HOW?! - Glowing Stars & Mexico's Volcano

[DisneySaint]

Allright, there absolutely has to be someone out there who knows how the heck these two things are done. If you do, TELL ME! I am in the process of planning a house and I would love to know how these things are done to see if I can integrate them:

1) The Glowing Stars
As seen in the ceiling of the Rainforest Cafe, in the tiles at Epcot near Innoventions, or in the "gold" in the Pirates of the Caribbean sign in DisneyQuest. How do they do it!? I've tried using twinkling christmas lights behind cardboard and that just isn't right.

2) Mexico's Volcano
Seen in the horizon inside the Mexico pavillion in Epcot. The River of Time flows right by it. I believe it's a projected thing, but I can't confirm that.

Thanks,
Joey

 

[badnitrus]

I'm confident about how the glowing stars effect is done. It not that complicated. I think they're using fiber optics. They are very thin plastic-like strings. Whenever a light comes in one end, it comes out the other end, thus creating a very small point of light. Since the strings are flexible, they can be bent in all directions, expect 90 degrees. Light can only come out at the end (it is being refracted again and again inside the string until it reaches the end). They are being used in pre-made Christmas trees. The tree is filled with strings all around it, and they all originate from a solid base (tied all together) where light is projected into them. Changing colors are possible using a rotating color filter. The principle is not complicated. What's more tricky is how they manage to time the lighting so it follows a certain pattern, like when you walk in Epcot.


As for the horizon effect in the Mexico pavillion, I think it's only a combination of painting (on the wall) and lighting, although to make it seem bright, they might be using some sort of UV light, like in Winnie the Pooh where everything seems to glow in the dark. A similar horizon effect is used in the dinosaur part of Ellen's Energy Adventure.

Hopes it gives you some explanation,
But I have to tell I'm not 100% informed.
Maybe someone else can correct me?

 

[DigitalDisney]

Stars:
As badnitrus explained, those are just fiber optics. They can control the patterns by placing a rotating translucent disc at the light end of the cables. At the light end, the strands of fiber optic cable are all lined up in a row, and the color they display on the other end is based on the string's radius on the wheel and the anount that the wheel has rotated. It's tough to explain w/o a visual...

Mexico:
I believe that it's just a combination of black / mood lighting for the basic illumination, and a projection for the volcano's smoke and lava.

 

[ogryn]

A good little Fibre Optics Company: http://www.fibreopticfx.co.uk/ ?

It'll give you an idea of what can be done.

 

[DisneySaint]

Great info, thanks a lot, guys!
I wonder how hard it would be to get someone to install fiberobtic lighting in a room. My guess it's muchos $$$.

As for the Volcano, that thing will always mystify me - I just think it's the coolest thing.

 

[pisco]

Stars for your ceiling - only $99! http://www.affordablefiberoptic.com/docs/fiber/starfieldkits.html

 

[DisneySaint]

Pisco, you are my hero. :sohappy:

 

[isnet396]

The volcano/lava in Mexico is quite different from the stuff found at UoE...that's actual "gook" they've got in there.

 

[pisco]

No problem DinsneyJoey, glad to help. You'll have to post some pictures once you install some stars in your ceiling (or wherever you wind up putting them)!

 

[DisneySaint]

Hey let me know if you spot any more sites like this, too! Thanks again!

 

[Lovecraft]

Fiber optics are great! and easy to work with.

I have built some concrete pavers with them (like the sidewalk at EPCOT) and am in the process of building a fiber optic starlight ceiling in my home cinema. If you do the work yourself, it isn't very expensive -- also I use the acrylic fibers rather than glass, they are easier to work with and do just as well unless you are using them for long range data transmission.

 

[stitch82]

volcano

i believe that the magic of the ambiance in the mexico pavilion, like blue bayou in disneyland, is in combination of blacklighting and blue-hued lights. the volcano is a cool paint effect, probably using some kind of fx paint like wildfirefx, and there is a light gobo (kind of like a shadow puppet for a light) projecting on it.

 

[jsfra209]

I think it's totally awesome that you are planning to put effects in your home like that...Good luck with it :wave:

 

[donald23]

The volcano in Mexico is so realistic, it's awesome how they did that. I like the whole area surrounding the volcano too, because it really makes you feel like you're in a jungle.

 

[Bullredchaser]

I had a friend that put the fiber optics in his bathroom ceiling of the may sky.It was awesome especialy since the sink was black granite with a black toilet and tub and mirrors thrown in the mix.It was a guest bathroom.Also the family did the same thing with the bar area of his yacht very nice indeed.