Massive Animatronics

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barkerbird

Active Member
Original Poster
Will Disney ever create large scale AAs? I can't be alone in hoping that the parks (both Disney and Universal) will go back to the drawing board and invest in technologically advanced AAs.

I'm sure most of you have seen this, but if you haven't I suggest looking at the concept art for Expedition Everest. From what I gather, it looks as if they wanted the attraction to be similar to Kongfrontation. Check out the size of what the Yeti was supposed to be:
IMG_0974.JPG
IMG_0975.JPG

It looks incredible! I think it was heavily scaled back, to make it less scary and more "Disney." I just think that the company makes so much more financially that they could easily create high thrill attractions with large animatronics. Universal opened with rides like Kongfrontation, which contained the largest animatronic in the world. Jaws opened shortly after. USH was already working on the Jurassic Park while the movie was in production in 1993 (if you haven't seen the documentary of the ride, I highly suggest it). The attractions mentioned above are some of the best, ever. Can you imagine Expedition Everest similar to the original concept art? Unfortunately, I don't see Disney ever making another high thrill ride, but we can all hope!
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
barkerbird said:
It's 25 feet tall, if I'm not mistaken. The largest animatronic created by Disney. I also read that the entire attraction is the most expensive in park history at $100 million.
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Most expensive at DAK maybe.

Don't let concept art fool you. Often it's an indication of a direction to take, not an intent.

For large AAs look at Sinbad at TDS, the dragon under DLPs castle.
 
PurpleDragon

PurpleDragon

Well-Known Member
I rode Kongfrontation years ago at Universal and if my memory serves, the animatronic Kong was about the exact same size as the Yeti in EE. The only difference is on Kongfrontation, Kong was right in your face and you moved very slowly past him, so the sense of scale was much bigger. On EE the yeti is far above you and you speed by him so quickly that you only get a glimpse, so you never really get an appreciation for the sheer scale of that animatronic.
 
HonorableMention

HonorableMention

Well-Known Member
PurpleDragon said:
I rode Kongfrontation years ago at Universal and if my memory serves, the animatronic Kong was about the exact same size as the Yeti in EE. The only difference is on Kongfrontation, Kong was right in your face and you moved very slowly past him, so the sense of scale was much bigger. On EE the yeti is far above you and you speed by him so quickly that you only get a glimpse, so you never really get an appreciation for the sheer scale of that animatronic.
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Agreed. Especially now that it's in the dark, the yeti seems WAY smaller than it should.
 
Bairstow

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
PurpleDragon said:
I rode Kongfrontation years ago at Universal and if my memory serves, the animatronic Kong was about the exact same size as the Yeti in EE. The only difference is on Kongfrontation, Kong was right in your face and you moved very slowly past him, so the sense of scale was much bigger. On EE the yeti is far above you and you speed by him so quickly that you only get a glimpse, so you never really get an appreciation for the sheer scale of that animatronic.
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My understanding is that the Kongfrontation figure was about three times as large as the Everest Yeti, albeit a fraction of its complexity or power.

sci-kong-head1.jpeg
 
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barkerbird

Active Member
Original Poster
IMG_0986.JPG

This one might be closer, and it's more comparable since he's in the same position as the Everest Yeti. I still think he's bigger, honestly.
 
Bairstow

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
Chef Mickey said:
You have to separate animatronic from a big stuffed animal with a few movable parts. Yeti had quite a complex system of moving parts, moved quickly and violently, and could be "reloaded" in amazingly short order for the next train.
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...and now it too is a stuffed animal, with zero moving parts.

Under every pertinent criteria, the Kongfrontation ape proved to be the superior machine; it actually moved.
 
Chef Mickey

Chef Mickey

Well-Known Member
Bairstow said:
...and now it too is a stuffed animal, with zero moving parts.

Under every pertinent criteria, the Kongfrontation ape proved to be the superior machine; it actually moved.
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Not like I don't know the Yeti is broken. I'm just saying, its aspirations were far greater and the abilities are far more advanced. It's great, when it works.

It also could be fixed, but that's a separate issue.
 
B

barkerbird

Active Member
Original Poster
The JPRA T-Rex gets me every single time. I've heard the one in California is scarier, because he attacks from above and at the end.
 

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