Little Details...

[Kman]

I have been staying at FW since I was a kid and have gone many times with my own family. Personally I think it is one of the best themed resorts- we LOVE it. That being said, here is a crazy thing I have noticed that drives me nuts and I am wondering if anyone else notices this stuff or if I'm just being stupid.

I have always loved how they used wooden posts with the lantern style fixture and yellow lamps for their street and path lighting. The wiring was actually hidden in the posts- you can see where they cut out a groove if you look carefully. It looked so authentic. Over the years the wooden posts have needed replacement which makes sense. The problem is they replaced some with new wooden posts but then they put an ugly junction box on the bottom of the pole with a surface PVC conduit up to the light. On others they had another design where they used a brown steel pole that actually looked pretty good- not as great as the original wooden design but pretty nice. They then starting using lamps that produced white lights so you have a mix throughout the resort- very inconsistent. I can understand that perhaps there may be approval issues with the powers that be in 2015 that may prevent them using the original wood-with-hidden wiring design they had in the 70's but why the vastly different designs and different lamp types?

I realize it isn't a big deal but to me the issue is that it takes away from the integrity of the theme and is a little surprising as it appears to me that the other resorts don't have this type of inconsistency. To be fair we have not stayed in all of the other resorts so perhaps I am missing some of the details when I simply visit other resorts. I don't understand the compromise in the theme.

Can anyone else sympathize?

 

[Tom]

I have been staying at FW since I was a kid and have gone many times with my own family. Personally I think it is one of the best themed resorts- we LOVE it. That being said, here is a crazy thing I have noticed that drives me nuts and I am wondering if anyone else notices this stuff or if I'm just being stupid.

I have always loved how they used wooden posts with the lantern style fixture and yellow lamps for their street and path lighting. The wiring was actually hidden in the posts- you can see where they cut out a groove if you look carefully. It looked so authentic. Over the years the wooden posts have needed replacement which makes sense. The problem is they replaced some with new wooden posts but then they put an ugly junction box on the bottom of the pole with a surface PVC conduit up to the light. On others they had another design where they used a brown steel pole that actually looked pretty good- not as great as the original wooden design but pretty nice. They then starting using lamps that produced white lights so you have a mix throughout the resort- very inconsistent. I can understand that perhaps there may be approval issues with the powers that be in 2015 that may prevent them using the original wood-with-hidden wiring design they had in the 70's but why the vastly different designs and different lamp types?

I realize it isn't a big deal but to me the issue is that it takes away from the integrity of the theme and is a little surprising as it appears to me that the other resorts don't have this type of inconsistency. To be fair we have not stayed in all of the other resorts so perhaps I am missing some of the details when I simply visit other resorts. I don't understand the compromise in the theme.

Can anyone else sympathize?

While I haven't specifically noticed the light poles you're talking about (but I guarantee I will next time I visit), I see this happening all over property.

Never do they live up to the standards set many years ago. Even in the 90s they would have replaced the posts with properly themed posts and concealed electrical components. Today, whatever is cheapest.

 

[englanddg]

This picture is from 2010, and it's hard to tell, but it appears there is conduit running along the back of the pole...

Are these the same lights you are talking about?

 

[Kman]

This picture is from 2010, and it's hard to tell, but it appears there is conduit running along the back of the pole...

Are these the same lights you are talking about?

Yes- I saw the same thing on Google images...these ones are in the parking lot I believe (they are quite a bit taller). There are other smaller units where the light is actually mounted on top of the pole and the pole is only about 10' high. Mostly for the paths and around the internal bus loops. I agree that there appears to be a PVC pipe on the back.

I get the saving cost bit but they obviously were looking at a steel pole option which seemed pretty good...I can't figure why they would not pick ONE option and go with it.

 

[englanddg]

Yes- I saw the same thing on Google images...these ones are in the parking lot I believe (they are quite a bit taller). There are other smaller units where the light is actually mounted on top of the pole and the pole is only about 10' high. Mostly for the paths and around the internal bus loops. I agree that there appears to be a PVC pipe on the back.

I get the saving cost bit but they obviously were looking at a steel pole option which seemed pretty good...I can't figure why they would not pick ONE option and go with it.

Like this one (next to the lawnmower tree)?

 

[Kman]

Like this one (next to the lawnmower tree)?

That's a great example of the new type of steel pole. Except for the the white light (I believe) it is a pretty good solution.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The junction box may be a requirement of more recent electrical codes. Some things, such as safety, cannot be overridden for the sake of show. Short circuits in wiring can ruin a really good show dramatically. The chances of something happening are slim, but, with the lawsuit happy society combined with the deep Disney pockets, there is no way that they are going to fight the codes, nor should they under any circumstances.

 

[SeanWM48]

i'm a FW guy as well. that said i have not noticed this but it doesn't surprise me. unfortunately it really does seem to come down to "what is the cheapest fix?"

