How does the dragon at Fantasmic! work?

Pabgo

Pabgo

Member
Original Poster
I've always tried to look at where it comes out of, and how it works, but I can never see it! Does anyone know how it works?:)
 
elpirataman

elpirataman

New Member
The dragon is just a really really big Robot which will occasionally give the techies all sorts of problems when it doesn't feel good. The dragon is stored right behind the center pair of doors that look like a big rock with a big line done the middle of it. The door is able to open sideways like a normal one, but for the dragon, it opens downward. The wings are operated by man power (two cast members with big rods waving it back and forth). There are a majority of photos of this on the internet is you want to see what I am talking about! If you have anymore questions about Fantasmic! I would be happy to answer them!
 
Pabgo

Pabgo

Member
Original Poster
Thanks! You really explained it well! You said that there was a few pictures on the internet. If you want to, can you try to find me a site? Thanks!
 
elpirataman

elpirataman

New Member
Thank you for correcting me lol. He is right that they only open inward, but they do fold down like an upside down garage door.

For example:
untitled5.jpg

untitled-1.jpg
 
D

DisneyFans!

Member
As long as we're on the topic...has the dragon always appeared in that spot? I have a memory of it rising from the top of the mountain...did I dream that??

Unfortunately, the last few times the robot was under the weather so we got to see Malecifent get lifted on the giant 'skirt'! :rolleyes:

Craig
 
Pabgo

Pabgo

Member
Original Poster
Thoe are some good pictures! I also have a memory of the dragon being much taller and rising up from the top of the mountain! Is my memory going bad, or am I right?
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
The Dragon has always appeared as it does. The actual figure is just a head on a mechanical arm (the neck) with several axis of motion - think a robot hand on a robot arm. The wings give the impression it is a full figure.
 
Coasterbp

Coasterbp

Member
Actually, they don't go in any direction except for swinging inward. They don't fold down in front of the dragon like you have circled in that pic. What you have circled in that pic is the base of the dragon wagon the moves out with the dragon itself.
 
Sunny04

Sunny04

New Member
biggbird5182 said:
Thoe are some good pictures! I also have a memory of the dragon being much taller and rising up from the top of the mountain! Is my memory going bad, or am I right?
Click to expand...
At the end of the show when Mickey "makes" the water rise to put out the fire -- the head of the dragon rises up higher to be seen over the water. Therefore, the head is pretty high and basically at the top of the mountain. Maybe you are remembering that part of the show.
 
L

lightboy

Member
::cough cough::

Wow sure does have some resemblance underneath all of that fabric of a normal 2-man high reach lift with a head instead of a basket :)

hehe....:sohappy:
 
JML42691

JML42691

Active Member
Does the dragon have a "backup" effect like the B-mode on everest for when it is not working. I have only seen the show twice, but I seem to remember a different version of the dragon almost like a catterpillar with an actor in each segment. Is this a replacement/backup effect, a different part of the sow that I am blacking out about, or is my imagination going crazy. But I do remember the actual dragon the second time.

Sorry for bringing an old thread back.:)
 
UltimtMickeyFan

UltimtMickeyFan

Member
JML42691 said:
different version of the dragon almost like a catterpillar with an actor in each segment. Is this a replacement/backup effect, a different part of the sow that I am blacking out about, or is my imagination going crazy.
Click to expand...

The catapillar you are refering to is also part of the show a little earlier in the show before the dragon. And the catapillar is actually a cobra snake chasing Mickey's imagination!:wave:
 
G

Goosebrent

New Member
Vivian as the dragon is named is actually made out of two articulating boom lifts (http://www.genielift.com/zb-series/index.asp) on a moving platform. The entire dragon is controled by 2 on board computers. The computers control the entire animation autonomisly (sp?). The main show control tells the platform to roll and the dragon to animate and then tells it to stop and return "home". The pyro is controlled by a third computer system on-board. There are 23 e-stop buttons on the dragon itself. The wings of the dragon are controlled by 2 pupeteers per side. The entire travel and set-up time is 11.3 seconds and return is 10 secs.
 
Monty

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
In the Parks
No
We were watching Fantasmic last week and there was no dragon... Has Vivian been permanently removed from the show or do they sometimes not use her for weather-related or other reasons? It was a windy evening... :shrug:
 

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