "my vacation was ruined" "Disney owes me" "I need free crap because my day was ruined" "This wasn't magical, I need compensation" posts....

dear god, you're giving me flashbacks of that hilarious "unmagical day at disney" thread here in this forum.

 

[TP2000]

What I learned from this news is that those floats and big puppets are the originals made for Disneyland's Lion King parade in 1994, and then shipped to DAK in 1998. They are 22 years old. That's amazing they are still in use on another coast.

 

[mikeymouse]

There is another video out there showing the fire alarm was activated, unknown if by smoke/fire detector or pull station.

 

[JustInTime]

Is it back up and running?

 

[mousehockey37]

dear god, you're giving me flashbacks of that hilarious "unmagical day at disney" thread here in this forum.

The current version of the unmagical day is the haunted mansion stretching room thread.

 

[OliveMcFly]

OMG... Get ready for the "my vacation was ruined" "Disney owes me" "I need free crap because my day was ruined" "This wasn't magical, I need compensation" posts....

Yep!

 

[Cesar R M]

The current version of the unmagical day is the haunted mansion stretching room thread.

ohh dear god, I need to read it XD

link please?

 

[King Panda 77]

ohh dear god, I need to read it XD

link please?

Don't do it

 

[Rob562]

What I learned from this news is that those floats and big puppets are the originals made for Disneyland's Lion King parade in 1994, and then shipped to DAK in 1998. They are 22 years old. That's amazing they are still in use on another coast.

They were somewhat refurbed when they were initially brought to Florida, and then they were completely refurbed when the show moved from the old theater to the new one.

Clearly, somebody on stage stopped the show, because the music stopped and changed to the automated spiel about the stoppage and asking guests to exit.
Just guessing Disney doesn't sound fire alarms in on stage areas in order to prevent mass hysteria.

I know in many professional theater situations (if allowed by local fire code), there is a built-in delay in the fire alarm system if it's set off (especially in sensors that can be set off by accident like smoke or fire sprinkler water flow). The delay gives the House Manager or Stage Manager a short window to determine if it's a false alarm (triggered by an over-zealous fog machine, for example). If the time delay runs out without anyone intervening to override it, then strobes and horns go off.

Often there are also warning lights at key positions in the building during that delay so that usher staff can be notified and get in position to help direct an evac if it's needed.

In the FotLK situation, it seems like either the usher emergency training failed, or they did not have time to get in position before Guests started yelling "Fire" and running.

-Rob

 

[Timekeeper]

I would assume (maybe wrongfully) that various theme park facilities must use "intelligent" fire alarm systems, and more specifically - intelligent smoke detectors, that would be triggered by carbon monoxide but not harmless fog machine effects, for example. Just think about how many theme park rides and shows use fog effects. Moreover, FoLK and many other rides and shows use *real fire* in their production. So, I don't see why a ride/show with fog effects would ever install a smoke detection system that could be erroneously triggered by said fog effects.

There are many intelligent smoke detectors that are available off-the-shelf for home use, which is why I'm compelled to believe that a theme park would use even better commercial-grade systems in their facilities.

 

[COProgressFan]

I would assume (maybe wrongfully) that various theme park facilities must use "intelligent" fire alarm systems, and more specifically - intelligent smoke detectors, that would be triggered by carbon monoxide but not harmless fog machine effects, for example. Just think about how many theme park rides and shows use fog effects. Moreover, FoLK and many other rides and shows use *real fire* in their production. So, I don't see why a ride/show with fog effects would ever install a smoke detection system that could be erroneously triggered by said fog effects.

There are many intelligent smoke detectors that are available off-the-shelf for home use, which is why I'm compelled to believe that a theme park would use even better commercial-grade systems in their facilities.

I'm sure they do use alarms and sensors which take these things into consideration. But still, sometimes things happen, sensors fail, alarms malfunction, dust or bugs can get in sensors, etc.

 

[Timekeeper]

I'm sure they do use alarms and sensors which take these things into consideration. But still, sometimes things happen, sensors fail, alarms malfunction, dust or bugs can get in sensors, etc.

Right, but a lot of the previous discussion comments seemed to place possible blame on a "fog machine" (probably because there appears to be visible fog/smoke in the images and videos of the event), and not on malfunctions, dust or bugs, which is why I suggested that Disney's systems are likely intelligent systems that account for theater fog.

 

[mousehockey37]

ohh dear god, I need to read it XD

link please?

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/mansion-stretch-room-too-frightening-for-children.911440/