 

[POLY LOVER]

Codes are set for safety, and since the structure is basically a log cabin , fire is always an issue regardless of the chances of it happening. No one thought a monorail crash could happen and it did. If it can happen it will. I too like authentic but in this case I can accept it. It's a great hotel I love it. As far as law suit happy society if your family were killed in a hotel fire because of code violation they would be the first to sue. Enjoy the hotel and next time feel free to ask to speak to a manager and comment, they do listen.

 

[unkadug]

The four keys

• Safety
• Courtesy
• Show
• Capacity

Safety trumps show

 

[unkadug]

Codes are set for safety, and since the structure is basically a log cabin , fire is always an issue regardless of the chances of it happening. No one thought a monorail crash could happen and it did. If it can happen it will. I too like authentic but in this case I can accept it. It's a great hotel I love it. As far as law suit happy society if your family were killed in a hotel fire because of code violation they would be the first to sue. Enjoy the hotel and next time feel free to ask to speak to a manager and comment, they do listen.

Something doesn't seem right with this statement!

 

[lazyboy97o]

So can someone actually cite these changes to the EPCOT Building Code?

 

[danlb_2000]

The junction box may be a requirement of more recent electrical codes. Some things, such as safety, cannot be overridden for the sake of show. Short circuits in wiring can ruin a really good show dramatically. The chances of something happening are slim, but, with the lawsuit happy society combined with the deep Disney pockets, there is no way that they are going to fight the codes, nor should they under any circumstances.

But with something like a junction box it should be possible to hide it and still satisfy the code.

 

[Goofyernmost]

But with something like a junction box it should be possible to hide it and still satisfy the code.

I suppose, unless the box has to be out in the open for easy access in case of an emergency. I don't know... just guessing here.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I suppose, unless the box has to be out in the open for easy access in case of an emergency. I don't know... just guessing here.

And unless you can start quoting the code it's just pulled out of nowhere. There are plenty of outdoor lights that don't have junction boxes just sticking out or exterior conduit.

 

[Goofyernmost]

And unless you can start quoting the code it's just pulled out of nowhere. There are plenty of outdoor lights that don't have junction boxes just sticking out or exterior conduit.

Seriously, I said that I was guessing. Would you like me to swear out my every statement. It was never stated as fact. I do know that there are many new safety codes over the past few years. If that is one of them, I do not know, but, I am intelligent enough to know that it is possible. Judging from some of the responses that you have given concerning how electricity works and how seemingly nonvolatile you think it is, I'd think that your knowledge of it has never exceeded plugging in a night light.

If you can come up with a reason, other then they are to cheap to hide it, which, of course to you is the only possible reason, I'd be glad to entertain it.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Seriously, I said that I was guessing. Would you like me to swear out my every statement. It was never stated as fact. I do know that there are many new safety codes over the past few years. If that is one of them, I do not know, but, I am intelligent enough to know that it is possible. Judging from some of the responses that you have given concerning how electricity works and how seemingly nonvolatile you think it is, I'd think that your knowledge of it has never exceeded plugging in a night light.

If you can come up with a reason, other then they are to cheap to hide it, which, of course to you is the only possible reason, I'd be glad to entertain it.

The problem with your guesses is that it is clear that you are unfamiliar with any codes and the codes are not secrets. No guessing required (unless your hoping people also don't know and will just stop pointing these sort of issues out). Plenty of outdoor lighting is commercially available with the wiring concealed within, including new installations at Walt Disney World.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The problem with your guesses is that it is clear that you are unfamiliar with any codes and the codes are not secrets. No guessing required (unless your hoping people also don't know and will just stop pointing these sort of issues out). Plenty of outdoor lighting is commercially available with the wiring concealed within, including new installations at Walt Disney World.

OK, you got me. From now on I will bone up on my codes before I express my wild a$$ guess thoughts. If anyone besides yourself, thought that I said in a way that was even anything closely resembling fact or that I was even intending to be factual, please raise your hand.

 

[unkadug]

OK, you got me. From now on I will bone up on my codes before I express my wild a$$ guess thoughts. If anyone besides yourself, thought that I said in a way that was even anything closely resembling fact or that I was even intending to be factual, please raise your hand.

Pretty sure there is a code violation for not knowing your codes.

 

[Kman]

But with something like a junction box it should be possible to hide it and still satisfy the code.

I suppose, unless the box has to be out in the open for easy access in case of an emergency. I don't know... just guessing here.

In response to both of these, being a licensed electrician, I can tell you that, at least in Canada and I suspect the US is not much different, with pole style lighting there are a few options. You can buy direct buried poles where the wiring can be hidden underground right into the pole. If you have a situation where you absolutely need a junction box you can buy units that can be ground mounted. They can't be completely buried and do need to be accessable however with a little effort you could put the box in a location where it is not readily noticible and run an underground conduit and wire to the pole location.

I realize this is a technical answer to a technical problem however my real point is that I am SURE that if appearance and maintaining theme is really important it is nearly always possible to find a solution without compromising guest safety. Naturally that is the most important. I think that's what I was to get at with this thread...I see this particular example at FW. I have been wondering about the other resorts where perhaps I don't pay the same attention as I do not stay there.